Tokyo 2020
Saki Kumagai is a player familiar with collecting trophies.
As a 20-year-old she helped Japan win their first FIFA Women's World Cup title at Germany 2011 before finishing as the runners-up four years later at Canada 2015. After being handed the captain's armband in 2017, she skippered Nadeshiko to be crowned champions at the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
Most recently, she was crowned as the 2019 AFC Women's Player of the Year. Having dominated at club level, perhaps the only title which remains elusive for her is an Olympic gold medal.
She figured prominently as Japan stormed to the final at London 2012 only to be edged out by United States. And they even failed to qualify for Rio 2016, a disappointment which has further sharpened her appetite for redemption.
FIFA.com recently caught up with the 29-year-old, whose sole aim for Tokyo 2020 is to capture the gold.
Saki Kumagai is a player familiar with collecting trophies.
As a 20-year-old she helped Japan win their first FIFA Women's World Cup title at Germany 2011 before finishing as the runners-up four years later at Canada 2015. After being handed the captain's armband in 2017, she skippered Nadeshiko to be crowned champions at the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
Most recently, she was crowned as the 2019 AFC Women's Player of the Year. Having dominated at club level, perhaps the only title which remains elusive for her is an Olympic gold medal.
She figured prominently as Japan stormed to the final at London 2012 only to be edged out by United States. And they even failed to qualify for Rio 2016, a disappointment which has further sharpened her appetite for redemption.
FIFA.com recently caught up with the 29-year-old, whose sole aim for Tokyo 2020 is to capture the gold.
The achievements by the Nadeshiko have made a big impact on the women’s game in Japan. As a player, I want to do whatever I can to help the team and make women’s football progress even further.
National Teams
For Finland, it was 33rd time lucky.
On 15 November 2019, at long last - and after 32 failed qualifying campaigns spread across nine decades - the Huuhkajat (Eagle Owls) finally reached a major tournament. For Finland, it was 33rd time lucky.
It had been a long time coming, and not everyone believed the day would arrive. “I’ve had so many people over the years, including lots here in Finland, telling me we would never qualify,” said Markku Kanerva, the team’s coach.
But despite the doubts and despair of the demoralising decades that came before, and the envious glances towards their Nordic neighbours, the Finns have finally made it. And the euphoria at reaching UEFA EURO 2020 proved worth the wait.
With that first major tournament now glistening on the horizon, Kanerva spoke to us about the secrets to his success and the challenges that lie ahead.
On 15 November 2019, at long last - and after 32 failed qualifying campaigns spread across nine decades - Finland finally reached a major tournament. It was 33rd time lucky.
It had been a long time coming, and not everyone believed the day would arrive. “I’ve had so many people over the years, including lots here in Finland, telling me we would never qualify,” said Markku Kanerva, the team’s coach.
But despite the doubts and despair of the demoralising decades that came before, and the envious glances towards their Nordic neighbours, the Finns have finally made it. And the euphoria at reaching UEFA EURO 2020 proved worth the wait.
With that first major tournament now glistening on the horizon, Kanerva spoke to us about the secrets to his success and the challenges that lie ahead.
The players saw themselves as having everything to gain and were very eager to achieve something special. We have surprised many people already and I believe we can surprise teams at the EURO too.
FIFA Club World Cup
English champions: 18 times. European champions: six times. World champions: never... at least not until today.
Liverpool, one of football’s most historical and successful clubs, finally have no more worlds left to conquer.
That this side have done what no other achieved in its glorious past says a lot about the names pulling on their iconic red shirts. A smorgasbord of both global and local talent have fused together into what can now be officially called the best team on the planet.
FIFA.com caught up with three of their newly crowned champions to get their take on being on top of the world.
English champions: 18 times. European champions: six times. World champions: never... at least not until today.
Liverpool, one of football’s most historical and successful clubs, finally have no more worlds left to conquer.
That this side have done what no other achieved in its glorious past says a lot about the names pulling on their iconic red shirts. A smorgasbord of both global and local talent have fused together into what can now be officially called the best team on the planet.
FIFA.com caught up with three of their newly crowned champions in Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk to get their take on being on top of the world.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: “I think this may be the only trophy the club hasn’t won, so to be able to do it today is huge for us, putting ourselves in the history books and making sure we’re remembered as a really good Liverpool team."
#55 A year to remember for Qatar
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Belgium
Pts. 1765
France
Pts. 1733
Brazil
Pts. 1712
England
Pts. 1661
Uruguay
Pts. 1645
Croatia
Pts. 1642
#122 Fazlija: We sparked a new interest in women’s football
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USA
Pts. 2174
Germany
Pts. 2078
Netherlands
Pts. 2035
France
Pts. 2033
Sweden
Pts. 2022
England
Pts. 2001
The Football Law Annual Review initiative, which was launched in 2019 as part of FIFA’s drive towards greater transparency is designed to share the most important regulatory changes and decisions of the last year with representatives of national associations, leagues, clubs and players’ unions, as well as professionals in the legal field.
As the world’s number one sport, football is uniquely placed to strengthen initiatives that can improve the lives of young people around the world.
Lithuanian Football Federation
Danilevicius: Lithuania excited to host its first ever FIFA World Cup
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking
Men's Ranking #131
Women's Ranking #105
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