{"id":1499,"date":"2022-07-18T19:17:16","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T19:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.enjogo.com\/newsletter\/?p=1499"},"modified":"2025-05-20T05:57:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T05:57:47","slug":"late-bloomers-in-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enjogo.com\/newsletter\/late-bloomers-in-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Late bloomers in football"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“I don\u2019t understand how people judge a sixteen-year old\u2019s capability of becoming a professional footballer. They still have at least five years of growth time. Who knows if the best is yet to arrive?” said Richard Jamie Vardy, the oldest Golden Boot winner of the English Premier League at age 33. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vardy came to the fore in his late twenties, qualified for the Premier League, and won the title with Leicester City in 2016. He is a prime example of a late bloomer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Credits: LCFC Media<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At age 16, when many of his fellow mates received professional contracts from their academies, Jamie Vardy was released by Sheffield Wednesday citing lack of potential. Vardy is not the first footballer to face rejection at an early age. Every year, young footballers face rejection. They get forced to make a tough choice about their future in the game.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here is an interesting stat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to studies, 70% of players who represent top English academies in their formative years do not sign a professional football contract in the later years. The numbers look similar for the rest of the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistency compounds<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By the age of 25, Lionel Messi, won five Ballon d’Or trophies. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, 19 then, played an integral role for France in winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Messi and M\u2019Bappe are examples of early bloomers whose talent and hard work led them to achieve excellence and fame at an early stage<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the contrary, Chelsea’s Eduard Mendy, who was voted the world’s best goalkeeper in 2021, did not have a professional contract at 24. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mendy, compared to Messi and M\u2019Bappe was nowhere close at a similar age. But Mendy\u2019s sheer consistency led him to achieve laurels five years later. Now, Mendy, representing Chelsea FC, won the Champions League and Super League titles. All within the last two years. He won the \u2018Footballer of the year\u2019 in 2021 alongside winning the Africa Cup for his national team – Senegal.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not too late until your 20s <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Various internal and external factors can make or break a successful football career. Achieving early success is good. But when the stakes are high, you better slog every day. Playing in the big leagues involves various physiological and psychological work behind the scenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The teenage grades on the football field do not decide one\u2019s future in the game. However, certain aspects are paramount for an athlete to reach the pinnacle. Let\u2019s list some of them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n