It is a moment that every player will face sooner or later but when the time came to retire for Mana Iwabuchi she seemed, despite the tears at her farewell press conference, glad at heart and content with her decision.
A World Cup winner in 2011, Iwabuchi has had an illustrious club career, winning league titles in Japan and Germany before moving to England to play for Aston Villa and Arsenal before finishing with a loan spell at Tottenham this year.
Last Friday, though, she was in front of a full room of media representatives at the Adidas Japan head office in Tokyo to explain why she is ending her career at the age of 30. “I feel this is the best timing,” she said. “Of course, this is a sad day for me but I have no regrets. I was happy to play the game I love with so much support.”
The Nadeshiko legend Homare Sawa was also in attendance as a surprise guest, offering personal anecdotes of Iwabuchi’s career highlights. In Japan, the Tokyo native is affectionately dubbed Manadona given her eye-catching technical qualities. The creative attacker was renowned for her silky-smooth dribbling skills and passing accuracy combined with a high degree of football intelligence. It is no exaggeration to label Iwabuchi a world-class talent.
Having won the World Cup with the Nadeshiko aged 18, Iwabuchi had successful spells with Tokyo Verdy Beleza, Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich and INAC Kobe before moving to England. Alas, recent seasons have been less than kind. Struggles with recurring injuries to both ankles have hindered her form and minutes, ultimately leading to her being dropped from the Japan national side.
“I feel I can no longer be the player I want to be,” Iwabuchi said. “While at Arsenal my ankle problem flared up again and I wasn’t at my best. I moved to Tottenham with the World Cup in mind but still couldn’t perform as I hoped.”
While many consider this a curtain drawn too early, hers is surely a career to be celebrated nonetheless. Iwabuchi made her senior club debut with Tokyo Verdy Beleza aged 14. Even before the World Cup triumph, she had helped her club to win three league titles, two Empress’s Cups and three League Cups – quite the accomplishment for an 18-year-old.
Even in 2015, as Japan reached the World Cup final but lost, she was the youngest member of the squad. Her winning goal against Australia in the quarter-final was particularly memorable, as Sawa recalled: “The Australia game at Canada 2015 is a memory that stands out for me. I had a hunch that Buchi would score if she got on the pitch that day. She didn’t let me down.”
A return to Japan with INAC Kobe beckoned in 2017. Spending four seasons as an unshakeable starting member of the Kansai outfit kept her in good stead for an eventual move to the WSL with Aston Villa in 2020. Her impact in England was immediate as the dynamic playmaker helped the Midlands side steer clear of relegation.
After being left out for the 2023 World Cup, however, Iwabuchi felt that she had lost some of the enjoyment of playing football. “Rather than enjoying my football I had started to feel a lot of pressure and struggled across this past season, so I considered my options,” she said while seemingly ruling out a future career in coaching. I don’t think I’m suited to the role,” she said.
Often labelled as the face of Japan’s woso scene, using her profile to promote the game away from the pitch could well be the more likely foot forward for Iwabuchi. “I still want to contribute to the development of women’s football in some way. In October I will participate in a Visa and Adidas sponsored youth project in Spain which I’m really looking forward to.”
Iwabuchi may have played her last competitive game but she is not ready to leave the sport of football behind just yet.
Adios, Luis …
More than three weeks after forcibly planting a kiss on Jenni Hermoso and sparking a scandal that has unfairly overshadowed Spain’s World Cup triumph, Luis Rubiales has finally stepped down as head of the Spanish FA. Catch up with the best of our coverage of this story below …
Emma Hayes on why the saga is not just about a kiss
Alex Ibaceta on the real reason Rubiales has resigned
Sid Lowe looks back on the saga that changed Spain
Suzanne Wrack on the overdue sacking of Jorge Vilda
Veró Boquete on why Spain’s players said “it’s over”
Quote of the week
“It is a bigger issue than just one kiss and that’s what we need to remember. Players have been fighting against so many things in the women’s game for so long and not just in Spain.” The Barcelona and England defender Lucy Bronze on the wider implications of the Hermoso/Rubiales scandal.
Recommended viewing
Pre-season friendly Chelsea and Roma, two Champions League hopefuls, offer a glimpse of what’s in store for the season ahead. An end-to-end encounter with some cheeky efforts from range.
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