Takefusa Kubo signed for Real Madrid from FC Tokyo back in the summer of 2019. At the time, he was one of football’s highest-rated prospects and was fondly called the ‘Japanese Messi.’
Despite earning the move to Madrid, however, the youngster never really got a chance to break into the first-team setup due to the Non-EU slots being fully occupied.
A series of loan spells later, he finally signed for Real Sociedad in the summer of 2022 for a fee of around €6.5 million and has been linked to Liverpool in recent months.
Speaking to France Football (h/t Mundo Deportivo) in a recent interview, the former Real Madrid star recalled the time when he made the move to the Spanish capital and how it felt to train alongside the best in the business.
“I was playing with my teammates in Japan and suddenly I’m training at the best club in the world. It’s another universe.”
Staying in his memories of Real Madrid, the youngster recalled how even training sessions with the Merengues involved unreal stress and pressure, especially for a young player.
“I was very stressed in every training with possession, in every exercise, so as not to lose the ball.”
“I had to prove my worth, this pressure did me good. Given my position as a non-EU player, Madrid could not register me and I had to leave on loan,” he added on his struggles.
Finally, the youngster was asked to comment on his long route out of Madrid which included loan spells at Mallorca, Villarreal and Getafe.
“The loans were difficult. I don’t blame the clubs because in reality, everything depended on me.
“In the end, it eventually helped me. I loved playing in Mallorca. Then in Getafe, for example, I learned to cut pass lines, to defend,” he added.