Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the process of career termination of elite soccer players, comparing the quality and the resources to support career termination over the last three decades. To this end, was developed a questionnaire defined by four sections: (a) biographical data, (b) athletic career, (c) quality of career termination and (d) available resources at the moment of career termination. Ninety male former elite Portuguese soccer players participated in this study. The results highlighted a decrease in the length of athletic career as football players and an increase in the number of years as youth players over the last 30 years. The results also revealed that the quality of career termination was difficult. The analysis of resources for career termination revealed an increase in a high level of education over the years. Despite the evolution in the level athletes’ education in the last three decades, the athletic career termination remained difficult and it was reported that they did not plan their career termination. In line with previous studies, the results highlight that the lack of plans for career termination is one of the most important factors that constrain the quality of career transition.
Highlights
In the last five decades, research in the area of sport career termination has advanced significantly with an improvement in the understanding of the factors associated with this process [1]
The results revealed an influence of the social-cultural context in the career termination process
The participants differ significantly in years in professional football and years as youth players (p < 0.05), with the Group I (G I) revealing a higher number of years as professional footballs than G III
Summary
In the last five decades, research in the area of sport career termination has advanced significantly with an improvement in the understanding of the factors associated with this process [1]. Most studies in different sports have emphasized that 15 to 20% of retired athletes go through transitional difficulties, often requiring intervention and psychological support [2,3,4]. It can be explained by the multifactorial life process that constraints the process of career termination. There is a need to understand the role of each factor in career termination of different countries or sports to really understand the impact of such process in athletes life [1]. Career termination is influenced by the situation, the self, the support and the individual strategies and it requires the adjustment of former athletes to the new psychological, social, familiar, Sports 2018, 6, 155; doi:10.3390/sports6040155 www.mdpi.com/journal/sports
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