22-year-old Japanese player Maika Hamano has said she will become a key player at Chelsea Women's Football Club and has set her sights on next summer's Women's World Cup. In a match against Tottenham Women in Round 6 of the Women's Super League held on October 18, Hamano scored a goal with a mid-range shot from 25 meters, receiving cheers from inside and outside the stadium that it was described as ``the best goal of the season.'' She described the moment as "a feeling going in," expressing modest joy at the score.
Hamano played for Tottenham for half a year last season and talked about experiencing the team's warm atmosphere, but after returning to Chelsea he said, ``My heart is for Chelsea, but I also have a heart for Tottenham.'' He started three times as many games for Chelsea as he did in the first half of last season and spent over 470 minutes on the pitch. His new contract runs until 2029, and it was pointed out that the fact that he has many years left on his contract could help the club earn a transfer fee in the future.
In terms of play during matches, Hamano scored his first goal with a header, and for the national team, he has demonstrated his scoring ability by scoring a cross and a shot in a friendly match against Haiti. Under manager Sonia Bompastre, she has often been used in the central forward line, and her confidence in scoring has increased. She expressed her enthusiasm, saying, ``I want to earn a place in the starting lineup this season and become the center of the team,'' and aims to play with the Women's World Cup in mind.
Hamano will continue to score important goals for Chelsea, and plans to further develop himself in preparation for next summer's World Cup. Her success will help raise the profile of Japanese players in the women's soccer world.