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The story
Actress Haruka Fukuhara and Japan national team midfielder Takefusa Kubo announced their marriage on October 2. In their first major public appearance since the announcement, Fukuhara turned up to watch the Kirin Cup final against New Zealand on the 5th, and it became an instant talking point. Once word got out that she was wearing a black cap, Kubo’s No. 20 jersey, and a ring on her left hand, the 5ch thread filled up with a mix of congratulatory messages, harsh critiques of Kubo’s actual play on the field, and teasing jabs — a thread where well-wishes and snark sat side by side.
October 5, 2026, 20:25
[Kirin Cup: Japan vs. New Zealand (October 5, 2026, MUFG National Stadium)] The Japan national team (ranked 17th by FIFA) took on New Zealand (ranked 86th) on the 5th in the final of the four-team knockout Kirin Cup. Actress Haruka Fukuhara (28), who announced her marriage to midfielder Takefusa Kubo (25, Real Sociedad) on the 2nd, rushed to the stadium to cheer on her husband.
Fukuhara showed up wearing a black cap and the No. 20 jersey that Kubo wears on the pitch. A ring sparkled on the ring finger of her left hand.
Source: sponichi.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
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Other sports have family members showing up to watch all the time too, that's totally normal
That's rotten
Re: #24
That's just the arm of the guy standing above her lol
Even showbiz belongs to soccer now
Baseball's got nothing but no-name players left anyway
Nobody even watches the WBC anymore lol
There's barely any Samurai Japan baseball games to speak of lol
so that when he subbed in
the crowd could cheer 'Mai-chaaan!' from the stands — that would've been perfect
Your merch is getting dumped on resale sites left and right
Tons of fans are bailing because of the marriage
Soccer just keeps getting dumber and dumber lol
Same story in Spain the whole time
Starting Kubo is basically a handicap at this point
Does she have any identity beyond Mai-chan?
Rin-chan
Miss Mai-chan
Background and Key Points of This Story
Haruka Fukuhara and Takefusa Kubo announced their marriage on October 2, 2026, and this Kirin Cup final (Japan vs. New Zealand) was the first time the two were seen together on a large public scale since then. The Kirin Cup is a four-team knockout tournament, with Japan ranked 17th by FIFA against New Zealand’s 86th. While the thread was mostly congratulations and good-natured teasing, there were also harsh takes on Kubo’s actual performance — some argued his play had dropped off since the marriage, while others countered that he’d gotten the same criticism in Spain long before this. There were also cautious voices pushing back on tying the marriage directly to his form. Two things easy to miss on a skim: ‘Mai-chan’ is an affectionate nickname from Fukuhara’s debut role, not an insult, and the thread’s read on Kubo’s play is just an impression from one match, not proof of any real cause and effect.
*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geisports Speed+) thread “[Mai-chan] Haruka Fukuhara shows up at Japan’s match! Cheers on husband Takefusa Kubo from the stands — ring sparkles on her left hand & wears Kubo’s No. 20 jersey [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”
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