Manaka Matsukubo

Manaka Matsukubo, a 22-year-old forward from Japan, has quickly made an impression in the NWSL, playing for North Carolina FC. In her budding career with the team, Matsukubo has already showcased her scoring prowess, with a remarkable goals per game rate of 1.23. This early achievement highlights her natural ability as a poacher, a player who excels at being in the right place at the right time to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Her xG per game stands at 0.69, underscoring her knack for getting into high-quality goal-scoring positions, despite facing tough competition in the league.

While Matsukubo's main contributions come in the form of goals, her aggressive offensive play is supplemented by significant involvement in other areas of the pitch. Averaging nearly five shots per game, she effectively keeps opposing defenses on their toes. Her capacity to progress the ball forward is evident with a progressive carrying distance of 82.9 meters per game and a passing distance of 183.92 meters, reflecting her ability not only to finish but to participate in team build-up play. Defensively, she is not passive; with 4.9 possession-adjusted interceptions per game, Manaka contributes to her team's efforts to regain control and maintain momentum. Although her challenge success rate is at 25%, her role as a forward primarily emphasizes attack and goal scoring. As a promising talent with an estimated transfer value of €526K, she ranks fifth in playmaking among her peers, with a bright future ahead as she continues to develop her skill set in the world's most competitive league.