Gone are the days of party animals like George Best and Ronaldinho, who got by on supreme talent rather than ensuring peak physical health at all times.
It’s widely
been considered over time that footballers peak in their mid-to-late twenties
before starting to decline, but that’s no longer the case.
The likes of
Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo represent the modern footballer, who
hone their skills, maintain their bodies, and if anything, get better with age.
Harry Kane, 27, is also one of
those people. It’s why £150million for his signature is about right.
The Tottenham forward’s numbers
could continue to increase well into his thirties because of his lifestyle.
Bayern’s Lewandowski, 32, was
described as ‘The Body’ by Pep Guardiola while the Man City boss was in charge
of the Bundesliga club, while 36-year-old Ronaldo’s incredible fitness regime
is well documented.
Since 2017, Kane has employed a
nutritionist to ensure a long, healthy career.
He, too, is part of this new
wave of footballers who understand the decline can be delayed through
commitment to a particular lifestyle.
You don’t see Kane spilling out
of nightclubs at 4am. His life outside football is also dedicated to football.
Lewandowski broke
Gerd Muller’s record for most goals in a single season in Germany at 32
It’s why he expects his extraordinary numbers to go north for
many years to come.
Speaking to Gary Neville recently, Kane said: “I still feel like
I’ve got almost another career to play. I’ve got another seven or eight years.
“I’m not rushing anything. I’m not desperate to do anything. I
feel like for sure I’ve got so much more to give.
“I feel like I can be even better than what I’ve been. I can
produce better numbers than what I’m producing at the moment.
Ronaldo was still one
of the top scorers in Italy this season
“I’m not afraid to say that I want to be the best. I’m not
afraid to say I want to try get on the level that Ronaldo and Messi got to. You
know, that’s my ultimate goal.
“That’s my aim, to be winning trophies season in, season out.
Scoring 50, 60, 70 goals season in, season out. That’s the standard I want to
set myself.”
Given that Lewandowski has
scored 255 goals for club and country since he turned 28,
we reckon most top clubs would’ve happily paid £150m on his 28th birthday.
Kane, who just won another Premier League Golden Boot and turns
28 this July, should be no different.
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