Select Page

Ayaka Yamashita (footballer)

Ayaka Yamashita[a] (山下 杏也加, Yamashita Ayaka, born September 29, 1995) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the Japan national team.

Club career

Yamashita was born in Adachi, Tokyo on September 29, 1995. After graduating from high school, she joined Nippon TV Beleza in 2014.[1] The club won L.League championship and she was selected Best Eleven for 3 years in a row from the 2015 season.

On 9 August 2024, Ayaka was signed on a three year deal by Women's Super League club Manchester City.[2] She made her debut for the team in a UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying match win over Paris FC on 18 September 2024.[3]

International career

In August 2015, when Yamashita was 19 years old, she was selected for Japan national team for 2015 East Asian Cup. In that competition, on August 4, she debuted against South Korea.

On 19 March 2018, she was called up to the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup,[4] where Japan won the championship.

On 10 May 2019, Yamashita was included in the 23-player squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[5]

On 18 June 2021, she was included in the Japan squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[6]

On 7 January 2022, Yamashita was called up to the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup squad.[7]

On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.[8]

On 14 June 2024, Yamashita was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[9]

Yamashita was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 March 2025[11][12][13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[b] League Cup[c] Continental[d] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tokyo Verdy Beleza 2014 Nadeshiko League 4 0 4 0 — — 8 0
2015 Nadeshiko League 22 0 3 0 — — 25 0
2016 Nadeshiko League 18 0 4 0 7 0 — 29 0
2017 Nadeshiko League 18 0 5 0 6 0 — 29 0
2018 Nadeshiko League 17 0 5 0 4 0 — 26 0
2019 Nadeshiko League 18 0 2 0 3 0 3 0 26 0
2020 Nadeshiko League 12 0 0 0 — — 12 0
Total 109 0 23 0 20 0 3 0 155 0
INAC Kobe Leonessa 2021–22 WE League 19 0 1 0 — — 20 0
2022–23 WE League 19 0 4 0 4 0 — 27 0
2023–24 WE League 18 0 3 0 1 0 — 22 0
Total 56 0 8 0 5 0 — 69 0
Manchester City 2024–25 Women's Super League 10 0 3 0 3 0 5 0 21 0
Career Total 175 0 34 0 28 0 8 0 245 0
  1. ^ Japanese: [jaɯ̩ˈɕita ajaˈka]
  2. ^ Includes Empress's Cup, Women's FA Cup
  3. ^ Includes Nadeshiko League Cup, WE League Cup, FA Women's League Cup
  4. ^ Includes AFC Women's Club Championship, UEFA Women's Champions League

International

As of match played 26 February 2025[14]
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2015 3 0
2016 3 0
2017 5 0
2018 14 0
2019 10 0
2020 2 0
2021 6 0
2022 10 0
2023 11 0
2024 11 0
2025 2 0
Total 77 0

Honours

Tokyo Verdy Beleza

INAC Kobe Leonessa

Japan

Individual

  • Nadeshiko League Best Eleven: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • WE League Most Valuable Player: 2021–22
  • WE League Best Eleven: 2021–22, 2022–23
  • WE League Outstanding Players Award: 2021–22, 2022–23

References

  1. ^ Nippon TV Beleza(in Japanese)
  2. ^ "Man City sign Japan goalkeeper Yamashita". BBC Sport. 9 August 2024. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Paris FC 0-5 Manchester City: Vivianne Miedema scores on her debut in rout". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2024-10-04. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  4. ^ "Kawasumi returns as Japan name squad for Jordan 2018". Asian Football Confederation. 19 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018.
  5. ^ "なでしこジャパンの高倉麻子監督がFIFA女子ワールドカップに向けてメンバーを発表 ～国際親善試合 対スペイン女子代表（6/2＠ル・トゥケ）、FIFA女子ワールドカップ フランス 2019" [Nadeshiko Japan coach Asakura Takako announces members for FIFA Women's World Cup-International Goodwill vs. Spanish Women's National Team (6/2 @ Le Touquet), FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019] (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. 11 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) Squad - Games of the XXXII Olympiad (Tokyo 2020)【7/21-8/6】, MS&AD CUP 2021【7/14＠Kyoto】". www.jfa.jp. Japan Football Association (JFA). 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  7. ^ "AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 - Selected Players / Staff". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  9. ^ "Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) squad & schedule - MS&AD Cup 2024: Noto Peninsula Earthquake Reconstruction Support Match "Ganbarou Noto" / Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (Paris 2024)". jfa.jp. Japan Football Association (JFA). 14 June 2024.
  10. ^ "United States vs Japan: Japan wins SheBelieves Cup". BBC Sport. 27 February 2025. Archived from the original on 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  11. ^ "シーズン試合一覧". Tokyo Verdy Beleza. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  12. ^ "2021/22シーズン全日程". INAC Kobe Leonessa. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Japan - A. Yamashita - Profile with news, career statistics, and history". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Ayaka Yamashita". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 30 October 2023.