At what age do soccer players retire? Factors that determine

Eventually, every soccer player has to face the end of their playing career. This retirement can come unexpectedly, leaving them with a feeling of regret, or sometimes the readiness to say goodbye to the field after many years of high-intensity competition. So, at what age do soccer players usually retire? What are the deciding factors when a star chooses to stop, and is it possible to see an earlier retirement than usual? In this article, let’s explore with Premiumsoccertips the answer to the question “at what age do soccer players retire?”, and learn about the reasons why players decide to step out of the spotlight and start a new journey in life.

What age do soccer players retire?

The age at which a professional soccer player retires can vary greatly for a number of reasons. Firstly, no two players have the same body; different people are capable of handling different physical loads, and while some professional players will go through their entire careers without any major injuries, those who are more prone to injury can sometimes find themselves spending a lot of time on the sidelines, whether it’s an ankle strain, a sore hamstring, or something much more serious like an ACL injury (see our article on the most common soccer injuries for more guidance on this topic).

The impact of injuries and game time management

Both the physical and mental toll of being injured repeatedly throughout your career can be very difficult, and this can lead to some players retiring earlier than you might expect. On the other hand, if a professional player stays in good health throughout their time at the professional level, they are more likely to continue into their old age, maintaining the standards they have set for themselves.

Another thing to consider is the simple issue of playing minutes. If a raw talent burst onto the scene at 16 or 17 and their recognisable qualities meant they were regularly playing at the highest level as a teenager, then they are more likely to burn out and struggle to maintain the level of playing minutes they have throughout their career.

For example, after retiring from football, former England player Michael Owen admitted that his heavy workload as a teenager shortened his career in the long run. “You can’t force nature and nature certainly forced me to rest a lot more than I would have liked in the second half of my career… Managers have a responsibility to rest young players,” he wrote on his blog in 2012. The argument was that if more minutes were given to young players, they would be able to continue playing for much longer into their thirties. Owen hung up his boots at 33, having experienced most of his success as a much younger player. But is that the average age for footballers to retire?

At what age do most soccer players retire?

In modern football, most professional male footballers retire between the ages of 34 and 36.

In contrast, professional female footballers are more likely to retire between the ages of 32 and 34 (this difference is due to a number of factors including greater funding and professionalism in the men’s game and the lower level of sports science and medical treatment that female players have access to).

Overall, the average retirement age in football has increased in recent years as fitness and nutrition have improved and players have become more concerned about their bodies throughout their careers. However, staying in shape in your mid-to-late 30s can still be difficult…

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5 top reasons why soccer players retire

While most professional soccer players retire around the age of 35, Portugal’s all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo is still scoring regularly at the age of 39 (albeit for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Professional Soccer League, not at the top of the global game). And he’s not the only one — there are plenty of talented players who continue playing in the professional game well into their late 30s. Meanwhile, some players decide to retire early in their 30s, or even their late 20s. Many factors can influence these decisions; here are five of the most important.

1. Recurring injuries

Many players have returned to full fitness after serious injuries, but when the injury recurs over a long period of time, it can become extremely frustrating and the doctor may advise you to stop. For example, three-time Ballon d’Or winner Marco van Basten was forced to retire at the age of 30 after suffering an ankle injury that got worse over time despite multiple surgeries and a two-year layoff. Eventually, it became too much.

2. Career-ending injuries

Sometimes, a player will suffer a devastating injury from which there is no return. Football is a contact sport and can be dangerous at times; a prime example of this occurred in 2000, when promising young Aston Villa striker Luc Nilis collided with Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright and suffered a horrific injury, breaking his right leg in two places. The injury was so serious that he could no longer play professional football.

3. Age, Pure and Simple

It’s unrealistic to expect anyone to play forever. Even with the most dedicated professional footballers, who look after their bodies incredibly well and do everything they can to continue playing at a high level, there comes a time when you can’t compete as well as you used to. It’s rare to see someone playing into their 40s, and although there are famous outliers like Teddy Sheringham, Roger Milla and Pepe (who is still captain of Porto today at 41), the cold, hard reality of time means that everyone has to call it a day eventually.

4. Loss of appetite for the game

Footballers all have different views on the game; while some will do everything they can to continue playing into their 30s and beyond, others simply don’t enjoy playing professional football anymore. Players like Gareth Bale, Andre Schurrle and David Bentley — who once recalled that “eventually I just got bored with all the crap that came with it” — all retired at relatively young ages because they simply lost the hunger, desire and love for the professional game.

5. The mental and emotional demands

This follows on from the last point, but it’s worth mentioning that the constant pressure, structural changes, physical exertion and high drama of professional football can take a serious toll on a player’s mental and emotional well-being. While some can handle these demands without suffering, others struggle, and those who can tend to retire earlier.

In Conclusion

In short, a soccer player’s retirement depends not only on age but also on many other factors such as injury, fitness, and even a loss of passion for the game. So, “at what age do soccer players retire”? The average retirement age for male soccer players is usually around 34 to 36, while female players retire a little earlier. However, each player has their own journey, and many factors influence this decision. The important thing is that they choose the right time to retire, when they feel they have completed what they needed to do in their career.

See more: Who invented football and how did it all begin?