The Empress's Cup JFA 41st Japan Women's Football Championship is about to take place on Saturday 2 November. Here we have conducted an interview with MIURA Narumi and KOBAYASHI Rikako from the two-time defending champions Nippon TV Beleza, who shared their aspirations ahead of the tournament.
*This interview was conducted on 26 October.

――In the recent FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019, the Nadeshiko Japan lost at the round of 16. What is your take on the team ahead of next year’s Tokyo Olympics?

Kobayashi　I personally saw many aspects I need to improve on. In order to compete at the world level, I need to become faster and stronger. I also need to become a player that can create opportunities through individual efforts.

Miura　The level of intensity and speed showcased by other countries were extremely high. However, we had the advantage in terms of the quality of passes and positioning. In order to win matches, I felt that we need to build on those strong points. Since playing at the World Cup, I have been focusing on keeping a wider perspective, evading pressure before getting physical contact, and showing better movements off the ball in our league matches.

――What do you think about each other’s personalities?

Miura　It’s a bit embarrassing to answer that question, but I think she laughs a lot.

Kobayashi　I will return the same words to you.

Miura　Including MIYAGAWA Asato, the three of us are the same age and we get along very well.

Kobayashi　We don’t like to fight. We are a bit passive in that sense…

Miura　We are all good friends.

――Does it help to have a friend you can trust on the same pitch?

Miura　We have always wished to play together, and now we are playing on the same pitch. With Asato joining us, I feel very happy and fortunate that we are playing together.

Kobayashi　She has supported me while I was injured, and I can’t describe in words how much I appreciate her. While I was going through rehabilitation training, Narumi was also facing difficult times where she couldn’t get much playing time with the team. Despite her struggles, I saw her continue to work hard each day and now that she is playing in every match for the team, I respect her attitude so much.

Miura　This is a bit too embarrassing…

――Let’s get back on the subject of the Empress's Cup. What are your aspirations for this year’s tournament? How about winning the top scorer’s award again?

Miura　I am in a different position now, so I will pass on that. I need to stay central and keep the balance of the team, so I will do my best to allow my teammates to showcase each of their strong points. If I am given the opportunity, I would like to take shots from distance, though.

Kobayashi　Really!?

Miura　I hope to get myself involved in our team’s goals.

Kobayashi　I am not sure if I will be used in a central or wide position, but either way, I hope to get involved in our offence and score goals.

Miura　It’s your turn to become the top scorer!

Kobayashi　I want to score goals, so I will do my best to score more goals than Narumi.

――You will be entering this tournament with the chance to win three straight titles and the triple crown in back to back years. What are your aspirations?

Miura　We have players who are working hard to return from injuries, like MURAMATSU Tomoko and SAKAGUCHI Mizuho. Those players are always helping us get prepared for the matches and keeps us motivated. With the Empress's Cup being the final tournament of the year, each player is playing in behalf of those teammates who aren’t able to play. The sensation of winning the tournament title is an unforgettable feeling, so I hope to get myself indulged in that feeling once again.

Kobayashi　We are facing a tougher competition in our league this year, so nothing is guaranteed at this point. That can be said for the Empress's Cup as well. Beleza will be entering the tournament from the second round, but we must showcase our best performance to win the title. We will strive to win the title with a total team effort.

Empress's Cup JFA 41st Japan Women's Football Championship

Tournament Dates: Sat. 2 November - Sun. 29 December 2019
【1st Round】Sat. 2 & Sun. 3 November
【2nd Round】Sat. 23 & Sun. 24 November
【3rd Round】Sat. 30 November & Sun. 1 December
【Quarterfinals】Sun. 8 December
【Semi-Finals】Sun. 22 December
【Final】Sun. 29 December

Tournament Information