Nozomi Yamago

Nozomi Yamago
山郷のぞみ
Personal information
Full name	Nozomi Yamago
Date of birth	January 16, 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth	Saitama, Saitama, Japan
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1990–1992	Honjo Women's High School
Senior career*
Years	Team
1993–2001	Iga FC Kunoichi
2002–2004	Saitama Reinas FC
2005	California Storm
2005–2012	Urawa Reds
2013–2014	AS Elfen Saitama
Total
International career
1997–2011	Japan
Medal record
Iga FC Kunoichi
Urawa Reds
Representing Japan
FIFA Women's World Cup
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Asian Games
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nozomi Yamago (山郷のぞみ, Yamagō Nozomi, born January 16, 1975) is a Japanese former football player. She played for the Japan women's national football team as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Yamago was born in Saitama on January 16, 1975. After graduating from high school, she joined Prima Ham FC Kunoichi (later Iga FC Kunoichi) in 1993. In 2002, she moved to her local club Saitama Reinas FC (later Urawa Reds). In 2005, she moved to Women's Premier Soccer League club California Storm. At the end of the 2005 season, she returned to Urawa Reds in September. In 2012, she moved to AS Elfen Saitama. She retired in 2014. She was selected to the Nadeshiko League Best XI 10 times (1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).

National team career

On June 15, 1997, Yamago debuted for the Japan national team against China.^[1] She was a member of Japan squads at the 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 Women's World Cups, as well as the 2004 Summer Olympics. At the 2011 World Cup, Japan won the championship.^[2] She played 96 games for Japan until 2011.