Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is recognized globally as football's most senior pro, has signed a temporary transfer until June with Japanese third division side Fukushima United.
This move means Miura might feature in the J.League - the top three divisions of Japanese football - 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 69 minutes across seven outings last season while on loan at JFL side Atletico Suzuka.
"My love for the game hasn't changed, regardless of my age," he said as he gears up for a forty-first campaign as a professional footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be presented with this chance. I vow I will play with everything I have to help the team. Let's make history together!"
Known as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth temporary move since 2022 from J2 League side Yokohama FC.
The veteran, who has also featured in Australia, Italy, and Croatia, signed for the club in 2005 but has remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that ended in 2000, two years after his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
The footballer, who has expressed a desire for continuing his career into his seventh decade, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being relegated last season to Japan's regional leagues.
Fukushima United finished 10th in the twenty-club J3 League last season.
