Kazuyoshi Miura

Kazuyoshi Miura is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J3 League club Fukushima United, on loan from Yokohama FC. Born in 1967, he is widely recognized as the world's oldest professional footballer, still active at age 59 in 2026. Miura is a national icon in Japan, where he is known by the nickname "King Kazu." He was the first Japanese player to win the Asian Footballer of the Year award in 1992 and was the face of the J-League when it launched in 1993. Over a career spanning four decades, he has played in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia, and Portugal. His longevity and dedication have made him a beloved figure, inspiring generations of footballers in Japan and beyond. He holds Brazilian permanent residency and is a Guinness World Record holder as the oldest active professional footballer. As of 2026, he continues to play professionally, beginning his 40th season with Fukushima United. [edit]

Miura grew up in Shizuoka City, a region with a strong football culture. His older brother Yasutoshi also became a professional footballer, and their father was an avid fan. When Miura was three years old, his father traveled to Mexico for the 1970 World Cup and filmed the matches with an 8mm camera. Young Kazuyoshi watched those recordings obsessively, mesmerized by Pelé. "From the time I was a little boy, I wanted to live as a professional player," he later recalled.

In 1982, at age 15, Miura left Shizuoka Gakuen High School and moved to Brazil alone. Japan had no professional league then, so Brazil was the only path. He signed with CA Juventus's youth academy, living in a dormitory with other young players. He spoke almost no Portuguese and faced intense loneliness and hardship. "The first three months was really hard," he said. He arrived with only $700, endured flea-ridden rooms and racist taunts, and briefly considered returning home. He moved to smaller club XV de Jaú, where his performances earned him a professional contract with Santos in 1986. His father had connections to Brazil, and Miura was inspired by Yasuhiko Okudera, who had gone to Germany to play professionally in 1977. [edit]

Miura's professional debut came with Santos in 1986. After spells with Palmeiras, CRB, and Coritiba, he returned to Japan in 1990, signing with Verdy Kawasaki. He became the centerpiece of the J-League's launch in 1993, reaching pop-star status. He won four league titles with Verdy and scored over 100 goals. With the Japan national team, he earned 89 caps and scored 55 goals, second all-time. He won the 1992 Asian Cup and was named Asian Footballer of the Year, the first Japanese player to win that award.

In 1994, he joined Genoa in Serie A, becoming the first Asian player in Italy's top division. He debuted against AC Milan, fracturing his nasal bone in a collision with Franco Baresi. He later played for Dinamo Zagreb, winning the Croatian league, and had stints at Kyoto Purple Sanga, Vissel Kobe, and Sydney FC. Since 2006, he has been with Yokohama FC. In 2012, at age 45, he played for Japan's national futsal team in the Futsal World Cup. He has continued playing through loans to Atletico Suzuka Club, Portuguese side UD Oliveirense, and most recently Fukushima United in 2026, beginning his 40th professional season. He was appointed JFA Ambassador for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. His current market value is estimated at €25,000. [edit]

Miura is known as "King Kazu," a nickname that reflects his superstar status in Japanese football. He was a trendsetter in the 1990s, known for his fashion sense and charisma. His iconic "Kazu dance" goal celebration became a cultural touchstone. The media portrays him as a legendary figure who transcended football, holding an almost god-like status in Japan, comparable to Diego Maradona in Argentina. He inspired at least two generations of Japanese footballers who cite him as a role model. His longevity and dedication are seen as emblematic of the Japanese spirit of perseverance. Fans admire his relentless passion, and his presence on the pitch at age 59 continues to draw attention worldwide. He once attended a strictly black-tie awards ceremony wearing a cherry-red blazer, further cementing his unique persona. [edit]

Kazuyoshi Miura commands a unique sphere of global attention that blends statistical longevity with cultural mythology, his name resonating across continents from Brazil to Australia. This enduring presence places him as the 12th most famous person from Japan within the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, a position he has held steady through recent cycles. His status as a sporting icon is further quantified by these metrics, which track influence across media coverage and consumption signals worldwide without reducing his legacy to mere search volume. While no formalized organization unites his supporters under a single branded name like those found in pop music, the community identifies collectively through the moniker "King Kazu," a title adopted universally by fans, rivals, and the media. This collective follows Miura not for a specific album or tour, but for a career that defies biological norms, creating a fanbase that transcends typical sports allegiance. The devotion is evident in annual birthday campaigns where digital billboards light up major cities, and in the ritualistic chants that fill stadiums whenever he enters the pitch. These gatherings are not merely organized events but spontaneous expressions of reverence, proving that his following operates on a scale rarely seen outside of global superstars.[edit]

Miura holds Brazilian permanent residency and was the first Japanese player to win the Asian Footballer of the Year award in 1992. He debuted for the Japan national team in 1990 and scored his first Serie A goal against Sampdoria during his time in Italy. His accolades include induction into the Japanese Football Hall of Fame, selection for both the J.League 20th Anniversary Team in 2013 and the 30th Anniversary Team in 2023, four J.League Top Goalscorer awards, two J.League Footballer of the Year awards, and the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations victory in 1993. An anime film titled "Kazu & Yasu Hero Tanjou" chronicles his adolescence before moving to Brazil, and his blood type is A. Beyond statistics, legends surround his ability to defy age; on May 19, 2017, he became the oldest goalscorer in J-League history at 50 years and 8 days, a record verified by Guinness World Records. A more recent chapter involves a nearly four-year goal drought ending on July 26, 2026, when he scored at age 59 while playing for Fukushima United FC, an event covered extensively by international outlets. Stadiums also erupt in ritualistic roars when he is substituted in, with reports of fans fainting from emotion becoming part of the folklore surrounding his entrances.[edit]

Miura's older brother Yasutoshi was also a professional footballer. His father, Naya Nobuo, was a football fan who filmed the 1970 World Cup. His mother is Yoshiko Miura. Miura married former actress and model Risako Shitara in 1993. They have two sons: Ryota, born in 1997, who works as an actor, and Kota, born in 2002, who is a mixed martial arts fighter. His nephew Shuntaro Miura and cousin Iori Naya are retired footballers. His father had connections to Brazil, which helped Miura's move there. [edit]

Miura's older brother Yasutoshi Miura also played professional football. His nephew Shuntaro Miura and cousin Iori Naya are retired footballers. He famously collided with Franco Baresi during his Serie A debut. He played alongside Brazilian teammate Mirandinha at Palmeiras. His wife Risako Shitara is a former actress and model. [edit]

Miura married former actress and model Risako Shitara in 1993. The couple has been together for over three decades and have two sons, Ryota and Kota. There are no other known public relationships in his life. As of 2026, Miura remains married to Shitara. [edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Kazuyoshi Miura's net worth in 2026 is estimated at $10 million. This figure reflects four decades of professional football contracts spanning Brazil, Japan, Italy, Croatia, Australia, and Portugal. During his peak in the 1990s, he stood as one of Japan's highest-paid athletes and a dominant commercial force, appearing in numerous advertising campaigns that cemented the marketability of his "King Kazu" brand. In recent years, while his playing wages have been modest compared to his prime, his legacy continues to generate income through appearances, endorsements, and sales from his official website and merchandise. His current arrangement with Yokohama FC and subsequent loan to Fukushima United in the J3 League commands wages significantly lower than those of his earlier career, yet his financial profile remains substantial due to long-term commercial partnerships.[edit]

Miura won the Asian Footballer of the Year in 1992, the first Japanese player to do so. He also received the IFFHS Asia's Footballer of the Year award that same year. With the Japan national team, he won the AFC Asian Cup in 1992 and the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations in 1993. At club level, he won four J.League titles with Verdy Kawasaki and a Croatian league title with Dinamo Zagreb. He was named to the J.League Team of the Year three times and was selected for both the J.League 20th and 30th Anniversary Teams. [edit]