50 year old Japanese Footballer Kazuyoshi Miura Officially the Oldest Person to Play Professionally after Beating England’s Stanley Matthews’ Record

World football governing body Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced via Twitter on Monday thatJapanese footballer Kazuyoshi Miura has racked up another astonishing landmark by eclipsing former England great Stanley Matthews in the record books with his second professional appearance since turning 50.

#MondayMotivation
Kazu Miura has surpassed Sir Stanley Matthews’ legendary longevity, playing in a professional match aged 50 years & 7 days pic.twitter.com/BAHBM86SCm

— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) March 6, 2017

??King Kazu: “I may have surpassed him in longevity but I won’t ever match his statistics & the career he had”
MORE?https://t.co/SXsFMyyns6 pic.twitter.com/RUNlF8DRd5

— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) March 6, 2017

The veteran striker, who is currently with J-League second division club, Yokohama FC played in the’s 1-1 draw against V-Varen Nagasaki on Sunday at 50 years and seven days old – two days older than Matthews when he turned out for Stoke City against Fulham in 1965.

Miura told FIFA.com:

Matthews was a legendary player for us,

I don’t actually feel like I’ve gone past a legend. I may have surpassed him in longevity but I won’t ever be able to match his statistics and the career he had,

It’s not so much about numbers anyway, it’s more about how you play.

Miura lasted 54 minutes at Nagasaki and failed to get in a shot on goal after playing for just over an hour in last weekend’s 1-0 home win over division two rivals Matsumoto Yamaga.

Miura played for Brazilian club Santos and in Italy with Genoa earlier in his career, as well as a number of clubs in his homeland during what became a golden age for Japanese football.

The striker made his professional debut in 1986 and became famous during his career for his ‘Kazu dance’ when he celebrated scoring goals.

He represented the Japan national team 89 times, scoring 55 goals, but never played at a World Cup.

Upon signing a new deal in January, which ensured he would play on into his 50s, Miura said:

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.

Last year, the evergreen forward became the oldest scorer in the history of the Japanese league structure when he found the net at the ripe old age of 49.

Though the pin-up looks have been replaced by a few tell-tale wrinkles and greying hair, Miura has signalled his intent to play until he’s 60.

Miura shot to fame in the early 1990s as Asia’s best-known footballer, helping to put the Japanese game on the map after the professional J-League was launched in 1993.

Matthews enjoyed an illustrious 33-year career and won 84 England caps, including two appearances for Great Britain.

The former Stoke and Blackpool winger remains the only man to have played in England’s top flight at 50.

Photo Credit: FIFA