Narumi Miura

Narumi Miura
Miura with the North Carolina Courage in 2023
Personal information
Full name Narumi Miura[1]
Date of birth (1997-07-03) 3 July 1997
Place of birth Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.56 m (5 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Utah Royals
Number 10
Youth career
2010–2015 Tokyo Verdy Menina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2023 Tokyo Verdy Beleza 84 (1)
2023–2024 North Carolina Courage 16 (0)
2025 Washington Spirit 23 (0)
2026– Utah Royals 0 (0)
International career‡
2016 Japan U-20 5 (0)
2018– Japan 31 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
2016 Papua New Guinea
AFC U-19 Women's Championship
2015 China
AFC U-16 Women's Championship
2013 China
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 November 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 7 November 2023

Narumi Miura (三浦 成美, Miura Narumi; born 3 July 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Utah Royals and the Japan national team.

Club career

Tokyo Verdy Beleza, 2016–2023

Narumi was born in Kawasaki on 3 July 1997. She joined Nadeshiko League club Tokyo Verdy Beleza in 2016, after being promoted from Tokyo Verdy Menina, their under-18 team.[2] Despite being young and a newly-promoted player for Beleza, she played many matches from her first season as a professional. During her years with the club, Beleza won consecutive Nadeshiko League titles in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

North Carolina Courage, 2023–2024

Narumi was signed by the North Carolina Courage on 7 February 2023.[3] On 9 September 2023, she assisted the opening goal by Kerolin as the Courage won 2–0 against Racing Louisville in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup final.[4] She played and started all 22 league games in 2023, doing so alongside Kaleigh Kurtz and Ryan Williams, and scored 1 goal with 3 assists.[5] North Carolina placed third in the league and lost to eventual champions NJ/NY Gotham FC in the playoff quarterfinals.[5] The following season, she played in 25 games with 23 starts as the Courage finished fifth and lost to the Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals.[6]

Washington Spirit, 2025

On 17 December 2024, the Washington Spirit announced they had signed Narumi as a free agent on a two-year contract with an option to extend another year.[7] On 7 March 2025, she won a trophy after her Spirit debut in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup, converting a penalty in the shootout after a 1–1 draw against the Orlando Pride.[8] She played in 23 league games, making 20 starts, and had 3 assists as the Spirit placed second in the table.[9] In the quarterfinals, she substituted for Leicy Santos against Racing Louisville before the Spirit advanced on penalties, then was unused for the rest of the playoffs as they reached the 2025 NWSL Championship, losing to Gotham FC.[10]

Utah Royals, 2026–

On 12 January 2026, Narumi was traded to the Utah Royals in exchange for US$180,000 in allocation money, signing a two-year contract with the mutual option for another year, and joined fellow Japanese internationals Mina Tanaka and Miyabi Moriya.[11]

International career

In September 2013, Narumi was selected for the Japan U-17s to play the 2013 AFC U-16 Women's Championship. She scored two goals at the tournament, with one of them being scored at the Final, that helped Japan to win the tournament for the second time in a row. In August 2015, she was selected for Japan U-20s to play the 2015 AFC U-19 Women's Championship, with Japan winning the tournament. In November 2016, she was once again selected for Japan U-20s, now for the 2016 U-20 Women's World Cup. At this tournament, she played five matches and Japan earned a third-place finish.[12]

On 10 June 2018, Narumi debuted for the Japan national team against New Zealand.[13]

On 10 May 2019, Miura was included in the 23-player squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[14]

In 2021, Narumi represented Japan on the women's football tournament of the 2020 Olympics, which was held in her home country, Japan.[15]

Miura was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.[16]

Style of play

A central defensive midfielder, Miura is known for her vision, defensive ability, and passing.[17][18]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 23 September 2023[19]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan
2018 5 0
2019 12 0
2020 3 0
2021 8 0
2022 2 0
2023 1 0
Total 31 0

Honours

Tokyo Verdy Beleza

North Carolina Courage

Washington Spirit

References

  1. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 – List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 7 July 2019. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Nippon TV Beleza". Archived from the original on 24 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Courage acquire Japanese midfielder Narumi Miura". North Carolina Courage. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Champions! Courage claim Challenge Cup with 2-0 win Saturday". North Carolina Courage. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b "2023 North Carolina Courage Stats (NWSL)". FBref. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  6. ^ "2024 North Carolina Courage Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  7. ^ Floyd, Thomas. "Spirit bolsters midfield with Japanese veteran Narumi Miura". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Recap: Short-Handed Spirit Wins 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup". Washington Spirit. 8 March 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  9. ^ "2025 Washington Spirit Stat". FBref.com. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Narumi Miura 2025 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  11. ^ "URFC Acquires Midfielder Narumi Miura In Trade With Washington Spirit". Utah Royals. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  12. ^ Narumi Miura – FIFA competition record (archived)
  13. ^ "NADESHIKO Japan wins over New Zealand 3-1". JFA｜公益財団法人日本サッカー協会.
  14. ^ "なでしこジャパンの高倉麻子監督がFIFA女子ワールドカップに向けてメンバーを発表 ～国際親善試合 対スペイン女子代表（6/2＠ル・トゥケ）、FIFA女子ワールドカップ フランス 2019" [Nadeshiko Japan coach Asakura Takako announces members for FIFA Women's World Cup-International Goodwill vs. Spanish Women's National Team (6/2 @ Le Touquet), FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019] (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. 11 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Japan announces women's football squad for Tokyo 2020". Tokyo 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  16. ^ "United States vs Japan: Japan wins SheBelieves Cup". BBC Sport. 27 February 2025. Archived from the original on 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  17. ^ Trent, Tyler (20 February 2024). "The Narumi Effect – How the North Carolina Courage midfielder sets up the team for success". Topbin90. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  18. ^ Sylvs, Southern (30 March 2023). "Unsung Heroes – An NWSL Series: Narumi Miura". All For XI. SB Nation. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  19. ^ "MIURA Narumi - Nadeshiko Japan | National Teams｜JFA｜Japan Football Association". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
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