Kazuyoshi Miura is determined to play a bigger role for Oliveirense following his recent debut for the Portuguese second-division club, the 56-year-old Japanese soccer icon said Friday.
"Everyone really celebrated me," a smiling Miura said in reference to his late cameo during Oliveirense's 4-1 win away to Academico de Viseu on April 22.
The veteran remained on the bench for Oliveirense's home game with Estrela on Friday, in which his team conceded two goals in the opening 10 minutes of the second half to suffer a 2-1 defeat.
"I need to become a player who gets used in these situations," said Miura, now in his 38th season as a professional. "(My debut) is already in the past. I'll be doing my best for the next game."
On loan since February from J. League top-division side Yokohama FC until the end of the season, Miura is playing in his fifth country outside Japan following stints in Brazil, Italy, Croatia and Australia.
Miura was central to the rise of Japanese soccer's popularity from the launch of the J. League in 1993 and has scored 55 goals in 89 games for his country.