Kazuyoshi Miura, the oldest player to score in soccer in a professional match, will get a chance to improve upon his Guinness World Record with the J2 League kicks off the upcoming season.
Miura signed a new deal with Yokohama FC in Japan’s second division on Thursday. King Kazu, who will turn 52 in February, has been a part of the club for nearly 15 years.
In March 2017, Miura set the record for oldest player to score in soccer at the age of 50 years and 14 days. He failed to register a goal last season, making just nine appearances — all as a substitute.
#横浜FC は #三浦知良 選手との
2019シーズンの契約を更新‼️リーグ戦でゴールを決めた最年長のプロサッカー選手として、
ギネス世界記録にも登録されている #キングカズ今シーズンも更なる記録更新に期待 #Jリーグ @yokohama_fc pic.twitter.com/xO0tWa3E4A
— Jリーグ (@J_League) January 11, 2019
"I updated the contract for the 2019 season," Miura said. "Thanks to everyone who always supports. I am grateful to everyone.
"I will participate in many matches in one game; I will not waste it for one minute, one second. I think that I want to go face to face with football and go to daily training with maximum power."
The upcoming season will be Miura’s 34th as a professional. He started his career with Santos in Brazil in 1986 and is the only player still around from when the J-League first began in 1993. That year, he was named J-League MVP, beating out the likes of Gary Lineker and Brazilian legend Zico.
Internationally, Miura made 89 appearances for the Blue Samurai, scoring an impressive 55 goals in the process. His last international match was 19 years ago.
Sadly, Miura never made it to a World Cup. Despite scoring 14 goals to help Japan qualify in 1998 for the first time, he was left off the squad that went to France.