Naoko Kawakami

Naoko Kawakami
Personal information
Full name Naoko Kawakami
Date of birth (1977-11-16) 16 November 1977
Place of birth Akashi, Hyogo
Playing position Fullback
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990-2004 Tasaki Perule F.C. 169 (22)
2005-2006 NTV Beleza 38 (2)
National team
2001–2005 Japan 48 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Naoko Kawakami (川上 直子 Kawakami Naoko, born 16 November 1977 in Akashi, Hyogo) is a retired Japanese football defender and midfielder who played for the Japanese national team. She has since been a broadcast commentator.

Player career

Club career

Kawakami previously played midfielder for L. League side Tasaki Perule F.C.. However, when she entered the national selection, she became a right back. After success at this position, she remained a defender when she transferred to NTV Bereza. She had a lot of success with her two clubs, winning one league title with her first club in 2003 and three Empress's Cups, and two other titles with her second one.

International career

She made her debut with the national selection in 2001 and became a regular left back, beginning all games in the 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Olympic Games.[1]

After retirement

After retiring from international football in 2005 and from football the following year, she became a commentator for NBS at the 2007 World Cup qualification round. She then commented the final tournament for Fuji TV. In 2011, she was commentator for NHK during the Women's World Cup tournament, including when the Japan national women's team won the world title.

Achievements

Individual

5 times in the best eleven: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Club

Tasaki Perule FC

NTV Bereza

References

  1. ↑ Naoko Kawakami – FIFA competition record
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