Has Technology made Footballers Superhuman?
At 39 years old, Zlatan Ibrahimović continues to send shockwaves around the footballing world for his goal scoring prowess. At 32 years of age, Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal. In 2018, 33 year old Cristiano Ronaldo was judged to have a physique of a 23 year and was postulated that he could continue to maintain the performance of his younger self well into his 40’s. The question that keeps lingering in everybody’s mind is, how do they do it?
It is no small feat for professional footballers to maintain their fitness and form well past their prime and into their 30’s. At 34 years old, icons of the game such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka and Maradona were shadows of their former selves. And yet, within a brief span of 20 years modern day professional footballers have breached the 30 year mile marker and have set records which almost seem unattainable.
The answer is simple. Football has evolved from a simple cultural pastime to an industry worth trillions. And with the transformation of the sport to more than just a game, mankind’s greatest achievement fused itself with the beautiful game. Technology had begun to make its mark in the world of sport too.
Technology had changed the way the world perceived the sport. With individual player valuations crossing millions, football clubs started to employ a number of scientifically tested drills and routines which quickly replaced the lax training sessions which were focused on stamina and endurance. Arsene Wenger in his early years at Arsenal was infamous for hiring an osteopath and an acupuncturist which completely redefined the club’s training facility. He introduced new methods of stretching, began the use of stopwatches to time training sequences and new drills that focused on sharpening the technical aspects of the game. Football clubs nowadays employ a number of specialized procedures to monitor and record the performance of players during training and the actual games itself to tailor player specific training routines to improve their performance. This data collected is also used to analyze and document post-match fatigue and other metabolic and physical disturbances in players.
This scientifically driven revolution wasn’t just limited to the way players train. By the 2000/2001 season, clubs across the world had adopted a much healthier, core nutrient focused diet for its players. The consumption of earthly vices such as alcohol, tobacco and other recreational substances were highly discouraged and often prohibited by most top flight clubs. The importance of a good diet has never been stressed upon more in the modern game. Such is the emphasis given on proper nutrition that football clubs have begun to poach nutritionists from its domestic and European rivals. In 2016, after Jürgen Klopp was appointed the manager of Liverpool FC, Mona Nemmer joined the club as Head of Nutrition from Bayern Munich. Her role was not just restricted to the training ground but also extended to the food they consume at their homes, at hotels and even on the team bus.
The infrastructure and data available nowadays has made it possible for Club Nutritionists to tailor specialized diets for players based on their physique and the position they play in. According to Chris Rosimus, a former employee of Leicester City Football Club, players who cover a lot more distance like box to box midfielders or fullbacks need more calories compared to goalkeepers.
The advancements in medicine have also made significant changes which have greatly benefitted footballer players. The development of the field of sports medicine has played a key role in preventing and treating injuries on several levels. A great number of players have had their careers cut short due to horrific injuries. Some of these unfortunate individuals include greats like Marco Van Basten and Ronaldo Nazario. Despite footballers facing such injuries even today, modern medicine has made it possible for them to overcome the most gravest of conditions. This can be better explained by using the example of Cristiano Ronaldo’s career threatening injury in 2014 and how the aftermath of the treatment changed his career and style of play.
In 2014, Cristiano was diagnosed with a condition called tendinosis. Tendinosis weakens the collagen and it ultimately weakens the knee over time regardless of age, therapy or work ethic. Following this injury, doctors began a number of specialized treatments like regenerative cell therapy and ozone therapy. This ultimately helped Cristiano to participate in 2014 World Cup and Champions League which he subsequently won. Yet the point of interest does not lie in his quick recovery but rather what Cristiano achieved post his injury. From 2016, CR7 has won a number of trophies and individual laurels which include multiple Champions League trophies, UEFA Super Cups, the Club World Club, multiple Balon Do’rs, Golden Boots, a Euro Cup, the inaugural Nations League trophy and multiple Seria A titles. To prove that he was indeed one of the greatest and continue his winning ways, Cristiano had to change his style of play.
The coaches, physios and analysts at Real Madid slowly shifted CR7 to a more centralized position that was more focused on finishing than compared to the duties of a traditional winger. According to Opta Sports, there has been a massive decline in the number of dribbled goals Cristiano has scored since the 2013/14. At the same time, there has been a significant surge in the number of headed goals and goals within the box.
Though the stats prove that modern day medicine and advanced technical analysis of the game has significantly helped in Cristiano’s recovery, one shouldn’t ignore the fact that his insane work ethic, determination and vigor has equally, or perhaps more, credited to him being crowned the all-time top scorer in the game.
Yes, technology has helped in reshaping the world of football. But it takes a lot more to be super human. It takes heart and we are thankful enough to witness the rise of not one, but two individuals who can call themselves the greatest of all time.
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