Ayaka Yamashita (footballer)

Ayaka Yamashita (山下 杏也加) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Japanese WE League club INAC Kobe Leonessa and the Japan national team.

Club career
Yamashita was born in Adachi, Tokyo on September 29, 1995. After graduating from high school, she joined Nippon TV Beleza in 2014. The club won L.League championship and she was selected Best Eleven for 3 years in a row from the 2015 season.

International career
In August 2015, when Yamashita was 19 years old, she was selected for Japan national team for 2015 East Asian Cup. In that competition, on August 4, she debuted against South Korea. In 2018, she played at 2018 Asian Cup where Japan won the championship. She played 25 games for Japan.

On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

Honours
Tokyo Verdy Beleza

INAC Kobe Leonessa
 * Nadeshiko League: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
 * Empress's Cup: 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
 * Nadeshiko League Cup: 2016, 2018, 2019
 * AFC Women's Club Championship: 2019


 * WE League: 2021–22

Japan


 * AFC Asian Cup: 2018
 * Asian Games: 2018

Individual


 * Nadeshiko League Best Eleven: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
 * WE League Most Valuable Player: 2021–22
 * WE League Best Eleven: 2021–22, 2022–23
 * WE League Outstanding Players Award: 2021–22, 2022–23