You're Only as Old as You Feel
Kazuyoshi Miura Still Going Strong at 58 Years Old
It’s New Year’s Eve as I write this, and the news that soccer legend Kazuyoshi Miura has signed with Japanese third-division team Fukushima United has brought a bit of a smile to my face. The timing seems poetic: Around a holiday centered on renewal and taking charge of one’s life, the oldest active professional soccer player has a brand new team. It’s like you’d expect him to wheel off into the sunset, but he’s all like “plot twist, suckas!”
If you have never heard of ‘King Kazu,’ you’re in for a treat. The man has been playing professional (club and national) soccer for 41 years. Forty. One. For reference, the author of this here article isn’t even 41 years old. And it’s not like Miura is bad at his job either; take a look at this clip of some of his work.
Doing all of that WITH a full head of hair? Life is unfair, yo.
But what’s cool about this is that in sports (and in soccer specifically), we tie decline to age almost automatically. Of course, there’s a lot of truth to that; say a 40-year-old will theoretically be slower than someone of the same build who happens to be 19. But the idea of an athlete who is in peak form, who at some point probably had to have adapted their craft to remain competitive, AND is doing so that he’s still playing at a professional level (albeit third division) is wild. Or as the kids say, “it needs to be studied.” The man turns 59 in February!
If you’re wondering, is the cheat code to eternal youth:
Miura's day starts at 5am with a balanced breakfast curated by his nutritionist, adhering to a high-protein, low-fat diet. This is followed by hours of daily training and ice bath recovery sessions…While he meticulously monitors his weight and body fat percentage, Miura believes his enduring success boils down to something much simpler: "The secret is nothing more than hard work and passion," he said. - Source
Low-fat diet? Monitoring weight and body fat percentage? Yeah, lemme go and retire real quick.
But yeah, where have you heard this story before, though? No, not the really old soccer player still crushing it, that’s one of a kind. I mean, having a goal in mind, having the discipline to do what it takes to put yourself in the best position to achieve and maintain those goals, and in doing so, gets you a slice of glory (if you’re into that sort of thing).
Seems like the perfect model for New Year’s Day if there ever was one. You know what? I might get myself a Kazu jersey. I’m so inspired.
Happy New Year