Soccer-‘King Kazu’ to play on aged 55 after move to Portugal

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(Reuters) – Kazuyoshi Miura will continue his professional career in Portugal at the age of 55 after the former Japanese striker joined Oliveirense on loan from Yokohama FC, the Portuguese club announced on Wednesday.

Miura, who turns 56 this month, will enter his 38th season of professional football, longer than most of his teammates have lived.

Portugal will be the sixth country in which Miura, nicknamed ‘King Kazu’ by fans, has played after beginning his globetrotting with a stint in Brazil from Santos in 1986.

Miura started his career overseas because Japan didn’t have a professional league at the time, before playing for clubs such as Verdy Kawasaki, Genoa, Dinamo Zagreb and Vissel Kobe.

“Even though it’s a new place for me, I will work hard to show everyone the kind of game I’m known for,” Miura said.

He is the oldest player to score in the J-League, having scored in the second division against Thespakusatsu Gunma in 2017.

Miura played 89 times for Japan, winning the Asian Cup in 1992, and is the country’s second all-time top scorer with 55 goals. His last international match dates back to 2000.

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)