Manaka Matsukubo
.jpg) Matsukubo with the North Carolina Courage in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manaka Matsukubo | ||
| Date of birth | 28 July 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward / attacking midfielder[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | North Carolina Courage | ||
| Number | 34 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2017–2022 | JFA Academy Fukushima | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2022 | JFA Academy Fukushima | 46 | (30) |
| 2023– | Mynavi Sendai | 12 | (4) |
| 2023– | → North Carolina Courage (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Japan U16 | ||
| 2022 | Japan U20 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 October 2023 | |||
Manaka Matsukubo (松窪 真心, Matsukubo Manaka, born 28 July 2004) is a Japanese professional football player who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She plays internationally for Japan women's national under-20 football team and was an integral part of the team that made the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup final.[2]
Club career[edit]
[edit]
Matsukubo made her professional debut for Mynavi Sendai of the WE League on 5 March 2023 and played 1,075 minutes across the season.[3] She helped the team to a fourth-place finish in her first year as a professional, scoring four goals and adding one assist.[4]
North Carolina Courage (loan)[edit]
On 27 July 2023, the North Carolina Courage acquired Matsukubo on loan from Mynavi Sendai through June 2024.[3] She made her first NWSL appearance on 27 August 2023.[2] With the Courage, Matsukubo became the youngest player to start a game in the NWSL Challenge Cup and the youngest to score.[4] In the Challenge Cup final against Racing Louisville, she was named the MVP after scoring on a chip volley off a pass from Tess Boade in the 54th minute, lifting the Courage to the final score of 2–0.[5][6][7]
Matsukubo scored her first regular-season goal the next week in a 2–1 loss to the Orlando Pride.[8] In the Courage's last regular-season game, Matsukubo had an assist—a cross converted by Tyler Lussi—in the Courage's 1–0 win against the Washington Spirit that clinched their spot in the playoffs.[9]
International career[edit]
Matsukubo played for Japan's U-20 World Cup team during the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022.[10] She was called up to play for the U-20 Japan Women's National Team for the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup in 2024, but she left early to return to her club.[11]
Career statistics[edit]
Club[edit]
- As of match played 23 October 2023
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| JFA Academy Fukushima | 2019 | Challenge League | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2020 | Challenge League | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2021 | Nadeshiko League 2 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 15 | |
| 2022 | Nadeshiko League 2 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | |
| Total | 46 | 30 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 33 | ||
| Mynavi Sendai | 2022–23 | WE League | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| North Carolina Courage (loan) | 2023 | NWSL | 7 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 9 | 2 | |
| Career Total | 65 | 35 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 72 | 39 | ||
- ^ Includes Empress's Cup
- ^ Includes Nadeshiko League Cup, NWSL Challenge Cup
Honours[edit]
JFA Academy Fukushima
- Nadeshiko Challenge League: 2020
- Nadeshiko League 2: 2021
North Carolina Courage
Individual
- WE League Outstanding Player Award: 2022–23
References[edit]
- ^ Kassouf, Jeff (22 May 2024). "NWSL U-19 ranking: Shaw, Moultrie lead best young players". ESPN. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b Cascone, Arianna (10 October 2023). "How 19-year-old Manaka Matsukubo is already lighting up the NWSL – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Courage acquire Japanese midfielder Manaka Matsukubo". North Carolina Courage. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ a b Needelman, Josh (9 September 2023). "NWSL Challenge Cup MVP: Manaka Matsukubo makes history". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "Courage defend NWSL Challenge Cup with win over Racing Louisville". CBC.ca. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "NC Courage win 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup as Kerolin, Matsukubo put on a show". Pro Soccer Wire. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Cattry, Pardeep (10 September 2023). "Manaka Matsukubo a 'star in the making' for North Carolina Courage after NWSL Challenge Cup win". CBS Sports. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Rantz, Susie (17 September 2023). "Pride beat Courage 2–1 in NWSL and move one point out of playoff position". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "Recap: Courage grind out road win Sunday, earn home playoff bout". North Carolina Courage. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "U-20 Japan Women's National Team squad – FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ (8/7-28＠Costa Rica)" (in Japanese). Japan Football Association｜公益財団法人日本サッカー協会. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "女子サッカー TOP｜JFA｜公益財団法人日本サッカー協会". www.jfa.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 April 2024.
External links[edit]
- Manaka Matsukubo at Soccerway
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