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Homare Sawa
Captaining Japan to the 2011 Women’s World Cup while winning its Golden Ball and Golden Boot.
World Cup champion · FIFA world player
- Born
- 6 September 1978
- Birthplace
- Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan
More people
Homare Sawa
Homare Sawa is a Japanese former midfielder and forward whose international career stretched across six World Cups.
Early life
Joining the boys
She started football at six after watching her older brother train.
Early debut
She reached Yomiuri Beleza’s senior team at twelve.
Career
- 1991
Club breakthrough
She began a long career in Japan’s leading women’s league.
- 1993
Japan debut
She entered the senior national team at fifteen.
- 1999–2000s
Overseas experience
She played in the United States between spells in Japan.
- 2015
Retirement
She finished with INAC Kobe Leonessa after another World Cup final.
Achievements
World Cup champion
Japan defeated the United States on penalties.
FIFA world player
She received the women’s World Player of the Year award.
Olympic silver
Japan reached the London final.
Beyond football
Family
She married former player Hiroaki Tsujikami in 2015.
Public roles
She worked in television and supported Tokyo’s Olympic bid.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Official career history and recognition ↗Photo: GoToVan from Vancouver, Canada. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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