Takefusa Kubo

Takefusa Kubo is a Japanese right winger who trained at Barcelona's La Masia academy as a child before returning to Japan and later signing for Real Madrid. After multiple loan spells across La Liga, he joined Real Sociedad permanently in 2022 and has become one of the most celebrated Japanese players in European football.

Kubo joined Barcelona's La Masia academy at age ten but returned to Japan in 2015 following FIFA sanctions on international youth transfers. At FC Tokyo he became the J.League's youngest scorer at 15 years and 10 months in 2017. He moved to Real Madrid in 2019 and undertook an extensive loan programme — RCD Mallorca (twice), Villarreal, and Getafe — gradually establishing himself in La Liga, including a UEFA Europa League winner's medal as a Villarreal squad member in 2021.

Kubo signed permanently for Real Sociedad in July 2022, becoming the club's first Japanese player. He has since made 125 appearances and scored 23 goals, was named La Liga Player of the Month in September 2023, won the Copa del Rey in 2026, and claimed the JPFA Players' Player of the Year award in 2024. He has 49 senior Japan caps and 7 goals, having featured at the 2022 World Cup, the 2023 Asian Cup, and the 2020 Olympics.