HERRIMAN, Utah (Monday, October _, 2024) - A quartet of Utah Royals players - forward Mina Tanaka (Japan), forward Cloé Lacasse (Canada), midfielder Dana Foederer (Netherlands U-23) and midfielder Ana Tejada (Spain) - have all been called up by their respective federations for the ongoing FIFA international break. The players will depart following Utah’s match against Angel City FC on October 20 and will return ahead of the Royals’ Decision Day matchup against Gotham FC on Friday November 1.
Tanaka returns to Nadeshiko Japan under new direction from Norio Sakai, the interim Head Coach after former Head Coach Futoshi Ikeda stepped down following the 2024 Olympic Games. Japan finished runner up in Group C and reached the quarter-finals before falling 1-0 to the United States. Tanaka found the back of the net once during the tournament in a 3-1 victory over Nigeria in the group stage finale. The veteran forward has 33 goals in 81 matches so far for Nadeshiko Japan.
Lacasse will travel to Almendralejo, Spain to meet up with the Canadian national team. The Canadian forward most recently appeared in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, earning two starts and appearing off the bench once in Canada’s run to the quarter final match. She made her first appearance at a major international tournament as part of the Canadian silver medal winning 2022 CONCACAF Women's Championship squad and also represented Canada in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Lacasse will face off against URFC teammate Ana Tejada during her time with Canada. Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m MT on October 25.
Foederer returns to the Oranje for the first time since being named to the Netherlands 2022 U-20 World Cup Roster. Foederer would go on to score a screamer against now teammate Ally Sentnor in a 3-0 in the Netherlands run to the semi-finals. Now reporting to the U-23 squad under Olivier Amelink, Foederer will take part in a pair of friendlies, first against England on October 24 at the Sportpark De Kronenhof in Escharen, Netherlands and then at Sweden on October 28 at Falcon Arena in Falkenberg, Sweden.
Tejada has represented La Roja at the U17, U19, U20, and U23 levels. As captain of the U20 side in 2022, she led Spain to the country’s first FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, beating Japan 3-1 in the final. The defender’s first senior call-up came shortly after on November 11th 2022 in a 7-0 friendly win over Argentina, when she entered the match in the 76th minute for her senior debut. She will be reporting to Montse Tomé for the first time.
Utah Royals FC (7-14-3, 24pts, 10th NWSL) travel to Angel City FC in its final road game of the season on Sunday, October 20th. URFC returns to America First Field for the 2024 NWSL season finale against the reigning champs, Gotham FC, on November 1st. Tickets are available now at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/single.
