1. Overview
Maki Haneta (埴田 真紀Haneta MakiJapanese, born September 30, 1972) is a former Japanese women's football player who primarily played as a defender. She had a notable career in the L.League with Matsushita Electric Panasonic Bambina, where she led the team to the 1994 L.League championship and was honored with the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Haneta was also recognized for her consistent performance by being selected to the Best Eleven four times. Internationally, she represented the Japan national team from 1993 to 1997, earning 30 caps and scoring one goal. Her international career included participation in major tournaments such as the 1993 AFC Women's Championship, 1994 Asian Games, 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
2. Early Life and Club Career
Maki Haneta's football journey began during her high school years, leading her to a significant professional club career where she achieved national championship success and individual accolades.
2.1. Early Life and Amateur Career
Maki Haneta was born on September 30, 1972. She attended Tanabe Commercial High School (now Wakayama Prefectural Kamishima High School). In her third year of high school, a women's football club was established. Despite being the captain of the softball team, Haneta had a long-standing desire to play football and joined the newly formed club, playing both sports concurrently. Her team participated in a national tournament as the prefectural representative. Although her team suffered a significant loss in the tournament, her performance caught the attention of Matsushita Electric LSC Bambina, who invited her to join their professional ranks.
2.2. Professional Club Career
Following her high school career, Haneta joined Matsushita Electric LSC Bambina. During the 1994 season, she played a pivotal role in the club's success, helping them secure their first-ever L.League championship. For her outstanding contributions, she was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) honor for the 1994 L.League season. In addition to the MVP award, Haneta was recognized for her consistent high-level performance by being selected to the Best Eleven, the league's ideal team, on four occasions: in 1993, 1994, 1996, and 1998. She also received the Fighting Spirit award in 1995. Throughout her career, Haneta was primarily a defender, known for her physical attributes, standing at 63 in (160 cm) tall and weighing 123 lb (56 kg).
3. National Team Career
Maki Haneta's national team career for Japan spanned from 1993 to 1997, during which she made significant contributions in various major international competitions.
3.1. Debut and Major Tournament Participation
Haneta was first selected for the Japan national team in December 1993 for the 1993 AFC Women's Championship. She made her international debut on December 4, 1993, in the opening match of the tournament against Chinese Taipei, where she also scored her first and only international goal. Japan finished third in this tournament, with Haneta participating in all five matches. The following year, she represented Japan at the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan. She played in all four matches at the Asian Games, where Japan secured a second-place finish. In 1995, Haneta was a key member of the Japan squad for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, playing in all four matches of the tournament. Later that year, she also featured in the 1995 AFC Women's Championship, where Japan finished as runners-up. Her international career culminated with her participation in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where she appeared in all three of Japan's matches.
3.2. Match and Goal Records
Maki Haneta played a total of 30 matches and scored 1 goal for the Japan women's national football team between 1993 and 1997. Her detailed match history is presented below:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Coach | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 4, 1993 |  Kuching | Chinese Taipei | 6-1 (Win) | Tamotsu Suzuki | 1993 AFC Women's Championship |
| 2 | December 6, 1993 | Kuching |  Philippines | 15-0 (Win) | 1993 AFC Women's Championship | |
| 3 | December 8, 1993 | Kuching |  Hong Kong | 4-0 (Win) | 1993 AFC Women's Championship | |
| 4 | December 10, 1993 | Kuching |  China | 1-3 (Loss) | 1993 AFC Women's Championship | |
| 5 | December 12, 1993 | Kuching | Chinese Taipei | 3-0 (Win) | 1993 AFC Women's Championship | |
| 6 | August 20, 1994 |  Dubnica | Slovakia | 2-0 (Win) | Slovakia International Tournament | |
| 7 | August 21, 1994 | Dubnica |  Austria | 1-0 (Win) | Slovakia International Tournament | |
| 8 | September 27, 1994 |  Tokyo |  Australia | 2-2 (Draw) | International Friendly Match | |
| 9 | October 4, 1994 | Hiroshima |  South Korea | 5-0 (Win) | Asian Games | |
| 10 | October 6, 1994 | Hiroshima | Chinese Taipei | 3-0 (Win) | Asian Games | |
| 11 | October 10, 1994 | Hiroshima | China | 1-1 (Draw) | Asian Games | |
| 12 | October 12, 1994 | Hiroshima | China | 0-2 (Loss) | Asian Games | |
| 13 | May 5, 1995 | Tokyo |  Canada | 1-0 (Win, a.e.t.) | ICE BOX CUP | |
| 14 | June 5, 1995 |  Karlstad |  Germany | 0-1 (Loss) | World Championship | |
| 15 | June 7, 1995 | Karlstad |  Brazil | 2-1 (Win) | World Championship | |
| 16 | June 9, 1995 | Bertel Ås | Sweden | 0-2 (Loss) | World Championship | |
| 17 | June 13, 1995 | Gävle |  United States | 0-4 (Loss) | World Championship | |
| 18 | September 27, 1995 | Kota Kinabalu |  Uzbekistan | 17-0 (Win) | Asian Championship | |
| 19 | September 30, 1995 | Kota Kinabalu | Chinese Taipei | 3-0 (Win) | Asian Championship | |
| 20 | October 2, 1995 | Kota Kinabalu | China | 0-2 (Loss) | Asian Championship | |
| 21 | May 11, 1996 | Salem | China | 0-3 (Loss) | US Women's Cup | |
| 22 | May 16, 1996 | Hotboro | United States | 0-4 (Loss) | US Women's Cup | |
| 23 | May 18, 1996 | Washington | Canada | 0-0 (Draw, PK 4-3) | US Women's Cup | |
| 24 | May 26, 1996 | Tokyo |  Denmark | 1-1 (Draw) | International Friendly Match | |
| 25 | May 29, 1996 | Fukuoka | Denmark | 3-4 (Loss) | International Friendly Match | |
| 26 | July 15, 1996 | Fort Lauderdale | Sweden | 1-3 (Loss) | International Friendly Match | |
| 27 | July 21, 1996 | Birmingham | Germany | 2-3 (Loss) | Olympics | |
| 28 | July 23, 1996 | Birmingham | Brazil | 0-2 (Loss) | Olympics | |
| 29 | July 25, 1996 | Washington |  Norway | 0-4 (Loss) | Olympics | |
| 30 | June 15, 1997 | Osaka | China | 0-0 (Draw) | Satoshi Miyauchi | Kirin Cup |
Maki Haneta's only international goal for Japan was scored in her debut match:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Match Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 4, 1993 | Kuching | Chinese Taipei | 6-1 (Win) | 1993 AFC Women's Championship |
4. Career Statistics
Maki Haneta's international career statistics with the Japan women's national football team are summarized below:
| Japan national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1993 | 5 | 1 |
| 1994 | 7 | 0 |
| 1995 | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 | 9 | 0 |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 1 |
5. Awards and Honors
Throughout her career, Maki Haneta received several individual and team accolades for her performance in both club and international football.
5.1. Club
- Matsushita Electric LSC Bambina
- L.League: 1994
5.2. Individual
- L.League Most Valuable Player (MVP): 1994
- L.League Fighting Spirit Award: 1995
- L.League Best Eleven: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998