Oct 10 (Japan Times) - Fifty-year-old soccer legend Kazuyoshi Miura insists he has no plans to retire any time soon, even joking that the day he stops will be "the day I die."
"I'm planning to play next year," Miura told The Japan Times ahead of Yokohama FC's second-division game against Avispa Fukuoka on Saturday. "Right now I'm not thinking about retiring. Today I'm not thinking about retiring. I just give my all in training every day."
Miura, known universally as "Kazu" and regarded as the biggest icon in the history of Japanese soccer, broke two world records earlier this year when he became the oldest player ever to appear in a professional match at the age of 50 years and seven days, and, one week later, the oldest to score a competitive goal.
The records had both been held by English great Stanley Matthews, with the goalscoring mark standing for 52 years until Miura netted for Yokohama against Thespakusatsu Gunma on March 12. The achievements came during a period where Miura was named in the starting lineup for seven of Yokohama's first eight games of the season.
Since then, however, the fairy-tale has turned a little sour. A knee injury suffered in an April 15 game against Machida Zelvia sidelined the striker for two months, and he has made only three substitute appearances since his recovery.
"I'm not satisfied at all," Miura said two days before Yokohama's 3-1 loss to Avispa, in which he was an unused substitute. "I want to play in more games and score more goals.
"Playing constantly is the best way to stay in good condition. I haven't been playing much recently, so my feel for the game isn't there at the moment."
