Tom Brady officially announced his retirement from the NFl after the press had speculated it on it for a number of days. It had been a recurring situation at least in the last 10 years after the end of each regular season in the NFL. Despite being the winningest player in the league, with seven rings, one more than the two winningest teams — the Patriots and Steelers — and despite winning the Super Bowl in 2020, there was still talk of his retirement.

 

 

 

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Una publicación compartida de Tom Brady (@tombrady)

Any time an athlete turns 30, the subject of retirement begins to enter the conversation. For Brady, who knew how to maintain a dominant level despite overcoming the barrier of his 40s, the discussion was commonplace.

Brady is not retiring because he can't play anymore or because he's in poor shape. On the contrary, his numbers this past season were extraordinary, as was his inexhaustible thirst for victory. The decision — one that is never easy for a professional athlete — was made with a cool head and with the peace of mind of having given everything, but especially knowing that he is saying goodbye to his profession, leaving the bar too high for future generations.

An eternal generation

Those who have followed sports during the last 25 years have been privileged. We are witness to an impressive generation of athletes who for more than two decades have remained at the top of their games, proving that it is possible, not only to compete and succeed after turning 30, but also to be dominant.

Lio Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in football; Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, recent champion of the Australian Open at the age of 35, and Novak Djokovic, in tennis; Lewis Hamilton in F1; Primoz Roglic in cycling; LeBron James in basketball, as well as many other athletes in multiple disciplines who, due to their incredible professionalism and unwavering competitive spirit, dominate their sports and continue to raise the level and numbers of their prolific careers.

Rafa loves the fans. The fans love Rafa @RafaelNadal · #AusOpen · #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/tiaHylYJtP

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 1, 2022

Likewise, women's sports has figures such as Serena Williams in tennis, who at 40 is the active player with the most Grand Slam trophies, and the Brazilian soccer player Marta Viera da Silva, at 35, are living proof that when things are done with passion triumph has no limits.

With more than one exception to the rule, it has been shown that although athletes' bodies wear down, mental strength and discipline are more important to continue being in force and continue competing to win.

Sadly, and despite the titanic efforts that these athletes give us each season, the press and fans continue to bury careers earlier and earlier, hoping that athletes reach that forbidden age in which they must necessarily think about retirement, without taking into account the preparation and effort that these professions demand, but above all, the passion and respect that each sporting practice deserves.

Today the logic of the industry proposes early debuts, with athletes who begin to compete professionally before the age of 15 in the same way they consider 30 to be the beginning of the farewell, without stopping to notice the conditions of each athlete and in the demonstrations of greatness of a generation that will be hard to back up.