Takefusa Kubo #8

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A huge talent, often dubbed “the Japanese Messi”. Kubo was talent spotted by Barcelona at the age of eight, and joined their La Masia academy at 10. In 2023 he revealed how hard the experience had been, saying: “There were a lot of kids with strong personalities at school and in the dorms, so I tried not to get lost in the crowd, or rather, I thought that if I was looked down upon even a little, it would be the end, so even though I was small I tried my best not to lose, but I still got punched by bigger kids. I can't really say much, but it was a really tough environment.” His progress there was halted, anyway, when the club was found to have violated Fifa international transfer policy for Under-18s. Instead he developed at FC Tokyo before returning to Spain with Real Madrid in 2019. His ability to draw in defenders with sharp, explosive dribbling makes him a huge threat, and he is equally potent as a playmaker, delivering decisive final passes. He has plenty of self-confidence too, saying recently: “I’m not just good with the ball at my feet – I think I’m good at football as a whole.” This summer is a chance to showcase his talents on a global stage, with clubs in England tracking his progress.

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