Addis Ababa, December 30, 2025 (FMC) — Japanese forward Kazuyoshi Miura, 58, has extended his record-breaking professional football career after signing with third-division J.League side Fukushima United FC.
Miura, the world’s oldest professional footballer, will turn 59 in February and is set to begin what will be his 41st professional season. The move marks his fourth loan in four years from his parent club, Yokohama FC, The Athletic reported.
“I am pleased to announce my transfer to Fukushima United FC, embarking on a new challenge,” Miura said in a statement released by the club.
Widely known in Japan as “King Kazu,” Miura has played 40 professional seasons dating back to the mid-1980s. He began his professional career in Brazil’s Serie A with Santos in 1986 and later had brief spells abroad in Australia, Italy and Croatia. All of those overseas stints came before 2000, when he returned permanently to Japan, initially joining Kyoto Purple Sanga in 1999.
Miura joined Yokohama FC in 2005 and has remained with the club since then, though he has spent several periods on loan. During his career, he has earned numerous individual honors, including Asian Footballer of the Year in 1992 and J.League Most Valuable Player in 1993. He finished as the league’s top scorer in 1996 and was selected to the J.League Best 11 three times, in 1993, 1995 and 1996.
He has also been named to the J.League’s 20th anniversary team in 2013 and the league’s 30th anniversary team in 2023. Miura has earned 89 caps for the Japanese national team, though he has not represented Japan since 2000.
Miura’s determination to continue playing has not diminished as he approaches 60. In a previous exclusive interview with The Athletic titled “He wants to die on the pitch”, conducted when he was 52 and playing his 33rd professional season, Miura was asked whether he would truly continue playing for as long as possible.
“My passion for soccer will never change, even as I get older,” Miura said. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to play in Fukushima, and I look forward to competing with passion as a member of Fukushima United FC. Let’s build a new history together.”