Yukari Kinga

Yukari Kinga
近賀 ゆかり
Kinga playing for Japan in 2011
Personal information
Full name Yukari Kinga
Date of birth (1984-05-02) 2 May 1984 (age 39)
Place of birth Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.61 m (5 ft 3+12 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina
Number 10
Youth career
2000–2002 Shonan Gakuin High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2010 Nippon TV Beleza 146 (30)
2011–2013 INAC Kobe Leonessa 42 (3)
2014 Arsenal 12 (0)
2015–2016 INAC Kobe Leonessa 36 (3)
2016–2017 Canberra United 13 (3)
2017–2019 Melbourne City 31 (6)
2019 Orca Kamogawa 18 (2)
2019–2020 Melbourne City 9 (1)
2020 Orca Kamogawa 0 (0)
2021- Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina 0 (0)
Total 274 (44)
International career
2002 Japan U-20 4 (0)
2005–2016 Japan 100 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 December 2019

Yukari Kinga (近賀 ゆかり, Kinga Yukari, born 2 May 1984) 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 (20112013). She was selected to the league's Best XI for 6 years in a row (20072012).

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

Club Season League National Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nippon TV Beleza 2003 20 6 4 4 - 24 10
2004 14 7 4 1 - 18 8
2005 18 6 5 2 - 23 8
2006 14 2 3 3 - 17 5
2007 21 3 4 0 2 1 27 4
2008 20 0 4 1 - 24 1
2009 21 3 4 0 - 25 3
2010 18 3 1 0 6 1 25 4
Total 146 30 29 11 8 2 183 43
INAC Kobe Leonessa 2011 16 1 4 0 - 20 1
2012 18 2 3 0 5 0 24 2
2013 8 0 4 2 5 0 17 2
Total 42 3 11 2 10 0 61 5
Career total 188 33 40 13 18 2 244 48

National team statistics

Honors

International career

Japan

Club

Nippon TV Beleza
INAC Kobe
Arsenal
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina

Individual


This page was last updated at 2023-11-20 13:55 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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