Tokyo's title ambitions all but extinguished
Despite leading the league for 20 straight rounds from Round 8 — and retaking the top spot for one more week after Round 31 — FC Tokyo is almost certain to settle for second place when the final whistle is blown on Saturday at ...
A lack of ruthlessness in front of the goal proved costly for Japan's Olympic hopefuls on Sunday as they lost 2-0 to Colombia in an under-22 friendly. Headlined by senior national team regulars Takefusa Kubo and Ritsu Doan, Hajime Moriyasu's side created several scoring opportunities ...
Moriyasu relies heavily on overseas players
The Samurai Blue are coming from increasingly far away. Head coach Hajime Moriyasu's squad for Japan's Thursday friendly against Paraguay and next Tuesday's Asian joint qualifier at Myanmar in Yangon features 19 Europe-based players — the largest overseas contingent ever summoned for the side. The number ...
Mallorca's Takefusa Kubo has uneventful debut in loss against Valencia
Young playmaker Takefusa Kubo made his debut for Mallorca in the Spanish first division in an anticlimactic 2-0 loss at Valencia on Sunday Kubo, who was loaned to Mallorca this season from Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid late last month, entered as a substitute in the ...
FC Tokyo preparing to embark on grueling stretch of matches away from home stadium
Japanese media have called it "the road of death." After Dec. 7, it may be remembered as the path to glory. If FC Tokyo are to win the J. League's first division, they will do so having survived one of the most grueling campaigns in league ...
J. League clubs, players learning to deal with farewells
It's rarely easy to say goodbye. That's especially so in the J. League, where the celebration of players leaving to go overseas has turned into an annual event — along with a never-ending debate over whether much of it is deserved. The honor guards, the video ...
Takefusa Kubo's J. League stint ends with unexpected climax
Japan's next great hope has taken his next big step. Takefusa Kubo, the 18-year-old midfielder expected to feature for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics and for the Samurai Blue across many years beyond that, is officially returning to Europe, four years after FIFA sanctions forced ...
Ascendant star playmaker Takefusa Kubo is departing FC Tokyo for a move to Spanish giant Real Madrid, it was announced on Friday. Just days after making his Japan national team debut on Sunday against El Salvador in a pre-Copa America friendly in Rifu, Miyagi Prefecture, ...
Kensuke Nagai brace leads Japan past El Salvador as Takefusa Kubo earns first cap
Kensuke Nagai scored his first goals for Japan on Sunday in a 2-0 friendly victory over El Salvador as 18-year-old Takefusa Kubo made his highly anticipated national team debut. Nagai, earning his first cap for Japan in four years, scored in the 19th and 41st ...
Japan comes up empty in scoreless draw with Trinidad and Tobago
Japan showed plenty of attacking energy but was foiled by Trinidad and Tobago 'keeper Marvin Phillip in Wednesday's scoreless draw. Although fans at Toyota Stadium were denied a national team debut from 18-year-old wunderkind Takefusa Kubo, who was left off the bench, Japan, ranked 26th ...
Takefusa Kubo's pathway to Europe coming into focus
I last wrote about FC Tokyo midfielder Takefusa Kubo in this column a little over three months ago, reflecting on his impressive performance against reigning champion Kawasaki Frontale on the J. League's opening day. He's only gotten better, netting four goals and making an additional ...
Takefusa Kubo steers FC Tokyo past Oita Trinita
If Saturday turns out to have been Takefusa Kubo's last game for FC Tokyo, no one can accuse him of failing to make the most of it. The 17-year-old helped set up Kento Hashimoto's opener before netting what turned out to be decider on a ...
