In order to stay on top, the modern-day footballer has to sacrifice a lot Tamil News: Football superstars like Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski are in their early, mid or late 30s. But there are no signs of slowing down on the field.
Football News in Tamil: The plot of “The Age of Adaline” is that the young heroine has no maturity. That is her secret. As such, some top footballers nowadays, according to conventional wisdom, should be past their prime. But, they are still at the top of their game. They are equally talented as the protagonist of the 2015 film The Age of Adalin without difficulty.
Superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are in their early, mid or late 30s. But there are no signs of their momentum slowing down on the field. The ravages of time have no effect on the bodies of these athletes who still yearn for the next big challenge.
These modern-day football heroes have to sacrifice a lot to stay at the top. Star players like Luka Modric and Karim Benzema burst onto the pitch. They are both in their mid-30s and have won the UEFA Champions League for Real Madrid this year.
While Ronaldo (37) was Manchester United’s leading goalscorer last season, his transfer market acquisition has shattered the myth that he is a prime footballer.
Polish striker Lewandowski (33), who was top scorer in the German Bundesliga last season, earned a big money move to Barcelona. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Messi is still considered one of the best players in the world.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic recently signed a contract extension with Serie A champions AC Milan. This will make him stay with the club till the age of 41.
Gone are the days when teams were afraid to sign players over the age of 30. The world of sports has seen a huge change in recent times.
It is unprecedented for footballers to play beyond a certain age. But Francesco Totti, Paolo Maldini, Ryan Giggs and Javier Zanetti are still active in their 40s. Most of them have been tied to the same club team for their entire career.
However, modern footballers don’t go for that idea. Messi moved to European powerhouse PSG at the age of 34. Lewandowski moved to Barcelona at the age of 33. Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Juventus at the age of 36. All these are big moves that were unthinkable even a few years ago. Three footballers, considered aging stars, are still at the highest level of the game. One would be hard-pressed to recall a time when they were consistently called the world’s best.
If one considers the example of Ronaldinho, who is considered the best player in the world, he moved from Barcelona to AC Milan. He would later move on to Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, Queretaro and Fluminense when he retired at the age of 35. As fans, we should always look ahead to things. At 35, Messi plays alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Trying to win the UEFA Champions League. At the same age Ronaldo gets a spectacular move from Real Madrid to Juventus.
So, what are the reasons behind the longevity of the seemingly aging top footballer of the modern era?
Lifestyle choices
A footballer’s life span or career is as much dependent on the decisions he makes on the field as it is off the field. Many promising players are missing out as players are unable to balance their personal and professional sports careers.
Some bad personal decisions end up affecting their day-to-day work. Some players have regrets and thoughts of what could have been. George Best cites his abusive lifestyle, alcohol abuse, broken relationships, violence and imprisonment as the primary examples that come to mind. He would also say that these habits ruined his football career.
Second, Ronaldinho has a hectic nightlife. It was the environment that ultimately brought about his downfall. But winning everything there was to win in world football killed his appetite. And he slowly began to shift his attention away from this beautiful sport.
But the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Lewandowski rarely succumb to such transgressions. Such is the state of competition in modern football that these three are not seen in nightclubs and parties. That’s not to say the modern footballer doesn’t have time to let his hair down. Even during the Covid pandemic, Neymar and some of his PSG teammates have been known to throw extravagant parties.
Once upon a time, Neymar was the heir apparent to the throne when Messi and Ronaldo fell out of form. But since then, Mbappe and Erling Haaland have overtaken him. Can Neymar, who turns 31 next February, truly fulfill his potential? Or will he be a forgotten figure in the next 15 years? Time will tell.
A healthy diet and regular exercise
If anyone said the skinny youngster who joined Manchester United from Portuguese club Sporting in 2003 would become the physical model standing before us in 2022, they would have called him crazy. But that player is Ronaldo. His dedication kept him at the top of the game for 20 years.
Ronaldo’s main workout in the gym is cardiovascular training – like running and rowing. and split between weights while on the pitch. Goal’s website noted that his focus is on high-intensity training that mimics competitive situations.
“A good workout should be combined with a good diet. I eat a high protein diet with whole grain carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods.” Ronaldo had said.
He has a personal nutritionist who has worked with him since his days at Real Madrid. He eats six small meals a day. Or eats a small meal every three to four hours, the Cole website said in its latest report.
When Ronaldo goes out to restaurants he eats lots of fruit and lean proteins. He also avoids frozen meals, the report said.
Messi is not a fitness freak like his Portuguese contemporary. According to Piñata magazine, the Argentinian mainly focuses on maximizing his agility before each match day.
He practices pillar bridge-fronts, lunges, hamstring stretches and pillar skips. According to the report, he also uses hurdle hops and split squats to strengthen his core and leg muscles.
Since 2014, Messi has been working with Italian nutritionist Giuliano Boser. He identified five essential foods – water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables – as the main ingredients of the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner’s diet.
Messi was asked to reduce his meat intake. And according to AS, he has also been told to give up one of his favorite foods, pizza.
The Strange Story of Eden Hazard
Real’s Eden Hazard is a prime example of how things can go wrong if a player is not properly motivated. Since arriving from Chelsea for £103.5m, the Belgian was once tipped as a firm Ballon d’Or contender. But he was a huge disappointment at the Santiago Bernabeu.
His time at Madrid has been hampered by injuries. He has not played for more than 550 days. Missed the field in over 65 games. The once blue-eyed Chelsea boy has scored six goals and provided 10 assists in just 66 appearances in all competitions over three years with Madrid. He is only 31 years old.
Players like Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski are moving to big clubs at an age considered too old for the pinnacle of football. Names like Hazard, James Rodriguez and Dele Alli are at the opposite end of the spectrum.
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