Mina Tanaka

Last updated

Mina Tanaka
田中 美南
Mina Tanaka Gotham Utah 8.23.25-038 (cropped).jpg
Tanaka with the Utah Royals in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-04-28) April 28, 1994 (age 31)
Place of birth Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Height 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Utah Royals FC
Number 11
Youth career
2007–2011 NTV Tokyo Verdy Beleza
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2011–2019 NTV Tokyo Verdy Beleza 153 (98)
2020–2024 INAC Kobe Leonessa 58 (37)
2021 → Bayer Leverkusen (loan) 10 (4)
2024– Utah Royals 30 (7)
International career‡
2010 Japan U-17 3 (1)
2012 Japan U-20 6 (0)
2013– Japan 92 (40)
Medal record
Representing Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Jordan
Asian Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Team
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 Japan
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2010 Trinidad and Tobago
AFC U-16 Women's Championship
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2009 Thailand
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 November 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 28 March 2025

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.

Contents

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.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational Cup [a] League Cup [b] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tokyo Verdy Beleza 2011 Nadeshiko League 7130—101
2012 Nadeshiko League1522120193
2013 Nadeshiko League171020872717
2014 Nadeshiko League21345—258
2015 Nadeshiko League231447—2721
2016 Nadeshiko League181842963126
2017 Nadeshiko League181557662928
2018 Nadeshiko League181557552827
2019 Nadeshiko League16205410103334
Total1539834334034227165
INAC Kobe Leonessa 2020 Nadeshiko League181231—2113
2021–22 WE League 181210—1912
2022–23WE League191121422514
2023–24WE League32003163
Total583762737142
Bayer Leverkusen (loan)2020–21 Frauen-Bundesliga 104——104
Utah Royals 2024 NWSL 00000000
Career total22113940354737308211
  1. ↑ Includes the Empress's Cup
  2. ↑ Includes the Nadeshiko League Cup

International

As of match played 26 February 2025 [18]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 201341
201400
201520
201600
2017145
2018158
201942
202030
2021115
202292
2023127
2024115
202575
Total9240
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.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
18 March 2013Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1–11–2 2013 Algarve Cup
29 April 2017 Egao Kenkō Stadium, Kumamoto, Japan Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 2–03–0 Friendly
327 July 2017 SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, United States Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1–02–4 2017 Tournament of Nations
422 October 2017 Minami Nagano Sports Park Stadium, Nagano, JapanFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 2–02–0Friendly
58 December 2017 Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, JapanFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1–03–2 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
611 December 2017Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 1–01–0
71 April 2018 Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, JapanFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1–07–1Friendly
87 April 2018 King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, Jordan Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 4–04–0 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup
910 June 2018 Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 1–03–1Friendly
102–1
113–1
1226 July 2018 Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United StatesFlag of the United States.svg  United States 1–14–2 2018 Tournament of Nations
1321 August 2018 Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, Indonesia Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 4–07–0 2018 Asian Games
147–0
1511 December 2019 Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea Flag of Chinese Taipei (Olympics; 1986-2010).svg  Chinese Taipei 2–09–0 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
164–0
178 April 2021 Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai, JapanFlag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 7–07–0Friendly
1810 June 2021 Edion Stadium Hiroshima, Hiroshima, JapanFlag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 8–08–0
1913 June 2021 Kanseki Stadium Tochigi, Utsunomiya, JapanFlag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 2–05–1
2027 July 2021 Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, JapanFlag of Chile.svg  Chile 1–01–0 2020 Summer Olympics
2130 July 2021 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, JapanFlag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1–11–3
226 October 2022 Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, JapanFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 1–02–0Friendly
232–0
247 April 2023 Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, PortugalFlag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal 2–12–1
2522 July 2023 Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New ZealandFlag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 2–05–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
2631 July 2023Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New ZealandFlag of Spain.svg  Spain 4–04–0
2723 September 2023 Kitakyushu Stadium, Kitakyushu, JapanFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 1–08–0Friendly
2826 October 2023 Lokomotiv Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan Flag of India.svg  India 4–07–0 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
2930 November 2023 Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, BrazilFlag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 3–33–4Friendly
303 December 2023 Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil 2–02–0
319 April 2024 Lower.com Field, Columbus, United States1–01–1 (0–3 p) 2024 SheBelieves Cup
3231 May 2024 Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 1–02–0Friendly
3313 July 2024 Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium, Kanazawa, JapanFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1–04–0
3431 July 2024 Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, FranceFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 2–03–1 2024 Summer Olympics
3526 October 2024 Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, JapanFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 3–04–0 Friendly
3620 February 2025 Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1–04–0 2025 SheBelieves Cup
372–0
3823 February 2025 State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United StatesFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 2–04–1
394–1
4027 June 2025 Butarque, Leganés, SpainFlag of Spain.svg  Spain 1–01–3Friendly
4129 November 2025 Peace Stadium, Nagasaki, JapanFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2–03–0
422 December 2025 Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, Japan 1–01–0

Honours

Nippon TV Beleza

INAC Kobe Leonessa

Japan

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ "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)". 東京新聞 TOKYO Web. September 4, 2019. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Match Report: Okayoma Yunogo Belle – Nippon TV Beleza" (PDF) (in Japanese). Nadeshiko League. May 3, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Match Report: Nippon TV Beleza – Fukuoka J. Anclas" (PDF) (in Japanese). Nadeshiko League. August 14, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  5. ↑ Kujawa, Taylor (July 21, 2020). "How to watch the 2020 Nadeshiko League season". Her Football Hub. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  6. ↑ "2020 Plenus Nadeshiko League Part 1 Section 1". inac-kobe.com/. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Japan's Tanaka links up with Leverkusen". the-AFC. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  8. ↑ rsl. "Utah Royals FC Signs Japanese Olympian Through 2025 | Utah Royals". rsl. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. ↑ "Match Report: Germany – Japan" (PDF). Portuguese Football Federation. March 8, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Kawasumi returns as Japan name squad for Jordan 2018". Asian Football Confederation. March 19, 2018. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018.
  12. ↑ "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.
  13. ↑ "AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 - Selected Players / Staff". Japan Football Association . Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Japan trounces Spain 4-0 to top Group C at the Women's World Cup". AP News. July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  16. ↑ "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.
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ "Mina Tanaka". Japan Football Association. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  19. 1 2 "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.
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