'51' interview with Momoko Tanikawa: 'I had to stand on my own two feet from an early age'

Momoko Tanikawa moved to a football boarding school at the age of 12. At 18, she set off for Europe on her own. Now, at 21, our midfielder wants to become the best in the world. A conversation about belonging, growing up far from home, and the seconds just before receiving the ball.

Momoko Tanikawa: The interview

Momoko, this year you travelled to Japan as a team for the first time to take part in the ‘Allianz Women’s Tour’. How did you feel in the run-up to it?

I was absolutely delighted. I was so looking forward to playing in Japan with this world-class team. Beforehand, though, I’d been a bit worried about how the heat would affect us – it got up to 38 degrees at times. But I was really looking forward to playing for the Japanese fans in Japan.

For many of the team, it was their first time in Japan – did your teammates bombard you with questions ahead of the trip?

Yes, they wanted me to recommend some good sushi places or other restaurants to them. But I’m not from Tokyo myself, so I wasn’t sure how much help I could be. Still, I did my best. My family are from Nagoya and came to watch our match against the Japanese top-flight side RB Ōmiya. I was absolutely delighted. 

Is everyone in your family a football fan?

Yes. During the World Cup in North America, my family cheered on the team in their Japan jerseys, even though the matches took place in the middle of the night or early in the morning local time.

We’ve heard you used to train with your father quite often. 

My parents always used to take me to training and pick me up afterwards. And when my dad would come to collect me, the two of us would often go to a park afterwards and practise the exercises we’d learnt in training. I think the fact that I can use both feet today is really down to the training I did with my dad.

You set off into the big, wide world at a very young age. What was that like for you? 

I came to Europe from Japan about two years ago, when I was 18 – first to Sweden and then to Munich. I was lucky enough to find some really great teammates here. Thanks to them, it was easy to settle into a completely new environment, both on and off the pitch. And that’s why I didn’t really get homesick. But of course, I did move to a football academy when I was 12 and was living away from my parents – I had to stand on my own two feet from an early age.

You once said that the JFA Academy in Fukushima had a major influence on your development as a player. Why?

In Fukushima, absolutely everything revolved around football, from early in the morning right through to bedtime. But living in the boarding school also played a part. It meant I was able to focus fully on my personal development.

When you first arrived in Germany, was there anything here that struck you as strange?

I find the German language really difficult – even now, I can barely introduce myself in German. But luckily, my team is very international and we usually speak English. That helps a lot. And in everyday life, I was really surprised you can’t go shopping on Sundays. That would be impossible in Japan. But everything that felt unfamiliar at first has now become completely normal for me. 

Have you got used to the food here yet?

Things in the supermarket here are really quite different compared to Japan – so cooking isn’t easy for me. But I’ve found some lovely Japanese and Italian restaurants. I also like pretzels, and I love Weißwurst (white sausage). When friends come to visit, we go out for Weißwurst together.

Pernille Harder was in a similar situation to you as a young player, and she took you under her wing. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve had from her?

When I first arrived, there was a period when things weren’t really going to plan. Back then, she was there for me, always close by. She said: “Everyone makes mistakes once in a while.” And then she added: “Momoko, you’re a terrific player.” And that I should just carry on doing things the way I think is right, and simply give it my all. The fact that I am the way I am today is probably down to her advice.

What was the biggest challenge when you moved to Munich?

The intensity and the technical level were just completely different – both in training and in matches. At first, I wasn’t able to show what I was capable of, and that made me feel a bit unsure to begin with.

What did you know about FC Bayern before you joined the club?

I’ve known the club since I was a child, and I’ve always admired it because it has such impressive players like Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich on its books. That’s why I was absolutely delighted when I received the offer from FC Bayern.

So what’s it really like here now?

The best women players in Europe all play here. My teammates inspire me – and playing alongside them helps me improve every day. 

What’s your impression of the Bayern fans?

I’m so grateful to them. During games, when they chant my name, I can often make out the German accent in "Tanikawa". That really touches me – and it spurs me on.

What’s your role in the team?

Up until now, I’ve mostly been a young player who’s been carried along by the others. From this year onwards, I’d like to take on a more active role and pass on the knowledge and technical skills I’ve acquired so far to my new teammates.

In 2011, Japan won the Women’s World Cup in Germany. Do you remember that?  

I was six years old at the time and watched the games on TV with my family. I think we were pretty loud. Even back then, as a six-year-old, I thought to myself: "That’s what I want to be one day; I want to be in their shoes and win too." I really looked up to our national team.

What was your impression of the players?

I thought the German players were very strong physically – good at passing and heading. The Japanese women tended to function more as a team and a unit – and gave their all right up to the very last second. I think even today, the Japanese – both men and women – have a particular ability to keep going for a long time. Football has changed a great deal in recent years – a lot more tactics and technique have been introduced, and the intensity has increased. Our aim as a team is to always be able to keep up with these developments.

You say your dream is to become number one in the world. What do you see as the next step in making that dream a reality?

On the one hand, for me that means winning the World Cup, but also the Champions League. Last year, in matches against top teams – at moments when the pressure was incredibly high – I still lacked a bit of that ability to assert myself. To be able to see things through even in these physically intense phases, I need more technique, strength and resilience. That’s where I want to improve.

When people around you say you could become the best player in the world – does that put pressure on you, or rather motivate you?

It’s pure motivation. I really want to achieve that goal and I believe in it – in everything I do. The fact that others around me also see my potential spurs me on

Take us onto the pitch: What goes through your mind in the seconds before you receive the ball?

Before I receive the ball, I always take a good look around first. What are the team doing? What are the opposition doing? Where are the gaps? A quick glance at the goal. All the decisions I can make on the pitch depend on how much information I’ve been able to gather before receiving the ball.  

You play in various positions – where do you feel most at home? 

I often play as a number six, eight or ten. And to do justice to each role, I always adapt my game. When I’m playing as a six, I get the ball forward in the build-up. In that role, I prioritise my passing and pay close attention to my defensive positioning. And as a ten, I see my role as getting the ball in midfield, picking up the pace, playing deep passes or looking to finish the move myself. I enjoy playing in all three positions – they simply require very different mindsets.

When you agreed a contract extension with Bayern, you said you feel very much at home here. What does ‘home’ mean to you?

A place where I can be myself. Where I can feel content every day. And I can do that in Munich. My teammates and everyone at the club look after me brilliantly here – and we have a lot of fun together, both on and off the pitch. 

Enjoy taking a look back at the Allianz Women’s Tour to Tanikawa’s homeland: