Japan's Takefusa Kubo Key Player for World Cup Knockout Stage

Kathmandu. Winger Takefusa Kubo is seen as the most important player for Japan, which has entered the field with the goal of making a historic journey to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup.

Kubo, 25, who plays professional football for Spanish club Real Sociedad, is a creative player capable of changing the outcome of the game on the field. Known for his excellent dribbling, technical proficiency, and accurate passing, this young player has a big responsibility to advance the 'Samurai Blue' this time.

Kubo, who mainly plays as a right winger and attacking midfielder in the Spanish La Liga, is a playmaker who performs excellently with his left foot. He is adept at creating scoring opportunities by advancing the ball from the right side of the field and cutting inside.

Taking advantage of his balanced physique, he is skilled at deceiving opposing defenders. Although he had to spend some time off the field recently due to minor injuries in the recently concluded La Liga season, he maintained his playing impact.

He played 24 league games for Real Sociedad (17 starts), scoring 2 goals and providing 4 assists. During that period, he created 26 scoring chances, and his passing accuracy was 81 percent.

Kubo is playing the role of the main playmaker in Japan's national team. In the World Cup qualifiers, he became the player who created the most opportunities for the team by making 30 important passes and providing 8 assists.

This time, Japan, in Group 'F' of the World Cup, will face strong teams like Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden. In such a situation, Kubo's playing skills are expected to be very decisive for Japan to break through the strong defense of the opposing team and create scoring opportunities.