bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Associated Press

Kyodo

Japanese footballer Kazuyoshi Miura is set to continue playing professional football next season, despite turning 58.
The player known to fans as “King Kazu” – or simply Kazu – is several generations older than his teammates, while his contemporaries retired decades ago.
By comparison, Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 – mere youngsters compared to Miura.
Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for Suzuka in the JFL, the fourth tier of Japanese football.
It will be his 40th season playing in professional football and he is widely listed as the oldest active professional football player.

Miura joined Suzuka on loan from J-League second-division club Yokohama FC in June this year following a stint with Portuguese second-tier side Oliveirense.
Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.
The Shizuoka Prefecture native left Japan at 15 for Brazil, where he made his professional debut in 1986 with Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pele.
He has also played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal.
After returning to Japan in 1990, Miura won the MVP award in the J-League’s inaugural season in 1993 while at Verdy Kawasaki, now Tokyo Verdy.


Hong Kong learn opponents for AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Westwood set for India battle

Asian Champions League Elite: star-studded Saudi, Japanese and Chinese clubs set the pace

Life ban CFA imposed on South Korea’s Son rejected by Fifa, club boss calls China ‘unstable’

Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifiers: win over Saudi Arabia gives Indonesia belief, coach says

Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

Japanese football legend Kazuyoshi Miura says he will still play next season – at age 58

Former Japan forward Kazuyoshi Miura playing for second-tier Portuguese club Oliveirense against Academico de Viseu last year. Photo: Kyodo

Ace striker Kazuyoshi Miura (11) scores in Japan’s 5-3 friendly win over Uruguay in 1996. Photo: Reuters

Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Japan, South Korea face away tests on road to North America

At least 78,000 Indonesian spectators will pack out Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and watch on electric screens outside in the hope their team pull off a shock on Friday against Japan. Photo: AFP

Son Heung-Min (second from left) missed South Korea’s past two matches with an injury. Photo: Xinhua

Herve Renard is back for a second spell with Saudi Arabia after Roberto Mancini was sacked. Photo: Reuters

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu has called up Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi for the first time in a year. Photo: Kyodo

Asia’s revamped 2-tier Champions League will get time to develop, football bosses say

Neymar of Al Hilal controls the ball during his side’s AFC Champions League Elite match agaisnt Al Ain. Photo: Getty Images

Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s Pieros Sotirou tries a shot on the charge during his side’s 3-2 win over Eastern at Mong Kok Stadium in October. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong star vowing to provide ‘more aggression’, help team up climb Fifa world rankings

Jesse Yu (right) is beginning to establish himself in Hong Kong’s midfield. Photo: Elson Li

Yu (left) is an integral part of the Eastern side doing battle on multiple fronts this season. Photo: Eastern FC

The grounded Yu tries to protect the ball during Eastern’s ACL2 game with Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Photo: Elson Li

World Cup 2026: Asian football body takes Bahrain concerns ‘seriously’ after death threats

Bahrain and Indonesia players clash after the match at the Bahrain National Stadium last week. Photo: Reuters

Referee Ahmed Al-Kaf with police after the match, which Indonesia complained had gone on too long. Photo: Reuters

Qatar’s Akram Afif, Japan’s Kiko Seike named Asian players of year at glittering ceremony

Qatar’s forward Akram Afif speaks during a press conference after winning the AFC player of the year award. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Widely listed as the oldest active professional football player, the former international aims to play for fourth-tier Japanese club Suzuka


Widely listed as the oldest active professional football player, the former international aims to play for fourth-tier Japanese club Suzuka.


Fifa World Cup