Manaka Matsukubo

Manaka Matsukubo
松窪 真心
Manaka Matsukubo
Manaka with the North Carolina Courage in 2024
Personal information
Full name Manaka Matsukubo
Date of birth (2004-07-28) 28 July 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Japan[1]
Height 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward / attacking midfielder[2]
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 21 (3)
International career‡
2019 Japan U16
2022–2024 Japan U20 16 (7)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Japan
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Runner-up Colombia 2024
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:21, 6 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:21, 6 October 2024 (UTC)

Manaka Matsukubo (松窪 真心, Matsukubo Manaka, born 28 July 2004) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She helped lead Japan to the final of the 2022 and 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cups, receiving the Silver Ball at the latter tournament.

Club career

Mynavi Sendai

Manaka 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 Manaka on loan from Mynavi Sendai through June 2024.[3] She made her first NWSL appearance on 27 August 2023.[5] With the Courage, Matsukubo became the youngest player to start a game in the NWSL Challenge Cup and the youngest to score.[4] She scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory over Racing Louisville in the Challenge Cup final on 9 September, being named the most valuable player of the match.[6][7][8] Manaka scored her first NWSL regular-season goal the next week in a 2–1 loss to the Orlando Pride.[9] On the final matchday of 2023, she assisted Tyler Lussi in a 1–0 win over the Washington Spirit that clinched the Courage's spot in the playoffs.[10]

On 27 June 2024, Manaka was signed by the Courage permanently through 2025.[11]

International career

Youth national team

Manaka played for Japan's under-20 side during the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022,[12] scoring one goal as Japan made it to the final.

She was called up to play at the 2024 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup scored 3 goals, but she left early to return to her club.[13]

She was selected for her second U-20 Women's World Cup in 2024.[14] In the semifinals, she scored both of the goals in a 2–0 victory over the Netherlands.[15] In this world cup she received the Silver Ball, and scored 3 goals.

Senior national team

Manaka received her first call-up to Japan's full team in October 2024.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 5 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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
North Carolina Courage 2024 NWSL 14 2 — — 14 2
Total 21 3 — 2 1 23 4
Career Total 79 37 5 3 2 1 84 41
  1. ^ Includes Empress's Cup
  2. ^ 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

  1. ^ "松窪 真心 (in Japanese) - MATSUKUBO Manaka". JFA, Japan. 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  2. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (22 May 2024). "NWSL U-19 ranking: Shaw, Moultrie lead best young players". ESPN. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Courage acquire Japanese midfielder Manaka Matsukubo". North Carolina Courage. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b Needelman, Josh (9 September 2023). "NWSL Challenge Cup MVP: Manaka Matsukubo makes history". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  5. ^ Cascone, Arianna (10 October 2023). "How 19-year-old Manaka Matsukubo is already lighting up the NWSL – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Courage defend NWSL Challenge Cup with win over Racing Louisville". CBC.ca. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  7. ^ "NC Courage win 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup as Kerolin, Matsukubo put on a show". Pro Soccer Wire. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Recap: Courage grind out road win Sunday, earn home playoff bout". North Carolina Courage. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Courage extends Manaka through 2025". North Carolina Courage. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "Japan 1-0 Spain Quarter Final FIFA U20 Women's World Cup Colombia 2024". FIFA. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  15. ^ Manaka Matsukubo at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata
  16. ^ "Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) squad & schedule - MIZUHO BLUE DREAM MATCH 2024 vs Korea Republic Women's National Team (10/26＠Tokyo)". Japan Football Association. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
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