Top facts about Aya Miyama, Female Beckham

Aya Miyama (born January 28, 1985) is a retired Japanese football star. From 2003 until 2016, she was a member of the Japan national team, serving as captain from 2012 to 2016.

Aya Miyama’s age

is 36. Here you can find out the most important facts about Aya Miyama, the legendary Asian player.

Between 2003 and 2015, Aya Miyama was a member of four World Cup teams, including Japan's World Cup-winning squad in 2011. Miyama also helped Japan win a silver medal in the London Olympics in 2012.

The midfielder's passion for the game originated at the club her father established in her hometown of Oamishirasato, when she began kicking a ball about. Her talents subsequently allowed her to play in the United States with the Los Angeles Sol, Saint Louis Athletica, and Atlanta Beat.

Her two-year stay in the United States had a significant effect on her and enabled her to advance to a new level. “I believe the greatest part about that period was the opportunity to see a new culture firsthand,” the smiling Miyama said. And, of course, study English.”

She developed some great friends there, including Hope Solo, and got important experience playing with some very skilled players, including Marta, a former teammate from the now-defunct Los Angeles club.

Miyama, who is now with Okayama Yunogo Belle, has no reservations in suggesting the Brazilian star to her employers if they decide to enter the transfer market, “I'd love to play alongside her again.”

Top facts about Aya Miyama:

A notable

fact about Aya Miyama

is that she is still the only Asian athlete to strike twice in the 2015 Women's World Cup (7 other individuals totaled for seven goals), including a quarterfinal goal against

.

Aya Miyama early life

Aya Miyama was born on January 28, 1985, as the second daughter of Fumio Miyama (a member of the Oamishirasato City Council). Speaking about

Aya Miyama’s parents

, it should be mentioned that her father played in the soccer club when he was in Narashino High School, and had experience of participating in the practice of the Yomiuri Soccer Club in his third year of high school.

Regarding

Aya Miyama’s childhood

, it is worth mentioning that she started playing soccer in the first year of Shirasato Elementary School in Oamishirasato Town with her father's team, "Futchball Surf".

Aya Miyama personal life

Unfortunately, there is no data regarding Aya Miyama personal life in terms of her partner, husband or children.

Football has been kind to the Japan captain, and she has always returned the favor, including giving her $10,000 prize for being voted tournament MVP at the last AFC Women's Asian Cup to charity.

“As a player, I want to contribute to society as much as possible,” the unselfish Miyama said. “I like assisting youngsters in pursuing their goals and providing them with the greatest possible support.”

Aya Miyama professional career

Miyama started her career as a football player in the club her father founded. She later joined NTV Beleza in 1999 after playing with Yomiuri Menina. Miyama joined L. League side Okayama Yunogo Belle in 2001.

Aya Miyama club career

An important fact about Aya Miyama is that when she was in the fifth grade of elementary school, she applied for the international exchange event "Fostering Japanese who can play an active role in the international community" and experienced a match in San Diego, USA as a goodwill ambassador.

When she was in the sixth grade of elementary school, she participated in the prefectural tournament and district qualifying as a special case as a member of the men's team in the first grade of junior high school.

A notable fact about Aya Miyama is that in the final match, after the extra time, she scored a goal and won the championship. Miyama said that she still vividly remembers the words "play for friends rather than yourself" from his father, who was the manager, in this final match. "I fought," she recalls.

Belonging to Yomiuri Menina, she was promoted to NTV Verdy in 1999, but she left the group when he was in the second year of Makuhari General High School due to the burden of time from his home to the practice area.

At Makuhari General High School, where Miyama went to school, Morimasa Imaizumi, who raised Naotake Hanyu and others at Yachiyo High School, led the men's soccer club. Imaizumi welcomed Miyama to the soccer club as the only female member.

However, at that time, women were not allowed to register for the men's team, so Miyama could not play in the official match, and he fell into a dilemma that could miss the opportunity to convene for the

.

Okayama Yunogo Belle

An important

fact about Aya Miyama

is that in 2001, she joined Okayama Yunogo Belle, led by Midori Honda, as a first-year student. In high school, she moved to Okayama after school on Friday and returned to Chiba after the match on Sunday.

After graduating, she continued to play in Okayama while working part-time cleaning at the hot spring inn "Kifunosato" in Mimasaka City, Okayama Prefecture, and was active as the main player of the team until 2008.

In 2003, she won some awards in the league. In 2004, she scored 17 goals in the league and became the queen and best player in the second division league, and became the driving force for the promotion to the first division in the following season.

In the 2007 Japan Women's Soccer League, he received the Best Eleven and a special award "MVP chosen by supporters".

Transfer to the United States (WPS)

A notable fact about Aya Miyama is that in 2009 she moved to US WPS of the Los Angeles Sol. She assisted the league's first goal in the opening round.

In addition to recording 6 assists in the league's top tie in the season, she contributed to the team's 1st place in the season (losing in the playoff final and missing the championship), and she was the only player in the team to play full-time in all games.

The Los Angeles Sol, like many other Women's Professional Soccer clubs, had players from all over the globe whose skill, excellent shooting, and ball movement have been developed and refined through time.

The English press at the Home Depot Center dubbed Miyama the "David Beckham" of the Sol after she joined with the Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) in February 2009.

It was a nice compliment for a football player who compared herself to no one, not even Beckham, but her own inner drive and willpower.

Miyama made a commitment to herself when she landed in Los Angeles: she would play with the finest in the world. Aya Miyama was given a chance by Yunogo Belle and Nadeshiko Japan. Now, when the Sol's No. 8 goes through it, all eyes are on her as she takes her game to a new level at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

"I don't want to be compared to Beckham," she remarked when the press praised the analogy. And that is correct. Because, if the chanters on Victoria Street agree that there is only one

, shouldn't there be only one Aya Miyama as well?

She was also selected for the WPS All-Stars and participated in an all-star game with Sweden 's powerful club team Umeå IK. In September after the end of the season, she temporarily returned to her former affiliation, Okayama Yunogo (rental transfer).

In February 2010, she moved to St. Louis Athletica in a decentralized draft following the withdrawal of Los Angeles Sol from WPS, but the team left WPS early in the season due to financial difficulties. In the re-distributed draft, she re-transferred to the Atlanta Beat, a new member of WPS that year.

Okayama Yunogo Belle (2010-2016)

An important fact about Aya Miyama is that in 2010, in September after the end of the WPS season, she completely transferred to Okayama Yunogo.

She received the Chiba Prefectural Honor Award from Chiba Prefecture on August 17, 2011, and received the National Honor Award with colleagues from Nadeshiko Japan on August 18.

On November 2011, she was selected as the Best Eleven of the Nadeshiko League for the first time in three years. In the 2014 season, Okayama Yunogo Belle won the Nadeshiko League regular series.

On November 5, 2016, due to the expiration of the contract, she left Okayama Yunogo.

Japan Women's National Team

A notable

fact about Aya Miyama

is that in 2003, she was convened by the Japanese national team and participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup America Tournament that year. The following year, she was captain of the 2004 U-19 Asian Women's Championship.

When Hiroshi Ohashi became the national coach in 2004, she initially participated in the match as a sub and later as a regular. Eventually, she would participate in all the games while he was in office as coach.

In 2011, she participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany Tournament. She won the Player of the Match in the first match against New Zealand, in which she scored the final goal with a free kick, and in the semi-final against

.

In the final against the United States, she scored 1 goal and had 1 assist. Although she was able to score the first goal, she pushed the spilled ball in front of the goal in the short time remaining in the second half. In the moment Saki Kumagai, the fourth player, scored a penalty shootout and Japan won, she walked up to his opponents and paid tribute to the American players.

Even though China, a declining power at the time, had come within a whisker of defeating the United States in the 1999 final, no Asian team had ever won a World Cup.

The previous five editions of the event were split between the United States, Germany, and Norway, all historic bastions of a sport eager to expand its influence.

So Japan was a trailblazer for the rest; they had only advanced past the group stage twice before 2011, and their victory in Germany demonstrated that there was a space on the pitch where talented, ambitious girls and women could write new stories and defy preconceptions, regardless of where they came from.

At the time of the competition, Japan was rated fourth in the world, but the distance between them and the United States, which was ranked first. They had perfected a version of the tiki-taka style that had grown famous in the men's game, compensating their lack of physical mass by moving the ball intelligently around and past opponents, according to their coach, Norio Sasaki.

It worked in the group stage, albeit they were defeated by England in Augsburg; it paid off in a thrilling quarter-final triumph over Germany and then a 3-1 semi-final victory over Sweden despite falling behind early.

Even though Japan still had possession, it was hardly their finest effort. The assumption in the US camp was that with a quick start, they could settle matters early on, but Japan leveled the game before halftime, despite an assault.

's superb finish put the US ahead, but nine minutes from time, Miyama took advantage of Japan's weak defense to draw the game even.

Abby Wambach seemed to have won the World Cup with an extra-time header after being denied by the woodwork and the excellent Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori. But, three minutes from time, the indomitable Sawa equalized with a spectacular flicked finish from Miyama's near-post corner. They may have only fired 14 bullets compared to the US's 27, but their unwavering determination had taken them to the verge of the unimaginable.

Kaihori saved two penalties, Carli Lloyd missed one, and Kumagai chipped in with her contribution. Kumagai's performance in the month led to a transfer to – coincidentally – Frankfurt and, ultimately, to the greatest domestic club in women's football history. Back home, attendance surged, and the sport gained immediate credibility that had been eluding it for so long.

On September 1, in the first qualifying round of the London Olympics (2012), she participated in the second half against Thailand and contributed to the victory.

At the 2011 FIFA World Player of the Year (FIFA Ballon d’Or) selection committee, Miyama received 12.18% points and finished fourth.

On February 10, 2012, director Norio Sasaki appointed her as team captain to replace Sawa and attended the Algarve Cup 2012 in southern Portugal. Sasaki described Miyama's role in Nadeshiko Japan as: "Miyama is one of the best players in the team in terms of passion and theory for soccer, and she can encourage the team by playing and talking to her teammates.

“She is friendly and attentive to every corner. Miyama has the title of captain. I didn't change my attitude towards everyone. I'm not the only one, I'm still in contact with my players with the stance of "one team with everyone."

In the third round against the United States, which was about to advance to the final, Megumi Takase, who participated in the middle of the match, sent the ball with a corner kick and produced a historic victory over the United States (1 win, 4 draws, 21 losses).

In the semi-final match on August 7, 2012, she gained starting points with two goals with a free kick and gave team the win against France.

In a loss after the final match with the United States, "I'm proud that the team was able to do it all together. The result was silver, but they believed in each other. Thank you to everyone.”

On November 29, the same year, she was elected the second AFC Player of the Year (female) for the second consecutive year.

In May 2014, she won her first Asian Cup at the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Vietnam and won the MVP of the tournament.

Participated as captain in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, Although she lost to the United States 2-5 in the final, she contributed greatly to the runner-up as the main pillar of the team.

In 2016, she was enlisted to the Japan national team in the final qualifying for women 's soccer in Asia at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but the team finished third in the qualifying and missed the right to qualify for the Olympics.

After leaving Okayama Yunogo Belle in 2016, Miyama disappeared from the front stage, and while she did not belong to any team, she did not reveal his departure.

On December 9, 2018, she was an assistant for the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 combination draw. In 2019 it was revealed that she had decided to retire in 2016.

Aya Miyama sportsmanship

Miyama reduces tension in a manner that we can all understand, according to her Yunogo Belle profile (in Japanese). Which is appropriate. In the 2011 Women's World Cup, Miyama coupled her leadership with clutch performance to lead her country to the only World Cup championship in history, regardless of whether it was men's or women's soccer.

Miyama's trademark curving free kick lifted Japan over

in a crucial group play victory. Miyama also scored both Japan's opening goal and Japan's first penalty shot in the shootout phase in the thrilling Final versus the United States.

Japan had plenty of reasons to rejoice. Their nation had just been devastated by a devastating tsunami and earthquake. More than 15,000 lives were lost, with more than $300 billion in damages. However, this underdog Japanese women's soccer team continued to win, encouraging supporters who were still reeling from the aftermath.

They were victorious against Germany. They brought the United States to PKs. Then they won in the most spectacular manner imaginable.

Miyama, on the other hand, did not rejoice. Instead, she comforted the crestfallen by hugging each American member she could locate.

Hope Solo later remarked on The Late Show with David Letterman, "She wanted to show the Americans respect because she understood how much it affected us." 'Aya, you won the World Cup for the first time in your country's history, please rejoice!' I had to tell her.

Miyama's appreciation and chivalry were wonderfully portrayed in this moment. She put her arms around her opponent in comfort when no one would have blamed her for raising her arms in joy.

Aya Miyama described by other people

"A very talented soccer player. She is technically good, has a good passing skill, and is quick to move. When she stops, it is especially threatening how she will move next. I don't know. She can hit the ball wherever she wants. I'm looking forward to seeing her playing ... except when she's an opponent! "--England national team, Kelly Smith, "She had been saying I want to become the best in the world since she was in fifth grade, and that didn't sound like a joke” as the words of her teacher, Midori Honda.

"I've always thought soccer was fun, but the combination with Miyama is even more fun. It's great that she understands her play." As described by Homare Sawa, the former captain of Nadeshiko Japan.

"Aya became the captain at the most difficult time after winning the World Cup. I think it took a lot of work." Iwashi, the first colleague she hugged after losing to the United States at the London Olympics.

Some quick facts about Aya Miyama

Miyama was born in Oamishirasato, a town on the outskirts of Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture's capital, on January 28, 1985.

Chiba City is home to the Chiba Urban Railway, the world's longest suspended monorail, Inage Beach, Japan's first artificial beach, and the Kasori Shellmound, the world's biggest at 134,000 square meters.

JEF United Ichihara Chiba, a J.League team whose history was created by the hands and feet of railroad workers and electricians, is likewise based in Chiba. In 2003, it was given its present name to honor the unity of its illustrious history.

Fans of the red, gold, and green can be heard and seen at the Fukuda Denshi Arena expressing their unwavering support and passionate admiration for a club whose greatest achievement came in 1987, when they won the Asian Club Championship, the predecessor to the AFC Champions League.

A notable

fact about Aya Miyama

is that she, like Han Duan, learned to play football from a loving father who, like so many others across the globe, was a huge fan. She began her playing career as a member of the NTV Menina squad, which her father created, while she developed her talents.

She eventually played two seasons with NTV Beleza, one of the most illustrious teams in the Nadeshiko League (the women's equivalent of the J.League), where she helped the team win the championship in 2000.

Miyama decided to finish her studies and play with the guys on her high school team for a few of seasons after the 2000 season. It's a gamble similar to that taken by Marta, another colleague who opted to play with the guys to develop her skill.

Midori Honda, the manager of Okayama Yunogo Belle, contacted Miyama in 2003 and gave her the chance to further improve her midfield abilities.

It would be the beginning of six seasons in which Miyama's technical prowess and finishing prowess would be shown.

Miyama made 110 appearances for Yunogo Belle between 2003 and 2008. He scored 62 goals in that time. Yunogo's number 10 was named the club's best player in 2007 and 2008 because she was so important to the team's survival in Division I of the Nadeshiko League.

And her consistent scoring ability drew the notice of Eiji Ueda, the manager of the Japanese women's national team, known as Nadeshiko Japan.

An important fact about Aya Miyama is that she made her debut for Nadeshiko Japan in 2003. The outcomes have been amazing.

Miyama helped lead Japan to at least a quarterfinal completion at the past two Olympic Games, top four finishes at the past three AFC Women's Asian Cups, and success at the Women's East Asian Cup through a third-place finish in 2005 and a championship in 2008.

She was a member of the squad alongside Homare Sawa of the Washington Freedom and Eriko Arakawa of the FC Gold Pride.

It's no wonder that Miyama is regarded as one of Japan's most renowned female players. She placed fourth in a FIFA poll of the top female players in 2003 and fifth in 2007.

Miyama has played professionally in the United States, including spells with the Los Angeles Sol (2009), Saint Louis Athletica (2010), and Atlanta Beat (2010).

However, two of those teams (L.A. and St. Louis) collapsed in her time and went out of business. More notably, the Chiba native spent her pro seasons in Japan with the Okayama Yunogo Belle, with whom she has netted 128 goals in 247 outings.

Aya Miyama social media

Regarding

Aya Miyama social media

, it should be mentioned that she does not have any pages on any social media platforms.

Aya Miyama body measurements

Regarding

Aya Miyama body measurements

, it should be mentioned that she is 157 cm tall and weighs 52 kg.

Aya Miyama net worth and salary

Aya Miyama's net worth

is estimated to be around $7 million to $8 million dollars. Her main profession as a soccer player has brought her a great deal of money.

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