Hitomi Tanaka Joins East Bengal, Becomes First Japanese Player In Indian Women's Football

Sportstar · sports

Hitomi Tanaka, a 33-year-old Japanese footballer, has joined East Bengal for the AFC Women's Champions League 2026-27 season, making her the first Japanese player to join an Indian women's football team. Tanaka, who has played in Spain and the Netherlands, aims to help the team in the AFC competition. She observed that Indian players tend to solve problems on the pitch as they arise, unlike Japanese players who prepare extensively beforehand. Tanaka suggested Indian women's football can improve technically by focusing on in-game thinking and structurally through better preparation.