FUKUSHIMA - Former Japan forward Kazuyoshi Miura set the oldest appearance record in the J.League third division at 59 years, eight months and 12 days on Saturday as Fukushima United beat FC Ryukyu 4-1 at home.
Miura scored his first competitive goal in four years in July before bagging a brace with penalties in August in the Emperor's Cup.
He was central to the rise in popularity of Japanese football following the launch of the J.League in 1993 by starring for Verdy Kawasaki, now Tokyo Verdy.
The Shizuoka Prefecture native, who made his professional debut with Brazilian club Santos in 1986, became the first Japanese player to play in Italy's Serie A with Genoa in the 1994-1995 season.
He also had spells at Dinamo Zagreb, Kyoto Sanga, Vissel Kobe, Yokohama FC, Sydney FC and Oliveirense in the Portuguese second tier.
Miura is Japan's second-highest international goalscorer with 55 goals in 89 games, behind only the late Kunishige Kamamoto, who had 75 goals in 76 games.
His omission from the Japan squad ahead of the country's World Cup debut in 1998 in France still divides opinion among Japanese football fans.
