Risa Shimizu: West Ham Sign Japan International As Danish Forward Joins Courage
West Ham United Women have announced the signing of Japan international defender, Risa Shimizu.
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The 26-year-old full-back has joined the Hammers on a two-year contract from Japan Women’s Empowerment Professional Football League side, Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
Until now, Shimizu has spent her entire career with Beleza – beginning her youth career in 2009 and eventually progressing into the first team, where she was named captain in 2020.
Shimizu becomes the eleventh addition to Paul Konchesky’s squad this summer and is looking forward to testing herself against the very best in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL).
Born in Kobe – Japan’s seventh largest city – Shimizu began playing football at the age of seven. Initially, she started playing as a striker before moving back into midfield and then finally specialising at full-back.
While at the Tokyo Verdy Beleza academy, Shimizu befriended Yui Hasegawa, with the duo rising through the ranks alongside each other at both Club and international levels.
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In the 2015 Nadeshiko League season, Shimizu played in every single league game and was instrumental in leading the team to the domestic title for the first time in five years.
Since that victory, Shimizu and Beleza won multiple trophies, including successive domestic titles, the annual Empress’ Cup, the League Cup, and the AFC Women’s Club Championship.
Shimizu has also been hugely successful on the international stage. The defender earned her first cap for Japan in a 2-0 victory against Switzerland in October 2017 and has been a mainstay at right-back for her country ever since.
She has earned 53 caps for her country and won the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2018 and the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship this summer, where she was voted the tournament’s ‘Most Valuable Player’.
Meanwhile…
Before the NWSL’s recent roster freeze deadline last week, the North Carolina Courage signed Danish forward Rikke Madsen through 2023.
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Madsen joins the Courage from Madrid CFF, where she made 12 appearances and scored one goal for the Spanish club. Madsen also brings international playing experience to the Courage, having recorded 18 appearances and a goal for the Denmark women’s national team. Most recently, Madsen appeared in two matches for the Danish side in the 2022 UEFA Women’s EURO.
Before her time in Spain, the attacker played three seasons with Vålerenga, a Norwegian club that competes in the Toppserien league. The 25-year-old logged 47 appearances for Vålerenga, 42 of which were starts, clocking 3,635 minutes of playing time, scoring five goals, and tallying six assists.
The Courage return to action on Monday, August 29 as they travel to face the Kansas City Current at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.
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