Captaining Nadeshiko Japan for the second straight World Cup, defensive lynchpin Saki Kumagai is aiming to emulate her illustrious predecessors by putting her team back among the top women's soccer nations.
The 32-year-old will be the only remaining member of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad at this year's tournament, which kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, and will also be the oldest player for Japan manager Futoshi Ikeda.
"I want to remain a captain who, come the end, everyone feels they were right to follow," said Kumagai, who will don a Roma shirt in the new club season following her spell at Bayern Munich.