Top 10 Footballers Who Retired Too Soon

Top 10 Footballers Who Retired Early

Footballers Who Retired Too Soon? Have you ever wondered which footballers that have retired early? Well, if you have then don’t worry because we have prepared a list of the Top 10 Footballers Who Retired Too Soon. Their are a number of players who retired early and too soon but we have picked out the 10 best among those who retired too soon or early. Watch & Bet Football Here =>

Why do footballers retire so early? These players on this list are one of those who retired from professional football when they reached the prime of their career.

Top Ten Footballers Who Retired Too Soon

Previously we published Top 10 Soccer Players Who Never Played in the Premier League & Top 10 Best Defenders In Soccer Of All Time if you haven’t seen these make sure you do after this list.

Here are the Top 10 Footballers Who Retired Too Soon.

10. Frank Rijkaard

Frank Rijkaard makes it at number ten on the list. The Dutch man is one of the best players who emerged from the highly ranked Ajax academy. He was an all round midfielder and played in both defense and midfield . He was named the 21 best player in the last fifty years ahead of the likes of David Beckham and Bobby Moore. He was nominated for the Ballon D’or and came third on two occasions . He managed to win the the title four times at ajax and twice at AC Milan. He went on to retire at the age of 33.

9. Didier Deschamps

Didier Deschamps makes it on the list at ninth place . He was once described as a water boy by the controversial Eric Cantona . He went on and became France’s most successful captain. Didier Deschamps was a holding midfielder who was very goos at his defensive duties therby creating more opportuinties for his team-mates to have an advantage on the attack. He won multiple titles in France and and Italy and also managed to win the Champions League twice and an FA Cup trophy. The French man retired at the age of 32 but still had it in him to go a few more years.

8. Espen Baarsen

Goalkeepers usually tend to stay in the game of soccer for a long time as compared to outfield players due to the reduced physical requirement of a goalkeeper. Espen Baarsen who was born in the United States from Norwegian parents caught the attention of Tottenham scouts and made a debut for the spurs at the age of twenty during the London derby . He then went on to play for Watford and Everton. He retired at the age of 25 and said he no longer had the interest in football and became an assets management officer.

7. Carlos Roa

Another Goalkeeper makes the list and this time, its Argentine international Carlos Roa. The goalkeeper helped Argentina during world 1998 World Cup penalties against England. Carlos Roa won the Zamora award as the best Goalkeeper in Spain . At the age of 30, Carlos Roa hanged up his gloves and decided to pursue a religious path saying that the world was coming to an end . However, the world didn’t end he returned back to football but failed to return back to his usual form.

6. Zinedine Zidane

The French man Zinedine Zidane makes it on the shortlist at number six. The French man though ending his career at the age of 34 still makes it on the list of Top 10 Footballers Who Retired Too Soon. Zidane had a great career and was one of the best midfielders if not the best. He ended his career in saddening fashion after being sent off during the 2006 final and against Italy. The Frenchman was sent off for head-butting Materazzi. This however, didn’t prevent him from hanging up his boots. He is one of many retired french footballers.

5. Zbigniew Boniek

In fifth spot is Polish former international footballer Zbigniew Boniek. Boniek was named as his country’s greatest ever player of the last 50 years. Boniek though being named the greatest ever player in Poland still has great competition for that place from Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandoski. He played for Juventus as a second striker and finally ended his career aged 32 at the time he was playing for Roma in 1988.

4. Michel Platini

Michel Platini was a football genius during his playing days. Platini who was named as the sixth greatest player of the century in 2000. He managed to get silverware in France, Italy and also won the European Cup with Juventus. Platini also captained the French team to success during the 1984 European Championship. He was named Ballon’dor player of the year three times during his playing career.

Michel Platini retired at the age of 32 just after being named in the World Cup team of the tournament.

3. Eric Cantona

In third place is Manchester United legend Eric Cantona. Cantona was one of the stars in English football and was once voted as Manchester United’s greatest ever player. It is clear with the existence of new talents such as Cristiano Ronaldo and the likes of David De Gea , Eric Cantona is far from being the greatest ever player at the Theater of Dreams .

Cantona scored close to 100 goals during his six-year spell at the club. He managed to win four league titles and two FA Cup titles. He retired at the age of 30 and was reported to have said that he wanted to spend more time with his friends and have drinks , things which he couldn’t do as an athlete.

He’s one of the many Manchester United Footballers Who Retired Too Soon.

2. Mario De Castro

Mario De Castro who might not be well known by most of the soccer fans currently was a very clinical striker. He scored more goals than the games he played. Mario De Castro scored 195 goals in a total of 100 appearances. He has a scoring average of 1.95 goals per game. He and his two striking partners were known as the ‘Damned Trio’. Unfortunately, the striker retired from the game at the age of 26.

1. George Best

Number one on our list of the Top 10 Footballers Who Retired Too Soon is none other than the great George Best. One of many Manchester United legends makes it on the shortlist at number one. After having three consecutive seasons at Old Trafford in which he was named top goal scorer three times, the striker announced his first retirement at the age of 26. However, he continued to play for Manchester United in the year 1972 but announced his retirement yet again in the year 1974 aged 28.

George Best gets first place with an early at the age of 28 which saw an end to what was a marvellous career that was short-lived.