This year, Kazuyoshi Miura, the world’s oldest active footballer, confessed in a dialogue with the FIFA page that “I will never leave football”. The 54-year-old athlete added plans for the future in that talk: “I don’t know how long I’m going to continue playing, retirement could be tomorrow or in two or three years”, he acknowledged.
Months after those revelations and after a season without many appearances with the Yokohama FC jersey (he only played a total of 43 minutes, spread over four games), the forward, who will turn 55 on February 26, chose to continue his path as professional. Then, the main Japanese media echoed the tremendous news.
In this way, the veteran player will continue in the world of football, but with a different shirt than the one he defended recently. Thus, the former international reached an agreement to defend Suzuka Point Getters, a group that belongs to the fourth category, since 2022. Another detail: his older brother (56), Yasutoshi, is the coach and general manager of the aforementioned entity.
Be careful, Miura had an offer to continue at Yokohama FC, but rejected the proposal to play in the Second in Japan. In fact, ‘King Kazu’ put in the balance what happened in the recent course and, without much continuity, chose to go to the institution that seeks to achieve promotion to the Third.
Of course, as he has done throughout his career, Miura left a milestone with his ex-club: with 54 years and 12 days, he became the oldest player with the Japanese First League. In addition to adding a total of 36 consecutive seasons in activity, since he started in Brazil, a country to which he traveled with his family to fulfill his dream of being a footballer.
On the latter, ‘Kazu’ debuted in 1982 with CA Juventus, a club based in Sao Paulo. Then, the attacker passed through Santos, Matsubara-PR, EC XV de Novembro and Coritiba. In 1990 he returned to his country at the hands of Yomiuri FC and immediately left for Genoa in Italy, he returned home with Verdy Kawasaki. Then there was one more European adventure with Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia.
Since 1999, Miura developed her career in Japan with Kyoto Sanga FC, Vissel Kobe and Yokohama FC. In the middle, the striker went on loan to Australia’s Sydney Football Club. Regarding his participation in the national team, the striker was in a total of 89 games and celebrated 55 conquests.
“When I signed my first professional contract, in Brazil, at the age of 18, I never would have imagined that I would continue to play until this age. I have been able to do it because I have put all my energy into football every year “said Kazuyoshi Miura, who has more goals in his boots within weeks of blowing out 55 candles.
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