Japan name Dane Nils Nielsen as first foreign manager of national women’s football team
The 53-year-old replaces Futoshi Ikeda, who led the Japanese to the last 8 of last year’s World Cup and the Paris Olympics this year
Nils Nielsen of Denmark has been appointed as the first foreign manager of Japan women’s team, the Japan Football Association said on Thursday.
Nielsen, 53, replaces Futoshi Ikeda, who led former world champions Japan to the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup last year as well as the last eight of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Until June of this year, Nielsen was the technical director at English club Manchester City, home to the Japanese contingent of keeper Ayaka Yamashita, defender Risa Shimizu, midfielder Yui Hasegawa and forward Aoba Fujino.
Nielsen was the manager of the Switzerland women’s team from 2018 to 2022, and coached the Denmark women’s side from 2013 to 2017, having led them to a runners-up finish at the Women’s European Championship in 2017.
Speaking to ignitetalent.co.uk, Nielsen said he was “extremely honoured and proud” to be appointed to manage a team that “has been an inspiration to teams around the world for a long time”.
“I am very happy to be working with such a skilled and talented group of Japanese national team players and am excited to build on the great achievements of all the coaches so far,” he said.
