Written by Deborah Ray (Associated Press)
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — After watching Lionel Messi lift the World Cup trophy for Argentina, Japanese striker Ichika Egashira packed up his bags and headed to the other side of the world on a plane where a soccer hero was born. Played on the ground.
Egashira, 21, didn't speak Spanish and didn't understand much about South American culture, which was completely different from his own. She also didn't know much about Argentina's women's soccer league. Still, she scored 10 goals for the Excursionistas team last year and then signed with the prestigious club River Plate for this year's league season.
Egashira is part of a group of foreign players in the Argentine women's league who have recently turned professional and are looking to raise their profile.
They don't come to Argentina for the money. The South American country has the world's worst inflation rate, with inflation rising 276% in the 12 months to February, and the exchange rate is unstable under new president Javier Millei. Poverty is rising, purchasing power is falling, and footballers are getting more money in Europe.
But they come to Argentina for the history of soccer and the passionate fans.
“More than anything, I like their passion for soccer. They're crazy. That's not the case in Japan,” Egashira told The Associated Press after taking the class, speaking Spanish in his local accent. “I like Argentine soccer and I'm also a big fan of Messi. I wanted to play in Argentina, but I didn't know anything about women's soccer here.”
There are currently 45 foreign female players contracted to Argentine clubs. They come from Japan, France, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, and more. The country's 18 teams can each sign up to six foreign players, four of whom can qualify for every match. This is one more person than in 2023.
Egashira said many Japanese compatriots have contacted her to learn more about the Argentine Women's League, which became professional in 2019.
“Here in Argentina, (women's) soccer has a lot more potential. The players are naturals. I love that,” she said.
The Boca Juniors women's team recently signed 20-year-old Japanese midfielder Yuria Sasaki from Australia's Essedon Royals. Both Sasaki and Egashira made their debuts for their new team in the first round of this year's league, River Boca's Super Clasico on March 10th.
Boca, who lifted the women's title last year, won 2-0.
Sasaki's first experience with Argentine soccer was at Boca's academy in Tokyo.
“I was the only woman there. They taught me how to play soccer,” she told The Associated Press. “My dream is to win the league and the Copa Libertadores. I am 100% a Boca Juniors fan.”
Boca's best result in the Women's Copa Libertadores, a South American club tournament, was runners-up in 2022. The tournament has been dominated by clubs from Brazil and Colombia.
Two more Japanese soccer players are playing in Argentina: Gimnasia La Plata's Fuko Takahashi and Ferrocaril Oeste's Runa Watanabe. They, like other players, are paid in highly devalued Argentine pesos.
Fernando Moya, the agent for Egashira, Takahashi and Watanabe, said he sees the potential for all three to grow in Argentina.
“That motivates us to keep bringing in more girls,” he said. “I'm really interested.”
Winger Eponine Howarth is one of the few French women players to join a South American team.
Howarth said he had to get used to people always bringing up Argentina's victory over France in the men's World Cup final in Qatar, which Messi's team won on penalties.
“Every day,” said Howarth, who plays for Ferrocaril Oeste. “I heard it in the dressing room today.”
Howarth, 27, known as “Epo”, said the Argentine league gave him the chance to play professional soccer again after years of retirement. After she played for a Belgian first-division team, she left to study law and become a social researcher in England.
“Soccer comes first at the moment. That wasn't the case (before). Now I can give 100%,” said Howarth, who is also the editor of a culture magazine. “I hope to help the team in goal, help my teammates off the pitch, and help develop women's soccer.”
Each team in Argentina's women's league has at least one foreign player, with 14 players from neighboring Uruguay making up the largest group.
Ferrocarril Oeste coach Franco Bertera said the Argentine club actually saves money by signing foreign players.
“It's convenient for clubs to bring in foreign players, because they don't come for wages, but for an apartment and food. Argentinian players may receive more compensation,” Bertera said. said.
The coach believes that both foreign and Argentine players benefit from the cultural exchange.
“They fit in quickly and get together to cook other players' national dishes. Argentines are open to foreigners,” he said.
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Associated Press photojournalist Natasha Pisarenko contributed to this article.
