Japan drop Iwabuchi from Women’s World Cup squad

Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda’s decision to exclude Mana Iwabuchi from his 23-player squad for the upcoming Women’s World Cup was met with surprise and it left captain Saki Kumagai as the last player remaining from their title-winning squad of 2011.

Iwabuchi was part of Japan’s squad that won the World Cup in 2011 after they defeated the United States in the final on penalties. She also played at the 2015 edition, where Japan finished runners-up behind winners U.S., and at the last edition in 2019 where they were knocked out in the last-16 by the Netherlands.

The diminutive striker had been aiming to make her fourth World Cup appearance in Australia and New Zealand but poor form and lack of game time meant the 30-year-old would have to cheer her teammates from the sidelines.

Iwabuchi played only five times for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League this season before spending the second half of the campaign at their rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Her stint at Tottenham did not help her in her bid for World Cup selection as she scored only once for them in 13 appearances.

“I am not a member this time around but I hope to leave my spirit with the team,” Iwabuchi said on social media. “I ask you all to support Nadeshiko Japan.”

Arsenal, on Wednesday, announced she had parted ways with the club after her contract ended.

Coach Ikeda said his decision to omit Iwabuchi from the Japan squad was not simply down to shake up the team and he credited her for her qualities.

“Iwabuchi is a player who has done a lot to drive this team forward but I am choosing 23 players for this specific time and there is no one reason for my choices,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“It’s about form, fitness, the state of the team and what we need in certain situations.”

Japan, 11th in the FIFA world rankings, are in Group C at this year’s World Cup along with Costa Rica, Spain and Zambia. This year’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand and feature 32 teams for the first time.

With Iwabuchi absent, skipper Kumagai is the only survivor from the group of players who were crowned world champions in 2011. She played a vital role in Japan’s success 12 years ago, having scored the winning penalty in the final against the U.S.

Defender Kumagai will lead a squad that also features Manchester City midfielder Yui Hasegawa, Liverpool’s Fuka Nagano along with West Ham United’s Risa Shimizu and Honoka Hayashi.

The team, known as ‘Nadeshiko’ in Japan, has played five matches so far this year, winning twice – against Olympic champions Canada in the SheBelieves Cup and against Portugal in a friendly. They are due to face Panama in a friendly before the World Cup.