Japanese football legend Kazuyoshi Miura turned 58 on 26 February 2025 and is still playing the sport he loves. Now in his 40th professional season, he remains the oldest active player in the Japanese Football League.
Miura currently plays for Suzuka, a team in Japan’s fourth division, on loan from Yokohama, who play in the second tier. Suzuka kicked off their new season in March 2025, and Miura is determined to contribute on the pitch.
Miura said at a press conference last year, as reported by the Japanese news agency Kyodo that retiring isn’t in his cards currently.
Retiring isn’t an option. I want to play as many minutes as I can in games.
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Miura’s career has taken him around the world. He made his professional debut in 1986 with Santos in Brazil, a club once made famous by Pelé. Since then, he has played in Italy, Croatia, Australia, and Portugal.
In 2017, Miura became the oldest player ever to score in a professional match, breaking the previous record held by England legend Sir Stanley Matthews.
Kazuyoshi Miura’s playing career
Known as ‘King Kazu’, Miura was one of Japan’s first big football stars. He scored 55 goals in 89 appearances for the national team during the 1990s. He helped Japan win the Asian Cup in 1992 and the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations the following year.
Throughout his long career, he’s played for well-known clubs including Palmeiras, Coritiba, Genoa, Dinamo Zagreb, Vissel Kobe, and Sydney FC. In recent years, he spent time on loan with Suzuka in 2022 and played for Portuguese side Oliveirense in 2023.
Miura has won 18 trophies during his career, including four Japanese league titles with Tokyo Verdy and the Croatian top division with Dinamo Zagreb.
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At 58, ‘King Kazu’ continues to inspire football fans around the world with his passion and dedication to the beautiful game.
