Japan drew 2-2 with the Netherlands, while Takefusa Kubo's withdrawal due to injury caused concern. Former Japanese international Keisuke Honda said: "I am very concerned about Takefusa Kubo's injury."
In a FIFA World Cup Group F group-stage match at the 2026 North American World Cup, Japan drew 2-2 with the Netherlands at Dallas Stadium. Japan, currently ranked 18th by FIFA, twice fell behind and twice equalized, securing a valuable point. Facing the Netherlands, a top-ten side ranked 8th, Japan prevented their opponent from taking all three points. However, Japan suffered an unexpected setback in the 30th minute of the second half when midfielder Takefusa Kubo was substituted due to injury.
In the 26th minute of the second half, Kubo collided with an opponent on the left flank, taking a heavy blow to his left knee. After leaving the field, he jogged briefly to assess his condition, but then requested a substitution and sat near the sideline.
Forward Koki Ogawa, who came on for Takefusa Kubo, scored with a powerful header from a corner kick near the end of the match. The ball touched midfielder Daichi Kamada before going into the net, as Japan equalized for the second time. After the goal, Takefusa Kubo also ran over to celebrate with Koki Ogawa, but his left knee was tightly wrapped with an ice pack, and he could only move by hopping on one leg.
Japan's coach Hajime Moriyasu also said in a post-match interview, "An unexpected situation occurred." After Japan came back from the brink of zero points to secure a draw, a large number of posts praising the team appeared on social media, but concerns about Takefusa Kubo also quickly grew, including "only worried about Takefusa Kubo," "hope it's just a minor injury," and "praying for the safety of Japan's treasure, Takefusa Kubo." Words like "worried" and "uneasy" appeared repeatedly.
Keisuke Honda, who served as a commentator for British media, also spoke about Takefusa Kubo's situation: "I am very worried about Take. If he cannot play in the next match, the excellent substitute Junya Ito will have to start." He also recognized the potential impact of this injury.