50-year-old Miura scores to beat Sir Stanley Matthews’ record

Miura, who plays for second division side Yokohama FC, scored the only goal in the 40th minute of his team’s 1-0 win over Thespa Kusatsu.

Kazuyoshi Miura led Verdy Kawasaki to the title in 1993 and 1994 before moving to Italy, where he spent a season in Serie A with Genoa.

Kazuyoshi Miura scored his first goal of the season on Sunday to break his own record as the J-League’s oldest scorer as well as become the oldest professional footballer to score a competitive goal, beating Sir Stanley Matthews’ 52-year-long record.

Miura, nicknamed “Kazu”, turned 50 last month and scored the only goal of the game as Yokohama FC recorded a 1-0 win over Thespa Kusatsu in J-League 2.

“I’m glad to contribute to a win,” Miura said. “I’m always looking to score but had a good feeling about today’s game.”

Miura took control of a deflected ball and fired an angled shot past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Keiki Shimizu.

Last Sunday, Miura, who turned 50 on Feb. 26, played in a match at the age of 50 years and 7 days to beat former England international Stanley Matthews’ longevity record.

Matthews set the previous record when he played for Stoke City against Fulham at the age of 50 years and 5 days in 1965.

The record for the oldest goal scorer in the J-League’s top division belongs to Brazilian Zico who scored at the age of 41 years, 3 months, 12 days for Kashima Antlers.

Miura is playing in his 32nd season. He played for Brazil’s Santos and Italy’s Genoa early in his career, and represented Japan 89 times, scoring 55 goals, but never played at the World Cup.