Takefusa Kubo’s World Cup season began on a high note this weekend. The Japanese forward scored an important goal for Real Sociedad in their La Liga opener against Valencia. Kubo’s World Cup ambitions seem to fuel his performance as he helped his team secure a 1-1 draw at Mestalla Stadium.
Valencia took the lead early in the second half. Diego Lopez showed great determination, poking a long ball home to put his team ahead. However, Kubo quickly responded just three minutes later. He created space off a Brais Mendez layoff and fired a powerful shot from 20 meters out. The ball found the bottom right corner of the net, leveling the score for Sociedad.
Kubo admitted that his overall touch during the game was not perfect. Still, he valued the goal as a positive start to the season. He said, “My feel for the ball was somewhat not good, but it’s good to begin with a goal.” This goal marked the third time Kubo has scored in a league opener during his four seasons with Sociedad.
Under new coach Sergio Francisco, Sociedad hopes to improve on last season’s 11th-place finish. Kubo remains the focal point of the squad, especially after the club sold many of its key players. The 24-year-old is eager to build confidence and reach peak form ahead of the World Cup. He mentioned, “I think it’s best to build confidence here and head into the World Cup in good shape.”
Elsewhere in Europe, Japanese players also made headlines. In the Netherlands, Ayase Ueda scored a crucial equalizer for Feyenoord. His header in the 22nd minute helped his team come from behind to win 2-1 against Excelsior. This was Ueda’s second consecutive game scoring.
Additionally, Kento Shiogai had a standout performance for NEC Nijmegen. He came off the bench to score twice late in the game. His goals helped secure a remarkable 4-1 comeback victory over Heracles.
Overall, Kubo’s World Cup season has started brightly with his goal and confident play. Other Japanese stars have also contributed key moments, showing strong form as the international tournament approaches. Fans will be watching closely as these players prepare to represent their country on football’s biggest stage.
