Ayaka Yamashita: 10 things you didn’t know

Japanese international Ayaka Yamashita is Manchester City’s latest summer signing.

The goalkeeper joins the club from INAC Kobe Leonessa, which had the best defensive record in the Japanese top division in the 2023/24 season.

Here are 10 things you may or may not know about our new addition…

Ayaka has followed in the footsteps of another City goalkeeper when choosing her shirt number for her time at the club.

The goalkeeper has chosen the number 31, making her the first female wearer of this jersey since our professional relaunch in 2014.

She decided to do so because of her admiration for her fellow goalkeeper Ederson.

“It’s exciting to join a team with Ederson, who I admire. To wear the same jersey. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Like Ederson, her confidence and quality on the ball are one of Yamashita’s greatest strengths.

In fact, Japan was one of the standout teams at last summer’s World Cup, with its fluid passing game, dominated by its goalkeeper and defensive line-up.

“City plays possession football in both the men’s and women’s teams and I am confident in this style of play,” added Yamashita.

“I am confident that I can play the first pass, which is an effective pass in attack. Possession football is my favourite style, so I think I will fit into the team.”

At just 28 years old, our new number 31 already boasts an incredible personal trophy collection as she begins a new chapter in her career.

Yamashita has won the league title in Japan six times and lifted 15 trophies during her time with her first club Tokyo Verdy Beleza and more recently with INAC Kobe Leonessa.

If you add in her individual awards, her nominations for the team of the season and her international honours, our goalkeeper has a remarkable 27 honours to her name!

However, our new recruit admitted that she felt ready for a new professional challenge and that the WSL offered her just that.

It’s a league she admires from afar and she can’t wait to try to win it.

“Because of my personality, I am very hungry,” explains Yamashita.

“I won various trophies in Asia, but in order to develop further, I felt the need to face a challenge.”

“There are high-class players and teams here. I want to challenge myself in such an environment.”

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While a team’s defense is obviously about more than just an individual player, Yamashita showed remarkable development during her time in Japan’s top division.

His former club INAC Kobe Leonessa had the best defensive performance in the WE League in all three seasons the goalkeeper spent with the club, conceding only 31 goals in 59 games.

The situation was similar with Yamashita’s first team, Tokyo Verdy Beleza.

From 2015 – the year the goalkeeper was included in the league’s best eleven for the first time – until her departure to Kobe in 2021, they conceded the fewest goals in four of six seasons.

Ayaka and Yui Hasegawa have played together for Japan many times, but did you know that the two are also former teammates at the club?

The pair played together for Tokyo Verdy Beleza and won five consecutive top division titles between 2015 and 2019.

Hasegawa’s move to AC Milan in 2021 ended that streak, but our goalkeeper is looking forward to playing alongside the midfielder more regularly at City.

“I’m really looking forward to playing with her again,” Yamashita added.

“I always pay attention to her position when I get the ball. I think she is a key player to win titles.”

Yamashita revealed that she was an avid supporter of City and the WSL during her time playing in Japan.

“It’s a famous club that everyone knows and even now it’s unbelievable for me,” she said of her signing with City.

“Last season was really close, that’s what I thought when I watched the games from Japan.

“I want to help the team win titles and make my contribution to the team.”

Ayaka represented Japan again this summer at the Paris Olympics, alongside her new City teammates Hasegawa, Risa Shimizu and Aoba Fujino.

After finishing second in Group C, they faced the USA in the quarter-finals, but lost in extra time thanks to a goal from Trinity Rodman.

Ayaka’s first season with INAC Kobe Leonessa was unforgettable as she helped the team win the 2021/22 WE League title.

Her performances between the posts also earned her the league’s Most Valuable Player award, the Outstanding Player award, and a place in the Best XI.

Kobe only conceded nine goals throughout the entire season.

To prove her incredible consistency, Yamashita was named to the WE League’s best eleven for five consecutive seasons between 2015 and 2019.

Tokyo Verdy Beleza conceded only 55 goals in 95 games during this period, which equates to an average of 11 per season.

After a short break, our goalkeeper was then named to the Best Elevens for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, making her a total of seven appearances in eight years!