Japanese World Cup-winner and trailblazer Yuki Nagasato, who made historical past by taking part in for a senior males’s staff in 2020, has introduced her retirement from soccer.
The 37-year-old former Chelsea striker performed 132 instances for her nation throughout a 24-year skilled profession which noticed her raise the World Cup with Japan in 2011.
In 2020, she joined Japanese second-tier facet Hayabusa Eleven on mortgage, changing into the primary girl to play for a males’s facet in her nation.
“For 30 years, ever since I first kicked a ball, soccer has been my life. I’ve chased the sport, challenged myself and grown by each victory and defeat,” Nagasato mentioned on Instagram.
“The journey wasn’t all the time simple however each second had which means. Retiring wasn’t a straightforward choice however I am excited for what’s subsequent.”
Nagasato mentioned her choice to hitch a males’s facet in 2020 was impressed by former USA participant Megan Rapinoe’s fight for equality.
“I assumed I may present that girls can even play in a males’s staff,” she mentioned.
“I need to assist create a group the place there isn’t a boundary concerning gender or race.”
In 2011, Nagasato got here on in its place within the World Cup ultimate as Japan beat the US on penalties following a 2-2 draw after additional time.
Nagasato’s membership profession noticed her win the Champions League with German facet Turbine Potsdam in 2010 earlier than becoming a member of Chelsea in 2013.
She performed 18 instances for the Blues, scoring 5 objectives, earlier than additional spells in Germany, the USA and Australia.
Nagasato, who additionally received an Olympic silver medal on the 2012 London Video games, scored 58 objectives for Japan and retires as her nation’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, behind Homare Sawa’s 83.
