is a Japanese professional football player who currently plays as a midfielder for Japanese WE League club Omiya Ardija Ventus. She played for Japan at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, winning silver at the former and bronze at the latter.
Career Influenced by her father, a football coach, Nakada started playing football at the age of 6. In elementary school she joined the strongest club in her prefecture, Fortuna SC. In junior high school, she competed for Japan at the U-15 level. At the U-17 level, she contributed to Japan's second place at the U-17 Women's World Cup, held in Trinidad at Tobago in 2010. She was a member of the Japanese team that won the bronze medal at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.In the spring of 2012, at the age of 18, she joined INAC Kobe Leonessa.
Outside football For years Ayu Nakada has been a hot topic in Japan, attracting much attention for her looks (cuteness, idol-like/model-like appearance).
In 2014, she placed fifth in the survey "Which Japanese female soccer player would you want to date?". In 2016, she was selected to be the face of the poster promoting the Internet filtering rules for schools and other children's facilities, newly adopted in Hyogo Prefecture.
Career statistics Club
ClubSeasonLeagueEmpress's cupLeague cup TotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsINAC Kobe Leonessa2012Nadeshiko League501011712013Nadeshiko League310010412014Nadeshiko League21200—2122015Nadeshiko League8111—922016Nadeshiko League7020601502017Nadeshiko League15122922652018Nadeshiko League18550903252019Nadeshiko League13020832332020Nadeshiko League9110—101Total991114334614720Omiya Ardija Ventus2021–22WE League20020—2202022–23WE League20200412432023–24WE League00005151Total4022092514Career total1391316343819824
Honours Club Tokiwagi Gakuen High School LSC All Japan High School Women's Soccer Tournament: 2009, 2011 Challenge League East: 2010, 2011
INAC Kobe Leonessa Japan Women's Football League: 2012, 2013 Empress's Cup All-Japan Women's Soccer Championship Tournament: 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 Nadeshiko League Cup: 2013 Japan and South Korea Women's League Championship: 2012
International Japan U19 AFC U-19 Women's Championship: 2011
Other appearances Television (BS Asahi)
References
External links Ayu Nakada's profile at FIFA.com Ayu Nakada at INAC Kobe Leonessa