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The story
Japan national team midfielder Takefusa Kubo took part in practice on the 22nd in Chiba ahead of the friendly against Uruguay (24th, Miyagi), switching his shirt number back from the “8” he wore at the North/Central American World Cup to his usual “20.” Kubo was injured in the Netherlands match at the World Cup and made just one appearance in the tournament; partly as a result, he’s lost his starting spot at Real Sociedad, missing out again in the Valencia match on the 20th. “Honestly, there’s nothing I can do about that,” he said, while adding, “I think I’ll get to play for the national team,” showing his determination to bounce back. On 5ch, opinions were split between those pointing out Kubo’s stalled development and those crediting his track record in La Liga.
Japan’s national team held training on the 22nd in Chiba ahead of a run of four straight domestic matches, starting with the friendly against Uruguay (24th, Miyagi). Midfielder Takefusa Kubo switched from the “8” he wore at the North/Central American World Cup back to his familiar “20.” “I’d always said the No. 8 was just for this World Cup,” he said, looking ahead to a fresh start with the national team.
At the World Cup, Kubo was injured in the opening group-stage match against the Netherlands and finished the tournament with just one appearance, leaving him unsatisfied. That injury has also taken a toll at his club, Real Sociedad, where he now finds himself fighting just to reclaim a starting spot. Asked about missing out again in the recent Valencia match on the 20th, he calmly accepted the situation: “Honestly, there’s nothing I can do about that. I think all I can do is my part.”
At the same time, he showed confidence in his own form. “I think I’ll get to play for the national team, so I hope people can see it then. My condition itself really isn’t a problem — it’s just about getting on the pitch,” he said, nodding, vowing to make his case in the upcoming national team matches.
Source: hochi.news / Original article here
What people said
he'll just end up injured again
but his results and ability are way too lacking, and he doesn't even have a position
these days he might've dropped to second-and-a-half-rate 🙄
miles above someone like Nakai…
Racking up 9 goals and 4 assists in La Liga at 21-22 years old was genuinely impressive
but he never developed from there and just went downhill
sounds like he's assuming he'll keep getting called up
but he has no luck
players who get hurt at the crucial moment are, without exception, unlucky players
being this unusable in matches puts him on the same level as Kakitani
no way, no way
Ono and Kakitani were both at a level where they couldn't even get on the pitch in La Liga
Ono had a good couple of years in the Netherlands, but after that he never really succeeded anywhere — even back in the J.League — and just retired
People used to say this guy could move to a top club, but he's given off a stagnant vibe for a long time now
Up until around age 22 there was a decent chance he could move to a top club
but his results and performances have declined over the 3 years since, so a top club is now completely off the table
just think of Sociedad as a club permanently stuck wandering 5th-8th place in Spain
why can't he even get on the pitch at Sociedad
he might be good at football, sure
but whether that helps the team win is a totally different story
if he goes down from a bit of contact he's not usable, especially if he's the type who wilts when challenged
because he doesn't (or can't) play combination football toward goal with his teammates
none of them are undisputed starters for a team fighting for the title in Spain or England
winning the World Cup means beating teams like Spain, France, England, or Argentina — squads stacked with players on that level
exactly this. Even having a Messi doesn't guarantee a title
and Japan doesn't have a Messi-class player anyway
plus Japan has no tactics that can win on the world stage
in other words, it's still just 'getting excited during qualifiers' level
he's just good at dribbling, that's not the same as being good at football
he scores every now and then though — doesn't that mean he's good at football…?
he's a dribbler with no burst of speed to blow past defenders, poor shot accuracy, and no ability to hold up the ball
if anything, you almost have to admire how he's survived this long in La Liga with all that
just stubborn
a winger for the Japan national team can't get anywhere just dawdling around holding the ball
you have to get in behind the defense first and then make your move
he must have watched Junya Ito play up close, but he clearly never learned a thing from it
got the technique, got the people skills
just never developed a football brain
Background and key points of this discussion
At the North/Central American World Cup, Kubo was injured in the match against the Netherlands and made just one appearance. That injury has taken its toll, and his situation at Real Sociedad has grown difficult, including being left out of the squad entirely for the recent Valencia match. On the other hand, Kubo recorded 9 goals and 4 assists in La Liga at age 21-22, an impressive track record for a Japanese player. In the thread, harsh assessments of his stalled development in recent years crossed paths with voices defending his standing on the national team based on his past achievements, age, and cap count — the discussion broadened beyond Kubo himself into a debate about how well Japan’s national team players as a whole can hold up at Europe’s top clubs.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Soccer] Takefusa Kubo, who has lost his starting spot at Real Sociedad, looks to bounce back with the national team: “I think I’ll get to play, so I’m happy”.”
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