Kazuyoshi Miura goal ends four-year wait at 59
Kazuyoshi Miura scored for Fukushima United in the Emperor’s Cup, his first competitive goal since November 2022.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
A Kazuyoshi Miura goal gave the 59-year-old Japanese football figure another entry in his long career, with Reuters reporting that he scored his first competitive goal in nearly four years. Miura, widely known as “King Kazu,” struck for Fukushima United in an Emperor’s Cup match on Saturday.
The goal came in the 52nd minute as Fukushima United, a third-division J-League side, beat Iwaki Furukawa 7-0 to move on in the competition, according to Reuters. Teammates on the pitch and substitutes on the bench celebrated with the veteran forward after the goal.
Miura was taken off three minutes later, Reuters reported. The goal was his first in a competitive match since November 2022, when he scored for Suzuka PG, the club now known as Atletico Suzuka, in a Japan Football League loss to FC Osaka.
When did Kazuyoshi Miura last score?
Reuters reported that Miura’s previous competitive goal came in November 2022 for Suzuka PG against FC Osaka. His latest goal for Fukushima United ended a scoring gap of almost four years.
Miura is described by Reuters as the world’s oldest professional footballer. His continuing career has made him a notable figure in Japan and abroad, where he remains a draw for supporters.
What club does Kazuyoshi Miura play for?
Miura plays for Fukushima United in Japan’s third division. Reuters reported that he joined the club from Yokohama FC in December and made six appearances during a shortened 2026 campaign.
He has extended his loan spell with Fukushima United until June 2027, according to Reuters. That agreement keeps him with the club as he prepares for what Reuters described as a 42nd professional season.
Japan’s professional leagues are set to change their calendar from a spring-to-autumn schedule to an autumn-to-spring format, Reuters reported. That shift means Miura is on course to continue playing professionally into his 60s.
Miura has previously said he does not plan to retire before turning 60, according to Reuters. His latest goal adds another milestone to a career that has stretched across multiple decades and remains closely followed in Japanese football.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.