Why Fuka Nagano is one of the most underrated WSL players
How the Japanese midfielder became Liverpool’s key player, with her influence increasing as the team’s midfield structure has stabilised
Fuka Nagano is a player who doesn’t gather lots of attention.
In a Japan side stacked with big Women’s Super League names, the Liverpool midfielder has become the quiet core of the team.
She recently helped steer her country to a third Asian Cup title in Australia, starting four of Japan’s six games in the tournament. This month, she’s part of a Japan squad taking on the US in three friendlies.
Operating at the base of Liverpool’s midfield, Nagano is not the type of player who dominates matches through spectacular moments. Her influence instead comes from quicker, subtler actions, offering passing lanes, circulating the ball efficiently and anticipating defensive situations before they fully develop. As she grew into a new role, going from playing in a double pivot to being a lone No 6 in a three-player midfield, those qualities started to play a more visible role in Liverpool’s ability to control phases of the game.
Liverpool’s season has been shaped by a search for balance, especially in midfield. Injuries and constant adjustments early in the campaign often forced the team to reshuffle its central unit, making it difficult to establish clear roles and consistent connections in possession. One player, has always been a nailed on starter and has quietly grown into a reference point: Fuka Nagano.
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