Arakawa Now Among the Pride

By: David | February 13th, 2009

The FC Gold Pride have announced the signing of three new players today, including Japanese National Eriko Arakawa.

Arakawa, an established star on the Japanese national team, has been playing for her country’s senior women’s national team since 2000, making her debut in the Pan Pacific Games on June 10 against Canada. Since then, she has appeared in two World Cups (2003, 2007) and two Olympic Games for Japan and has helped lead the rise of Japan’s women’s soccer in recent years, leading her country to a semi-final appearance in the 2008 Beijing Games. The star forward also plays for NTV Belza of the L-League in Japan. Arakawa was selected by FC Gold Pride as the first pick in the third round of the WPS International Draft.

“We have added one of the most creative attacking forwards in the world in Eriko,” said FC Gold Pride Head Coach Albertin Montoya. “She has proven herself time and time again in on the international stage and in Japan’s highly competitive L- League. What makes her dangerous is her pace, she can beat just about anyone on the dribble, she possesses superior technical skills and she’s a lethal finisher.”

“I think our forwards will complement each other very well. We have a combination of strength, power, speed and creativity that is not seen very often in the game,” added Montoya.

Hey? Where did she get that snazzy new FC Gold Pride jersey?

The team simultaneously announced the contract signings by Brazilian midfielder Adriane and Bay Area native Tracy Hamm (no relation). They join Formiga and Arakawa as players under now contract.

In addition, the team has invited ten more players (including former US WNT player Tiffeny Milbrett) to training camp, as a result of recent tryouts hosted locally.