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This interview was conducted exclusively in partnership with Gambling Zone.
While Real Madrid’s struggles this season have been attributed to a variety of factors, one significant loss that looms large is the retirement of Toni Kroos. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski, who seemed past his peak last season with 22 goals in 20 games, has experienced a resurgence this year. So, when exactly is the right time to call it quits?
Luka Modric, three years older than Lewandowski, continues to start most matches for Los Blancos. However, it’s clear that he is no longer the same player he was a year ago. Football España asked Emmanuel Petit when he believes it’s the right time for a player to retire.
“Where does it say you have to retire at 35 or 36 years old?” Petit responded. “As long as you’re still competitive on the field and playing at your best, it’s not about age. I’m thinking about Modric, who played against Liverpool in the Champions League—that shows how difficult it is for Ancelotti to move on. It’s not about age; when you reach 35 or 36, physically, it gets harder, and you might be rotated more, but if you’re still performing at a high level, age doesn’t matter.”
Petit pointed to Mohamed Salah as an example, saying, “Look at Salah—he’s 32 and still performing at an incredible level in the Premier League. He’s almost 33 and still doing amazing things. When I saw him last game, I thought, ‘Wow, his physique is incredible.’ So it’s not about age.”
Petit himself retired in 2004 after a series of injuries, following a three-year stint at Chelsea at the age of 33. While many players now extend their careers longer, Kroos retired a year older, but players like Lewandowski and Modric are still performing at the top level well into their thirties.
Football España also asked Petit whether it’s the mental hunger or physical limitations that ultimately guide a player’s decision to retire.
“It’s related,” Petit explained. “When I listened to Kroos, he said he was tired. He had won everything, both in football and with Madrid. If he had wanted to sign another contract, they would have gladly kept him, and he would have played every game. But I think he was mentally and physically tired, and it was probably getting harder for him to recover. The new Champions League format makes things even tougher, with games every three days. Even when he retired from the national team, they wanted him to return.”
“Kroos made the decision to retire before his level dropped, which I think was intelligent. It shows his respect for the game. The easy option would have been to stay and take the money, but he didn’t, and that says a lot about his character. That’s something I think is missing in Real Madrid’s dressing room now. He could have gone to Saudi Arabia for €50m a year, but it wasn’t about money for him anymore. He had already reached the pinnacle.”
Lewandowski has expressed his intention to continue playing for two to three more years, which would bring him to Modric’s age. The Croatian midfielder became the oldest player to feature for Real Madrid earlier this year. While he had previously said he would leave if he wasn’t a starter, he’s embraced his role as a squad player and continues to take things one year at a time—just like Kroos. Few expected the German to retire before his former midfield partner.
