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Oldest professional player Miura, 56, extends contract

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Japanese forward Kazuyoshi Miura may be the world’s oldest professional football player but he is not ready to hang up his boots just yet and the 56-year-old, known as King Kazu, extended his loan deal with Portugal’s second-tier club Oliveirense on Tuesday.

Former Japan international Miura, who earned nearly 90 caps between 1990-2000 scoring 55 goals, joined Oliveirense in January on loan from promoted Japanese J1 League side Yokohama.

“Miura Kazu continues at UD Oliveirense,” the Liga Portugal 2 side said on Twitter on Tuesday, without specifying the length of the new contract.

In November the owners of Yokohama, restaurant operator Onodera Group, became a majority shareholder of Oliveirense.

Miura, considered one of Japan’s football greats, started his professional career in Brazil in the 1980s, where he played for Santos, Palmeiras and Coritiba, among others

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He joined second-tier Yokohama in 2005 from Japanese top-tier side Vissel Kobe.

Miura also briefly represented Japan’s futsal team in 2012, and was called up for the 2012 Futsal World Cup at the age of 45

-Reuters

 

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Tall Paul towers back to Trabzon as Super Lig side sign Onuachu for keeps

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 Southampton v Crystal Palace - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - April 2, 2025 Southampton's Paul Onuachu scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

Paul Onuachu is back where the goals flowed after the Nigerian striker completed a 5.6 million euros ($6.60 million) move to Trabzonspor from Southampton on Friday, turning a successful loan spell into a permanent stay on Turkey’s Black Sea coast.

Nicknamed “Tall Paul” by Saints fans, the 2.01-metre forward never found his stride in the Premier League, scoring just four goals as Southampton dropped out of the top flight.

But in Turkey, he looked like his old self — hitting 15 goals in 21 league games while on loan last season and quickly winning over the fans and board alike.

Once prolific at Genk, with 73 goals in 103 league games, 31-year-old Onuachu’s return to Trabzonspor feels more like a reset than a gamble.

The new Super Lig season kicks off on August 8, with champions Galatasaray defending their crown. Trabzonspor, who finished seventh last term, will hope their returning striker picks up right where he left off.

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-Reuters

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Tragedy Mars Algerian MC Alger Title Celebration

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A celebration turned tragic on Saturday, June 22, 2025, when three spectators lost their lives and more than 70 others sustained injuries following a fence collapse at the July 5 Stadium in Algiers. The incident occurred after MC Alger clinched the Algerian top-flight football title for the second consecutive season.

According to a statement released on Facebook by the Algerian Ministry of Health, the collapse took place in the stadium’s south bend upper stand. Emergency services responded swiftly, with 38 injured fans taken to Beni Messous University Hospital, 27 to Ben Aknoun Hospital, and 16 to Bab El Oued Hospital.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed condolences to the victims’ families and extended wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.

MC Alger also mourned the loss of one of their fans. “It is with great sadness and sorrow that we received the news of our supporter Younes Amguzzi, who passed away after falling from the upper stands,” the club said in a statement posted on Instagram.

The club has not yet issued a formal comment on the additional reported fatalities.

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Local media attributed the tragedy to a structural failure, reporting that part of the upper-tier fencing gave way, causing fans to fall into the lower stands. A video posted by El Heddaf TV showed the damaged railing and the chaotic aftermath.

The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, while MC Alger players, staff, and club officials visited to donate blood in support of the victims. The trophy presentation ceremony was postponed out of respect for the incident.

Authorities are expected to launch an investigation into the cause of the collapse and the safety standards at the stadium.

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Libya Again! From Free-Kick to Firefight: Libyan Derby Turns Into a War Zone

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The bus of the Libyan club Al-Ittihad was set on fire after the Tripoli derby against Al Ahli on Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Libyan football is once again under fire after a highly anticipated derby match between Al-Ahli Tripoli and Al-Ittihad spiralled into chaos on Wednesday evening, forcing an early end to the game and leaving a trail of violence and destruction in its wake.

What was meant to be a showcase of local rivalry quickly turned into a disaster.

The match, part of Libya’s national championship, took a dark turn in the 38th minute when Moroccan midfielder Nawfel Zerhouni curled in a beautiful free-kick to give Al-Ittihad the lead. But the celebrations were short-lived. Tensions flared, players clashed, and a full-blown melee broke out on the pitch.

Things only got worse from there.

Despite being officially designated a behind-closed-doors fixture, fans from both clubs found their way into the stadium and took over the stands. Fights erupted, and the terraces turned into battlegrounds. The referee had no choice but to abandon the match.

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The violence didn’t stop at the stadium gates.

Reports suggest that live ammunition was fired at Al-Ahli supporters, and the Al-Ittihad team bus was set ablaze in the aftermath. Shocking scenes like these are a grim reminder of how unchecked football passion can spiral into outright mayhem.

Both clubs reacted swiftly with official statements condemning the violence. Al-Ahli Tripoli and Al-Ittihad called for calm and restraint, stressing the importance of upholding the values of sport. They also urged authorities to launch a full investigation to uncover those behind the violence and ensure accountability.

This disturbing episode comes on the heels of previous controversies involving Libya’s football scene, including the troubled AFCON qualifier against Nigeria and riots during the Libya–Benin Republic match. It raises fresh concerns over the safety and stability of football in the country.

Libyan football is at a crossroads. Whether this serves as a wake-up call or just another chapter in a worrying trend remains to be seen.

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