INAC Kobe Leonessa is a Japanese

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 football club from Kobe

Kobe

, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...

, founded in 2001. INAC stands for International Athletic Club while Leonessa means Lioness in Italian.

In 2006 INAC Leonessa was promoted to the L. League

L. League

The L. League is the top flight of women's association football in Japan. It is the women's equivalent of the J. League, but not professional. However, some individual players are professional.The league conssists of two divisions: division 1 has the nickname and division 2...

, where it has played since. The 2008 season marked a great leap for the team as it was the runner-up both in the L. League and the All-Japan Championship

All Japan Women's Football Championship

, is a Japanese Women's football competition. As an elimination tournament, it can be considered the female counterpart to the men's Emperor's Cup.The final has been played on New Year's Day of the following year at the National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo and is regarded as the traditional closing...

. 2010 saw INAC lift its first title as they beat Urawa Red Diamonds

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies

is a women's football club playing in Japan's football league, L. League. Its hometown is the city of Saitama in Saitama Prefecture.-Transition of team name:*Urawa Reinas F.C. : 1999 - 2001*Saitama Reinas F.C. : 2002 - 2004...

 in the final of the All-Japan Championship through a penalty shootout, and in 2011, coinciding with the club's 10th anniversary, the team won the L. League

L. League

The L. League is the top flight of women's association football in Japan. It is the women's equivalent of the J. League, but not professional. However, some individual players are professional.The league conssists of two divisions: division 1 has the nickname and division 2...

.

Leonessa's 2011 squad included seven champions of the 2011 World Cup: Ayumi Kaihori

Ayumi Kaihori

is a Japanese international footballer. A goalkeeper, she currently plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa.. She was also the starting goalkeeper for Japan in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, tallying 5 wins and 1 loss...

, Yukari Kinga

Yukari Kinga

is a Japanese international footballer currently playing as a defender for L. League club INAC Kobe leonessa. She has played in the 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cups.-References:...

, Nahomi Kawasumi

Nahomi Kawasumi

is a Japanese international footballer currently playing as a midfielder for L. League club INAC Kobe Leonessa. She played at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, scoring both her goals of the tournament—including a lob at 35 yards away—against Sweden in the semifinals....

, Shinobu Ohno

Shinobu Ohno

is a Japanese football player who plays as a forward. Her club team, as of 2011, is INAC Kobe Leonessa.After playing in the U-19 and U-20 teams for a short period, Ohno joined the senior Japanese national team in 2003. Her first major tournament was the 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup, where Japan...

, Homare Sawa

Homare Sawa

is a female football player from Japan. She currently plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa in the Nadeshiko League Division 1.- Career :Long considered Japan's finest female footballer, she made her debut in Japan's highest domestic league at age 12. On December 6, 1993, at age 15, she made her Japanese...

, Megumi Takase

Megumi Takase

is a Japanese international footballer. A striker, she currently plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa.-References:...

 and Asuna Tanaka

Asuna Tanaka

is a Japanese international footballer currently playing as a midfielder for L. League club INAC Kobe Leonessa. She played at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.-References:...

.

Current squad

As of 13 November 2011 (reference)

Honours

• 1 Japanese league
  L. League
  The L. League is the top flight of women's association football in Japan. It is the women's equivalent of the J. League, but not professional. However, some individual players are professional.The league conssists of two divisions: division 1 has the nickname and division 2...
  
   (2011)
• 1 Japanese cup
  All Japan Women's Football Championship
  , is a Japanese Women's football competition. As an elimination tournament, it can be considered the female counterpart to the men's Emperor's Cup.The final has been played on New Year's Day of the following year at the National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo and is regarded as the traditional closing...
  
  (2010)

Season	Level	Place	Cup
2005	2	1st	Quarterfinals
2006	1	8th	Quarterfinals
2007	1	4th	Semifinals
2008	1	2nd	Runner-up
2009	1	4th	Semifinals
2010	1	4th	Champion
2011	1	1st