Calling time on your career can be a fickle matter. You might think that it's time to move on but somewhere down the line, you might believe that you still have a lot to give and you decide to change your mind and re-enter into the field of play.
Fortunately or unfortunately, this trend is happening more and more often. There are varying reasons as to why this occurs.
Athletes often reverse their retirements due to factors like a strong athletic identity, a difficult post-sport transition, financial necessity or a desire to return after an involuntary retirement due to injury. A planned retirement is often easier, while the difficulty of transitioning to a new career can drive athletes back to the sport they know (Smith & McManus, 2008).
Reasons for reversing retirement
- Difficulty transitioning to a new identity: Many athletes struggle with a post-retirement identity crisis, as their life revolved around their sport and the strong athletic identity they developed.
- Lack of a retirement plan: Without prior planning, athletes may find themselves lost and alone, leading to financial and psychological difficulties that drive them back to the sport.
- Financial necessity: If an athlete was relying on sports for income, financial problems can force them to reconsider retiring, especially if their new career isn't generating enough revenue.
- Involuntary retirement: Athletes who were forced to retire due to injury or other factors may choose to return when they are healthy again or if they feel they haven't achieved their goals.
- Desire for closure: Some athletes may want to return for one more season or competition to end their careers on their own terms, feeling they didn't get a proper "farewell" the first time.
- Burnout: Some athletes retire due to burnout but later return once they've had a break and rediscovered their passion for the sport (Smith & McManus, 2008).
There is an inevitable outcome that accompanies every athlete’s career. Whether amateur, semi-professional or professional, every athlete will experience the end of their athletic career at some point. Athletic careers end for a variety of reasons including, age, deselection, decrements in performance, loss of motivation, having achieved all their desired goals, non-renewal of contract or injury (Stewart, 2022).
The end of a sporting career can be felt as a significant loss in an athlete’s life, especially if the end of their career was premature or not freely chosen, such as in the case of a career ending injury (Stewart, 2022, cited, Stephan, 2003). However, for others, particularly those who choose the timing and nature of their retirement, transition out of sport can be a time of celebration and excitement as they embark on a new chapter in their lives (Stewart, 2022).
For many athletes, their athletic career is how they create a sense of relevance and purpose in their lives (Stewart, 2022, cited, Stephan, 2003). An athletic identity is, "the sport specific component of an individual’s self-concept and the extent to which an individual identifies with the athletic role" (Stewart, 2022, cited, Brewer, Van Raalte, & Linder, 1993, p. 237).
A highly competitive athletic career is marked by a total commitment to the athlete’s chosen sport, involving a daily schedule of training, competition, preparation and rehabilitation; all of which contribute to the formation of the athletic identity. Athletic careers also involve the creation of strong bonds with team-mates, coaches, managers, physical therapists and even opponents. Each relationship has the potential to have a significant impact on an athletes’ life and identity (Stewart, 2022).
However, the end of an athletic career can signify a partial or complete loss of identity in the athletic domain. Athletes face a loss of daily routine, regimen, stimulation and potentially the sense of accomplishment that comes with performing at such a high level. Athletic relationships might also end as teammates move in different directions and coaches focus their attention on those still competing (Stewart, 2022).
The end of an athletic career can have a significant impact on athletes’ overall mental health and psychological well-being. This is especially the case for athletes who are not prepared for retirement, whose retirement is forced upon them or experience a sense of disappointment due to failure to achieve desired goals during their career (Stewart, 2022, cited, Eggleston et al., 2020).
Retirement from sport represents a major life-change, an "ending," like losing a job or the end of a relationship. Therefore, it can be normal for athletes to experience a sense of grief or sadness when their career comes to an end (Stewart, 2022, cited, Stephan, 2003).
Effective preparation is vitally important for competition and the same is true for retirement from sport. Consider that for the majority of athletes, an elite sporting career is remarkably short with the average professional sports career lasting around three and a half years (Coakly, 2009). It is therefore important for athletes to begin planning for retirement early in their athletic career. Benefits of early planning for retirement from sport include:
- Smoother transition from sport.
- A shorter period of transition from sport to life after sport.
- More adaptive emotional and psychological outcomes.
- Higher life satisfaction.
- Greater preparation for any financial impact of retirement.
- Creation of a wider focus on other life, social and career goals thereby creating greater sport/ life balance (Stewart, 2022, cited, Demulier et al., 2013).
Preparing for retirement from sport early in your athletic career has several benefits. For example, a career choice for life after sport might require training experience or education; all of which can be gained during your athletic career. For those with goals of coaching after playing, coaching courses can also be completed during your playing career (Stewart, 2022).
If running a business is the goal, athletes might consider writing a business plan during their playing days and begin to develop the business in their spare time. All these skills, training, education and experiences can be built up over the life of your sporting career if you begin to plan for retirement early on (Stewart, 2022).
When thinking about retiring from sport, remember that sport also provides many of the essential life skills needed to thrive in the next chapter of life. Consider, sport teaches skills such as:
- Effective goal setting.
- Focus
- Decision making.
- Motivation.
- Commitment.
- Communication.
- Overcoming disappointment.
- Preparation (Stewart, 2022, cited, Stephan, 2003).
By deliberately planning for retirement early in the athletic career, athletes give themselves the greatest opportunity for success in life after sport (Stewart, 2022).
A basketball legend, Michael Jordan, famously retired from the sport in 1993 after three consecutive NBA championship wins with the Chicago Bulls. Rather than stopping all sport completely, he tried his hand at baseball in the minor leagues of America but found very little success.
This prompted him to return to the Bulls in 1995, where he would go on to win another three successive NBA titles as part of one of the greatest teams in basketball history, before confirming his second retirement from the sport. He actually returned a third time with the Washington Wizards in 2001 but didn't hit the heights of his earlier career.
As one of the most decorated drivers in Formula One history, many supporters were disappointed when Michael Schumacher retired in 2006. The German racer had won five titles with Ferrari and two with Benetton and would ultimately return to the sport in 2010 with Mercedes.
Unfortunately, he wouldn't win any additional titles after coming out of retirement and failed to replicate the driving from his years at Ferrari, with just one podium finish. Schumacher retired again in 2012.
Paul Scholes announced his retirement from football in 2011 after an illustrious playing career, winning 10 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues with Manchester United. He made 676 appearances for the club over a 16-year career before initially hanging up his boots and moving into coaching.
However, with an injury crisis in the United midfield and a major risk of losing the title to rivals Manchester City, Scholes came out of retirement in January 2012. City would go on to win the league that season but the 2012-13 crown would return to United with Scholes playing a key role before properly calling time on his career.
From one footballing legend to another, Roberto Carlos' career was just as brilliant as Scholes'. The Brazilian won the 2002 World Cup, four La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and the UEFA Super Cup amongst many other accolades.
He retired from the sport in 2012 aged 39 but was lured out of retirement in 2015 to become player/manager of Indian Super League club, Delhi Dynamos. Unfortunately, Carlos would only make three appearances for the club and left his role at the end of the season. He has since turned out for English Sunday League side, Bull in the Barne United and scored in his one guest appearance - a 4-3 loss.
After the London 2012 Olympics, Michael Phelps, who is the most decorated Olympian of all time, confirmed that he would be taking a step away from swimming. Phelps ended his career with 22 medals, 18 of them gold.
He would return to the sport two years later with his sights set on Rio 2016, where he won another six medals of which five were gold. Phelps once again retired and remains the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time.
Brock Lesnar is best known for his performances in the WWE but he was also the heavyweight champion of UFC in 2010 and, at one time, held the record for most successive title defences. He won five fights and lost three, eventually retiring after a loss to Alistair Overeem and struggles with diverticulitis.
A highly anticipated return to the octagon took place in 2016 at the marquee UFC 200 event, with Lesnar beating Mark Hunt in his first fight out of retirement. While the excitement for a strong stint in the UFC started to build following his win, a failed drugs test put a quick end to any future fights. The wrestler tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended by the USADA, going on to retire for a second time and having his win against Hunt overturned to a no contest.
While Lionel Messi didn't officially retire from all levels of football, he did call time on his international career after Argentina lost the 2016 Copa America final to Chile on penalties. Messi missed in the shoot-ou, and at the time had lost four major finals in nine years with his nation.
Just weeks later, though, he would reverse his decision in the hopes of finally winning a major tournament with Argentina. He would go on to win the Copa America in 2021, finishing as the top scorer and player of the tournament.
One of the more controversial entries is Lance Armstrong. Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France trophies and retired as one of the most decorated cyclists of all time. However, those titles were taken away from him following an infamous doping scandal in the years after his retirement.
Armstrong returned to the sport in 2009 but didn't win a single Tour de France and it wasn't long before he retired again.
George Foreman had a great boxing career, winning the heavyweight title and having legendary rivalries with the likes of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. He lost his title to Jimmy Young in 1977 and retired from the sport shortly afterwards.
Ten years later, he returned to the sport and would eventually win back his heavyweight title, knocking out Michael Moore in 1994. Three successful title defences would follow before he lost the belt to Shannon Briggs.
Muhammad Ali is one of the most influential figures in sporting history and was a heavyweight champion on three separate occasions - a record at the time. He successfully defended his title 19 times, including against the aforementioned Foreman.
Unfortunately for Ali, his second go at boxing was a far cry from the legendary career he had built in the years prior. After his initial retirement in 1979, Ali was brought back in for two more fights - both of which he lost - including a bout against Larry Holmes. He retired again, but continued to inspire thousands through his battle with Parkinson's disease. Comeback aside he still boasts arguably the greatest legacy in sporting history.
South African cricketer, Quinton de Kock, is the latest addition. The star wicketkeeper-batter last played for the Proteas in their seven-run defeat to India in the final of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in Barbados. South Africa will face Namibia in a T20I. The clash will also be the first international game played at the venue since the renovations – a major milestone for Namibian cricket.
His return wasn't one to remember. He scored 1 and South Africa lost by 4 wickets.
To me, calling time on a career should be a one and done. I don't believe that it's right for an athlete to retire and then return somewhere down the line. It's quite clear that it needs to be well thought of and done in advance as to avoid any awkward moments.
To me, un-retiring is a sign of desparation. The athlete is at dead end and they don't know what to do next. They aim to re-introduce themselves to the world. They might have bad luck in that. This is because the team would've already moved on and accepted the move.
Reference List
McManus, A. & Smith, J.L. 2008. A review on transitional Implications for retiring elite athletes: What happens when the spotlight dims? The Open Sports Sciences Journal, 1(1): 45-49. DOI: 10.2174/1875399X00801010045.
Stewart, D. (2022). The end of the road - transitioning out of sport. Available from: https://appliedsportpsych.org/blog/2022/12/the-end-of-the-road-transitioning-out-of-sport/ (Accessed: 11 October).