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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Samantha Lewis

Japan’s Saki Kumagai: ‘I try to pass the baton to the next generation’

Saki Kumagai after scoring Japan's third goal in the Women's Asian Cup semi-final.
Saki Kumagai now plays for London City Lionesses in the WSL after successful stints with OL Lyonnais and Bayern Munich. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“Ranking!?” Saki Kumagai says with a laugh. In the afterglow of her team’s Asian Cup triumph in Australia, the veteran Japan defender is asked about where this trophy sits among the many other titles she has won throughout her staggering 17-year career.

But she just smiles and shakes her head. “I never compare my titles,” she says. “Yes, I won some trophies in my career. But this team is from a different generation, so [winning] a trophy in this tournament, that was the really impressive thing for me.

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