The world’s oldest footballer, Kazuyoshi Miura, has signed a loan deal with J.League side Fukushima United ahead of his 59th birthday in February.
Miura, known as ‘King Kazu’ in his native Japan, has not played in the J.League, the top three divisions of Japanese professional football, for five years but a contract until June from J2 League side Yokohama FC has been agreed with third division outfit Fukushima.
"My passion for football hasn't changed, no matter how old I get," Miura, who has set his sights on playing until he was 60, said.
"I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity. I promise I will play with everything I have to make a contribution. Let's make history together!"
The veteran striker started his career at Brazilian club Santos in 1986 and is now heading into his 41st season as a professional footballer.
Miura made 89 appearances for Japan, scoring 55 goals, in an international career which lasted until 2000. The striker was famously dropped for his country’s first World Cup appearance in 1998 in France.
He was on loan at fourth-tier club Atletico Suzuka last year, failing to score in 69 minutes across seven appearances, and his upcoming stint will be his fourth loan since 2022. He has not featured for parent club Yokohama since 2020.
Miura previously played club football in Italy, Croatia and Australia, featuring for the likes of Genoa, Dinamo Zagreb and Sydney FC.
Additional reporting by Reuters
