‘Get Japan back on top’: new coach Dane Nils Nielsen targets more Women’s World Cup glory

The Dane, Japan’s first foreign-born women’s coach, takes over a team that has not reached a World Cup or Olympic semi-final since 2015

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The Greenland-born Nielsen, speaking at his first press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, pledged to help Japan become more than just dangerous dark horses. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 11:00pm, 18 Dec 2024Updated: 12:02am, 19 Dec 2024

New coach Nils Nielsen declared on Wednesday that Japan could win the Women’s World Cup for a second time and vowed to restore the 2011 champions to their former glories.

The 53-year-old Dane becomes Japan’s first foreign-born women’s coach and succeeds Futoshi Ikeda, who left at the end of his contract in August.

Nielsen led Denmark to the 2017 European Championship final and takes over a Japan team that has not reached a World Cup or Olympic semi-final since 2015.

He said he was inspired by Japan’s 2011 World Cup win and saw no reason they could not repeat the achievement under his leadership.

“We want to get Japan back on top and there are many teams that want to go there, but the talent pool in Japan actually makes it possible,” he told reporters in Tokyo.

Japan’s defender Saki Kumagai (on knee) and Swedish midfielder Kosovare Asllani fight for the ball during a 2023 Women’s World Cup quarter-final match. Japan, who lost to Sweden in the quarter-final phase, have not reached a semi-final since 2015. Photo: AFP

“We will do the hard work and dedication, all of us will do everything we can to get it done.”