The 2011 Women’s World Cup, hosted in Germany, saw Japan crowned world champions for the first time in history.
86 goals across 32 fixtures led to a pulsating final at the Commerzbank-Arena, which saw the Asian nation emerge victorious in a penalty shootout after a dramatic conclusion to both normal and extra time. Saki Kumagai netted the spot-kick which confirmed Japan’s victory against firm favourites USA, but it was three individuals who stood out across the month.
Homare Sawa
Homare Sawa featured for the eventual winners, and claimed both the tournament’s ‘Top Goalscorer’ and ‘Best Player’ awards. Japan could only manage a second place finish in Group B – being topped by England who secured a 2-0 victory over the champions in front of 20,000 supporters – but Sawa impressed with three of four goals against Mexico. She also scored her nation’s second goal in a 3-1 semi-final victory over Sweden, before, most notably, netting a 117th minute equaliser to hand her side a lifeline in extra-time of the final.
However, Sawa had been considered Japan’s finest female footballer long before her rise to success in the prestigious competition – making her debut in Japan’s highest domestic league at the tender age of just 12. By the time she represented her nation at the 2011 World Cup, she had already enjoyed long spells with Yomiuri Beleza and NTV Belezea, as well as shorter stints with Denver Diamons and Atlanta Beat.
79 goals in 136 appearances for her first club saw the attacking midfielder certainly make a name for herself, but it was on the international stage that she really came alight. After making her international debut back in 1993, Sawa has since gone on to score a staggering 82 goals in 196 appearances for her country.
Since her World Cup success, Sawa has spent the last four years with INAC Kobe Leonessa. Now 36-years-old, her contributions have been somewhat limited, and she currently only boasts 6 goals in 33 appearances.
Shortly after Japan’s victory, in January 2012, Sawa was named the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, before guiding Japan to silver at the 2012 London Olympics. She then decided to call an immediate halt to international football, retiring in August that year. But the all-time leading goalscorer had a change of heart in the run-up to 2014’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup and Japan’s most capped international soon returned to the side to compete in the tournament. Despite her age, Sawa has been included in Japan’s squad for a record-breaking sixth World Cup this year.
Caitlin Foord
Another individual who displayed some impressive performances back in 2011 comes in the form of Australian winger Caitlin Foord.
Foord becoming the youngest Australian to ever feature at the Women’s World Cup aged 16, and was subsequently named as the tournament’s ‘Best Young Player’.
Now only 20, Foord has become a regular in the national set-up, while currently playing her domestic football with local side Perth Glory. She has gone on to make 28 international appearances, scoring three goals in the process.
2011 ended a successful year for the youngster, who was named as the Asian Young Footballer of the Year and the Football Federation Australia Under-20 Footballer of the Year, and concluded the season by winning the title with her domestic league club Sydney FC. The midfielder claimed a second W-League Championship in 2013 with the same club before a brief spell with Sky Blue FC.
Foord will now hope to be just as influential for her nation in the upcoming tournament while on the books at Perth Glory.
Hope Solo
Facing Foord in Group D will be the final player who scooped an award in the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
Hope Solo kept two clean sheets in the group stages for the United States, before saving a pivotal penalty in the quarter-final contest with Brazil to send her team through to the final four. Solo became just the second American goalkeeper to record 100 caps for the nation during the semi-final with France, before losing out on the trophy to Japan.
Like Sawa and Foord, Solo has enjoyed a successful career following her World Cup heroics, winning her second Olympic gold medal in 2012.
Solo is expected to be the number one choice in Canada for the United States, joining back up with the squad after recent troubles which saw her suspended by the national team for thirty days in late January after an undisclosed incident in training.
Nonetheless, the goalkeeper looks to have put her recent woes behind her, and will focus on clinching success for the United States – who line up as favourites again – while pushing for the goalkeeping award once more.
