Mizuho Sakaguchi (阪口 夢穂, Sakaguchi Mizuho, born October 15, 1987) is a former Japanese football player. She last played for Omiya Ardija Ventus in the WE League and the Japan national team.
Sakaguchi was born in Sakai on October 15, 1987. In 2003, at the age of 15, she debuted in the L.League at Speranza FC Takatsuki. After graduating from high school, she joined Tasaki Perule FC in 2006. She was selected Best Eleven in 2007. However, the club was disbanded in 2008 due to financial strain. She went to the United States and joined USL W-League club FC Indiana in 2009. In 2010, she returned to Japan and joined Albirex Niigata. She was selected Best Eleven in 2011. In 2012, she moved to Nippon TV Beleza. She was selected MVP awards for 3 years in a row (2015-2017). She was also selected Best Eleven for 5 years in a row (2013-2017).
In July 2006, Sakaguchi was selected to be on the Japan national team for the 2006 Asian Cup. At this competition, on July 19, she debuted and scored 2 goals against Vietnam.[1] She played in the 2011 World Cup where Japan won the championship; Sakaguchi scored one of the penalties in the shootout against United States in the final.[2] She also played in the 2015 World Cup where Japan came second.[3] She was also part of the silver medal-winning 2012 Summer Olympic team.[4] From June 2016, she was given the number 10 shirt for Japan by new manager Asako Takakura. She played 124 games and scored 29 goals for Japan until 2018.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Speranza FC Takatsuki | 2003 | Nadeshiko League | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | |
| 2004 | Nadeshiko League | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 6 | ||
| Total | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 21 | 7 | |||
| Tasaki Perule FC | 2006 | Nadeshiko League | 16 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 20 | 5 | |
| 2007 | Nadeshiko League | 20 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 7 | |
| 2008 | Nadeshiko League | 20 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 23 | 4 | ||
| Total | 56 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 16 | ||
| FC Indiana | 2009 | USL W-League | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | ||
| Albirex Niigata | 2010 | Nadeshiko League | 12 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 7 |
| 2011 | Nadeshiko League | 16 | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | 20 | 7 | ||
| Total | 28 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 39 | 14 | ||
| Nippon TV Beleza | 2012 | Nadeshiko League | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 3 |
| 2013 | Nadeshiko League | 17 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 11 | |
| 2014 | Nadeshiko League | 28 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 13 | |
| 2015 | Nadeshiko League | 23 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 10 | |
| 2016 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 30 | 11 | |
| 2017 | Nadeshiko League | 18 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 8 | |
| 2018 | Nadeshiko League | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Nadeshiko League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | Nadeshiko League | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 125 | 42 | 25 | 5 | 27 | 10 | 177 | 57 | ||
| Omiya Ardija Ventus | 2021–22 | WE League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | 236 | 75 | 43 | 7 | 31 | 13 | 310 | 95 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 2006 | 7 | 10 |
| 2007 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2008 | 17 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 17 | 8 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 124 | 29 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 19, 2006 | Hindmarsh Stadium |  Vietnam
|
3–0 | 5–0 | 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup | [6] |
| 2 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 3 | July 21, 2006 | Hindmarsh Stadium |  Chinese Taipei
|
6–1 | 11–1 | ||
| 4 | 10–1 | ||||||
| 5 | November 30, 2006 | Al-Arabi Stadium, Doha |  Jordan
|
5–0 | 13–0 | 2006 Asian Games | |
| 6 | 6–0 | ||||||
| 7 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 8 | 9–0 | ||||||
| 9 | 11–0 | ||||||
| 10 | December 4, 2006 | Al-Gharafa Stadium, Al-Rayyan |  Thailand
|
1–0 | 4–0 | ||
| 11 | February 14, 2007 | Cyprus |  Scotland
|
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | |
| 12 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 13 | August 12, 2007 | National Olympic Stadium (Tokyo) | Thailand
|
5–0 | 5–0 | Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's qualification | |
| 14 | March 10, 2008 | Dasaki Stadium |  Russia
|
1–0 | 3–1 | 2008 Cyprus Cup | |
| 15 | November 14, 2010 | Huangpu Sports Center, Guangzhou | Thailand
|
3–0 | 4–0 | 2010 Asian Games | [7] |
| 16 | September 3, 2011 | Jinan Olympic Sports Center |  South Korea
|
1–0 | 2–1 | Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's Asian Qualifiers | [8] |
| 17 | August 6, 2012 | Wembley Stadium |  France
|
2–0 | 2–1 | 2012 Summer Olympics | [9] |
| 18 | September 26, 2013 | Chiba Soga Football Stadium |  Nigeria
|
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [10] |
| 19 | May 18, 2014 | Gò Đậu Stadium | Jordan
|
3–0 | 7–0 | 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup | [11] |
| 20 | 6–0 | ||||||
| 21 | September 13, 2014 | Yamagata Park Stadium |  Ghana
|
2–0 | 5–0 | Friendly | [12] |
| 22 | September 18, 2014 | Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon | Jordan
|
3–0 | 12–0 | 2014 Asian Games | [13] |
| 23 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 24 | 11–0 | ||||||
| 25 | September 22, 2014 | Munhak Stadium, Incheon | Chinese Taipei
|
1–0 | 3–0 | [14] | |
| 26 | September 29, 2014 | Football Stadium, Incheon | Vietnam
|
1–0 | 3–0 | [15] | |
| 27 | June 23, 2015 | BC Place |  Netherlands
|
2–0 | 2–1 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup | [16] |
| 28 | November 29, 2015 | Kras Stadion | Netherlands
|
1–2 | 1–3 | Friendly | [17] |
| 29 | April 13, 2018 | Amman International Stadium, Amman |  Australia
|
1–0 | 1–1 | 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup | [18] |
