Mina Tanaka
Japanese footballer (born 1994)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mina Tanaka (田中 美南, Tanaka Mina; born April 28, 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League club Utah Royals and the Japan national team. She has previously played for Nippon TV Beleza, Bayer Leverkusen, and INAC Kobe Leonessa.
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Tanaka with the Utah Royals in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | April 28, 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand | ||
| Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Utah Royals FC | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2011 | NTV Tokyo Verdy Beleza | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2019 | NTV Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 153 | (98) |
| 2020–2024 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | 58 | (37) |
| 2021 | → Bayer Leverkusen (loan) | 10 | (4) |
| 2024– | Utah Royals | 33 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010 | Japan U-17 | 3 | (1) |
| 2012 | Japan U-20 | 6 | (0) |
| 2013– | Japan | 101 | (43) |
Medal record | |||
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 02:14, 13 April 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 02:14, 13 April 2026 (UTC) | |||
Early life
Tanaka was born in Thailand on April 28, 1994 to a Japanese father and a Thai mother. She returned to Japan soon after her birth and grew up in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa.[1] She graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Yurigaoka High School in March 2013.[2]
Club career
On May 3, 2011, she made her debut for Nippon TV Beleza in a 1–0 loss to Okayama Yunogo Belle.[3] On August 14, she scored her first goal in a 5–0 home victory against Fukuoka J. Anclas.[4] She became top scorer in 2016 and 2017. She was also selected Best Eleven for 3 years in a row (2015–2017).
In 2020, Tanaka signed for INAC Kobe Leonessa. After the season was delayed by two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[5] Tanaka made her club debut in the season opener on July 18. She scored the only goal of the match.[6] On 3 February 2020, she joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season[7]
On July 5, 2024, NWSL club Utah Royals signed Tanaka to a contract through the 2025 NWSL season.[8] Tanaka signed a contract extension with Utah through 2028 on August 22, 2025.[9]
National team career
Tanaka was part of the Japan U-17 national team that finished in second place at the 2010 U-17 World Cup and of the U-20 team that finished in third place at the 2012 U-20 World Cup. In February 2013, she received her first senior team call-up.[10] On March 8, she made her debut for Japan and scored her first goal in a 2–1 loss to Germany in the 2013 Algarve Cup.[11]
On 19 March 2018, she was called up to the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup,[12] where Japan won the championship.
On 18 June 2021, she was included in the Japan squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[13]
On 7 January 2022, Tanaka was called up to the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup squad.[14]
On 13 June 2023, she was included in Japan's 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.[15] On July 31, Tanaka scored in Japan's 4-0 group-stage victory in a match against Spain.[16]
On 14 June 2024, Tanaka was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[17]
Tanaka was tournament MVP as part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.[18] She scored four goals and had three assists across Japan's three matches of the tournament.[19]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played April 4, 2026.[20]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 2011 | Nadeshiko League | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | |
| 2012 | Nadeshiko League | 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3 | |
| 2013 | Nadeshiko League | 17 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 17 | |
| 2014 | Nadeshiko League | 21 | 3 | 4 | 5 | — | 25 | 8 | ||
| 2015 | Nadeshiko League | 23 | 14 | 4 | 7 | — | 27 | 21 | ||
| 2016 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 31 | 26 | |
| 2017 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 28 | |
| 2018 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 27 | |
| 2019 | Nadeshiko League | 16 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 34 | |
| Total | 153 | 98 | 34 | 33 | 40 | 34 | 227 | 165 | ||
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2020 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | 21 | 13 | |
| 2021–22 | WE League | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 12 | ||
| 2022–23 | WE League | 19 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 14 | |
| 2023–24 | WE League | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |
| Total | 58 | 37 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 71 | 42 | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen (loan) | 2020–21 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 10 | 4 | — | — | 10 | 4 | ||
| Utah Royals | 2024 | NWSL | 7 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 1 | ||
| 2025 | NWSL | 23 | 6 | — | — | 23 | 6 | |||
| 2026 | NWSL | 3 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 2 | |||
| Total | 33 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 9 | ||
| Career total | 254 | 148 | 40 | 35 | 47 | 37 | 341 | 220 | ||
- Includes the Empress's Cup
- Includes the Nadeshiko League Cup
International
- As of match played 11 April 2026[21]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 2013 | 4 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 14 | 5 | |
| 2018 | 15 | 8 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 12 | 7 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 11 | 7 | |
| 2026 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 101 | 43 | |
- Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tanaka goal.
Honours
Nippon TV Beleza
- Nadeshiko League: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- Empress's Cup: 2014, 2017, 2018
- Nadeshiko League Cup: 2012, 2016, 2018
- AFC Women's Club Championship: 2019
INAC Kobe Leonessa
Japan
Individual
