Aoba Fujino

Aoba Fujino

Personal information
Full name	Aoba Fujino
Date of birth	(2004-01-27) 27 January 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Machida, Tokyo, Japan
Height	1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Manchester City
Number	20
Youth career
	Minamiosawa FC
	Tokyo Verdy Sereias
2019–2021	Jumonji High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2024	Tokyo Verdy Beleza	51	(24)
2024–	Manchester City	11	(0)
International career^‡
2022	Japan U-20
2022–	Japan	26	(8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 02:35, 20 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11:44, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

Aoba Fujino (藤野 あおば, Fujino Aoba, born 27 January 2004) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the Japan national team.

Club career

Fujino begun her youth career with Nippon TV Menina, the youth academy of Tokyo Verdy Beleza. Unable to progress through the youth rank, she left the team and instead went on to Jumonji High School. She rejoined Tokyo Verdy Beleza upon her graduation from high school.[1]

Fujino made her WE League debut on 16 October 2021.[2] On 2 August 2024, she signed a three-year deal with Women's Super League side Manchester City.[3] She scored her first goal for the club during a 3-2 UEFA Women's Champions League win against St. Pölten on 16 October 2024.[4]

International career

In July 2022, Fujino was selected for the Japan U-20 national team for the 2022 U-20 Women's World Cup[5] where Japan were the runners-up.

On 13 June 2023, she was included in Japan's 23-player squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[6] On July 26, 2023, she scored her first World Cup goal against Costa Rica in the 2nd round of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group C, becoming the youngest Japanese goal scorer (19 years and 180 days) in the World Cup for both men and women.[7][8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 January 2025[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup[b]		Continental[c]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Tokyo Verdy Beleza	2021–22	WE League	10	4	0	0	0	0	—		10	4
	2022–23	WE League	20	11	4	3	4	3	—		28	17
	2023–24	WE League	21	9	2	1	5	2	—		28	12
	Total		51	24	6	4	9	5	—		66	33
Manchester City	2024–25	Women's Super League	11	0	0	0	0	0	8	2	19	2
Career total			62	24	6	4	9	6	8	2	85	35

1. Includes Empress's Cup, Women's FA Cup
2. Includes WE League Cup, FA Women's League Cup
3. Includes UEFA Women's Champions League

International

As of match played 26 October 2024[10]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2022	4	0
	2023	13	3
	2024	9	5
Total		26	8

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fujino goal.

List of international goals scored by Aoba Fujino

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	14 July 2023	Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai, Japan	Panama	4–0	5–0	Friendly
2	26 July 2023	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand	Costa Rica	2–0	2–0	2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
3	30 November 2023	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	Brazil	1–0	3–4	Friendly
4	28 February 2024	Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	North Korea	2–0	2–1	2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
5	3 June 2024	Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain	New Zealand	3–1	4–1	Friendly
6	13 July 2024	Kanazawa Stadium, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan	Ghana	4–0	4–0	MS&AD Cup
7	26 July 2024	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Spain	1–0	1–2	2024 Summer Olympics
8	26 October 2024	Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	South Korea	2–0	4–0	Friendly

Honours

Tokyo Verdy Beleza

• Empress's Cup: 2022[11]

Japan U20

• FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup runner-up: 2022

Individual

• 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup: Bronze Boot
• WE League Best XI: 2022–23
• WE League Valuable Player Award: 2021–22、2022–23

References

1. "藤野あおば、20歳——WEリーグで増す存在感「得点はしたいし、取らなきゃいけない」". 集英社 スポルティーバ 公式サイト web Sportiva (in Japanese). 20 February 2024. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
2. "Scoresheet" (PDF). weleague.jp. October 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
3. "Aoba Fujino: Manchester City sign Japan forward". BBC Sport. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
4. "St Polten-Spratzern 2-3 Man City: Mary Fowler secures late Champions League win as Gareth Taylor's side continue unbeaten start". Sky Sports. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
5. U-20 Japan Women's National Team squad - FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022 (8/7-28@Costa Rica) Archived 6 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine Japan Football Association
6. "Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
7. "Two goals in 2 minutes help Japan beat Costa Rica 2-0 at Women's World Cup". AP News. 26 July 2023. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
8. "Hikaru Naomoto and Aoba Fujino score BACK-TO-BACK goals to give Japan a 2-0 lead over Costa Rica | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup". FOX Sports. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
9. "Japan - A. Fujino - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
10. "Nadeshiko Japan | National Teams|JFA|Japan Football Association". Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
11. NEWS, KYODO. "Football: Ueki double leads Beleza to record 16th Empress's Cup". Kyodo News+. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.

External links

• Aoba Fujino at Soccerway
• Aoba Fujino at WorldFootball.net
• Japan Football Association