King Kazu extends loan deal to play into his sixties in his 42nd professional season

Kazuyoshi Miura, the world’s oldest professional footballer, will continue playing into his sixties after extending his loan deal with J3 League side Fukushima United until June 2027. The agreement, announced in 2026 as Japan’s leagues transition to an autumn-to-spring calendar, will see the 59-year-old embark on his 42nd season in professional football.

Miura, affectionately known as “King Kazu” in Japan, joined Fukushima on loan from Yokohama FC at the end of December and made six appearances in a shortened schedule before the extension was confirmed. His most recent outing came at the age of 59 years, three months and 12 days — further stretching his own record as the oldest player to appear in a professional league match.

“I have decided to continue my challenge at Fukushima United FC,” Miura said. “I will continue to burn with passion and do my best in daily training to contribute to the team’s promotion to J2. Let’s share the joy together.”

The veteran forward’s career is one of football’s most extraordinary stories. He left Japan alone at 15 to pursue his dream in Brazil, beginning his professional journey with Santos in 1986. Over the decades that followed, he played in Italy with Genoa, Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, Australia with Sydney FC, and Portugal with Oliveirense before spending the majority of the 21st century back in his homeland.

At international level, Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances for Japan after making his debut in 1990, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the nation’s history behind Kunishige Kamamoto. He retired from international duty in 2000, though not before one of football’s more poignant footnotes: he was omitted from Japan’s squad for their first-ever World Cup appearance in 1998, meaning he never played in the tournament despite being so central to the country’s rise as a footballing nation.

Now approaching his 60th birthday, Miura shows no sign of stepping away. Fukushima United are currently competing in the third tier of Japanese football, and their most famous player has made clear he intends to help them climb.