TOKYO (AP) — Kazuyoshi Miura, the Japanese soccer player they call “King Kazu,” says he’s only getting better with age.
If so, that should make him very, very good.
Miura turns 59 next month. He’s the globe’s oldest professional soccer player, and on Friday he gave a news conference in Tokyo to celebrate joining his new team — third-division J-League club Fukushima United FC.
“My passion only grows the more I pursue it,” Miura said. “Even though I’m getting older — I’ll be 59 this year — I feel my passion is actually increasing.”
Miura is moving on loan from Yokohama FC and spent last season on loan with fourth-division club Atletico Suzuka.
He failed to score in seven matches with Suzuka.
Miura has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. And of course in Japan. He made his debut in 1986 with Santos in Brazil, a club made famous by Brazilian star Pelé.
In 2017 at age 50, he became the oldest player to score in a professional match. That topped the record held by highly decorated England international Stanley Matthews.
Miura was one of the first big names in Japanese soccer. He scored 55 goals in 89 appearance for Japan’s national team in the 1990s.
“I have a strong desire to play in matches and perform well,” he said. “So I’ll prepare thoroughly and give everything I have to accomplish that.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura speaks during a press conference as he joins third-division J-League team Fukushima United in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Yuya Shino/Kyodo News via AP)
Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura poses with uniform of third-division J-League team Fukushima United. during a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 9, 2026. (Yuya Shino/Kyodo News via AP)
Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura speaks during a press conference in Suzuka, central Japan, on Nov. 30, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Duke Tobin did make one change in the wake of a disappointing 6-11 season by the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals director of player personnel did an end of the season availability on Friday to discuss missing the postseason for the third straight season, instead of waiting three weeks until the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, to discuss the state of the team.
Tobin's news conference also came four days after owner and president Mike Brown announced Tobin and coach Zac Taylor would remain in place for another season.
“If your question is, ‘Do I have confidence in myself?’ I do. But most importantly, I have confidence in the people and in the processes that we have here. It is not up to me to determine whether I am here or not,” Tobin said.
Tobin spent most of the 63 minutes recapping the past season, which ended with a 20-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, while defending the front office and coaching staff's approach despite the team's first losing season since 2020.
When asked the biggest thing that needs to change, Tobin pointed to the most obvious.
“Our record. We need to win games that we should win, instead of finding ways to lose games that we should win."
The Bengals got off to a 2-0 start, but dropped eight of nine when Joe Burrow was sidelined due to a broken toe. Burrow returned on Thanksgiving night and led the Bengals to a 34-12 win at Baltimore, but was 3-3 down the stretch.
Tobin's main frustration was the Bengals failure to play complimentary football. They have lost seven times over the past two seasons when they have scored at least 30 points and lost.
Cincinnati also became the first team to lose at least three games in consecutive seasons in which it scored at least 34 points. The only other squads to do that in a season are the 2002 Kansas City Chiefs and 1985 San Diego Chargers.
“You have to find ways to close games, and that has been our number one problem,” Tobin said. “I think that last game against Cleveland is just a microcosm of what we’ve had. The defense goes out there and really pitches one of the finest games you could have, and instead the offense gives 14 points up (on turnovers), and we lose the game. We have to get to that point where that focus, strain and finish is in our DNA. Our players have to understand that."
Tobin will look to improve a defense that was ranked 31st, including last against the run.
The biggest area could be looking to retool a defensive line that was near the bottom of the league in sacks.
“Successful defenses, in my opinion, they have to be able to pressure the passer. You’d like to be able to pressure with four I think we need, we need pass rush. I think that relieves some of the strain on the coverage,” Tobin said.
Another priority will be trying to sign cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill to extensions.
Tobin also said he didn't see any major changes or additions to the coaching staff, personnel department or scouting. With scouting departments well into preparations for April's NFL draft, most of those changes throughout the league do not happen until May.
“We have a football team that has some challenges that we’ve got to solve. Beyond that, we have a football team that has a lot of positives to build on and a lot of things we’re proud of and a lot of reasons for optimism," Tobin said. "It’s all going to be about the who’s doing it, the what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it. That’s the focus.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
