FUKUSHIMA, Japan - Former Japan international Kazuyoshi Miura has expressed eagerness to play in the next round of the Emperor's Cup, after becoming the tournament's oldest scorer at the age of 59 years, five months and 24 days.
Nicknamed "King Kazu," Miura netted two penalties in J.League third-division club Fukushima United's 7-0 rout of non-professional team Oyama Soccer Club on Wednesday.
"If I'm not playing in games, I can't score goals. I'll keep working hard every day so I can get on the pitch," Miura said after the match in the first round of the national tournament in Fukushima, northeastern Japan.
Miura scored his record-breaking goal in the 12th minute, surpassing the previous mark set by former Japan midfielder Shinji Ono, who scored in the tournament at age 41 in 2021, according to the Japan Football Association.
Miura converted his second penalty in the 55th minute and was substituted three minutes later. "I've always practiced penalties, so I'm glad it paid off," he said.
A native of Shizuoka Prefecture, Miura was a key figure in the rise of Japanese football's popularity following the launch of the J.League in the early 1990s.
He became the first Japanese player to play in Italy's Serie A with Genoa in the 1994-95 season and later played for clubs in Japan and several other countries.
