It’s happens sometimes when you spend big on older players. People like to think that top players all stay at peak level deep into their 30s but many do tail off fast.
Everytime you mention someone over 30 might decline suddenly you are bombarded with people claiming that there’s “no way a professional like him” could decline and that sports science has gotten so advanced that it essentially trumps biology meaning there’s no reason players would decline one bit before they’re 36 at the earliest.
Many people often also ignore the human element of this. They think footballers are robots like in their games of FIFA on PS5. There are so many examples of footballers losing their drive to stay at peak performance or who want to move onto other interests.
This wave of guys like Ronaldo, Messi, Ibra, Thiago Silva, Modric, have made people forged that 90% of players over 32 are going to drop their performance lvl. People forget these are professionals with their hands on top level technology, nutricion, recovering etc. Also 2 of them were born with probably 1 in a million natural genaracional talent. That and like you said games like Fifa and FM have made people look at older player in a diferent way ( which is not all 100% correct). Hell, 15 years ago, a 29 year old player would be called ancient.
I 100% did this. I said "A 29 year old is a total waste of our time and money. its ridiculous. wtf are we doing? The club has lost it! He's totally washed and over the hill! Did we learn nothing from Joe Cole?!? FFS!"
That and like you said games like Fifa and FM have made people look at older player in a diferent way ( which is not all 100% correct).
FIFA and FM very much help ingrain the idea that players are washed up and on the decline as soon as they hit 30 - which is the opposite of what you're saying.
I get your point about players like Modric, Messi, Ibra, Silva, etc, distorting people's opinions of how long a player can be at their peak for - but the FIFA/FM part is nonsense.
It’s happens sometimes when you spend big on older players. People like to think that top players all stay at peak level deep into their 30s but many do tail off fast.
Everytime you mention someone over 30 might decline suddenly you are bombarded with people claiming that there’s “no way a professional like him” could decline and that sports science has gotten so advanced that it essentially trumps biology meaning there’s no reason players would decline one bit before they’re 36 at the earliest.
Many people often also ignore the human element of this. They think footballers are robots like in their games of FIFA on PS5. There are so many examples of footballers losing their drive to stay at peak performance or who want to move onto other interests.
This wave of guys like Ronaldo, Messi, Ibra, Thiago Silva, Modric, have made people forged that 90% of players over 32 are going to drop their performance lvl. People forget these are professionals with their hands on top level technology, nutricion, recovering etc. Also 2 of them were born with probably 1 in a million natural genaracional talent. That and like you said games like Fifa and FM have made people look at older player in a diferent way ( which is not all 100% correct). Hell, 15 years ago, a 29 year old player would be called ancient.
No one called 29yr old players ancient 15 years ago.
bud you're on /r/soccer so you're talking to a 10 year old, 15 years ago the universe didn't even exist
I wish I could upvote you twice
🤯
I 100% did this. I said "A 29 year old is a total waste of our time and money. its ridiculous. wtf are we doing? The club has lost it! He's totally washed and over the hill! Did we learn nothing from Joe Cole?!? FFS!"
.... that 29 year old was James Milner.
yeah Zidane was 29 when Real Madrid signed him and I can't remember anyone talking about his age
FIFA and FM very much help ingrain the idea that players are washed up and on the decline as soon as they hit 30 - which is the opposite of what you're saying.
I get your point about players like Modric, Messi, Ibra, Silva, etc, distorting people's opinions of how long a player can be at their peak for - but the FIFA/FM part is nonsense.
Total garbage. 29 year old players have never been considered ancient.