At 58, still chasing goals: 'King Kazu' vows to prove age is just a number

Kazuyoshi Miura is not ready to fade away. At 58, the former Japan international striker has vowed to show he still belongs on the football pitch as he prepares for an extraordinary 41st professional season, extending a career that began nearly four decades ago.

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Popularly known as “King Kazu,” Miura has joined third-division side Fukushima United on a six-month loan ahead of the new Japanese season, which kicks off in early February. The move brings him back into the J. League structure for the first time in five years and underlines his refusal to let age dictate the end of his playing days.




Speaking at his official unveiling in Tokyo on Friday, Miura said he was determined to repay the faith shown in him by his new club. “Strikers can score goals in bunches or they can go through dry spells, and you have to have an image in your mind of scoring goals,” he told reporters. “It’s difficult to put a number on it but I definitely want to score and assist.”

Still brimming with ambition, Miura added that he wants to contribute in multiple ways. “I’d like to dribble down the left wing and whip in crosses,” he said, offering a glimpse of the attacking intent that has defined his long career.


Miura made his professional debut in 1986 with Brazilian giants Santos and has since played across the globe, turning out for clubs in Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He was a central figure in popularising football in Japan, particularly after the launch of the professional J. League in 1993.

Last season, Miura featured for fourth-tier Atletico Suzuka, making eight appearances without scoring as the club was relegated after finishing second from bottom and losing a playoff. Despite the setback, he remains undeterred.

Miura, who earned 89 caps and scored 55 goals for Japan but was famously omitted from their 1998 World Cup squad, summed up his motivation simply: “I just want to be on the pitch, even for just one minute or one second longer.”