Soccer is not just a game; it’s a lifestyle and a passion. For some, it’s a lifelong dream that has been realized. You’re drawn in the moment you lace up for the first time and off you go, onto the pitch.
The roar of a crowd, the excitement of a goal, the fellowship with other players on your team — it’s exhilarating.
But the years go by, and the question begins to flutter around in your mind: At what age are you allowed to retire from soccer?
In truth, there is no singular answer. Retirement in soccer is not just about age; it’s about your body, your mind, your ambitions and your circumstances. That’s a very personal decision, and today we’re going to walk through it together.
Whether you are a professional player, a semi-professional player, or even an amateur who loves the game, this guide normalizes the transition of retirement from soccer.
What’s The Average Age For Retirement
The average age a soccer player retires is 35 due to injury, loss of pace, or new opportunities as a coach, manager, or commentator.
Soccer players retire due to injury, age, and other career interests.
The career of a soccer player can be short in comparison to a normal person. Many of us working will expect to retire in our 60s, and some will continue in their 70s.
With retirement age growing ever older, it’s a different game for sports professionals.
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Common Retirement Age in Soccer
Historically, most soccer players retire between the ages of 33 and 37.
- Early Retirement (Before 30): Some players are forced to retire early due to severe injuries, health concerns, or personal choices. Examples include Marco van Basten, who retired at just 28 due to recurring ankle injuries.
- Typical Retirement Age (33-37): This is the most common range where players gradually step away from professional football. By this time, their bodies might not handle the same level of performance required in elite competitions.
- Late Retirement (38-40+): Only a few players manage to keep going beyond the age of 38. Goalkeepers tend to last longer due to the lower physical demands of their position.
Listening to Your Body
Let’s get real for a second. Your body is the best asset you have as a soccer player. It’s the engine behind your game, and after a few hours, that engine has some miles on it.
Now think about this: how often did you play through pain to play a game? How many times have you cried off a twinge in your knee or tightness in your hamstring because you didn’t want to let down your teammates? It’s admirable, but it’s also not sustainable.
And as you age, recovery is not as direct.
Injuries come more often now, and the possibilities of serious, career-ending injuries rise. This is when you have to begin listening to your body.
When you’re chronicling injuries, when you can neither meet nor greet the play on the field when it happens, or when you struggle to purge your physical condition of the aftereffects of games — it’s probably time to retire.
But listen, retirement is not the end of your soccer career. Some players go into coaching, or punditry, or even an administrative job in the game.
Your playing career might have ended, but you don’t have to stop loving the game.
This approach allows those who still like to keep them longer, while they feel useful, and those who want to retire soon.
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Knowing When It’s Time To Retire
Retirement is not just a physical decision, it is also a mental decision. Soccer is perhaps as much a mental contest as a physical one, and at a high level, the mental toll of playing can be huge.
Imagine the pressure: the fans’ expectations, the media glare, the constant demand on your performance. It’s exhausting.
And as you get older, that pressure can begin to weigh on you. You may feel all of the fronts, you have addressed in this pitching are tiring and you have diminished already. You might come to dread training sessions or get anxious before matches.
If so, then now is the time to ask yourself the question: Am I still playing because I love it, or because I feel like I have to?
Retirement is not failure; it’s a new chapter. And if your heart is no longer in it, then it’s time to call it a day. You’ve contributed all you can to the game, and there’s no shame in going out on your terms.
Preparing for Life After Soccer
Let’s discuss a topic that doesn’t receive enough discussion: money.
Soccer is a lucrative profession, if a brief one. With a competitive career as a professional soccer player typically spanning just 8–10 years, retirement naturally comes to most players long before they had anticipated.
If you’ve been fortunate enough to make a good living off the game, you can likely retire comfortably. But for most players, particularly at lower league or semi-professional levels, financial security is not assured.
This is why planning is so important.
If you’re considering retirement, you should have a meaningful financial plan laid out.
It could be making smart investments, going for education or credentials toward a new career, or even starting a business. The important thing is you have to plan for what is after soccer.
When Do Most Players Retire?
There isn’t a real normal football retirement age, but there are some general trends nonetheless.
Most pros retire in their mid-30s. This is when the physical exertion of the game begins to take its toll.
There are exceptions, though. Players like Gianluigi Buffon and Zlatan Ibrahimović have managed to play well into their 40s.
These players are the outliers, however, and their longevity is typically the result of a mixture of alta receta genetics, rigorous training and a measure of good fortune.
Retirement age is likely more disparate among amateur and semi-professional players. Some play even into their 50s or 60s, albeit in recreational roles.
The only difference here is the intensity of the sport.
Because recreational soccer does not demand the same level of effort and exertion as professional soccer, players can enjoy this sport they love for many years to come.
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Saying Goodbye to the Game
Walking away from football is not purely a logistical decision; it is a sentimental one, too. Football is not a game for most of the players; it is a lifestyle. It defines who they are.
Resigning makes it almost as if you resign a piece of yourself.
It’s natural to feel some loss, even bereavement, when you retire. You may miss the anticipation of match day, the camaraderie of the dressing room, or just the pleasure of kicking a ball around. These hurtful feelings exist, and should be felt.
Retirement doesn’t have to signal the end of your soccer romance.
Most retired players continue to participate in the sport through coaching, mentoring, or playing informally. The trick is to discover how to remain in the sport you love, but you are done with pitch life.
What’s Next?
OK, so you’ve hung up the cleats. What now?
Your training is invaluable, yet transitioning from pro athlete mode to “normal” life can be difficult — a chance to reinvent yourself. Now is your opportunity to find new passions, chase new dreams, create a life outside of soccer.
For some users, that could be resuming school or entering a new career. For others, it could be a matter of spending more time with the family or traveling the world. The options are chosen from; only in your court.
The key is to make this shift with a positive attitude and an open mind.
Make no mistake; retirement is not an end, but a beginning.
And though it’s likely terrifying at first, it’s also an opportunity of a lifetime to build a life that’s every bit as rewarding as your soccer career.
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Can You Make a Comeback After Retirement?
Yes, but it’s rare.
Some players, like Paul Scholes and Johan Cruyff, have briefly come out of retirement for short stints. However, the older you get, the harder it is to regain top form.
