Yukari Kinga

Yukari Kinga
is a Japanese football player. She is currently playing as a defender for Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina in the WE League. She previously played for the Japan women's national football team, winning a World Cup and an Olympic silver medal before her international retirement in 2016.
Club career
In Japan until 2013
Kinga was born in Yokohama on 2 May 1984. After graduating from high school, she joined Nippon TV Beleza in 2003 where she played as attacking midfielder and right-winger. In the 2003 season, she was given the Nadeshiko League's Best Young Player award. During her time at Nippon TV Beleza, the club won the Nadeshiko League championship 5 times. In 2011, she moved to INAC Kobe Leonessa with international players Homare Sawa, Shinobu Ohno and Chiaki Minamiyama due to financial strain at the club. At INAC Kobe Leonessa, the club won the Nadeshiko League championship for 3 years in a row (2011–2013). She was selected to the league's Best XI for 6 years in a row (2007–2012).
In January 2014, INAC's general manager revealed that Kinga had agreed to join English FA WSL club Arsenal Ladies and in February she officially signed the contract. At Arsenal, Kinga helped propel the club to reach the final of the 2014 FA Women's Cup which they won in a 2–0 margin over Everton.
She re-signed with INAC Kobe in early 2015. In 2016, she began playing in the Australian W-League for Canberra United. In October 2017, Kinga joined defending W-League champions Melbourne City. In February 2019, she returned to Japan and joined Orca Kamogawa FC. In October 2019, Kinga re-signed with Melbourne City. In February 2020, it was announced that Kinga would re-sign with Orca Kamogawa at the end of the 2019–20 W-League season.
National team career
In August 2002, Kinga was selected by the Japan U-20 women's national team for the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship. On 29 March 2005, she debuted for the Japan women's national team against Australia. She was playing as an attacking midfielder and right-winger until 2007, when she was converted to rightback by manager Hiroshi Ohashi. After she converted her position, she became a regular player in the Japan national team. Japan won the 2011 World Cup in which Kinga played in the final, came second in the 2015 World Cup and earned a silver medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She played 100 games and scored 5 goals for Japan until her retirement in 2016.
Club statistics
National team statistics
Honors
International career
Japan
Summer Olympics: Silver Medal: 2012
FIFA Women's World Cup: Champion: 2011
Asian Games: Gold Medal: 2010
East Asian Football Championship: Champions: 2008, 2010
Club
Nippon TV Beleza
L.League:Champion (5): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
Nadeshiko League Cup: Champion (2): 2007, 2010
Empress's Cup: Champion (5): 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
INAC Kobe
L.League:Champion (3): 2011, 2012, 2013
Empress's Cup: Champion (3): 2011, 2012, 2013
Nadeshiko League Cup: Champion (1): 2012
Arsenal
FA Women's Cup: Champion (1): 2014
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina
WE League Cup: Champion (1): 2023–24
Individual
L.League: Best 11 (6): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
L.League: Best Young Player: 2003
Nadeshiko League Cup: MVP: 2007
References
External links
Japan Football Association
1984 births
Living people
Nippon Sport Science University alumni
Association football people from Kanagawa Prefecture
Japanese women's footballers
Japan women's youth international footballers
Japan women's international footballers
Nadeshiko League players
Women's Super League players
A-League Women players
Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza players
INAC Kobe Leonessa players
Arsenal W.F.C. players
Canberra United FC players
Melbourne City FC (A-League Women) players
Orca Kamogawa FC players
Japanese expatriate women's footballers
Expatriate women's footballers in England
Japanese expatriate sportspeople in England
FIFA Women's World Cup-winning players
2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup players
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Olympic footballers for Japan
Olympic silver medalists for Japan
Olympic medalists in football
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Footballers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Asian Games medalists in football
Asian Games gold medalists for Japan
Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games
Footballers at the 2010 Asian Games
FIFA Women's Century Club
Women's association football defenders
Women's association football midfielders
Sportspeople from Yokohama
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina players
Expatriate women's soccer players in Australia
Expatriate women's association footballers in New Zealand
Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Australia
Japanese expatriate sportspeople in New Zealand