Kazuyoshi Miura rolled back the years once again, scoring at the age of 59 as he continued his remarkable professional football journey with Japanese third-tier side Fukushima United.
As reported by BBC Sport on Sunday, the veteran found the net in the 52nd minute during Fukushima’s 7-0 victory over Iwaki Furukawa in the Emperor’s Cup on Saturday, marking his first competitive goal in nearly four years.
Miura’s last goal came in November 2022, when he scored for Suzuka PG, now known as Atletico Suzuka, against FC Osaka.
His latest strike added another memorable chapter to a career that has already spanned more than four decades.
Known affectionately as “King Kazu” in Japan, Miura is regarded as one of the country’s most iconic sports figures.
He was a central figure in the early days of Japanese professional football and became one of the faces of the J League when it launched in 1993.
Miura began his professional career with Brazilian club Santos in 1986 and went on to play in several countries, including Italy, Croatia, and Australia.
Despite reaching an age when most players have long retired, he has continued to compete at the professional level.
His career is now set to enter a 42nd season after his loan spell at Fukushima United from J2 League club Yokohama FC was extended until June 2027.
Although he signed for Yokohama FC in 2005, he has not featured for the club since 2020.
At international level, Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances for Japan and remains one of the nation’s most celebrated footballers.
He has previously expressed his desire to keep playing into his 60s, and his latest goal shows that his passion for the game remains as strong as ever.