Japanese soccer player joins men's team
Yuki Nagasato, a Japan women's soccer player who won the 2011 Women's World Cup, joined as a professional to Hayabusa Alevin, who includes her brother Genki, an amateur team in her hometown of Kanagawa.
The 33-year-old striker will return to her team, Chicago Red Stars in the American League, with the start of the 2021 season, as soon as her loan contract ends with her popular team, according to Agence France-Presse.
"Frankly, how much I can contribute among men, this is unknown," said Nagazato, whose country also finished second in the 2015 World Cup and 2012 Olympics.
"But I was really inspired by the messages of American Megan Rapinoe about the gender gap in the World Cup and I was wondering if I could also send a message to society," she added.
Rapinoe, who won the Ballon d'Or in its latest edition after starring in the World Cup and leading her country to the title, is a strong activist for social justice, as she led the attempts to obtain equal pay between male and female national team players.
Nagasato confirmed that the idea of joining Hayabusa Alifen is a step in which she hopes to send a strong message, and said: "I thought I could show that women can also play in a men's team."
"I want to help create a society where there are no boundaries with regard to gender or race," she added.
Nagasato declared that she has no ambitions to play for her country in the postponed Tokyo Olympics next year: "I really can't imagine myself participating in the Olympics."
Nagasato joined Chicago in 2017 and scored eight goals and eight assists in the league last year.
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