Japan’s World Cup knockout stage campaign just got significantly harder. Takefusa Kubo, the team’s star attacker, has been ruled out of Monday’s round-of-32 clash against Brazil due to a left-knee injury.
The match is set for June 29 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
What happened to Kubo
Kubo sustained the injury earlier in the tournament, and an MRI confirmed damage to his left knee. He has since been restricted to individual training, a clear signal that he won’t be fit to feature against Brazil.
The Real Sociedad forward has been a primary offensive outlet for Japan, particularly in transition play and set-piece scenarios. His absence forces Japan’s coaching staff into a tactical rethink, possibly relying more heavily on wing play through players like Junya Ito and Yukinari Sugawara, or looking to their midfield for control and creativity.
