Manaka Matsukubo
![]() Matsukubo with the North Carolina Courage in 2023 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Manaka Matsukubo | ||
Date of birth | (2004-07-28) 28 July 2004 (age 20) | ||
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 | 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
Mynavi Sendai
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
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 most valuable player of the match after scoring the Courage's second goal with a chip volley in the 2–0 victory.[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 crossed to Tyler Lussi for a goal to help the Courage defeat the Washington Spirit 1–0 and clinch their spot in the playoffs.[9]
On 27 June 2024, Matsukubo was signed by the Courage permanently through 2025.[10]
International career
Matsukubo played for Japan's U-20 World Cup team during the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022.[11] 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.[12]
Career statistics
Club
- 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
JFA Academy Fukushima
- Nadeshiko Challenge League: 2020
- Nadeshiko League 2: 2021
North Carolina Courage
Individual
- WE League Outstanding Player Award: 2022–23
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Courage extends Manaka through 2025". North Carolina Courage. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Manaka Matsukubo at Soccerway
- v
- t
- e
- 1 Murphy
- 2 Sanchez
- 3 Kurtz
- 5 Hopkins
- 6 Narumi
- 7 Berkely
- 8 Pinto
- 9 Kerolin
- 10 O'Sullivan
- 11 Rauch
- 13 Williams
- 14 Lussi
- 16 Jackson
- 17 Weatherholt
- 18 Collins
- 19 Mertz
- 20 Wingate
- 23 Vine
- 23 St-Georges
- 24 Johnson
- 25 Speck
- 27 Bell
- 33 McLean
- 34 Manaka
- 44 Bova
- 51 Hancuff
- 77 Gomes
- 94 Pickett
- Head coach: Nahas