Japan’s women’s head coach Futoshi Ikeda will step down when his contract expires this month, having led the team to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Japan, the highest-ranked Asian team and seventh in the FIFA rankings, lost 2-1 to Sweden at the 2023 World Cup. Then, at the same level at the 2024 Summer Games, they were defeated 1-0 in the qualifying round. extra. time through the eventual gold medalists, United States.
News firm Reuters reported that the Japan Football Association (JFA) had refused to offer Ikeda a contract extension due to the team’s performance in the Olympics.
The 53-year-old, who took over Japan’s senior team in October 2021 after leading youth teams, thanked the players for their support.
“I think the team has been strengthened by participating in various foreign tournaments, including the World Cup and the Olympic Games,” Ikeda said in a statement released Wednesday through the JFA.
“I wanted to be there with the players to see what the future held for us,” he added.
Hinata Miyazawa celebrates with head coach Futoshi Ikeda after scoring in a World Cup match last year. (Photo via Lars Baron/Getty Images)
JFA President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said: “Unfortunately, at the Paris Olympics we lost to the American winners, but Coach Ikeda managed to unite the team and I hope that the players who thrived under his leadership continue to grow. Training”
During his tenure, Ikeda led the Nadeshiko to third place in the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup in India.
The team also made headlines at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last year when they beat eventual world champions Spain 4-0 at the organizational stage, impressing fans with their counter-attacking football.
Norio Sasaki, who participated when Japan won the Women’s World Cup in 2011 and now heads the JFA’s women’s committee, said the deal seeks a successor for Ikeda.
“Although we have managed to reach the quarterfinals of the last two tournaments, we must aim higher and hope to triumph at least in the semifinals,” Sasaki said.
“That’s why it’s vital to find a team to lead that knows some facets of Japanese football, but also has something else to add. “
The Kyoto news firm quoted Sasaki as saying that the JFA is also for overseas coaches.
Japan is scheduled to play a friendly match in October at home against an opponent yet to be announced.
Japanese players in the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup. They came third in the tournament. (Photo by. . . [+] Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)
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