The world’s oldest professional footballer, Kazuyoshi Miura of Japan, has been offered a new contract in Portugal, ensuring that he will receive compensation for his exceptional play even at the remarkable age of 57.
Fondly known as ‘King Kazu’, Miura initiated his football career as far back as 1986. Initially, he commenced his journey at the Brazilian club Santos, as Japan did not have a professional football league at the time.
Over the course of four years, Miura went on to represent six Brazilian clubs before returning to Japan, where he became the prominent figure in the country’s newly established domestic competition, the J League. Achieving success with Verdy Kawasaki, he led the team to consecutive titles in 1993 and 1994, subsequently becoming the first Japanese player to join Serie A on loan when he joined Genoa.
Subsequent to his stint in Italy, Miura embarked on further endeavors with Dinamo Zagreb, Kyoto Purple Sanga, and Vissel Kobe, before eventually joining Yokohama FC, where he accumulated an impressive record of 27 goals in 298 appearances.
In January, Miura temporarily joined Oliveirense, a second-division Portuguese side, on loan from Yokohama. He made his official debut during a league match against Academico de Viseu, contributing to his team’s 4-1 victory.
In the final league game of the season, Miura received the man of the match accolade after playing the last 20 minutes, with his team triumphing 4-3 against Leixoes.
Following the match, Miura confirmed his intention to continue his extraordinary career, despite participating in only three competitive fixtures throughout the campaign. “I intend to play until I’m 60,” he conveyed to Sport TV.
On Tuesday, Oliveirense took to social media to announce that the 56-year-old Miura would remain with the team for another season, expressing gratitude for his continuous support. “Kazuyoshi Miura, thank you for your continued support this season!,” the Portuguese club tweeted.
Miura might now partake in Oliveirense’s pre-season friendly against Fafe on July 15, preparing for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
