Kuryu Matsuki

Japanese footballer

Kuryu Matsuki
松木 玖生
Matsuki with FC Tokyo in 2022
Personal information
Full name Kuryu Matsuki[1]
Date of birth (2003-04-30) 30 April 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Southampton
Number 27
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 5 (0)
2024–2025 → Göztepe (loan) 28 (2)
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 as of 18:09, 17 January 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals 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 EFL Championship 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]

On 12 August 2025, Matsuki made his debut for Southampton in a 1–0 away victory against Northampton Town in the EFL Cup after he replaced Damion Downs in the 63rd minute.[15][16] He scored his first goal for the club on 26 August in a 3–0 away victory against Norwich City in the EFL Cup.[17][18]

International career

Matsuki was called up to the Japan U-20 squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[19]

On 4 April 2024, Matsuki was called up to the Japan U23 squad for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.[20]

Career statistics

As of 17 January 2026[21][22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] 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[23] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2025–26[24] Championship 5 0 1 1 2 1 — 8 2
Total 5 0 1 1 2 1 — 8 2
Göztepe (loan) 2024–25 Süper Lig 28 2 6 4 — — 34 6
Career total 104 7 11 7 6 1 0 0 121 15

Honours

Japan U23

Individual

  • AFC Youth Player of the Year: 2023[26]

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?] (in Japanese). Yahoo! News. 23 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 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. ^ "Report: Fernandes strikes to secure cup progress". Southampton FC. 12 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Northampton Town 0–1 Southampton". BBC Sport. 12 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Report: Matsuki magic powers Saints into third round". Southampton FC. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Norwich City 0–3 Southampton". BBC Sport. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  19. ^ "U-20日本代表メンバー FIFA U-20ワールドカップアルゼンチン2023" [Japan U-20 national team for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023]. Japan Football Association. 8 May 2023.
  20. ^ "U-23日本代表 メンバー・スケジュール（4.6–5.4 カタール／ドーハ）AFC U23アジアカップ カタール2024" [U-23 Japan National Team Squad List (4.6–5.4 Qatar/Doha) AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024] (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. 4 April 2024.
  21. ^ Kuryu Matsuki at Soccerway
  22. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2023 Kuryu Matsuki Result by Season". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  23. ^ "Games played by Kuryu Matsuki in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Games played by Kuryu Matsuki in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  25. ^ "Japan edge Uzbekistan to lift second title". the-afc.com. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  26. ^ "Kuryu Matsuki, winner of the AFC Youth Player of the Year (Men) award, announcement". FC Tokyo. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  • Kuryu Matsuki at Soccerway
  • Kuryu Matsuki at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
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