In brief
Kazuyoshi Miura, 59, set a record by appearing in a J.League Division 3 match for Fukushima United, helping the club beat FC Ryukyu 4‑1. The veteran striker’s long career spans Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia, and Portugal, and he remains Japan’s second‑highest international goal scorer. His appearance underscores his enduring influence on Japanese football.
On Saturday, Fukushima United beat FC Ryukyu 4‑1 at home, and 59‑year‑old former Japan international Kazuyoshi Miura played in the match, setting the record for the oldest appearance in J.League Division 3.
Miura was 59 years, eight months and 12 days old when he lined up for Fukushima United, breaking the previous age record for the third tier of Japanese professional football.
Earlier in the season, Miura had returned to competitive form by scoring his first goal in four years in July and adding a brace of penalties in an Emperor’s Cup match in August.
His career began in 1986 when he debuted with Santos in Brazil and made history as the first Japanese player to appear in Italy’s Serie A with Genoa during the 1994‑95 season.
After stints in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, Australia with Sydney FC, and Portugal’s second tier with Oliveirense, Miura returned to Japan and played for clubs such as Verdy Kawasaki (now Tokyo Verdy), Kyoto Sanga, Vissel Kobe, Yokohama FC, and Yokohama FC.
With 55 goals in 89 international matches, Miura is Japan’s second‑highest goal scorer, behind Kunishige Kamamoto, who had 75 goals in 76 games.
His exclusion from Japan’s squad for the 1998 World Cup in France remains a contentious topic among fans, reflecting on how his career intersected with a pivotal moment for Japanese football.
