Exclusive: Five-time Champions League winner Saki Kumagai on the popularity of Japanese players in Europe and eyeing another UWCL title with up-and-coming Roma

Since arriving in Europe as a fresh-faced 20-year-old, Kumagai has become one of the most decorated footballers that Japan has ever produced. After two seasons at Frankfurt, who she helped reach a Champions League final in her first season, the versatile defender joined the team that defeated them that day, Lyon.

Once there, she would help OL enjoy an incredible run of five successive European titles, playing no small part. Scorer of the winning spot-kick in the penalty shootout defeat of Wolfsburg in 2016 and then on the scoresheet in normal time when the Germans were overcome again in 2020, Kumagai had her fair share of the spotlight, despite being deployed either as a centre-back or a holding midfielder.

It's those experiences that have helped make her an asset immediately at Roma. After two years at Bayern Munich, she’s now enjoying the delights that Italy can offer. That includes the weather, a beautiful city and food that "makes me so happy" – but also a team that has quickly become one of the most exciting to watch in Europe.

Kumagai saw that herself while in Munich. "I watched the game against Wolfsburg, I think I watched both games," she tells GOAL, referring to Roma's maiden Champions League campaign in 2022-23. "I found a lot of things with Roma and I felt the team had big potential. After, I got the offer from the club. I want to try also with Roma to win the Champions League. That’s why I decided to come here.

"We are a challenger," the 34-year-old adds, asked about what makes her confident that this team could be European champions. "Of course, we have to do a lot of things, but we have potential and we have to have the big project to win the Champions League, as a club. This year, we beat Wolfsburg, also last year, we beat big clubs. It’s not enough [yet] but we can do it. I believe it.

"From my first year to this year, our club is developing, we have much better facilities, everything. Of course, step by step. Also, this year in Serie A, every team is developing. As our recent results have shown, it's not easy to win in Serie A. All the teams are developing. It's a good thing for Italy and we have to do more, work hard, everything. We need it now. We try to go forward."

The establishment of Roma, but also teams such as Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United, is not the only big difference when comparing European women’s football today to when Kumagai first arrived on the continent back in 2011. As well as the growth of the sport and its professionalism, one noticeable change is that, suddenly, she is no longer a rare case of a Japanese player abroad.

Just before she made the move to Frankfurt, Kumagai was part of the Japan squad which made incredible history by winning the 2011 Women's World Cup. Just four of the 23 players who helped the Nadeshiko achieve that remarkable feat were playing abroad at the time. Fast forward to today, and things are so different. Indeed, Japan’s latest squad contained 16 players at foreign clubs, with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea represented. "Finally," she exclaims, with a smile. "I am so happy now."

That's not because Kumagai felt lonely some 5,000 miles from home, but because of the impact that having so many Japanese players at the highest level has on the national team. Asked why she believes so many of her international team-mates are now making those moves abroad, the Japan captain says: "When we wear the national team jersey, of course, we are not against Japanese players. We are, every time, against foreign players, so they want to, I think, grow up also, and they realised it’s important to play every day against or with foreign players at a high level, good players. That’s why, I think."

Before Kumagai first chose to move to Frankfurt, she was already "interested" in moving to Europe so she asked Kozue Ando and Yuki Nagasato, already in Germany, about their experiences. What they told her encouraged her to pursue similar opportunities. Now, the 34-year-old is keen to do similar for those who want to follow in her footsteps. "If that player wants to go, I tell them a lot of things, but if they don’t want to go, I think it’s not possible. It’s more difficult," she says.

But that so many are keen to make the leap is what makes her so happy, and it says a lot about the quality in Japan that so many top clubs are interested in signing those players, too. "I think Japanese players are a little bit... I don't know how to say it, but a little bit extra," Kumagai ponders, using air quotes for the word she eventually chooses. "Our playing style, there is a big difference to the European players or U.S. players, so if we can fit in the team, maybe we can do a lot of things for the team also, that's why a lot of teams want to get the Japanese players, I think.

"But, for us, of course, as Japanese players, in the Japanese team, to win, we have to progress a lot of things, physically, you know? As players grow up, of course, the Japanese team also will grow up. It's important, I think."

It says a lot about Kumagai’s experience that when GOAL asks if it’s nice to be in a team with another Japanese player, in Moeka Minami, while so far from home, she is straight to the point in a rather amusing manner. "Actually, for me, I don’t care," she replies, with a chuckle. "Of course, I’m so happy to play with Moeka and to spend a lot of time with her, but I have been in Europe maybe 14 years. I don't care. Actually, it’s not important for me."

It's that experience, and how much winning Kumagai has done in that time, which makes her so useful to Roma, on top of her obvious quality and versatility. Italian women's football has been on the rise for a few years now, particularly since the national team reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup back in 2019. But that is still just five years ago and Roma as a team, which contains a lot of those Italian stars, is only in its third season in the Champions League.

"I hope so," Kumagai laughs, asked if her experience is helping the team as it tries to grow. "I feel my job is to show my experience and, on the pitch, also to show everything to control the game."

She will look to do both of those things on Wednesday, as Roma search for a win over Wolfsburg that could put them into the knockout stages of the UWCL for the second time in three attempts. "I want to tell my teammates, 'Okay, first game, we won, but it's over. It's a new game and a new game is coming'," Kumagai says. "Of course, we play to win, for sure, but at the same time, I think that we have to be smart. Wolfsburg has to win this game. We have to win also but I want to control the game. It's important, I think. We have to play with our confidence."

Kumagai has had plenty of success against Wolfsburg before. At Lyon, she faced the German giants in three Champions League finals and won them all, while the only game she lost to OL's biggest European rival in eight years at the club was a second leg that didn't stop the French side progressing to the next stage.

Still, there's a ton of respect for Wolfsburg from the Japan star. "Wolfsburg is good team and a big club. It will be a big, big game," she says. "It's a big game, I know, but I want to enjoy the big game. Also, I want to tell [my team-mates] to just enjoy. Maybe I tell them, 'Okay, don't be nervous'. But it's not possible. If you get nervous, of course, you get nervous, but try to enjoy. If you can enjoy to play football, you can play well, I think. So we want to enjoy the big game."

With five domestic trophies in the past two years, it's clear that Roma, despite being an up-and-comer on these stages, are growing into a team that does enjoy the big game. With Kumagai in tow, the chances of further success are only greater.