At 59 years old, Kazuyoshi Miura once again wrote his name in the history of Japanese football. The veteran striker scored twice, both from the penalty spot, in Fukushima United's 7-0 defeat of Oyama Soccer Club and became the oldest player to find the net in the history of the Emperor's Cup, Japan's oldest knockout competition.
At 59, Kazuyoshi Miura breaks record by scoring two goals in Japan
At 59 years old, Kazuyoshi Miura once again wrote his name in the history of Japanese football. The veteran striker scored twice, both from the penalty spot, in Fukushima United's 7-0 defeat of Oyama Soccer Club and became the oldest...
The match, played on Wednesday, was valid for the first phase of the tournament. Fukushima United plays in the Japanese third division, while the opponent is an amateur team.
- Known in Japan as "King Kazu", Miura opened his scoring in the 12th minute and converted a free kick again in the 55th.
- With the goals, he surpassed the record that belonged to Shinji Ono, a former Japanese national team player, who had scored in the competition at the age of 41.
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The match, played on Wednesday, was valid for the first phase of the tournament. Fukushima United plays in the Japanese third division, while the opponent is an amateur team.
Known in Japan as "King Kazu", Miura opened his scoring in the 12th minute and converted a free kick again in the 55th. With the goals, he surpassed the record that belonged to Shinji Ono, a former Japanese national team player, who had scored in the competition at the age of 41.
The performance also had special meaning for Miura for another reason. It was the first time in more than 20 years that the striker managed to score more than once in the same match. The last one had occurred in November 2005, when he played for Sydney FC, from Australia.
Miura said that he maintains a frequent routine of taking penalties after training precisely to be prepared when an opportunity arises.
"You never know when our turn will come," he told reporters after the match. "That's why I do them all the time. I'm glad it paid off."
The striker also commented on the atmosphere during the charges. "There was a special and peaceful atmosphere, without boos from the opposing fans", he reported. "I felt all the eyes on me. I'm happy I was able to put the ball in the back of the net under those circumstances."
Miura had already scored in the qualifying phase of the 106th edition of the Emperor's Cup, at the end of July. Now, at 59 years old, he is playing his 42nd season as a professional player.
Fukushima United is the 17th club of the veteran's career and also marks his first experience in the Japanese third division. Miura was once again on loan from Yokohama FC, a club he has belonged to since 2005 and which was recently relegated to the second division.
In 2025, he played seven matches for Atletico Suzuka, a team that ended up falling to the regional leagues after the playoffs.
Before that, the striker spent approximately a year and a half in Portugal, where he played for second division side Oliveirense. During his time at the Portuguese club, he entered the field eight times and played 65 minutes.
Miura's longevity follows a professional trajectory that began four decades ago. The striker debuted in professional football with Santos in 1986, and later played for other Brazilian clubs, as well as teams from Italy, Croatia, Australia and Japan.
For the Japanese national team, he played 89 matches and scored 55 goals, numbers that place him as the second highest scorer in the history of the national team. Miura also won the 1992 Asian Cup and, that same year, was chosen as the best player on the continent.
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