Takefusa Kubo: position and style of play

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Against the backdrop of Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool contract expiring in 2025, the Premier League club has been linked with a move for Takefusa Kubo. Stepping into Salah’s boots would be a tall order, but Kubo has already shouldered the pressure of being labelled the ‘Japanese Messi’ by excitable fans and media. Indeed, in his nascent career he has already been involved with some of the biggest clubs in world football.

Born in Kawasaki, Japan, in 2001, he was invited to join Barcelona’s youth academy at the age of just 10 years old. Three years into his time at the famed La Masia, Barcelona were found to have violated FIFA’s international transfer policy for under-18 players, meaning Kubo had to return to Japan. Back home, he continued to shine, becoming the youngest player to score in the J.League when, at 15 years and 10 months, he netted in the third tier for FC Tokyo’s Under-23s.

A move back to Spain followed in 2019 – this time to Real Madrid – with loan moves to Mallorca (twice), Villarreal and Getafe helping him to gain experience. With 94 La Liga appearances under his belt, he signed permanently for Real Sociedad in 2022, where he was named their 2022/23 Player of the Season. Internationally, he started in Japan’s 2022 World Cup wins over Germany and Spain.

Below, our UEFA-licensed coaches have analysed Kubo’s game…

Technical analysis

Kubo is a versatile, left-footed attacking player, who has often played on the right side of attack. A strong dribbler, he has also played other roles and positions across the front line during his multiple loan moves in La Liga.

The Sociedad man is adept at beating opponents and progressing the ball up the pitch. He looks to receive inside the opposition half when he is static, especially in the final third. Once he has slowed down his direct opponent, he can then utilise his excellence across the first five yards. Explosive touches, rapid acceleration and, when required, deceptive touches and body movements all contribute to his impressive 1v1 ability.

Kubo uses disguised touches well, to evade an oncoming press. He can chop inside on to his stronger left foot, feinting slightly to his right side moments before. This feint can shift the body weight of his direct opponent as they press, just enough to make it harder for them to react to Kubo’s disguised touch back across.

Evading pressure

Many opponents have tried to force Kubo on to his right foot. Here, they approach him and the ball differently, with slightly more aggression. But when an opponent has tried to lock him to the touchline, he can use a dinked touch over their leg – similar to the way Lionel Messi has attacked opponents as a right winger. This touch helps Kubo evade an outward press and attack around the outside of his opponent (below). He has also used this to attack inside if needed, again lifting the ball over any trailing leg.

When attacking from wide on the right, Kubo is comfortable delivering crosses for his teammates. On his stronger left foot, he has great versatility. He can whip in inswinging deliveries with pace and purpose, but also has the technical qualities to dink or deftly lift balls over the back line. After cutting inside, he can slide balls through or over, from the right inside channel (below). He is particularly dangerous in this area of the pitch, where his chance creation and ability to break the opposing back line continue to improve.

One area he can still work on is the variety and consistency of crossing on his non-dominant right foot. As he continues to dribble around the outside of opponents so frequently, this would add another dimension to his all-round game.

Body shape

Kubo’s attacking play benefits from the positive way he receives the ball. He has the bravery to face forward as long as possible before his first touch, even between the lines. This positive body shape allows him to get at his opponent earlier, and not let them get into a set, defensive body shape. Kubo then has an upper hand as he looks to dribble, combine or create. Even when opponents mark him touch-tight, he can explode away off his first touch – depending on the quality of pass into him – while using his body to bounce off his opponent.

Goals

In terms of goal threat, Kubo had yet to return double figures for either goals or assists in a single La Liga season, up to and including 2023/24. In 2022/23, though, he did register nine goals and seven assists, followed by seven goals and four assists in 2023/24.

Many of his goals have come from counter-attacks. He particularly benefits from left-to-right switches, or attacking moves in this direction across the pitch where he can add the final touch. He finishes well across the goal after cutting inside, but has also used a notable, disguised effort to the near post (below). This often catches defenders and goalkeepers out; they expect the shot across goal, before he reverses the ball to the near post.

Right winger

For most of his career, Kubo has attacked from the right side. At Real Sociedad, between 2022 and 2024, he operated on the right within a 4-3-3 structure. Movements from the central midfield in particular allowed him to attack the opposition full-back 1v1, utilising his dribbling.

In this shape, Sociedad’s number eights would make forward runs, or position themselves high against a set block. On the right side, the corresponding number eight would be in the space around the opponents’ left centre-back, with Mikel Oyarzabal on the right centre-back. This prevented Kubo from receiving against a 2v1 overload, as both centre-backs were occupied (below).

Right-back Hamari Traoré then supported by either underlapping (above) or overlapping Kubo, depending on which way the winger attacked his direct opponent. Other teammates would provide inside-channel support and runs from deep for Kubo to combine with. This support also dragged markers into new spaces, creating further gaps for Kubo to dribble into.

With similar movements and patterns occurring on the opposite side of the pitch, left-sided attacks could work their way across to Kubo at the far post. He could then provide secondary support by putting the ball back across the penalty area, or finishing at the back post.

Central role

Kubo has also played in a central role for Sociedad, as part of a 4-4-2 diamond structure. There, he has played as the number 10 – linking the play into the front line – and also as a secondary striker around the more traditional centre-forward presence of Alexander Sørloth or Oyarzabal. Either way, Kubo has demonstrated his ability to attack from a position between the lines, receiving under heavy pressure and linking well with those around him. Although his dribbling is reduced in this role, he has still managed to attack 1v1, working away from pressure and progressing the ball with nimble carries.

Kubo’s link-up play between the lines with David Silva was a notable aspect of his attacking in central areas. He would drop short and into the right inside channel (below). Silva, at the head of the midfield diamond, supported with clever movements and passing combinations, while the number eights and overlapping full-backs joined from wide.

With Kubo flexible between the lines – and the likes of Silva rotating with him – the Japan international would also move wide to receive, allowing central midfielders to take up advanced positions. Sociedad attacked in a slightly offset manner, committing more numbers to their right side, with Sørloth or Oyarzabal as a temporary central forward. From there, he would dribble and cross, moving back into central spaces during organised passages of play.

Kubo’s progress in La Liga has led to Liverpool’s reported interest. Given his experiences with Barcelona and Real Madrid, no one could forgive him for thinking twice about moving to another European giant. And yet, with each passing year, he appears more equipped to handle the biggest stages.

To learn more about the technical and tactical aspects of football, and gain insights from coaches at the top of the game, visit CV Academy

Author: The Coaches' Voice