Mina Tanaka


Mina Tanaka is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League club Utah Royals and the Japan national team. She has previously played for Nippon TV Beleza, Bayer Leverkusen, and INAC [Kobe Leonessa].

Early life

Tanaka was born in Thailand on April 28, 1994 to a Japanese father and a Thai mother. She returned to Japan soon after her birth and grew up in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa. She graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Yurigaoka High School in March 2013.

Club career

On May 3, 2011, she made her debut for Nippon TV Beleza in a 1–0 loss to Okayama Yunogo Belle. On August 14, she scored her first goal in a 5–0 home victory against Fukuoka J. Anclas. She became top scorer in 2016 and 2017. She was also selected Best Eleven for 3 years in a row.
In 2020, Tanaka signed for INAC Kobe Leonessa. After the season was delayed by two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanaka made her club debut in the season opener on July 18. She scored the only goal of the match. On 3 February 2020, she joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season
On July 5, 2024, NWSL club Utah Royals signed Tanaka to a contract through the 2025 NWSL season.

National team career

Tanaka was part of the Japan U-17 national team that finished in second place at the 2010 FIFA U-17 [Women's World Cup|2010 U-17 World Cup] and of the U-20 team that finished in third place at the 2012 U-20 World Cup. In February 2013, she received her first senior team call-up. On March 8, she made her debut for Japan and scored her first goal in a 2–1 loss to Germany in the 2013 Algarve Cup.
On 19 March 2018, she was called up to the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup, where Japan won the championship.
On 18 June 2021, she was included in the Japan squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2020 Summer Olympics].
On 7 January 2022, Tanaka was called up to the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup squad.
On 13 June 2023, she was included in Japan's 23-player squad for the FIFA [Women's World Cup 2023]. On July 31, Tanaka scored in Japan's 4-0 group-stage victory in a match against Spain.
On 14 June 2024, Tanaka was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2024 Summer Olympics].
Tanaka was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
18 March 2013Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal1–11–22013 Algarve Cup
29 April 2017Egao Kenkō Stadium, Kumamoto, Japan2–03–0Friendly
327 July 2017SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, United States1–02–42017 Tournament of Nations
422 October 2017Minami [Nagano Sports Park Stadium], Nagano, Japan2–02–0Friendly
58 December 2017Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan1–03–22017 [EAFF E-1 Football Championship (women)|2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship]
611 December 2017Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan1–01–02017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
71 April 2018Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, Japan1–07–1Friendly
87 April 2018King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, Jordan4–04–02018 AFC Women's Asian Cup
910 June 2018Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand1–03–1Friendly
1010 June 2018Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand2–13–1Friendly
1110 June 2018Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand3–13–1Friendly
1226 July 2018Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States1–14–22018 Tournament of Nations
1321 August 2018Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, Indonesia4–07–02018 Asian Games - Women's tournament|2018 Asian Games]
1421 August 2018Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, Indonesia7–07–02018 Asian Games
1511 December 2019Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea2–09–02019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
1611 December 2019Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea4–09–02019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
178 April 2021Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai, Japan7–07–0Friendly
1810 June 2021Edion Stadium Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan8–08–0Friendly
1913 June 2021Kanseki Stadium Tochigi, Utsunomiya, Japan2–05–1Friendly
2027 July 2021Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, Japan1–01–02020 Summer Olympics
2130 July 2021Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan1–11–32020 Summer Olympics
226 October 2022Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan1–02–0Friendly
236 October 2022Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan2–02–0Friendly
247 April 2023Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal2–12–1Friendly
2522 July 2023Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand2–05–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup
2631 July 2023Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand4–04–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup
2723 September 2023Kitakyushu Stadium, Kitakyushu, Japan1–08–0Friendly
2826 October 2023Lokomotiv Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan4–07–02024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
2930 November 2023Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil3–33–4Friendly
303 December 2023Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil2–02–0Friendly
319 April 2024Lower.com Field, Columbus, United States1–01–1 2024 SheBelieves Cup
3231 May 2024Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain1–02–0Friendly
3313 July 2024Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium, Kanazawa, Japan1–04–0Friendly
3431 July 2024Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France2–03–12024 Summer Olympics
3526 October 2024Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan3–04–0Friendly
3620 February 2025Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States1–04–02025 SheBelieves Cup
3720 February 2025Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States2–04–02025 SheBelieves Cup
3823 February 2025State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States2–04–12025 SheBelieves Cup
3923 February 2025State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States4–14–12025 SheBelieves Cup
4027 June 2025Butarque, Leganés, Spain1–01–3Friendly
4129 November 2025Peace Stadium, Nagasaki, Japan2–03–0Friendly
422 December 2025Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, Japan1–01–0Friendly

Honours

Nippon TV Beleza
INAC Kobe Leonessa
Japan
Individual