He wasn’t the team’s top scorer or top assist, but Takefusa Kubo has been named Real Sociedad’s player of the season.

The club announced on Wednesday that Kubo has been named its own MVP for the 2022-2023 season.

Kubo was one of the key players who helped Sociedad finish fourth in Spanish La Liga and qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL). In the past, the team has relied on left-footed breaks from the right flank that were easily blocked. This season, head coach Imanol Alguacil has moved Gubo forward as a right winger or striker, adjusting his role to be more efficient with more concise link-up play and finishing. As a result, Gubo, who had previously scored four goals in a season, has nine goals and four assists this season.

The simple numbers of goals and offensive points are not impressive. His strike partner, Alexander Sørlott, has scored more goals with 12 and three assists. There were also contributions from Mikel Merino (2 goals, 9 assists), the league’s assist leader, and senior midfielder David Silva (2 goals, 5 assists), the team’s biggest star. But it was Kubo who made a big splash in Spain, appearing on many media outlets’ best lineups across the league.스포츠토토

Kubo, who has been a childhood rival of Lee’s since he was a youngster and once played with him in Mallorca, has grown into a player all of Spain has been watching this season. Lee has also garnered a lot of attention during the same time, as he has single-handedly led Mallorca’s midfield.

Gubo is likely to stay at Sociedad next season and challenge for the UCL. It’s a different story for Lee, who is likely to leave the club.