Kuryu Matsuki

Kuryu Matsuki
松木 玖生
Personal information
Full name Kuryu Matsuki[1]
Date of birth (2003-04-30) 30 April 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Göztepe
(on loan from Southampton)
Number 7
Youth career
2010–2015 Muroran Osawa FC
2016–2018 Aomori Yamada Junior High School
2019–2021 Aomori Yamada High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2024 FC Tokyo 71 (5)
2024– Southampton 0 (0)
2024– → Göztepe (loan) 11 (1)
International career‡
2018 Japan U15
2019 Japan U16
2020 Japan U17
2023– Japan U20 8 (3)
2021– Japan U23 12 (3)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Japan
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Uzbekistan Team
Gold medal – first place 2024 Qatar Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:36, 7 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 05:46, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

Kuryu Matsuki (松木 玖生, Matsuki Kuryu, born 30 April 2003) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Süper Lig club Göztepe on loan from Premier League club Southampton.

Club career

Early career

Born in Muroran, Hokkaido, Matsuki followed in his older brother's footsteps by joining local side Muroran Osawa FC.[3]

Matsuki trained with French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais in 2021.[4] Following this trial, he returned to Japan to lift the 2021 All Japan High School Soccer Tournament for Aomori Yamada High School, scoring in both the semi-final and final.[5]

FC Tokyo

Initially set to move to Europe to pursue a professional career, it was announced that Matsuki would sign for J1 League side FC Tokyo ahead of the 2022 season.[6][7] Matsuki stated that a major influence on his decision to stay in Japan was current FC Tokyo player Yuto Nagatomo, who also started his career with Tokyo before moving to Europe.[8]

In November 2023, Matsuki was named AFC Youth Player of the Year following an impressive season for FC Tokyo as well as captaining the national U-20 team.[9][10]

Southampton

On 30 July 2024, Matsuki joined Premier League club Southampton on a four-year contract;[11] he was subsequently sent on loan to Turkish side Göztepe for the 2024–25 season.[11][12] Matsuki made his first appearance for Göztepe on 23 September 2024 in a 1–1 draw with Alanyaspor after he replaced Isaac Solet in the 79th minute.[13] On 10 November 2024, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 victory against Konyaspor.[14]

Career statistics

As of 7 December 2024[15][16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FC Tokyo 2022 J1 League 31 2 0 0 0 0 — 31 2
2023 J1 League 22 1 3 1 3 0 — 28 2
2024 J1 League 18 2 1 1 1 0 — 20 3
Total 71 5 4 2 4 0 — 79 7
Southampton 2024–25[17] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Göztepe (loan) 2024–25 Süper Lig 11 1 0 0 — — 11 1
Career total 82 6 4 2 4 0 0 0 90 8

Honours

Japan U23

Individual

  • AFC Youth Player of the Year: 2023[19]

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Japan (JPN)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 15. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Kuryu Matsuki" (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  3. ^ "【サッカー魂 冬の頂点へ④】「諦めない心」今の力に 室蘭旧大沢小出身・松木玖生選手" [[Soccer soul to the top of winter ④] "A heart that never gives up" Muroran's former Osawa elementary school student, Kuryu Matsuki]. muromin.jp (in Japanese). 19 December 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2022. (subscription required)
  4. ^ "日媒：青森山田18岁松木玖生可能留洋法甲，曾被评价强过柴崎岳" [Japanese media: Aomori Yamada’s 18-year-old Kuryu Matsuki may stay in the French Ligue 1, and has been evaluated as stronger than Shibaizaki]. 163.com (in Japanese). 18 June 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ "3年間で通算15試合10得点。"選手権の申し子"青森山田MF松木玖生は日本一でフィナーレを飾る" [A total of 15 games and 10 goals in 3 years. "Championship student" Aomori Yamada midfielder Kuryu Matsuki will be the best in Japan for the finale]. web.gekisaka.jp (in Japanese). 10 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  6. ^ "松木玖生選手インタビュー" [Interview with Kuryu Matsuki]. news.fctokyo.co.jp (in Japanese). 14 December 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  7. ^ "青森山田・松木玖生はプロで活躍できるか 古川陽介との違い、成功の鍵と最低条件とは？" [Can Aomori Yamada and Kuryu Matsuki play an active role as professionals? What is the key to success and the minimum requirements, unlike Yosuke Furukawa?]. news.yahoo.co.jp (in Japanese). 23 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  8. ^ ""急転""異例"のFC東京加入内定 松木玖生の決断にあった「肌感覚」と「長友佑都」" ["Sudden turn" "unusual" FC Tokyo unofficial decision "Skin sensation" and "Yuto Nagatomo" decided by Kuo Matsuki]. soccer-king.jp (in Japanese). 12 October 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  9. ^ "F.C.Tokyo's Kuryu Matsuki named AFC Youth Player of the Year | News". J.LEAGUE. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  10. ^ "AFC Youth Player of the Year (Men) 2022: Kuryu Matsuki". the-AFC. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Saints complete deal for Matsuki". Southampton FC. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  12. ^ Yeniev, Evren (30 July 2024). "Kuryu Matsuki Göztepe'mizde". Göztepe Spor Kulübü (in Turkish). Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Alanyaspor 1–1 Göztepe". BBC Sport. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Göztepe 2–0 Konyaspor". BBC Sport. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  15. ^ Kuryu Matsuki at Soccerway
  16. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2023 Kuryu Matsuki Result by Season". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Games played by Kuryu Matsuki in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Japan edge Uzbekistan to lift second title". www.the-afc.com. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Kuryu Matsuki, winner of the AFC Youth Player of the Year (Men) award, announcement". FC Tokyo. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2024.