I’m world’s oldest footballer who won Asian Cup in 1992, now I’m playing in the Portuguese second tier at 56

JAPANESE legend Kazuyoshi Miura continues to lace up his boots aged 56.

The forward dubbed “King Kazu” began his professional career all the way back in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos.

He starred in Japan’s Asian Cup win in 1992, earning the tournament’s golden ball as well as his continent’s player of the year award off the back of his successes.

Miura has scored 139 goals in the J.League, while his career has also taken him to Italy, Croatia and Australia.

It’s hard to imagine any of Japan’s current crop, including the likes of Kaoru Mitoma, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Takumi Minamino, still going in their mid-50s.

But that’s exactly what King Kazu has done.

Having previously won a host of trophies with Tokyo Verdy, Miura moved to Yokohama in 2005 aged 37… and incredibly he’s still on their books 19 years later.

Miura saw his playing time dwindle as he hit his 50s, featuring in just eight J.League games since 2018.

In that time the football-loving goal-getter has enjoyed loan spells with Sydney FC and Suzuka Point Getters in a bid to play more.

Last season he brought his experience to Portuguese second-tier side Oliveirense by joining on loan.

He has since played seven times, including earlier this month to take his pro career into 2024.

Speaking to Fifa in 2021, Miura admitted: “When I signed my first professional contract in Brazil at the age of 18, I never imagined that I would play until this age.

“I have been able to do this because I have put all my energy into football every single year.”

Miura’s love for the game has never wavered in his many seasons, and fans can rest assured that he will always stay involved in football.

He added: “I am not thinking about becoming a coach at this stage.

“I don’t think I’ll ever leave football, either. I think I will be involved in football in one way or another.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be playing. It could be tomorrow, it could be two or three years from now.”

Miura has two children, Ryota, 26, and Kota, 21, with wife Risako Shitara.

Neither have followed in their father’s footsteps, but both find themselves in the public eye.

Ryota is an actor and has been in numerous TV series in Japan.

While Kota is an MMA fighter and has fought four times in Japanese promotion Rizin with an early record of two wins and two defeats – most recently losing to Koji Tanaka on New Year’s Eve.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk