• Nadeshiko head to the World Cup with high hopes

• There they will face Zambia, Costa Rica and Spain in the group stage

• Japan won the 2011 World Cup and finished runners-up four years later

After claiming a maiden title at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™ and finishing runners-up in Canada four years later, Japan’s sparkling record at the global tournament lost a little lustre when they crashed out in the round of 16 at France 2019.

The Nadeshiko’s current quest to return to the top of world football begins with Group C fixtures against Zambia, Costa Rica and Spain. We have picked five players most likely to influence the way Japan play and help them through to the knockout stages.

The Nadeshiko squad features a blend of players making a splash overseas in nations such as England and Germany, and those spearheading leading teams in Japan’s domestic WE League. Of them, the following five players will be integral to the prospects of Futoshi Ikeda’s side in Australia and New Zealand.

Position: Goalkeeper Date of birth: 29 September 1995

A veteran of the 2019 World Cup, Ayaka Yamashita has usually been an automatic choice between the sticks for the Nadeshiko over the past few years. Yamashita is the oldest goalkeeper in Japan’s World Cup squad and has become a genuine leader with Inac Kobe Leonessa and the national team.

Yamashita has already carved her name into the record books of the fully professional WE League, which kicked off in 2021. She was named the league’s most valuable player in 2022, making her the first goalkeeper to receive this award in Japan’s top women’s football league.

In the WE League’s second season, Yamashita was named in the Best XI and cemented her spot as Japan’s premier goalkeeper. She played in 31 games this season for Kobe, who went undefeated for the first 13 games and conceded the fewest goals in the league – evidence of Yamashita’s prowess and importance to her team.

The keeper’s accurate kicks and passes, superb ball control and assuredness when playing out from the back all contribute to her team’s attacking arsenal. Athletic and possessing an outstanding ability to block shots, Yamashita is poised to star at the World Cup.

Position: Defender Date of birth: 17 October 1990

Set to appear at her fourth World Cup, Saki Kumagai’s vast experience playing for Japan and clubs overseas will be a valuable asset for the Nadeshiko. Last season, Kumagai’s accomplished performances at the back and also as a defensive midfielder were instrumental in Bayern Munich’s march to the German women’s league title. The dependable Nadeshiko captain has since shifted to Italian league champions Roma for a fresh challenge.

Kumagai is the only member of the current Nadeshiko squad to feature in Japan’s triumphant side at the 2011 World Cup. She played in all of Japan’s matches at that tournament and slotted the decisive penalty in the shootout that clinched a historic victory in the final against USA.

Kumagai is a mainstay of the national team and an influential figure at both ends of the pitch. An astute leader who smoothly marshals the defence, she also has the ability to execute passes that create goal-scoring opportunities. Kumagai’s pass-completion rate last season was an impressive – and Frauen-Bundesliga-topping – 92 per cent. As such, Kumagai will be instrumental to Japan’s chances in Australia and New Zealand.

Position: Midfielder Date of birth: 29 January 1997

An industrious midfielder at English powerhouse Manchester City, Yui Hasegawa has impressed fans with her world-class skills, creativity and work rate in the Women’s Super League. These same attributes have made the dimuinitive Hasegawa an invaluable member of the Japanese national team since her debut in 2017.

Hasegawa’s fleet-footedness and excellent touch have powered her development into one of Japan’s most important weapons in attack. Her perpetual movement off the ball, pinpoint passing and ability to turn past defenders will be likely to dazzle opponents and spectators alike at the World Cup. Hasegawa is certainly a player to keep an eye on.

Position: Midfielder Date of birth: 24 May 2000

Jun Endo has quickly become a fan favourite at Los Angeles club Angel City FC since she moved to the National Women’s Soccer League. In fact, Endo has been used prominently in promotional activities and become a face of the club. An all-action player with a penchant for unleashing accurate left-foot crosses, Endo made her presence felt again in Angel City’s opening game of this season by scoring and chalking up an assist.

Endo had been tipped for big things since she played for Japan at the 2019 World Cup aged just 19. Since crossing the Pacific to play in the United States, she has appeared even hungrier for goals. A knee injury threatened to derail Endo’s World Cup ambitions, but she has returned to fitness just in time to take her place in the squad.

In an exclusive interview with FIFA+ earlier this year, Endo said watching the Japanese men’s team perform so well at last year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar gave her a thrill, and she wants the Nadeshiko to generate that same excitement among fans when they play Down Under. Having gone from strength to strength stateside, could the pacy midfielder be the one to spark her team to World Cup glory?

Position: Midfielder Date of birth: 9 March 1999

Fuka Nagano was regularly entrusted with the No10 shirt – a jersey that holds a special place in Japanese football – as she came through the age grades. However, Nagano has more than lived up to the accompanying expectations that come with wearing this shirt and developed into a vital cog of the Nadeshiko machine.

After playing for North Carolina Courage in the NWSL in 2022, Nagano decided in 2023 to move to English giants Liverpool. Nagano’s composure, defence-splitting passes and ability to control the tempo of a game are admired even by her team-mates.

Liverpool manager Matt Beard has been delighted with Nagano’s impact at the club, saying, “She can do so many different things, she can play high and she can play deep.”

But it is not only Nagano’s ability to create goal-scoring chances that has won her plenty of admirers. Nagano does not shirk her defensive duties, and her ability to read the game and snuff out an opponent’s attack by intercepting dangerous passes has become a trademark of her play. She is shaping up as a key figure in Japan’s World Cup charge.

Ueki: Injury heartbreak fuels my Women's World Cup dream Ikeda: Japan want to reach the top of the world again Reliving Japan's 2011 fairy tale Hasegawa discusses Nadeshiko's outlook and life in England Endo: Football has become more enjoyable since I moved to the USA