Japanese football legend Kazuyoshi Miura continues to defy expectations at 59 years old, extending a professional career that began in 1986 and has lasted more than four decades.
Widely known as King Kazu, the veteran forward joined Fukushima United in December 2025, returning to Japan’s professional J.League system for the first time in five years.
Miura initially signed a six-month loan agreement with the third-division club from Yokohama FC, beginning what was his 41st professional season.
However, the Japanese striker had no intention of ending his career after completing that agreement.
In June 2026, Fukushima United announced that Miura had extended his loan until June 2027, allowing him to continue playing into his 42nd professional season.
The extension also means Miura could still be competing professionally after celebrating his 60th birthday in February 2027.
Miura’s remarkable journey began in Brazil, where he moved as a teenager to pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer.
He made his professional debut with Santos in 1986, beginning a career that would eventually take him to several countries and establish him as one of the most recognizable figures in Japanese football.
During his early years, Miura played for several Brazilian clubs before returning to Japan, where he became an important figure in the development of the country’s professional football system.
He represented Verdy Kawasaki during the early years of the J.League, which officially launched in 1993.
His performances helped popularize professional football in Japan, contributing to the sport’s growing national profile.
Miura also played internationally for clubs including Genoa in Italy, Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, Sydney FC in Australia and Oliveirense in Portugal.
His international career with Japan was equally significant.
Miura made his national team debut in 1990 and scored 55 goals in 89 appearances before retiring from international football in 2000.
Despite his impressive scoring record, he was controversially excluded from Japan’s squad for the 1998 World Cup, the country’s first appearance in the tournament.
Nevertheless, his contributions to Japanese football remain an important part of the national team’s history.
Miura’s recent career has involved several loan agreements as he continues searching for opportunities to play competitive football.
Before joining Fukushima United, he represented fourth-division Atletico Suzuka during the 2025 season.
He made seven appearances totaling 69 minutes without scoring, while the club eventually suffered relegation to Japan’s regional leagues.
His move to Fukushima provided an opportunity to return to a higher competitive level, even as he approached his 59th birthday.
Miura subsequently made six appearances during the shortened competition schedule in early 2026.
In June, he appeared in another professional match at 59 years, three months and 12 days old, extending his own record as the oldest player to appear in a Japanese professional league match.
His decision to extend his contract reflected his continued determination to contribute to Fukushima’s ambitions of earning promotion to Japan’s second division.
Although his playing time has become limited, Miura remains committed to training and competing alongside teammates who were born decades after he began his professional career.
His longevity has made him one of football’s most extraordinary figures, with his professional journey spanning multiple generations of players.
Forty years after making his debut with Santos, King Kazu remains part of professional football, with his loan agreement extending through June 2027.
