Etsuko Handa

Etsuko Handa
半田悦子
Personal information
Full name	Etsuko Handa
Date of birth	10 May 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth	Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team
	Shimizudaihachi SC
1989–1996	Suzuyo Shimizu FC Lovely Ladies
Total
International career
1981–1996	Japan
Medal record
Suzuyo Shimizu FC Lovely Ladies
Representing Japan
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Asian Games
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Etsuko Handa (半田悦子, Handa Etsuko, born 10 May 1965) is a Japanese former professional footballer. She was also a member of the Japan national team.

Club career

Handa was born in Shizuoka on 10 May 1965. She played for her local club Shimizudaihachi SC and Suzuyo Shimizu FC Lovely Ladies (formerly Shimizu FC Ladies). In 1989, Handa helped Shimizu FC Ladies win the L.League in its inaugural season, while also earning the Best player award. During the 1993 season, she scored 14 goals and was the league's top scorer. She was selected Best Eleven four times (1989, 1990, 1993, 1994).

National team career

In June 1981, when Handa was 16 years old, she was selected to the Japan national team for the 1981 AFC Championship. At this competition on 7 June, she debuted against Chinese Taipei. This fixture was also Japan's first International A Match. On 13 June, she scored a goal in Japan's (1–0) victory against Indonesia. It was Japan's first goal and win in an "A" match. She also played at the 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995 AFC Championships. Handa also competed at the 1990 and 1994 Asian Games, as well as the 1991 and 1995 World Cups and the 1996 Summer Olympics. She played 75 games in total for Japan throughout her career, as well as scoring 19 goals.^[1]