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Saori Takarada

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Saori Takarada
Personal information
Full name Saori Takarada[1]
Date of birth (1999-12-27) 27 December 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth Tateyama, Toyama, Japan
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Leicester City
Number 15
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2020 Cerezo Osaka Sakai 143 (56)
2021 Washington Spirit 10 (0)
2022–2023 Linköpings FC 51 (5)
2024– Leicester City 12 (1)
International career‡
2016 Japan U-17 5 (2)
2018 Japan U-20 6 (5)
2019– Japan 21 (1)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2018 France
AFC U-19 Women's Championship
Gold medal – first place 2017 China
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2016 Jordan
AFC U-16 Women's Championship
Silver medal – second place 2015 China
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:38, 17 August 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:20, 10 December 2023 (UTC)

Saori Takarada (宝田 沙織, Takarada Saori, born 27 December 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Leicester City and the Japan national team. She previously played for Cerezo Osaka Sakai, Washington Spirit, and Linköpings FC.

Early life

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Takarada was born in Toyama Prefecture on 27 December 1999.[citation needed]

Club career

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Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies

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In 2013, Takarada joined Nadeshiko League club Cerezo Osaka Sakai. She scored 44 goals in 110 appearances for the club and helped the club gain promotion to the top flight of the Nadeshiko League in 2019. During the 2019 season, Takarada scored 2 goals in 18 appearances for Cerezo and helped the team to a fourth-place finish. She played both as a forward and as a midfielder for Cerezo.[2][3]

Washington Spirit

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On 1 December 2020, Takarada signed a contract with the Washington Spirit for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Her Japanese national team teammate Kumi Yokoyama signed with the Spirit in 2019. Takarada reported to the Spirit's preseason training camp in February 2021.[4]

Linköping FC

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On January 6, 2022, it was announced that Takarada would transfer to the Swedish Damalsvenskan club Linköping FC.[5]

Leicester City

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On 8 December 2023, it was announced that Takarada would sign a pre-contract with Women's Super League club Leicester City.[6] She made her competitive debut for the club on 14 January 2024 in the fourth round of the FA Cup tie against Derby County.[7] She scored her first competitive goal for the club on 11 February 2024 in a FA Cup match against Birmingham City[8]

International career

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Youth

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In 2016, Takarada was named to the Japan U-17 national team roster for the 2016 U-17 World Cup. She played in 5 matches and scored 2 goals,[9] helping Japan to a 2nd place finish.

In 2018, Takarada played for the Japan U-20 national team at the 2018 U-20 World Cup.[10] She played in all 6 matches and scored 5 goals and recorded 3 assists. Takarada scored the game-winning goal for Japan in the tournament final against Spain, leading Japan to the championship. She earned the Silver Ball and Bronze Boot for her performance in the tournament. Takarada also won the 2018 Asian Young Footballer of the Year award in 2018.[3]

Senior

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Takarada was named to the Japanese national team for the 2019 World Cup after Riko Ueki withdrew due to injury in May 2019.[11] She served as a substitute for Japan during the World Cup, appearing in three of Japan's four games.[3][12]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 18 May 2024[13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental[c] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cerezo Osaka Sakai 2013 Nadeshiko Challenge League 21 2 1 0 — — 22 2
2014 Nadeshiko Challenge League 21 0 0 0 — — 21 0
2015 Nadeshiko Challenge League 18 9 0 0 — — 18 9
2016 Nadeshiko League 2 14 7 1 0 8 3 — 23 10
2017 Nadeshiko League 2 18 22 2 1 9 7 — 29 30
2018 Nadeshiko League 18 4 2 1 8 0 — 28 5
2019 Nadeshiko League 2 15 10 0 0 6 4 — 21 14
2020 Nadeshiko League 18 2 3 0 — — 21 2
Total 143 56 9 2 31 14 — 183 72
Washington Spirit 2021 National Women's Soccer League 10 0 — 3 0 — 13 0
Linköping FC 2022 Damallsvenskan 25 3 3 0 — — 28 3
2023 Damallsvenskan 26 2 4 1 — 2 0 32 3
Total 51 5 7 1 — 2 0 60 6
Leicester City 2023–24 Women's Super League 12 1 4 1 1 0 — 17 1
Career total 216 61 20 4 35 14 2 0 273 79
  1. ^ Includes Empress's Cup, Svenska Cupen
  2. ^ Includes Nadeshiko League Cup, NWSL Challenge Cup, FA Women's League Cup
  3. ^ Includes UEFA Women's Champions League

International

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As of match played 23 September 2023[14]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National Team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2019 3 0
2021 6 1
2022 10 0
2023 2 0
Total 21 1
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Takarada goal.
List of international goals scored by Saori Takarada
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 11 June 2021 Edion Stadium Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan  Ukraine 3–0 8–0 Friendly [15]

Honours

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Cereza Osaka Sakai

Japan

Japan U20

Japan U17

Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 – List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 27 May 2019. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Saori Takarada – Washington Spirit". Washington Spirit. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Jason Anderson (1 December 2020). "Washington Spirit sign Japanese attacker Saori Takarada". Black and Red United. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. ^ Jason Anderson (4 March 2021). "Washington Spirit announce 2021 preseason roster". Black and Red United. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. ^ FC, Linköpings (6 January 2022). "Japansk landslagsspelare till Linköping FC". Linköping FC (in Swedish). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Saori Takarada Signs Pre-Contract With LCFC Women". www.lcfc.com. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  7. ^ "City Cruise Through In FA Cup At Derby". www.lcfc.com. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  8. ^ Garry, Tom (10 February 2024). "New signings star as Leicester thrash Birmingham". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  9. ^ Saori Takarada – FIFA competition record (archived) Edit this at Wikidata
  10. ^ FIFA
  11. ^ Japan Football Association
  12. ^ Japan Football Association
  13. ^ "Japan - S. Takarada - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Nadeshiko Japan | National Teams｜JFA｜Japan Football Association".
  15. ^ "国際親善試合". JFA｜公益財団法人日本サッカー協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
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