Takefusa Kubo
A technically sublime winger whose dazzling footwork and vision made him Japan's most expensive football export and a La Liga star.
Born 2001 (age 25)·Japanese footballer·Birthday: June 4·Generation Z
Biography
Takefusa Kubo's story reads like a football fairy tale, beginning with a childhood move to Barcelona's famed La Masia academy. Though Spanish regulations forced his return to Japan, that formative training forged a player of rare elegance and creativity. His breakthrough at FC Tokyo was meteoric, leading to a high-profile move back to Spain with Real Madrid. Labelled the 'Japanese Messi' by hopeful fans, Kubo shouldered immense pressure during loan spells across La Liga, his slight frame and inventive playmaking on constant display. He found his true home at Real Sociedad, where his confidence blossomed; his dribbling, incisive passing, and crucial goals propelled the club into the Champions League and cemented his status as the creative engine for Japan's national team.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Takefusa was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Takefusa Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Takefusa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named La Liga's Player of the Month in September 2023 after a series of standout performances for Real Sociedad.
- Became the most expensive Japanese player in history upon his permanent transfer to Real Sociedad in 2022.
- Played a pivotal role in Real Sociedad's 2022-23 season, helping them secure a top-four La Liga finish and Champions League qualification.
- Won the AFC Asian Cup Young Player of the Tournament award in 2019.
Did You Know?
He spent five years in FC Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, as a child.
He made his professional debut for FC Tokyo at the age of 15 years and 5 months.
He is fluent in Spanish, having lived in Spain during his formative years.
He wears the number 14 jersey for Real Sociedad, a number famously associated with Johan Cruyff.
“I came back to Japan to play, but my mind is always on the next step.”
