Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has finalized a loan deal until June with Japanese third division side Fukushima United.
This move means Miura might feature in the J.League - the top three divisions of football in Japan - for the initial occasion in half a decade.
The former Japan striker, who began his professional journey with Brazilian side Santos in 1986, did not find the net in just over an hour across seven appearances last season while on loan at JFL side Atletico Suzuka.
"My love for the game remains undimmed, 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 promise I will play with all my heart to help the team. Together, we can create a legacy!"
Referred to 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, joined the club in 2005 but has not played a minute for them since 2020.
He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an career for the national team that concluded in 2000, two years after his notable omission 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 relegated last season to the country's lower regional divisions.
Fukushima ended the season in tenth place in the 20-team third division last season.
