Manaka Matsukubo
_34_(cropped).jpg) Manaka with the North Carolina Courage in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manaka Matsukubo | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 July 2004 | ||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | → North Carolina Courage (loan) | 18 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024– | North Carolina Courage | 19 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Japan U16 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Japan U20 | 16 | (7) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Japan | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23 February 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
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) and the Japan national team.
She helped lead Japan to runner-up finishes at the 2022 and 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cups and received 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 the following June.[3] She made her NWSL debut on 27 August 2023, starting in a draw against the Chicago Red Stars.[5] On 6 September, she started in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup semifinal against the Kansas City Current, becoming the youngest player in the start a game in the tournament.[4] Three days later, she started in the final against Racing Louisville and scored the second goal of the 2–0 victory.[6] She was the youngest player to score in the competition and was named MVP of the title game.[4] Head coach Sean Nahas called her a "star in the making" after the game.[7] The following week, she scored her first regular-season goal against the Orlando Pride.[8] On 15 October, she assisted Tyler Lussi's winner against the Washington Spirit on the final matchday of the season, clinching a playoff berth for the Courage.[9]
On 27 June 2024, Manaka was signed by the Courage permanently through the 2025 season.[10] On 7 July, she scored her first goal of the season when she chipped Racing Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund from distance, earning a nomination for NWSL Goal of the Week.[11][12] On 5 October, after returning from the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, she set up a goal for Aline Gomes and scored the game winner against the San Diego Wave, clinching a playoff berth and winning NWSL Goal of the Week for her header on a deflected cross from Ryan Williams.[13][14]
Manaka scored her first NWSL brace on 17 May 2025, bagging both goals in the win over the Chicago Stars, and was named the NWSL Player of the Week.[15] On 21 June, she assisted Hannah Betfort's winner against the Houston Dash, becoming the second-youngest NWSL player, after Trinity Rodman, to record goal contributions in five consecutive regular-season games (four goals and three assists).[16]
International career
Youth
Manaka played for Japan's under-20 side during the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022,[17] 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, scoring 3 goals, but she left early to return to her club.[18]
She was selected for her second FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2024.[19] In the semifinals, she scored both goals in a 2–0 victory over the Netherlands.[20] She scored three goals in all at the tournament and received the Silver Ball as its second-best player.
Senior
Manaka received her first senior call-up to Japan in October 2024.[21] She made her senior international debut on 20 February 2025, coming on as a substitute for Maika Hamano during a 4–0 win against Australia at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.[20]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 5 October 2024
| 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 | ||
- ^ Includes Empress's Cup
- ^ Includes Nadeshiko League Cup, NWSL Challenge Cup
Honours
JFA Academy Fukushima
- Nadeshiko Challenge League: 2020
- Nadeshiko League 2: 2021
North Carolina Courage
Japan
Individual
- NWSL Challenge Cup final MVP: 2023
- WE League Outstanding Player Award: 2022–23
References
- ^ "松窪 真心 (in Japanese) - MATSUKUBO Manaka". JFA, Japan. 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ Kassouf, Jeff (22 May 2024). "NWSL U-19 ranking: Shaw, Moultrie lead best young players". ESPN. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Courage acquire Japanese midfielder Manaka Matsukubo". North Carolina Courage. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Needelman, Josh (9 September 2023). "NWSL Challenge Cup MVP: Manaka Matsukubo makes history". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Cascone, Arianna (10 October 2023). "How 19-year-old Manaka Matsukubo is already lighting up the NWSL – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "Courage defend NWSL Challenge Cup with win over Racing Louisville". CBC.ca. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Recap: Courage grind out road win Sunday, earn home playoff bout". North Carolina Courage. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "Courage extends Manaka through 2025". North Carolina Courage. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "Recap: Courage down Racing Louisville, 3-1, Sunday". North Carolina Courage. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ National Women's Soccer League [@NWSL] (8 July 2024). "We're back with Goal of the Week for Week 16!" (Tweet) – via Twitter. {{Cite tweet}}: |date= / |number= mismatch (help)
- ^ "Clinched: Courage beat Wave to punch playoff ticket". North Carolina Courage. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ National Women's Soccer League [@NWSL] (8 October 2024). "Manaka makes her mark! 🔥" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Manaka Matsukubo Named AT&T NWSL Player of the Week". North Carolina Courage. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ Schnittker, Nicholas (26 June 2025). "Manaka's magic moment: Courage's young superstar shines bright in recent weeks". North Carolina Courage. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Japan 1-0 Spain Quarter Final FIFA U20 Women's World Cup Colombia 2024". FIFA. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ a b Manaka Matsukubo at Soccerway
- ^ "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.
External links
- Manaka Matsukubo at Soccerway.com
- Manaka Matsukubo at WorldFootball.net
- Manaka Matsukubo at kicker (in German)