From our other sites
The story
On November 7, J3 Fukushima forward Miura Kazuyoshi (59) came on as a substitute in second-half stoppage time during a home match against FC Ryukyu, making his first appearance of the season. Entering the match at the 2nd minute of second-half stoppage time with his team leading 4-1, it marked his first-ever appearance in a J3 league match. Playing at 59 years, 8 months, and 12 days old, he further extended his own record as the oldest player to appear in a J.League match, marking his first competitive appearance in roughly 5 years and 8 months. On the thread, alongside voices of surprise and admiration for Miura continuing his career at such an advanced age, there were also doubts about whether appearing for just a few minutes in an already-decided match means anything, and the long-running debate over his exclusion from the 1998 World Cup squad flared up again.
Fukushima’s Kazu makes his J3 debut! Breaks J.League oldest-player record at 59 years, 8 months, 12 days — first J competitive appearance in about 5 years and 8 months
◇ Meiji Yasuda J3 League, Matchday 16: Fukushima vs. Ryukyu (November 7, 2026, To-Sta)
J3 Fukushima forward Miura Kazuyoshi (59) came on in second-half stoppage time during the home match against Ryukyu on the 7th, making his first appearance of the season.
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
This is probably why Kazu's still playing today. If only he'd made that World Cup squad… Okada really did a number on him.
Demanding the ball and getting in the way of his teammates' plays.
Stealing a free kick from Nakata and blasting it way off target.
When subbed off, shooting an obviously annoyed 'Me? You talking to me?' look and refusing to shake the manager's hand.
A lot of people thought back then that Kazu getting cut was only natural.
Short as it was, he contributed to the club's 150th all-time J3 win.
lol
Harimoto was right. (Isao Harimoto, the outspoken TV pundit famous for blasting athletes who overstay their careers)
So just a few minutes on the field, huh.
He's gonna die
Be careful out there
Dunno how many minutes it was, but was he sprinting full tilt the whole time?
It brings tears to my eyes imagining this being typed by someone in their late 70s on a Raku-Raku Phone (a simplified phone marketed to the elderly).
At his age, even getting knocked down by a shoulder charge, let alone a tackle, could break a bone.
If he ever retired, his die-hard fans would never let it go — and it's rough on whoever has to go easy on him out there too.
Fukushima can hire whoever they want, but it's rough on whoever they're playing against.
These guys are supposed to be pros, and they basically have to play 'hospitality soccer' against him.
He's been doing this meaningless thing for almost 20 years now.
Unlike now, when he's basically a grandpa who can still move a bit, ten years ago he was at least nominally still a real player.
If he'd retired around then, he'd probably still be a legend, just barely.
Sure — among the late-70s-and-up crowd, anyway.
> Came onto the pitch at the 2nd minute of second-half stoppage time while leading 4-1. Marked his first-ever J3 league appearance.
Guess he contributed to the win.
First 'closer' we've seen since Honda, huh?
Just showing up is enough.
Baba was the promoter (company president) who paid the wrestlers their purse money, so showing up under his own authority as the boss was fair game.
Kazu, on the other hand, may bring sponsors to the team, but he's still the one drawing a salary from the club.
In his later years, Giant Baba wrestled undercard matches, and it was against fellow veteran wrestlers who were past their prime too, you know.
What's the point of that?
Soccer burns way more calories than baseball, so that's actually impressive lol
The truth these days is it's only grandpas watching — and playing — soccer too.
Doesn't it feel a little empty typing that out on a Raku-Raku Phone, grandpa baseball nerd?
Baseball fans are in their 70s.
The ballpark reeks of death.
Ohtani's actually fast though.
Background and Key Points of This Topic
Miura has long held the record for the oldest player to appear in a J.League match, and he has kept breaking his own record every time he continues playing. This time followed the same pattern, and the sticking point in the debate was that he came on as a substitute only after the match’s outcome was already essentially decided. Those praising him took the view that ‘just showing up is enough,’ valuing the fact that he keeps his body in shape and keeps getting onto the pitch even at his age. Skeptics, on the other hand, compared his few minutes of playing time after the result was already settled to bringing a retired star back for a single ceremonial at-bat in an exhibition game, questioning the value of the record itself. The thread also reignited the long-running debate over Miura’s exclusion from Japan’s 1998 World Cup squad, with some arguing that, given his conduct at the time, being left out was only natural — though this is a view that has circulated repeatedly on 5ch before, and this article does not attempt to verify its accuracy. Readers should keep in mind that this controversy stems less from Miura’s ability itself than from differing views on how to evaluate the meaning of simply ‘appearing’ in a match.
※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisoku+) thread ‘[Soccer] Kazu, Miura Kazuyoshi, makes his J3 debut! Breaks J.League oldest-player record at 59 years, 8 months, 12 days… comes on in second-half stoppage time.’
Leave a Reply