Aya Miyama

Aya Miyama
Miyama playing in the 2011 World Cup
Personal information
Full name Aya Miyama[1]
Date of birth (1985-01-28) 28 January 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Oamishirasato, Chiba, Japan
Height 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Nippon TV Beleza 6 (2)
2001–2008 Okayama Yunogo Belle 110 (62)
2009 Los Angeles Sol 20 (0)
2009 Okayama Yunogo Belle 6 (1)
2010 Saint Louis Athletica 5 (0)
2010 Atlanta Beat 17 (1)
2010–2016 Okayama Yunogo Belle 122 (48)
Total 286 (114)
International career
2003–2016 Japan 162 (38)
Medal record
Nippon TV Beleza
Winner Nadeshiko League 2000
Runner-up Nadeshiko League 1999
Winner Nadeshiko League Cup 1999
Winner Empress's Cup 2000
Okayama Yunogo Belle
Runner-up Nadeshiko League Cup 2013
Runner-up Empress's Cup 2006
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
FIFA Women's World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2011 Germany
Silver medal – second place 2015 Canada
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 2014 Vietnam
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Vietnam
Bronze medal – third place 2010 China
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Guangzhou Team
Silver medal – second place 2006 Doha Team
Silver medal – second place 2014 Incheon Team
AFC U-19 Women's Championship
Gold medal – first place 2002 India
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Aya Miyama (宮間 あや, Miyama Aya, born 28 January 1985) is a Japanese former footballer who played for the Japan national team starting in 2003, and from 2012 to 2016 served as captain of the team. She appeared in four World Cups between 2003 and 2015, and was part of the team that won the 2011 World Cup for Japan. Miyama also led Japan to a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Club career[edit]

Early career[edit]

Miyama was born in Ōamishirasato, Sanbu District, Chiba Prefecture,[citation needed] on 28 January 1985 . She started her career as a football player in the club her father founded. She later joined Nippon TV Beleza in 1999 after playing with their youth team, but when she was in eleventh grade, she left the team and went to the high school football club. Even among male players, she kept playing football.

Miyama joined L.League side Okayama Yunogo Belle in 2001, having received an invitation from Midori Honda, the coach.

WPS[edit]

Aya Miyama (Left) playing for Saint Louis Athletica against the Boston Breakers. Kelly Smith is pictured on the right.

On 24 November 2008, Miyama was selected by Los Angeles Sol of the U.S. Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) in the 2008 WPS International Draft, and joined Sol in 2009. In the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season, she had 6 assists but no goals. When the Sol disbanded in early 2010, she was taken by Saint Louis Athletica. Miyama signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Beat on 10 June 2010.

Return to Japan[edit]

Miyama returned to Okayama Yunogo Belle in September 2010. She left the club at the end of the 2016 season.

International career[edit]

At the 2007 World Cup held in China, Miyama performed brilliantly in Japan's match against England, scoring the team's two goals both from direct free kicks as they held on to a draw. In Japan's first group stage match of the 2011 World Cup, she scored the go-ahead goal in Japan's win against New Zealand from another free kick in the 68th minute, and was named Player of the Match.

At the 2011 World Cup in Germany, Miyama scored the winner – a curling free kick – to help Japan beat New Zealand, and netted Japan's first goal in the final against the USA. Miyama also scored Japan's first penalty of the eventual penalty shoot-out in the final which ended 2–2 after extra time. Her team won 3–1 in the penalty shoot-out, making them the first Asian team to win the World Cup.[2] In the moment of victory, Miyama did not join her teammates in celebration, but instead went to the American players to hug and congratulate them. This has been reported both by Hope Solo and the Japanese media as evidence of Miyama's sportsmanship and respect for her opponents.

Miyama was named the AFC Women's Footballer of the Year in 2011,[3] 2012[4] and 2015.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Miyama led Japan to the silver medal as captain. At the 2015 World Cup, she also captained the team and lost in the final to the USA. At the 2016 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Japan failed to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Following the tournament, she retired from the national team. She played 162 matches and scored 38 goals for Japan.

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of 21 November 2015
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other[a] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nippon TV Beleza 1999 0 0 –
2000 6 2 – –
Total 6 2 –
Okayama Yunogo Belle 2003 16 13 2 1 – – 18 14
2004 14 17 – –
2005 21 8 4 4 – – 25 12
2006 17 6 4 0 – – 21 16
2007 21 9 2 0 0 0 – 23 9
2008 21 9 2 1 – – 23 10
Total 110 62 0 0 –
Los Angeles Sol 2009 20 0 – – 1 0 21 0
Okayama Yunogo Belle 2009 6 1 2 2 – – 8 3
Saint Louis Athletica 2010 5 0 – – – 5 0
Atlanta Beat 2010 17 1 – – – 17 1
Okayama Yunogo Belle 2010 7 4 2 0 0 0 – 9 4
2011 16 9 3 1 – – 19 10
2012 18 5 2 2 4 2 – 24 9
2013 18 6 3 1 10 9 – 31 16
2014 28 15 2 1 – – 30 16
2015 24 6 2 1 – – 26 7
Total 111 45 14 6 14 11 – 139 62
Career total 275 111 1 0
  1. ^ Includes 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs.

International[edit]

Appearances and goals by national team and year[5][6]
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2003 6 2
2004 1 2
2005 9 2
2006 17 3
2007 17 6
2008 18 4
2009 1 1
2010 17 2
2011 18 4
2012 16 3
2013 7 1
2014 17 4
2015 13 4
2016 5 0
Total 162 38
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Miyama goal.
List of international goals scored by Aya Miyama
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 9 June 2003 Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand  Philippines 13–0 15–0 2003 AFC Women's Championship
2 22 July 2003 Sendai Stadium, Sendai, Japan  South Korea 4–0 5–0 Friendly
3 18 December 2004 Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan  Chinese Taipei 2–0 11–0 Friendly
4 4–0
5 29 March 2005 Miranda, Australia  Australia 1–2 1–2 Friendly
6 21 May 2005 Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan  New Zealand 5–0 6–0 Friendly
7 23 July 2006 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia  China 1–0 1–0 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup
8 23 November 2006 Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe, Germany  Germany 2–6 3–6 Friendly
9 30 November 2006 Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Jordan 2–0 13–0 2006 Asian Games
10 12 February 2007 GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus  Sweden 1–1 2–2 Friendly
11 10 March 2007 National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan  Mexico 2–0 2–0 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
12 10 June 2007 Bucheon Stadium, Bucheon, South Korea  South Korea 2–1 2–2 2008 Summer Olympics qualification
13 4 August 2007 Lạch Tray Stadium, Hai Phong, Vietnam  Vietnam 4–0 8–0 2008 Summer Olympics qualification
14 11 September 2007 Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai, China  England 1–0 2–2 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup
15 2–2
16 18 February 2008 Yongchuan Stadium, Chongqing, China  North Korea 2–2 3–2 2008 EAFF Women's Football Championship
17 2 June 2008 Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam  Australia 3–0 3–1 2008 AFC Women's Asian Cup
18 8 June 2008 2–0
19 6 August 2008 Qinhuangdao Olympic Stadium, Qinhuangdao, China  New Zealand 1–2 2–2 2008 Summer Olympics
20 14 November 2009 Urawa Komaba Stadium, Saitama, Japan  New Zealand 1–0 2–1 Friendly
21 6 February 2010 Ajinomoto Stadium, Chōfu, Japan  China 1–0 2–0 2010 EAFF Women's Football Championship
22 20 May 2010 Chengdu Sports Centre, Chengdu, China  Myanmar 5–0 8–0 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup
23 2 March 2011 Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal  United States 1–2 1–2 2011 Algarve Cup
24 18 June 2011 Ningineer Stadium, Matsuyama, Japan  South Korea 1–0 1–1 Friendly
25 27 June 2011 Ruhrstadion, Bochum, Germany  New Zealand 2–1 2–1 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
26 17 July 2011 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany  United States 1–1 2–2 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
27 5 April 2012 Home's Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan  Brazil 3–1 4–1 Kirin Challenge Cup
28 11 July 2012 National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan  Australia 1–0 3–0 Friendly
29 25 July 2012 City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry, England  Canada 2–0 2–1 2012 Summer Olympics
30 26 September 2013 Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan  Nigeria 1–0 2–0 Friendly
31 5 March 2014 Stadium Bela Vista, Parchal, Portugal  United States 1–1 1–1 2014 Algarve Cup
32 10 March 2014 Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal  Sweden 2–1 2–1 2014 Algarve Cup
33 18 September 2014 Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon, South Korea  Jordan 10–0 12–0 2014 Asian Games
34 1 October 2014 Incheon Munhak Stadium, Incheon, South Korea  North Korea 1–2 1–3 2014 Asian Games
35 11 March 2015 Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal  Iceland 1–0 2–0 2015 Algarve Cup
36 2–0
37 9 June 2015 BC Place, Vancouver, Canada  Switzerland 1–0 1–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
38 23 June 2015 BC Place, Vancouver, Canada  Netherlands 2–0 2–1 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup

Honors[edit]

Japan

Individual

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011 – List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 28 July 2014. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ "USA v Japan – as it happened". The Guardian. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. ^ "AFC Women Player of the Year: Aya Miyama". AFC. 23 November 2011. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  4. ^ "AFC Women Player of the Year: Aya Miyama". AFC. 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. ^ Japan Football Association(in Japanese)
  6. ^ List of match in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Archived 11 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine, 2016 at Japan Football Association (in Japanese)
  7. ^ "2015 FIFPro Award". Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  8. ^ "IFFHS WOMAN TEAM – AFC – OF THE DECADE 2011-2020". IFFHS. 30 January 2021.

External links[edit]

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