🔗 Share this article <strong>We can forge history'</strong> - Kazuyoshi Miura, fifty-eight, moves to new club. Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has signed a loan deal until June with Japanese third division side Fukushima United. The transfer means Miura could play in the J.League - the top three divisions of football in Japan - for the initial occasion in half a decade. The ex-international forward, who started his career with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, did not find the net in just over an hour across seven appearances last season while on loan at fourth-tier club Atletico Suzuka. "My passion for football hasn't changed, regardless of my age," he said as he gears up for a 41st season as a pro footballer. "I'm very grateful to be presented with this chance. I promise I will play with everything I have to make a contribution. Let's make history together!" Referred to as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC. Miura, who has also played club football in Australia, Italy, and Croatia, joined the club in 2005 but has remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020. He netted 55 goals in 89 games in an career for the national team that concluded in 2000, two years after his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance. Miura, who has talked of playing until he is 60, said he was ready to "embrace a fresh test" after being demoted last season to Japan's regional leagues. Fukushima finished 10th in the twenty-club third division last season.