Manaka Matsukubo, #34
Pronunciation: “mah-nah-kuh MATT-soo-koo-bow”
Position: FWD
Height: 5-1
Birthday: 7/28/04
Hometown (Affiliation): Kagoshima, Japan (JAPAN)
College: N/A
NWSL Experience: 3rd Year
Acquired: via loan from Mynavi Sendai on July 27, 2023
2024: Courage exercised the option to make Manaka’s loan permenant in June, signing the player to a two-year extension… played 1,051 minutes across 17 appearances, scoing two goals and adding one assist… cretaed 15 chances, won 56 duels and completed 11 dribbles. Summer Cup: Played 159 minutes, scoring one goal and creating eight chances.
2023: Joined the team on loan in July from Mynavi Sendai of the Japanese WE League… appeared in and started six games, logging 481 minutes, one goal and one assist… created three chances… won 56.8% of duels and 66.7% of tackles… completed 76.6% of passes. Challenge Cup: Named final MVP after scoring to put the Courage up 2-0… appeared in two games, both of which were starts, logging 143 minutes… won 50% of duels and completed 84.2% of passes.
Prior to Courage: Made professional debut on March 5, 2023… scored five goals and added an assist in 12 appearances in the 2022-23 WE League season as a first-year pro.
International: Extensive experience with JFA youth system, up to the U-20 level… competed in FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022. Led Japan to silver medal at U-20 World Cup, winning the silver ball as the second-best player at the tournament… earned first senior call-up in October 2024.
Media: How 19-year-old Manaka Matsukubo is already lighting up the NWSL (Equalizer), Matsukubo: Winning is our only target now (FIFA), Why a teenage phenom has NC Courage believing they can win more NWSL championships (News&Observer), Jackson, Matsukubo reflect on U-20 World Cup experience (Courage).
