Football’s oldest player Kazuyoshi Miura has penned a new one-year deal with top Japanese side Yokohama FC. Miura, who turns 52 in February, extended his contract with the Japanese outfit which will see him play his 33rd season.
The centre-forward has spent 13 years at the club since joining the club at the age of 38 in 2005, making over 200 league appearances.
Speaking to Kyodo news agency, Miura claimed he still wishes to keep improving as a player, even after years of turning professional.
“I will always play my heart out and hope to continue to grow (as a player),” Miura said.
Since the topflight Japenese league called J-League was formed in 1993, Miura remains the only player left when it was established.
At age 15, Muria left Japan to play for Brazilian side Santos, where he signed his first professional contract in 1986.
He spent four seasons in Brazil with Palmeiras, Matsubara, CRB, XV de Jaú, and Coritiba before returning to Japanese football with Verdy Kawasaki.
In 1993 he beat the likes of England’s Gary Lineker and Brazil’s Zico to emerge top goal scorer and MVP in the inaugural J-League season.
Miura had spells in Serie A with Genoa, in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb before spending a season out on loan with Sydney FC in Australia.
