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.[1] She graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Yurigaoka High School in March 2013.[2]
Club career
On May 3, 2011, she made her debut for Nippon TV Beleza in a 1–0 loss to Okayama Yunogo Belle.[3] On August 14, she scored her first goal in a 5–0 home victory against Fukuoka J. Anclas.[4] 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,[5] Tanaka made her club debut in the season opener on July 18. She scored the only goal of the match.[6] On 3 February 2020, she joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season[7]
On July 5, 2024, NWSL club Utah Royals signed Tanaka to a contract through the 2025 NWSL season.[8]
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.[9] 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.[10]
On 19 March 2018, she was called up to the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup,[11] where Japan won the championship.
On 18 June 2021, she was included in the Japan squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[12]
On 7 January 2022, Tanaka was called up to the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup squad.[13]
On 13 June 2023, she was included in Japan's 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.[14] On July 31, Tanaka scored in Japan's 4-0 group-stage victory in a match against Spain.[15]
On 14 June 2024, Tanaka was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[16]
Tanaka was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.[17]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 3 December 2023.
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2011 | Nadeshiko League | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | |
| 2012 | Nadeshiko League | 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3 | |
| 2013 | Nadeshiko League | 17 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 17 | |
| 2014 | Nadeshiko League | 21 | 3 | 4 | 5 | — | 25 | 8 | ||
| 2015 | Nadeshiko League | 23 | 14 | 4 | 7 | — | 27 | 21 | ||
| 2016 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 31 | 26 | |
| 2017 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 28 | |
| 2018 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 27 | |
| 2019 | Nadeshiko League | 16 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 34 | |
| Total | 153 | 98 | 34 | 33 | 40 | 34 | 227 | 165 | ||
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2020 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | 21 | 13 | |
| 2021–22 | WE League | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 12 | ||
| 2022–23 | WE League | 19 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 14 | |
| 2023–24 | WE League | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |
| 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 | 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[18]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 2013 | 4 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 14 | 5 | |
| 2018 | 15 | 8 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 12 | 7 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 4 | |
| Total | 88 | 39 | |
- Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tanaka goal.
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
Japan
Individual
- Nadeshiko League Top Scorer: 2016, 2017,[19] 2018, 2019
- Nadeshiko League Best XI: 2015, 2016, 2017,[19] 2018, 2019
- Nadeshiko League Best Player Award (MVP): 2018, 2019
References
- ^ "18歳初先発田中美南 初ゴール決めてみな - サッカー日本代表ニュース". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ "東京新聞:＜田中美南のホームタウンかわさき＞リーグ制覇、次は皇后杯 「頑張れ」の声援、勇気に:神奈川(TOKYO Web)". September 4, 2019. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ "Match Report: Okayoma Yunogo Belle – Nippon TV Beleza" (PDF) (in Japanese). Nadeshiko League. May 3, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Match Report: Nippon TV Beleza – Fukuoka J. Anclas" (PDF) (in Japanese). Nadeshiko League. August 14, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ Kujawa, Taylor (July 21, 2020). "How to watch the 2020 Nadeshiko League season". Her Football Hub. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Plenus Nadeshiko League Part 1 Section 1". inac-kobe.com/. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- ^ "Japan's Tanaka links up with Leverkusen". the-AFC. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ rsl. "Utah Royals FC Signs Japanese Olympian Through 2025 | Utah Royals". rsl. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ "アルガルベカップ（3/6～13）日本女子代表（なでしこジャパン） メンバー" (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. February 18, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Match Report: Germany – Japan" (PDF). Portuguese Football Federation. March 8, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Kawasumi returns as Japan name squad for Jordan 2018". Asian Football Confederation. March 19, 2018. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018.
- ^ "Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) Squad - Games of the XXXII Olympiad (Tokyo 2020)【7/21-8/6】, MS&AD CUP 2021【7/14＠Kyoto】". www.jfa.jp. Japan Football Association (JFA). June 18, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 - Selected Players / Staff". Japan Football Association. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- ^ "Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ "Japan trounces Spain 4-0 to top Group C at the Women's World Cup". AP News. July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ "Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) squad & schedule - MS&AD Cup 2024: Noto Peninsula Earthquake Reconstruction Support Match "Ganbarou Noto" / Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (Paris 2024)". jfa.jp. Japan Football Association (JFA). June 14, 2024.
- ^ "United States vs Japan: Japan wins SheBelieves Cup". BBC Sport. February 27, 2025. Archived from the original on February 27, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "Mina Tanaka". Japan Football Association. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ a b "2017年度プレナスなでしこリーグ／プレナスチャレンジリーグ表彰式" (in Japanese). Nadeshiko League. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
External links
- Mina Tanaka – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Mina Tanaka at Soccerway
- Mina Tanaka at WorldFootball.net
- Mina Tanaka at Japan Football Association
- Mina Tanaka Archived January 3, 2018, at the Wayback Machine at NTV Beleza
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