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Japan’s ‘King Kazu’ welcomes World Cup expansion

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TOKYO: Kazuyoshi Miura, the oldest goalscorer in Japanese professional football, has welcomed Fifa’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026 and said he still dreamt of playing in the tournament for the first time.


The 50-year-old known as ‘King Kazu’, who netted 12 goals for Japan on the road to France 1998 but has never played at a World Cup, said an expanded tournament would boost the game’s popularity in countries where it was a “minor sport”.


Asia is expected to get eight or nine places when the World Cup is expanded, compared to 4-1/2 in the current 32-team format.


“The first World Cup I saw only had 16 teams I think,” Miura said in an interview. (The number of teams was increased to 24 in 1982.)


“It was extremely difficult to become a representative of a continent. Even Asia, in my memory, only had two teams until recently (1998). And before that, only one (until 1982).


“And now, it is 4-1/2. I think it is a good change because countries where football is still a minor sport will have their chance too.”


Miura, who scored 55 goals in 89 internationals but last played for Japan nearly 17 years ago, said a combination of dreams and hard work were behind his extraordinary longevity. — Reuters


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