King Kazu, 55-year-old footballer, to continue his career in Portugal

• Kazuyoshi Miura, popularly known as King Kazu, will continue his professional career in Portugal after securing a move to Oliveirense
• He has previously played in Brazil, Japan, Italy, Croatia and Australia and has the unique distinction of having played professional football in five different decades

Kazuyoshi Miura, popularly known as King Kazu, will continue his professional career in Portugal after securing a move to Oliveirense. The 55-year-old has joined the Oliveirense on loan, the club confirmed on Wednesday. 

King Kazu, who turns 56 this year, previously said he plans to continue playing until he is 60. Portugal will be the sixth country Kazu has played in since becoming a professional footballer.

King Kazu will be playing for the Liga Portugal 2 club Oliveirense until the end of the season. Photo/ Vanguard News.

He has previously played in Brazil, Japan, Italy, Croatia and Australia and has the unique distinction of having played professional football in five different decades. 

The Japan international will line up at Oliveirense alongside Christian Kendji Wagatsuma Ferreira, a Brazilian of Japanese descent who has the nickname Kazu. 

Speaking after his move to Portugal, King Kazu said that he is going to work hard to show the kind of play he is known for.

“Even though this is a new place for me, I’ll work hard to show everyone the kind of play I’m known for.” King Kazu said, as per ESPN. 

King Kazu is one of the most loved sportsmen in Japan and was the face of the J League when it launched in 1993. He is the oldest player to score in a Japanese professional league game with his 2017 goal against Thespakusatsu Gunma. He was aged 50 years and 14 days when he scored the goal. 

King Kazu’s Football Journey

King Kazu began his career in Brazil because Japan had no professional football at that time. He left his high school at the age of 15 and travelled alone to Brazil, where he signed with the youth squad of Sao Paulo side Juventus. 

In 1986, he signed his first professional contract with Santos and played for other Brazilian teams before his return to Japan in 1990. 

King Kazu joined Verdy Kawasaki, where he won three Japan Soccer League titles, three J.League Cups and two Xerox Super Cups. He also won two J1 League Cups, the Emperor’s Cup and Japan Soccer League Cup with the team. Kazu was the first Japanese player to be named J.League Most Valuable Player.

During the 1994-95 season, Kazu became the first Japanese to play in Italy when he joined Genoa. He played 21 games and scored one goal before returning to Verdy Kawasaki at the end of his loan period. 

In 1999, he had another stint in Europe playing for Croatia Zagreb, where he won the 1998-99 Prva HNL. The forward also had a brief trial with AFC Bournemouth before returning to Japan. 

King Kazu has 89 caps for Japan and finished his international career with 55 goals. He has the second-most career goals in Japanese national team history, 55. The talented forward was the first Japanese to receive the IFFHS Asia’s Footballer of the Year award.

King Kazu. Photo/ Times of India.