Maika Hamano

Maika Hamano (Japanese: 浜野 まいか, Hamano Maika, pronounced [ha̠ma̠no̞ ma̠i̥ka̠]; born 9 May 2004) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the Japan national team.

Maika Hamano
浜野 まいか

Hamano in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth	(2004-05-09) 9 May 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth	Takaishi, Osaka, Japan
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Chelsea
Number	23
Youth career
	FFC Seleção
	Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2021	Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies	37	(14)
2021–2022	INAC Kobe Leonessa	20	(3)
2023–	Chelsea	23	(4)
2023	→ Hammarby IF (loan)	17	(7)
International career‡
2022	Japan U20	6	(4)
2022–	Japan	22	(6)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 June 2025

Club career

Hamano made her WE League debut for INAC Kobe Leonessa on 12 September 2021 in a 5–0 victory over Omiya Ardija Ventus.^[2]

On 13 January 2023, Hamano signed for Chelsea and was immediately loaned to Swedish side Hammarby IF.^[3][4] There, she made 17 league appearances and scored 7 goals during the 2023 Damallsvenskan season,^[1] before being recalled in September after sustaining a shoulder injury.^[5]

After recovering from injury, Hamano made her Women's Super League debut for Chelsea on 17 December 2023 in a 3–0 away win over Bristol City, replacing Lauren James in the second half.^[6]

International career

In July 2022, Hamano was included in the Japan under-20 team for the 2022 U-20 World Cup,^[7] where they finished as runners-up after losing to Spain in the final. She won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, and the Silver Boot as the second-best goalscorer behind Inma Gabarro.^[8]

Hamano made her senior team debut on 6 October 2022, when she came on as a substitute for Mina Tanaka in the 69th minute of a 2–0 friendly win over Nigeria.^[9][10] On 13 June 2023, she was included in Japan's 23-player squad for the 2023 World Cup.^[11]

On 14 June 2024, Hamano was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.^[12]

Hamano was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.^[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 May 2025^[1][14][15]

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
Cerezo Osaka Sakai	2018	Nadeshiko League	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2019	Nadeshiko League 2	4	3	2	0	4	1	—		10	4
	2020	Nadeshiko League	18	6	3	2	—		—		21	8
	2021	Nadeshiko League	14	5	—		—		—		14	5
	Total		37	14	5	2	4	1	—		46	17
INAC Kobe Leonessa	2021–22	WE League	16	2	1	1	—		—		17	3
	2022–23	WE League	4	1	1	1	2	0	—		7	2
	Total		20	3	2	2	2	0	—		24	5
Chelsea	2022–23	Women's Super League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2023–24	Women's Super League	6	2	1	0	1	0	0	0	8	2
	2024–25	Women's Super League	17	2	3	1	3	1	7	2	30	6
	Total		23	4	4	1	4	1	7	2	38	8
Hammarby IF (loan)	2023	Damallsvenskan	17	7	5	4	—		—		22	11
Career total			97	28	16	9	10	2	7	2	130	41

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

International

As of match played 27 June 2025^[16]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2022	1	0
	2023	5	0
	2024	10	4
	2025	6	2
Total		22	6

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hamano goal.^[1]

List of international goals scored by Maika Hamano

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	3 June 2024	Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain	New Zealand	1–1	4–1	Friendly
2				2–1
3	13 July 2024	Kanazawa Stadium, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan	Ghana	2–0	4–0	MS&AD Cup
4	31 July 2024	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Nigeria	1–0	3–1	2024 Summer Olympics
5	20 February 2025	Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas, United States	Australia	3–0	4–0	2025 SheBelieves Cup
6	23 February 2025	State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, United States	Colombia	3–1	4–1	2025 SheBelieves Cup

Honours

INAC Kobe Leonessa

• WE League: 2021–22^[17]

Hammarby IF

• Swedish Cup: 2022–23^[1]

Chelsea

• Women's Super League: 2023–24, 2024–25^[1]
• Women's FA Cup: 2024–25^[1]
• Women's League Cup: 2024–25^[18]

Japan U16

• AFC U-16 Women's Championship: 2019^[19]

Japan

• SheBelieves Cup: 2025

Individual

• AFC U-16 Women's Championship top scorer: 2019^[20]
• FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Golden Ball: 2022^[21]
• AFC Youth Player of the Year: 2022^[22]