Nils Nielsen has stepped down as ?head coach of the Japanese women’s team, the country’s soccer association (JFA) said on Thursday, less than two weeks after the Dane guided Nadeshiko Japan to ?the Women’s Asian Cup title.
Last month, ?Japan ?rounded off a dominant Asian ?Cup campaign by defeating tournament host?Australia 1-0 in the final to win the ?continental title for the third time in the last ?four editions.
The team also booked a spot at the 2027 Women’s World ?Cup in Brazil ?after reaching the semifinals of the Asian Cup.
“Nils Nielsen, head ?coach of Nadeshiko ?Japan (the Japanese women’s national team), ?stepped down upon the expiration of ?his ?contract,” the JFA said in a brief statement.
Nielsen in 2024 became the first foreign manager of the “Nadeshiko,“?replacing Futoshi Ikeda, ?who led Japan to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup in 2023 as well as the last eight of the 2024 Paris ?Olympics.
The ?54-year-old served as the director ?of soccer? for Manchester City’s women’s team ?before joining Japan, and was the manager of the Swiss women’s team from 2018 to 2022.
He also coached the Danish ?women’s side from 2013 to 2017, leading it to a runner-up finish at the Women’s European Championship in 2017.
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