The hairs are greyer, the legs and knees not what they used to be, but that doesn’t stop Kazuyoshi Miura for preparing for his 32nd season in professional football. Well and truly defying the ageing process of a player, ‘King Kazu’ could feature on his 50th birthday on 26 February for Japanese second-tier side Yokohama FC, who begin their J2 League campaign at home to Matsumoto Yamaga on Sunday.

It’s another chapter in a remarkable career which began for the 89-time Samurai Blue international in Brazil at the tender age of 15, and saw the striker go on to ply his trade in three other continents and score a staggering 12 goals on the road to France 1998 to help his nation qualify for their first FIFA World Cup™.

"I hope to keep fighting with all my might together with people involved with the club, my team-mates and supporters who have always given me support,” the Japanese legend said after penning a contract extension that would see him play into his fifties. FIFA.com looks back at the age-defying veteran’s extraordinary career.....

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