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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Understanding career longevity in professional football codes: A systems thinking, embedded experts’ perspective study
Football Studies, Vol.1, pp.1-11
2026
Abstract
Increasing the effective career duration of elite players in professional football codes is advantageous for clubs, teams, and players. However, research investigating the career longevity of players is limited, and has not comprehensively considered the interactions of influencing factors from across the broader sports system. Professional sport displays many of the characteristics of complex systems. As such, the aim of this study was to apply systems thinking methodology to describe the interacting variables and stakeholders impacting career longevity in football codes, to identify potential areas for intervention. A group model-building process, based on semi-structured interviews with 19 subject matter experts was used to develop a casual loop diagram (CLD) of interacting variables influencing career longevity. Findings indicate that football career longevity is an emergent property of interacting performance, psychosocial, and organisational factors extending beyond the individual athlete. While high levels of player quality and performance are essential, they do not independently guarantee a sustained elite career. Playing opportunity is an important leverage point within system feedback loops, impacting development, performance, and perceived value, while squad composition and stakeholder judgements further influence longevity. To maximise player career durations, sporting organizations should design whole system interventions involving multiple stakeholders, consider player-environment interaction, provide sufficient playing opportunity, and help players build autonomy and leadership skills. Career long tactical and technical development programs have potential to offset age related physical decline and increase the likelihood of sustained elite participation. Future research should extend systems-based approaches to career longevity through longitudinal case studies, quantitative system dynamics modelling, and examination of psychosocial hazards within professional sport.
Details
- Title
- Understanding career longevity in professional football codes: A systems thinking, embedded experts’ perspective study
- Authors
- P Hogben (Corresponding Author) - University of BirminghamS McLean - University of the Sunshine CoastP.M Salmon - University of the Sunshine CoastB Drust - University of Birmingham
- Publication details
- Football Studies, Vol.1, pp.1-11
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.footst.2026.100041
- Copyright note
- © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- This article is based on treatment of qualitative data
- Organisation Unit
- Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991219345102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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