Kumagai: The key to Bayern's WCL quest

Unfussy, forward-thinking, confident in possession; Saki Kumagai's game is not about the spectacular. Instead, the picture is one of calmness, reading of the play and great intelligence. "Before I receive the ball, I'm already thinking about what will happen next,” says the master of the defensive arts.  "I want to play it to my teammates in such a way that they can make use of the ball.”

The 31-year-old almost always succeeds in her task. But her latest mission is to improve the balance between defense and attack at German champions Bayern Munich. Kumagai's ability to start attacks can be critical to the quick transitions that so often lead to goals.

She proved decisive in a different way last time Bayern played in the Champions League, with the winning header from a corner against her former club Lyon. The win means Bayern have progression to the quarterfinals in their own hands ahead of Thursday's clash with Swedish club BK Häcken.

A step ahead

Kumagai was born in Sapporo, where she played with boys until she was 15 as there was no girls' team. She thinks it improved her tactical understanding: "They were all faster than me, so I had to think quickly about where I fit."

In 2009, she moved to the Urawa Red Diamonds where she rose to become captain of her national team and led her side to a World Cup win in 2011 on German soil.

Shortly after that, she was back in Germany for a spell at FFC Frankfurt (now Eintracht Frankfurt) before joining Lyon in 2013. There Asia's 2019 female footballer of the year celebrated seven French championships, six cup wins and no fewer than five Champions League titles in a row.

Her contract with Lyon expired before the start of the European season and Bayern, who have a partnership with the Japan Football Association (JFA), moved quickly to pull off the deal. Kumagai could have chosen any club in the world; in the USA, in the highly-acclaimed English Women's Super League or in her home country. But she opted to return to the Bundesliga and the German champions, where she was offered a two-year contract until 2023.

Versatility and nous

"I'm very happy and excited to play for Bayern Munich,” she said at her unveiling. She had noticed in Lyon's hard-fought win over Bayern in last year's quarterfinals how united Bayern were and how much the team had to offer. Her compatriot, and former Bayern player Mana Iwabuchi, also spoke highly of her time in Bavaria. "I heard that Bayern Munich is a great club and also that Munich is a very beautiful city," Kumagai said.

Head coach Jens Scheuer sees in Kumagai an "incredibly ball-secure, defensive midfielder who plays in the national team but can also play in central defense. So she is very flexible, which is an added advantage for us." And Bianca Rech, Bayern Women's Sporting Director, is equally enthused: "She brings incredible international experience and will play an important role in our team as we continue to develop."

English, French and Spanish teams have dominated the latter stages of the Champions League in recent years, making Bayern all the more hungry for success. Now they have a player in their ranks who knows exactly what it takes to win the title. Kumagai has been explicit in stating her aim: "I want to win the Champions League with Bayern.”

This article was adapted from the original German.