Age at peak soccer performance among world-class women soccer players
This study analyzes 1,066 nominations for major international awards from 2001 to 2023 to determine that the peak performance age for world-class women's soccer players is approximately 26.8 years, with significant variations by position (ranging from 25.3 years for forwards to 29.3 years for goalkeepers) that align closely with men's patterns but are older than previously reported for women.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In the world of professional soccer, teams and coaches are constantly making high-stakes decisions about their players. They must decide who to sign, how long to keep a player under contract, and when to bring in fresh talent. To make these choices wisely, they need to understand the natural arc of a player's career: when does an athlete reach their absolute best, and when do they begin to decline? For decades, researchers have studied this question for men, finding that the peak usually arrives in the mid-to-late twenties. However, until very recently, there was almost no specific data on women. Because the women's game has grown so rapidly only in the last few years, and because historical records were sparse, experts often assumed the patterns for women would simply mirror those of men. This assumption left a significant gap in knowledge, leaving clubs and federations to guess at the career trajectories of their female stars rather than relying on evidence.
A team of researchers from Norway decided to fill this gap by looking directly at the women who have been recognized as the best in the world. Instead of trying to measure speed or strength in a lab, they used a simple but powerful real-world indicator: the age at which players were nominated for major international awards. These awards, such as the FIFA Best Women's Player or the Ballon d'Or, are given to the top performers each year based on votes from coaches, journalists, and other players. By gathering the names of every woman nominated for these honors between 2001 and 2023, the researchers built a massive dataset of 1,066 nominations. This approach allowed them to see not just who was good, but exactly how old they were when they were considered the best in the world.
The study revealed that the average age for a world-class woman soccer player to reach her peak performance is 26.8 years. This finding is significant because it suggests that the timing of a woman's peak is remarkably similar to that of a man's, challenging the idea that biological differences between the sexes create vastly different career timelines at the elite level. However, the researchers also found that not all players peak at the same time. The age of peak performance shifts depending on where a player stands on the field. Forwards, who are responsible for scoring goals and often rely heavily on explosive speed, reached their peak earliest at 25.3 years. Midfielders, who cover the most ground and direct the flow of the game, peaked at 26.6 years. Defenders, who need to read the game and organize the back line, reached their best around 27.7 years. Goalkeepers, whose role relies heavily on experience and tactical knowledge rather than pure sprinting speed, peaked the latest at 29.3 years.
The researchers also looked at the beginning and end of these elite careers. The average age when a player first received a nomination for a world-class award was 25.3 years, indicating when they first broke into the absolute top tier. The average age for their final nomination was 27.7 years, showing how long they could maintain that elite status. Interestingly, the study found no clear trend showing that players are getting older over time. While some previous studies of Olympic teams suggested a slow increase in age, this analysis of the very best individual players showed that the peak age has remained relatively stable over the last two decades.
This work provides a crucial evidence base for those managing women's soccer. It confirms that while the physical demands of different positions lead to different peak ages, the overall timeline for a woman's career at the highest level aligns closely with that of men. The data suggests that the rapid professionalization of the women's game, including better support for maternity and improved financial conditions, has allowed players to reach and sustain their peak performance at ages consistent with the demands of the sport. By understanding that a goalkeeper might not hit their stride until nearly thirty, while a forward might peak in their mid-twenties, clubs can make smarter decisions about squad building and player development. The study concludes that while we now have a much clearer picture of when women peak, more research is needed on retired players to fully understand how factors like pregnancy and career breaks influence these timelines in the long run.
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