Soccer

‘King Kazu’ Determined to Rebound, Return for 41st Season

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Kazuyoshi Miura works out on the exercise bike during recent training in Osaka.

By Haruki Hayashida / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:27 JST, December 26, 2025

Having just completed his 40th season as a professional soccer player that was hampered by injuries, Japanese forward Kazuyoshi Miura remains intent on getting ready to return for a 41st.

Miura, affectionately known as King Kazu, is looking to overcome recent injuries that limited him to just seven matches in the just completed season.

He heads into the offseason determined to prepare his 58-year-old body as he did when he was at the top of the game in Japan decades ago.

Miura currently plays for Atletico Suzuka in the fourth-tier Japan Football League. The former national team striker failed to score in his seven appearances after a leg injury prior to the start of the season set back his preparations.

It wasn’t until mid-June that he finally took the field. But he never really got into playing shape, and had to sit out for extended spells. “Frankly speaking, it was a year in which various injuries cropped up, which made me feel anxious and wondering if I could even play,” Miura said.

Meanwhile, Suzuka lost a promotion/relegation playoff against a regional league club, resulting in its drop from the JFL.

Looking back, he acknowledges regrets about his approach to the offseason in recent years. “I really want to rebuild my body from the ground up,” he said.

Miura recently went through an intensive, two-week training program in Osaka Prefecture that ended on Monday. In it, he devoted significant time to aerobic exercises such as running and riding exercise bike.

He also practiced twice a day, each morning and afternoon, consisting of repeating “dull drills.” The objective is to start from the beginning and build a foundation for his body to endure a full season.

As he ages, the injuries “that just happen” despite daily training have increased. Still, those around him contend that nothing has changed for Miura, whose true strength is his determination to steadily grind away, and indeed, he shows no sign of inner anxiety.

Even if he doesn’t get the results he hopes for, his passion for the game remains undiminished. “My main objective is to play in matches and perform well,” said Miura. “I want to follow my own path.”