Football: 56-yr-old Miura expected to extend loan stint in Portugal

Fifty six-year-old striker Kazuyoshi Miura is travelling to Portugal ahead of another loan deal with second-tier Oliveirense, J-League top-division club Yokohama FC said Tuesday.

Miura was on loan from Yokohama FC to Oliveirense from February and set the record for the Portuguese league's oldest player while appearing in three games through the end of the season in May.

Portugal is the fifth country where Miura has played outside Japan following stints in Brazil, Italy, Croatia and Australia.

The former Samurai Blue forward was central to the rise of Japanese football's popularity following the launch of the J-League in 1993 and scored 55 goals in 89 games for his country.

Oliveirense, whose managing right is held by Yokohama FC's parent company, finished 10th out of 18 teams in the Portuguese second tier last term.

© Kyodo News