Kazuyoshi Miura facts for kids
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Miura in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 26 February 1967 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Shizuoka, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 meters | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Atletico Suzuka (on loan from Yokohama FC) |
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| Number | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982 | Shizuoka Gakuen High School | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1986 | Juventus-SP | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | Santos | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | Palmeiras | 25 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | Matsubara | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1987 | CRB | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | XV de Jaú | 25 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Coritiba | 21 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Santos | 11 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1998 | Verdy Kawasaki | 192 | (117) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | → Genoa (loan) | 21 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Dinamo Zagreb | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | 41 | (21) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2005 | Vissel Kobe | 103 | (24) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005– | Yokohama FC | 278 | (27) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | → Sydney FC (loan) | 4 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | → Suzuka Point Getters (loan) | 18 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | → Oliveirense (loan) | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | → Atletico Suzuka (loan) | 11 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–2000 | Japan | 89 | (55) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Japan (Futsal) | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Kazuyoshi "Kazu" Miura (三浦 知良, Miura Kazuyoshi, born 26 February 1967), often called King Kazu, is a Japanese professional footballer. He plays as a forward for Atletico Suzuka. He is currently on loan from Yokohama FC. Kazu is known for being the world's oldest active player to play and score in a professional football match.
He played for the Japan national team from 1990 to 2000. He was the first Japanese player to win the Asian Footballer of the Year award. Kazu became very famous in Japan when the J.League started in 1993. Many people consider him Japan's first football superstar. He is also famous for his special "Kazu Feint" move and his fun "Kazu dance" when he scores a goal.
Miura holds several amazing records. He is the oldest active goalscorer in the J-League. He also has the world's longest professional football career. As of 2025, he is the oldest professional footballer in the world at 57 years old. He has played professional football in five different decades, from the 1980s to the 2020s! His older brother, Yasutoshi, was also a professional footballer.
Contents
Kazu's Football Journey
Starting in Brazil
In 1982, when Kazu was just fifteen, he left Shizuoka Gakuen High School. He traveled all the way to Brazil by himself to become a professional footballer. He joined the youth team of Juventus. In 1986, he signed his first professional contract with Santos. He played for other Brazilian clubs like Palmeiras and Coritiba. He stayed in Brazil until 1990.
Becoming a Star in Japan
His time in Brazil made him a star. When he came back to Japan in 1990, he joined Yomiuri SC. This team later became Verdy Kawasaki when the J1 League started in 1993. With Yomiuri/Kawasaki, Kazu won four league titles in a row. He played alongside other Japanese national team players like Ruy Ramos and Tsuyoshi Kitazawa. Yomiuri won the last two Japan Soccer League titles in 1991 and 1992. Then, Verdy Kawasaki won the first two J1 League titles in 1993 and 1994. Kazu was even named the first J.League Most Valuable Player in 1993.
Playing in Europe
Kazu made history by becoming the first East Asian footballer to play in Serie A, Italy's top league. He joined the Italian club Genoa for the 1994–95 Serie A season. He played 21 games for Genoa and scored one goal. This goal was in a big local game against Sampdoria. He also helped set up a winning goal against Padova in January 1995.
After his time in Italy, he returned to Verdy Kawasaki in 1995. He played there until the end of the 1998 season. In 1999, he tried playing in Europe again with Croatia Zagreb in Croatia.
Return to Japan
After his time in Europe, Kazu came back to Japan. He played for Kyoto Purple Sanga and Vissel Kobe.
Life at Yokohama FC
In 2005, Kazu joined Yokohama FC. His team was promoted to the J1 League two years later. In 2007, he was chosen for the 2007 J.League All-Star Soccer game.
In November 2015, Kazu signed a new one-year contract with Yokohama FC. He was 48 years old! In January 2017, he signed another contract, continuing his career into his fifties.
On March 5, 2017, Kazu became the oldest player ever to start a professional football match. He was 50 years and seven days old, breaking a record that had stood since 1965. Just seven days later, he broke another record. He became the oldest goalscorer in professional football when he scored the winning goal in a game.
He kept signing new contracts in January 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. On August 5, 2020, he played in a J.League Cup match. At 53 years old, he became the oldest player to play in Japan's league cup. On September 23, 2020, he played in a J1 League match. This made him the oldest player ever to play in a top national football league worldwide. He played for 57 minutes in that game. In January 2021, he extended his contract again, starting his 36th professional season!
Loans and New Adventures
On December 30, 2021, Kazu agreed to join Suzuka Point Getters. This team plays in the Japan Football League (JFL), which is the fourth level of Japanese football. On March 13, 2022, Kazu, at 55 years old, made his debut for Suzuka. A huge crowd of 4,620 people came to watch him play. This was the highest attendance ever for a Suzuka home match. His debut also meant he broke the record for the oldest player in a JFL match. His presence brought many fans to see him. On October 30, 2022, Kazu became the oldest player to score in the JFL. He scored a penalty kick in the 85th minute. He scored again from open play on November 12, 2022, at 55 years and 259 days old.
On January 26, 2023, Kazu went on loan to a Portuguese club called Oliveirense. This team plays in Liga Portugal 2. The company that owns Yokohama FC also owns Oliveirense. Kazu passed his medical tests easily. At 55 years old, he became the oldest professional player to sign a contract for any professional ball sport team in Portugal. On April 22, he made his debut in a Liga Portugal 2 match at 56 years old. He came on in the 90th minute of a 4–1 win. In July 2023, his loan with Oliveirense was extended.
In June 2024, Kazu returned on loan to Suzuka Point Getters, which had changed its name to Atletico Suzuka. On September 29, 2024, Kazu broke the record for the oldest player to appear in the JFL again. He was 57 years and 216 days old. He made his first start for the club on October 26.
Playing for Japan
Football for Japan
In September 1990, Kazu was chosen for the Japan squad for the 1990 Asian Games. He played his first game for Japan on September 26 against Bangladesh. He played as a forward until 1997. In 1992, he played in the 1992 Asian Cup. He scored the winning goal in a 1-0 win against Iran. Japan went on to win the whole tournament, and Kazu was named the Most Valuable Player.
In 1993, during the 1994 World Cup qualification, he played thirteen games and scored thirteen goals. However, Japan did not qualify for the 1994 World Cup. He also played in the 1994 Asian Games and the 1995 King Fahd Cup. Kazu also played in the 1996 Asian Cup, where he scored one goal in a 4-0 win against Uzbekistan.
In 1997, Kazu scored fourteen goals for Japan during the qualification for the 1998 World Cup. This helped Japan reach their first ever World Cup. However, Kazu was surprisingly not chosen for the World Cup squad.
In February 2000, Kazu played for Japan again after two years. He played his last national team match later that year. He finished his career with 55 goals in 89 matches for Japan. This makes him one of only three men to score more than 50 goals for the Japanese national team.
Futsal for Japan
In 2012, at 45 years old, Kazu made his debut for the Japan futsal team. Futsal is a type of indoor football. He played in a 3–3 draw against Brazil. In his second game, he scored a goal in a 3–1 win over Ukraine. Kazu played in all four matches for Japan in the 2012 Futsal World Cup.
Outside of Football
Since 1993, Kazu has been married to Risako Shitara, who used to be an actress and model. They have two children, Ryota Miura (born in 1997) and Kota Miura.
Awards and Achievements
Kazu has won many awards and titles throughout his long career:
- Club Titles:
- Won league titles with Yomiuri/Verdy Kawasaki (Japan Soccer League and J1 League).
- Won the Emperor's Cup and J.League Cup with Verdy Kawasaki.
- Won the Prva HNL with Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.
- Won the J2 League with Yokohama FC.
- International Titles with Japan:
- Won the AFC Asian Cup in 1992.
- Won the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations in 1993.
- Won the Kirin Cup multiple times.
- Individual Awards:
- Named Asian Footballer of the Year in 1992.
- Won the J.League MVP Award in 1993.
- Chosen for the J.League Best XI several times.
- Was the J.League Top Scorer in 1996.
- Named the AFC Asian Cup Most Valuable Player in 1992.
- Was the top scorer in the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Images for kids
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Miura (left) with Roberto Baggio and Tsuyoshi Kitazawa in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Kazuyoshi Miura para niños
