Japan has a rising football star in Takefusa Kubo. One of the most prolific Asian footballers of his generation, the Japanese winger has already made his mark in Europe’s top leagues.
Nicknamed the “Japanese Messi” by fans, Kubo earned the comparison for his dribbling, finishing, and playmaking abilities — reminiscent of football legend Lionel Messi.
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Player Profile: Takefusa Kubo
- Full Name: Takefusa Kubo
- Date of Birth: June 4, 2001 (24 years old)
- Place of Birth: Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
- Height: 1.73 m (5′8″)
- Weight: 64 kg (148 lbs)
- Preferred Foot: Left
- Position: Primarily Right Winger; also plays Right Midfielder and Attacking Midfielder
Club Information
Current Club:
- Real Sociedad (La Liga) – 2022-present
Previous Clubs:
- FC Tokyo (J1 League) – 2016–2019
- Yokohama F. Marinos (J1 League, loan) – 2018
- Real Madrid (LaLiga) – 2019–2022
- Mallorca (LaLiga, loan) – 2019–2020; 2021–2022
- Villarreal (LaLiga, loan) – 2020–2021
- Getafe (LaLiga, loan) – 2021
International Career:
- Country: Japan
- Debut: June 9, 2019 vs El Salvador
- Caps: 44
- Goals: 7
- Captain Since: 2025
- Milestone: Became Japan’s youngest World Cup starter at Qatar 2022 and scored on his debut as captain in a 2026 World Cup Qualifier against Indonesia.
Tournaments Played
- UEFA Europa League (2022-23, 2023-24)
- Copa del Rey (2025)
- Copa América (2019)
- Tokyo Olympics (2021)
- FIFA World Cup (2022)
- 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Player Data
Playing Style: Creative dribbler, playmaker, agile ball carrier, sharp passer
Strength: Close control, quick acceleration, vision, off-the-ball movement
Weaknesses: Physicalilty, aerial skills, defensive positioning, consistency under pressure
Career Highlights
- AFC U-16 Championship Winner (2016)
- LaLiga Player of the Month (September 2023)
- J.League Youngest Goalscorer Record Holder
- Olympic Semi-finalist (Tokyo 2020)
- 2× UEFA Europa League Participant (2022–23, 2023–24 with Real Sociedad)
- Real Sociedad Player of the Season (2022–23)
- Youngest starter in Japan’s shocking wins over Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup
Statistics:
Club Appearances and Statistics:
| Club (Seasons) | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| FC Tokyo U‑23 (2016–2018) | 34 | 5 |
| FC Tokyo (2016–2019) | 19 | 4 |
| Mallorca (2019–2022, loan) | 63 | 6 |
| Villarreal & Getafe (2020–22, loans) | 31 | 2 |
| Real Sociedad (2022–present) | 101 | 21 |
| Total (2016–2025) | 248 | 38 |
Country Appearances and Statistics:
| Competition | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 3 | 0 |
| World Cup Qualifiers | 15 | 4 |
| Olympic Games | 5 | 1 |
| Copa América | 2 | 0 |
| International Friendlies | 21 | 2 |
| Total (Senior International) | 44 | 7 |
Fun Trivia:
- Kubo became the youngest player to debut in the J.League at just 15 years, 5 months, and 1 day old.
- He also holds the record as the youngest goalscorer in J.League history, scoring at 15 years, 10 months, and 11 days.
- At 18 years and 2 months, he became the youngest Japanese player to appear in one of Europe’s top four leagues when he debuted for Mallorca in LaLiga.
- Kubo and Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda attended the same high school in Japan.
- He was at Barcelona’s storied ‘La Masia’ academy at 10 years old but FIFA sanctioned the Catalan club for illegal signings of underage players.
