Naoko Kawakami

Naoko Kawakami
川上 直子
Personal information
Full name Naoko Kawakami
Date of birth (1977-11-16) November 16, 1977
Place of birth Akashi, Hyogo, Japan
Height 1.56 m (5 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–2004 Tasaki Perule FC 176+ (22+)
2005–2006 Nippon TV Beleza 38 (2)
Total 214+ (24+)
National team
2001–2005 Japan 48 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Naoko Kawakami (川上 直子, Kawakami Naoko, born November 16, 1977) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan national team.

Club career

Kawakami was born in Akashi on November 16, 1977. In 1990, she was 13 years old, she joined for Tasaki-Shinju Kobe Ladies (later Tasaki Perule FC). She previously played midfielder. However, when she entered Japan national team, she became a right back. After success at this position, she remained a defender when she transferred to Nippon TV Beleza. She had a lot of success with her two clubs, winning one L.League title with her first club in 2003 and three Empress's Cups, and two other titles with her second one. She was also elected Best Eleven 5 times (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005).

National team career

On March 16, 2001, Kawakami debuted for Japan national team against Chinese Taipei. She played at 2001, 2003 AFC Championship and 2002 Asian Games. She was also a member of Japan for 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Olympic Games.[1] She played 48 games for Japan until 2005.[2]

After retirement

After retiring from international football in 2005 and from football the following year, Kawakami became a commentator for NBS at the 2007 World Cup qualification round. She then commented the final tournament for Fuji TV. In 2011, she was commentator for NHK during the Women's World Cup tournament, including when the Japan national team won the world title.

National team statistics

[2]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
2001100
2002100
2003140
2004100
200540
Total480

Achievements

Individual

5 times in the best eleven: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Club

Tasaki Perule FC

Nippon TV Bereza

References

  1. ↑ Naoko Kawakami – FIFA competition record (archive)
  2. 1 2 Japan Football Association(in Japanese)
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