TOKYO: Kazuyoshi Miura will continue playing aged 56 after the former Japan international extended his loan deal with Portuguese second-division outfit Oliveirense.

Oliveirense said on social media that the forward, who has made three appearances for the club after joining from Japan’s Yokohama FC in February, will stay with them next season.

Miura turned 56 in February and wants to keep playing until he is 60.

“There will be times where I’m not involved in games but I want to stay motivated and do what I can where I can,” the Nikkan Sports daily quoted him as saying recently.

Known as “King Kazu” in his homeland, Miura made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian side Santos and has also played in Japan, Italy, Croatia and Australia.

One of Asia’s best-known footballers in the 1990s, he helped put the game in Japan on the map when the professional J-League was launched in 1993.

He made his Japan debut in 1990 but was famously left out of the squad for their first World Cup finals appearance in 1998, despite scoring 55 goals in 89 games for the national side.

AFP