FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Veteran striker Kazuyoshi Miura failed to make Japan’s final 22 World Cup squad which was announced Tuesday by national coach Takeshi Okada.

Okada also eliminated defender Daisuke Ichikawa, one of the two teenagers in the provisional 25-member squad last month, and 29-year-old midfielder Tsuyoshi Kitazawa. With 54 goals from 86 internationals — 14 in the Cup qualifying round last year-the 31-year-old Verdy Kawasaki forward has come to be known as “King Kazu” to his fans. Miura was one of the first big stars of Japan’s professional J-League.

But his throne has been taken over by Bellmare Hiratsuka playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata, 21, who only made his international debut last May and was last month named Asia’s player of the year.