# Mina Tanaka

Mina Tanaka (田中 美南, Tanaka Mina, born April 28, 1994) 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 (2015–2017).
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 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.
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.
Tanaka was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 3 December 2023.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2011 | Nadeshiko League | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 1 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2012 | Nadeshiko League | 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2013 | Nadeshiko League | 17 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 17 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2014 | Nadeshiko League | 21 | 3 | 4 | 5 | — | — | 25 | 8 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2015 | Nadeshiko League | 23 | 14 | 4 | 7 | — | — | 27 | 21 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2016 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 31 | 26 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2017 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 28 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2018 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 27 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2019 | Nadeshiko League | 16 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 34 |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | Total | Total | 153 | 98 | 34 | 33 | 40 | 34 | 227 | 165 |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2020 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 21 | 13 |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2021–22 | WE League | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 12 |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2022–23 | WE League | 19 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 14 |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2023–24 | WE League | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | Total | Total | 58 | 37 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 71 | 42 |
| Bayer Leverkusen (loan) | 2020–21 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 4 |
| Utah Royals | 2024 | NWSL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 221 | 139 | 40 | 35 | 47 | 37 | 308 | 211 |
* ↑ Includes the Empress's Cup
* ↑ Includes the Nadeshiko League Cup

### International

    As of match played 26 February 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | 2013 | 4 | 1 |
| Japan | 2014 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| Japan | 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2017 | 14 | 5 |
| Japan | 2018 | 15 | 8 |
| Japan | 2019 | 4 | 2 |
| Japan | 2020 | 3 | 0 |
| Japan | 2021 | 11 | 5 |
| Japan | 2022 | 9 | 2 |
| Japan | 2023 | 12 | 7 |
| Japan | 2024 | 11 | 5 |
| Japan | 2025 | 3 | 4 |
| Total | Total | 88 | 39 |
    Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tanaka goal.
List of international goals scored by Mina Tanaka :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 8 March 2013 | Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal | Germany | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2013 Algarve Cup |
| 2 | 9 April 2017 | Egao Kenkō Stadium, Kumamoto, Japan | Costa Rica | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 27 July 2017 | SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, United States | Australia | 1–0 | 2–4 | 2017 Tournament of Nations |
| 4 | 22 October 2017 | Minami Nagano Sports Park Stadium, Nagano, Japan | Switzerland | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 8 December 2017 | Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan | South Korea | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
| 6 | 11 December 2017 | Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan | China | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
| 7 | 1 April 2018 | Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, Japan | Ghana | 1–0 | 7–1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 7 April 2018 | King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, Jordan | Vietnam | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup |
| 9 | 10 June 2018 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand | New Zealand | 1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 10 | 10 June 2018 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand | New Zealand | 2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 10 June 2018 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand | New Zealand | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 12 | 26 July 2018 | Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States | United States | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2018 Tournament of Nations |
| 13 | 21 August 2018 | Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, Indonesia | Vietnam | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2018 Asian Games |
| 14 | 21 August 2018 | Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, Indonesia | Vietnam | 7–0 | 7–0 | 2018 Asian Games |
| 15 | 11 December 2019 | Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea | Chinese Taipei | 2–0 | 9–0 | 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
| 16 | 11 December 2019 | Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea | Chinese Taipei | 4–0 | 9–0 | 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
| 17 | 8 April 2021 | Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai, Japan | Paraguay | 7–0 | 7–0 | Friendly |
| 18 | 10 June 2021 | Edion Stadium Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan | Ukraine | 8–0 | 8–0 | Friendly |
| 19 | 13 June 2021 | Kanseki Stadium Tochigi, Utsunomiya, Japan | Mexico | 2–0 | 5–1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 27 July 2021 | Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, Japan | Chile | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2020 Summer Olympics |
| 21 | 30 July 2021 | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan | Sweden | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2020 Summer Olympics |
| 22 | 6 October 2022 | Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan | Nigeria | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 23 | 6 October 2022 | Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan | Nigeria | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 24 | 7 April 2023 | Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal | Portugal | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 25 | 22 July 2023 | Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand | Zambia | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| 26 | 31 July 2023 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand | Spain | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| 27 | 23 September 2023 | Kitakyushu Stadium, Kitakyushu, Japan | Argentina | 1–0 | 8–0 | Friendly |
| 28 | 26 October 2023 | Lokomotiv Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan | India | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament |
| 29 | 30 November 2023 | Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil | Brazil | 3–3 | 3–4 | Friendly |
| 30 | 3 December 2023 | Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil | Brazil | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 31 | 9 April 2024 | Lower.com Field, Columbus, United States | Brazil | 1–0 | 1–1 (0–3 p) | 2024 SheBelieves Cup |
| 32 | 31 May 2024 | Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain | New Zealand | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 33 | 13 July 2024 | Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium, Kanazawa, Japan | Ghana | 1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 34 | 31 July 2024 | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France | Nigeria | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| 35 | 26 October 2024 | Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan | South Korea | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 36 | 20 February 2025 | Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States | Australia | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2025 SheBelieves Cup |
| 37 | 20 February 2025 | Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States | Australia | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2025 SheBelieves Cup |
| 38 | 23 February 2025 | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States | Colombia | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2025 SheBelieves Cup |
| 39 | 23 February 2025 | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States | Colombia | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2025 SheBelieves Cup |

## Honours

Nippon TV Beleza
* Nadeshiko League: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* Empress's Cup: 2014, 2017, 2018
* Nadeshiko League Cup: 2012, 2016, 2018
* AFC Women's Club Championship: 2019
INAC Kobe Leonessa
* WE League: 2021-22
* Empress's Cup: 2023
Japan
* SheBelieves Cup: 2025
Individual
* Nadeshiko League Top Scorer: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* Nadeshiko League Best XI: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* Nadeshiko League Best Player Award (MVP): 2018, 2019