King Kazu ends four-year scoring drought at 59
Kazuyoshi 'King Kazu' Miura delivered the headline J.League-linked story of the day by scoring in Fukushima United's 7-0 win over Iwaki Furukawa in the Emperor's Cup. The goal came in the 52nd minute and was his first competitive strike in 1,351 days, ending a drought that dated back to November 2022 when he scored for Suzuka PG against FC Osaka. At 59, Miura remains the world's oldest professional player, and the strike came ahead of what is described as his 42nd professional season, underlining the extraordinary longevity of one of Japanese football's most recognisable figures.
The significance goes beyond nostalgia: Miura is still contributing in competitive football, not merely making ceremonial appearances. His career has stretched across Asia, Europe, Australasia and South America, with former clubs including Santos, Genoa, Dinamo Zagreb and Sydney FC, and he remains an 89-time Japan international. For a player who was the face of the J.League when it launched in 1993, the goal is another reminder of how deeply he remains woven into the sport's modern history. Even in the twilight of his career, he continues to generate national and international attention.
Nakazawa sisters chase LA28 after father's Olympic path
Nakazawa Kokoro and Nakazawa Negai are aiming to follow their father Yuji into the Olympic spotlight, this time through lacrosse rather than football. In an Olympics.com interview tied to the World Lacrosse Women's Championship Tokyo 2026, the sisters said the prospect of lacrosse being included at Los Angeles 2028 has become a major career target. Yuji Nakazawa is a former Japan football stalwart, a two-time FIFA World Cup centre-half, 110-cap captain, and the first defender to win the J.League MVP award in 2004. He also played at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Kokoro said the idea of Olympic lacrosse first surfaced when she was still in junior high, but once LA28 was confirmed it became a serious ambition. The family link gives the story extra resonance for Japanese football followers because Yuji Nakazawa was one of the country's defining defenders and a rare back-line MVP in J.League history. While the sisters' sport is different, the Olympic thread runs through the family, and their comments show how Japan's football legacy continues to shape sporting ambition across generations. The Tokyo championship offers them a stage to push that dream forward.