Most young footballers turn pro at the age of 18 and call it quits at the age of 36 making the average career life span to be around 18 years.
In some cases, injuries can force players to retire earlier than they would have wished, as recently seen with Ryan Mason who retired at the age of 26 following a clash with Chelsea’s Matic. Most players retire in their mid-30s just because they can’t keep with the pace of the game, however, some may choose to keep their feet moving even at 40s.