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Riko Ueki

{{Short description|Japanese footballer (born 1999)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}

{{Western name order|Ueki Riko}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Riko Ueki
{{nobold|植木 理子}}

| image = Ueki-04-Beleza-2021.jpg

| image_size = 250

| caption = Ueki in 2021

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1999|7|30}}

| birth_place = Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{Height|m=1.62}}

| position = Forward

| currentclub = West Ham United

| clubnumber = 9

| youthyears1 = 2012–2015

| youthclubs1 = Tokyo Verdy Beleza

| years1 = 2016–2023

| clubs1 = Tokyo Verdy Beleza

| caps1 = 98

| goals1 = 41

| years2 = 2023–

| clubs2 = West Ham United

| caps2 = 44

| goals2 = 10

| nationalyears1 = 2016

| nationalteam1 = Japan U-17

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 4

| nationalyears2 = 2018

| nationalteam2 = Japan U-20

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 5

| nationalyears3 = 2019–

| nationalteam3 = Japan

| nationalcaps3 = 42

| nationalgoals3 = 12

| manageryears1 =

| managerclubs1 =

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{Fbw|JPN}}}}

{{Medal|Competition|FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup}}

{{Medal|G|2018 France|}}

{{Medal|Competition|AFC U-19 Women's Championship}}

{{Medal|G|2017 China|}}

{{Medal|Competition|FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup}}

{{Medal|S|2016 Jordan|}}

{{Medal|Competition|AFC U-16 Women's Championship}}

{{Medal|S|2015 China|}}

| club-update = 10:00, 2 June 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 01:46, 27 March 2025 (UTC)

}}

{{Nihongo|Riko Ueki|植木 理子|Ueki Riko|{{IPA|ja|ɯ.eki ɾiko|IPA}}; born 30 July 1999}} is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Women's Super League club West Ham United and the Japan national team.

Early life

Ueki was born in Kanagawa Prefecture on 30 July 1999. She started playing football in 2011 at the age of 12.{{Cite web |title=【WE INTERVIEW #38】～植木理子選手（日テレ・東京ヴェルディベレーザ）～ |url=https://weleague.jp/news/454/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=WEリーグ {{!}} Women Empowerment League}}{{Cite web |title=「10歳でサッカーを始めてからずっとFW」再開するWEリーグで植木理子（東京NB）に注目！ {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/jp/%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9/20220302nadeshikojapanasiacup2022rikoueki02/blt1783c631c274c2b0 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.goal.com}} From the day she first started football, Ueki has always played as a forward, never playing in any other position in her career so far. She had stated that her role model growing up was fellow Japanese forward Mana Iwabuchi{{Cite web |title=「10歳でサッカーを始めてからずっとFW」再開するWEリーグで植木理子（東京NB）に注目！ {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/jp/%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9/20220302nadeshikojapanasiacup2022rikoueki02/blt1783c631c274c2b0 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.goal.com}}{{Cite web |title=ベレーザの"同級生コンビ"植木理子と宮澤ひなたが語り合う！互いの印象、小さい頃の憧れ… {{!}} サッカーダイジェストWeb |url=https://www.soccerdigestweb.com/news/detail2/id=79000 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.soccerdigestweb.com |language=ja}} She joined Tokyo Verdy Beleza youth team in 2012.

Ueki attended Waseda University, one of the most selective and prestigious universities in Japan, majoring in sports science.{{Cite web |title=今注目のなでしこ代表、植木選手へ聞いた東京オリンピックへの思い―『最高の瞬間なんだろうな』－ |url=https://www.waseda.jp/inst/tokyo/news/2019/12/27/2206 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=早稲田大学 オリンピック・パラリンピック事業推進室 |language=ja}} While at college she took courses in sports management and marketing. She graduated from the university in March 2022.{{Cite web |title=サッカー - 東京ヴェルディベレーザ・植木理子、早大生との二足のわらじ乗り越え 世界の舞台へ {{!}} 4years. #学生スポーツ |url=https://4years.asahi.com/article/14592788 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=4years |date=14 April 2022 |language=ja}}

Club career

File:Ueki-02-Beleza-2021.jpg match in September 2021]]

= Tokyo Verdy Beleza =

Ueki joined Nadeshiko League club Tokyo Verdy Beleza from the youth team in 2015, and was first called up to the senior team in June 2016. She marked her debut with a goal as a substitute in a League Cup match against Speranza Osaka.{{Cite tweet |url-access=limited |access-date=27 August 2023 |title=Register |user=tokyoverdystaff |number=738970996099551232 |url=https://twitter.com/tokyoverdystaff/status/738970996099551232}} She was part of the squad which won four consecutive Nadeshiko League title from 2016 to 2019. In the inaugural 2021–22 WE League season, Ueki was chosen amongst the recipients of the Most Outstanding Players award.{{Cite web |title=WE League Awards |url=https://weleague.jp/award/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=WEリーグ {{!}} Women Empowerment League |language=ja }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} She had her breakout season the 2022–23 WE League season, as she finished as the league's top scorer with 14 goals and was named to the 2022–23 WE League Best Eleven.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-06-13 |title=World Cup winner Kozue Ando claims WE League MVP |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/06/13/soccer/we-league-mvp-ando/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}} in In total, she has scored 81 goals in 152 appearances in all competitions for Tokyo Verdy Beleza.{{Cite web |title=日テレ・東京ヴェルディベレーザ 植木 理子選手 {{!}} 日テレ・東京ヴェルディベレーザ / Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza |url=https://www.verdy.co.jp/beleza/player/809451062 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.verdy.co.jp |language=ja}}

= West Ham United =

On 12 September 2023, Ueki joined West Ham United ahead of the 2023–24 Women's Super League season.{{Cite news |title=Japan striker Ueki joins West Ham |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66786599 |access-date=2023-09-12}}{{Cite web |title=West Ham United sign Japan international Riko Ueki {{!}} West Ham United F.C. |url=https://www.whufc.com/news/west-ham-united-sign-japan-international-riko-ueki |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=www.whufc.com |language=en}} She made her debut in the opening league match defeat to Manchester City on 1 October 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-01 |title=West Ham 0-2 Manchester City: Jill Roord scores on debut as visitors reduced to 10 |url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/west-ham-united-women-v-140338358.html |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-AU}} She would score her first goal for the club in a 2–0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on 8 October 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-08 |title=Brighton 0-2 West Ham: Hammers' intensity helps Rehanne Skinner to first win as boss |url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/brighton-hove-albion-women-v-104248449.html |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-AU}}{{Cite news |title=Skinner lands first win as West Ham beat Brighton |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66974847 |access-date=2023-10-08}}File:Ueki-02-JPN-2020.jpg during a training camp in 2020]]

International career

= Youth =

In 2016, Ueki was selected to the Japan U-17 national team for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[https://web.archive.org/web/20181111133730/https://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/archive/jordan2016/teams/team=1914191/players.html FIFA] She played in 6 matches and scored 4 goals, and Japan finished as runners-up in the tournament. In 2018, Ueki was selected for the Japan U-20 national team for 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[https://web.archive.org/web/20180820203426/https://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/teams/team/1888600/ FIFA] She played in all 6 matches and scored 5 goals, including a crucial goal in their semi-final victory over England{{Cite web |last=Kyodo |date=2018-08-21 |title=Young Nadeshiko down England to reach U20 Women's World Cup final |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/08/21/soccer/young-nadeshiko-england-reach-u20-womens-world-cup-final/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=The Japan Times |language=en-US}} and helped Japan win the title.{{Cite web |title=U-20 Japan Women's National Team wins first ever title at FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018 |url=https://www.jfa.jp/eng/news/00018570/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=JFA｜公益財団法人日本サッカー協会 |language=ja}}

= Senior =

On 4 April 2019, Ueki debuted for the senior Japan national team against France.[http://www.jfa.jp/eng/nadeshikojapan/20190404/match_page/m1.html Japan Football Association] Later that year, Ueki was named to Japan's squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup; however, she was forced to withdraw due to injury on 31 May.{{cite news |title=Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) Squad, Schedule - FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 |url=http://www.jfa.jp/eng/nadeshikojapan/news/00021198/ |access-date=31 May 2019 |publisher=Japan Football Association |date=10 May 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/soccer/japan/news/201905310000234.html|title=なでしこ、植木理子が右膝痛め離脱、宝田沙織を招集|trans-title=Nadeshiko, Ueki Riko pains her right knee and leaves, Saori Takada called up|language=Japanese|newspaper=Nikkan Sports|date=31 May 2019}} Ueki experienced a breakout year with the national team in 2022, as she began to establish herself as a starting striker and finished the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup as Japan's top scorer with five goals, and joint second-highest goalscorer of the tournament as a whole.{{Cite web |title=Japan's Ueki determined to continue scoring run |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup/news/japan’s_ueki_determined_to_score_against_china_pr.html |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=the-AFC |language=en}}

On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.{{Cite news |title=Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65883486 |access-date=2023-06-20}} On July 31, 2023, Ueki scored in Japan's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group C Round 3 match against Spain.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-31 |title=Japan will fear no one at Women's World Cup after statement win over Spain |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38105667/japan-hold-no-fear-anyone-fifa-womens-world-cup-statement-win-spain |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

On 14 June 2024, Ueki was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.jfa.jp/eng/national_team/news/00034044/|title=Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) squad & schedule - MS&AD Cup 2024: Noto Peninsula Earthquake Reconstruction Support Match "Ganbarou Noto" / Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (Paris 2024)|publisher=Japan Football Association (JFA)|website=jfa.jp|date=14 June 2024}}

Ueki was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.{{Cite web |date=27 February 2025 |title=United States vs Japan: Japan wins SheBelieves Cup |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cx2xy4v29x5t |access-date=27 February 2025 |website=BBC Sport |language= |archive-date=27 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227093641/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cx2xy4v29x5t |url-status=live }}

Personal life

One of Ueki's main hobbies is reading manga, also known as Japanese comics or graphic novels, and she revealed that she has a collection of over 1000 copies of such books at home.{{Cite web |title=なでしこジャパンFW植木理子の趣味は「漫画とアイドル」 そこに隠れたWEリーグ集客のヒント {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/jp/%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9/nadeshikojapanasiacup2002ueki01/bltb951ea80fecd6487 |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=www.goal.com}} She was even invited to make a cameo appearance in a television drama adaptation of the manga series Shiyakusho that aired on TV Tokyo from October to December 2019.{{Cite web |title=女子サッカー・植木理子選手、ドラマ『死役所』第4話に出演 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2148111/full/ |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=ORICON NEWS}}

Career statistics

= Club =

{{updated|match played 10 May 2025}}{{cite web |title=試合一覧 |url=https://www.verdy.co.jp/beleza/match/schedule/ |website=Tokyo Verdy Beleza |access-date=30 September 2024 |language=Japanese}}{{cite web |title=Japan - R.Ueki - Profile with news, career statistics and history |url=https://sg.soccerway.com/players/riko-ueki/463960/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=30 September 2024}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |National cup{{efn|Includes Empress's Cup, Women's FA Cup}}

! colspan="2" |League cup{{efn|Includes Nadeshiko League Cup, WE League Cup, FA Women's League Cup}}

! colspan="2" |Continental{{efn|Includes AFC Women's Club Championship}}

! colspan="2" |Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="9" |Tokyo Verdy Beleza

|2016

|Nadeshiko League

|0

00095colspan="2" |—95
2017

|Nadeshiko League

|18

54383colspan="2" |—3011
2018

|Nadeshiko League

|12

|4

|5

|3

|8

|8

| colspan="2" |—

|25

|15

2019

|Nadeshiko League

|16

|8

|3

|0

|1

|0

|3

|1

|23

|9

2020

|Nadeshiko League

|14

|4

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|14

|4

2021–22

|WE League

|19

|6

|2

|1

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|21

|7

2022–23

|WE League

|19

|14

|4

|8

|5

|6

| colspan="2" |—

|28

|28

2023–24

|WE League

|0

|0

|0

|0

|2

|2

| colspan="2" |—

|2

|2

colspan="2" |Total

!98

!41

!18

!15

!33

!24

!3

!1

!152

!81

rowspan="3" |West Ham United

|2023–24

|Women's Super League

|22

|6

|1

|0

|3

|1

| colspan="2" |—

|26

|7

2024–25

|Women's Super League

|22

|4

|1

|0

|5

|2

| colspan="2" |—

|28

|6

colspan="2" |Total

!44

!10

!2

!0

!8

!3

! colspan="2" |—

!54

!13

colspan="3" |Career total

!142

51201541273120694

{{notelist}}

= International =

{{updated|match played 24 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Riko Ueki |url=https://www.jfa.jp/eng/nadeshikojapan/member/ueki_riko.html |website=Japan Football Association |access-date=27 March 2025}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National Team

!Year

AppsGoals
rowspan="7" |Japan

|2019

30
2020

|2

|0

2021

|1

|0

2022

|11

|8

2023

|13

|3

2024

|10

|1

2025

|2

|0

colspan="2" |Total||42||12

:Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ueki goal.

class="wikitable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Riko Ueki

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align=center|1

|21 January 2022

|rowspan="2"|Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune, India

|{{fbw|MYA}}

|align=center|1–0

|align=center|5–0

|rowspan="5"|2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup

align=center|2

|27 January 2022

|{{fbw|KOR}}

|align=center|1–0

|align=center|1–1

align=center|3

|30 January 2022

|DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, India

|{{fbw|THA}}

|align=center|5–0

|align=center|7–0

align=center|4

|rowspan="2"|3 February 2022

|rowspan="2"|Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune, India

|rowspan="2"|{{fbw|CHN}}

|align=center|1–0

|rowspan="2" align=center|2–2 {{aet}} (3–4 p)

align=center|5

|align=center|2–1

align=center|6

|24 June 2022

|Sport Center FAS, Stara Pazova, Serbia

|{{fbw|SRB}}

|align=center|1–0

|align=center|5–0

|Friendly

align=center|7

|27 June 2022

|Veritas Stadion, Turku, Finland

|{{fbw|FIN}}

|align=center|4–1

|align=center|5–1

|Friendly

align=center|8

|9 October 2022

|Nagano U Stadium, Nagano, Japan

|{{fbw|NZL}}

|align=center|2–0

|align=center|2–0

|Friendly

align=center|9

|22 July 2023

|Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand

|{{fbw|ZAM}}

|align=center|5–0

|align=center|5–0

|rowspan="2"| 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

align=center|10

|31 July 2023

|Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand

|{{fbw|ESP}}

|align=center|2–0

|align=center|4–0

align=center|11

|23 September 2023

|Kitakyushu Stadium, Kitakyushu, Japan

|{{fbw|ARG}}

|align=center|7–0

|align=center|8–0

|Friendly

align=center|12

|13 July 2024

|Kanazawa Stadium, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan

|{{fbw|GHA}}

|align=center|4–0

|align=center|4–0

|MS&AD Cup

Honours

Tokyo Verdy Beleza

Japan U19

Japan U20

Japan

Individual

  • WE League Best XI: 2022–23
  • WE League Golden Boot: 2022–23
  • WE League Outstanding Players Award: 2021–22, 2022–23
  • West Ham United Young Player of the Year: 2023–24{{Cite web |date=12 May 2024 |title=Riko Ueki wins 2023/24 Women's Young Hammer of the Year award |url=https://www.whufc.com/news/riko-ueki-wins-202324-womens-young-hammer-year-award |access-date=12 May 2024 |website=West Ham United F.C. |language=}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{FIFA player}}
  • {{Soccerway}}
  • {{WorldFootball.net}}
  • [http://www.jfa.jp/eng/nadeshikojapan/member/ueki_riko.html Japan Football Association]

{{West Ham United W.F.C. squad}}

{{Navboxes

|title=Japan squads

|bg=#0000C8

|fg=#FFFFFF

|bordercolor=#FF0000

|list1=

{{Japan squad 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup}}

{{Japan squad 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup}}

{{Japan women's football squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ueki, Riko}}

Category:1999 births

Category:Living people

Category:Japanese women's footballers

Category:Japan women's international footballers

Category:Nadeshiko League players

Category:WE League players

Category:Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza players

Category:West Ham United F.C. Women players

Category:Women's Super League players

Category:Women's association football forwards

Category:Association football people from Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Category:2023 FIFA Women's World Cup players

Category:Footballers at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic footballers for Japan

Category:21st-century Japanese sportswomen