People will point to two things if you ask this question - Serie A is slower and it is more tactical, so it relies on athleticism less and experience more. But those of us who have watched the most recent seasons know that this has changed with the league becoming more open, attacking and fast-paced, and coupled with La Liga's shift towards more pragmatism from the lesser teams there is not a huge difference between the two leagues now.
Calcio has long been a leader in how players are looked after nutritionally, but also from a medical and physical point of view. England took a long time to catch up to this professional attitude off the field, and even now you still have players who don't buy into it. It all adds up at the end of your career - it takes years off longevity. Sure, not everyone can be disciplined like a Tibetan monk and be in the condition of Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic or Lewandowski, but the younger players of today have the best advice and facilities so it is only their attitude that changes the duration of their career.
If you look at England there are very few outfield players who play at a high level after 35. Most are retired by that age. The speed of the game and number of games is prohibitive in that regard, and players need enough quality and intelligence to still play without speed. The ones who could still cut it looked after themselves, players like Scholes, Giggs and Sheringham. It's probably not surprising to see so many of Alex Ferguson's old players high up on these lists.
There is also a tactical difference with how some teams set up. In Italy there is still a place for a veteran classic centre forward, the type you don't see in England or Germany often because of the requirement to press and chase even hopeless causes. There is still a place for a veteran DLP to control a game with speed of thought. And there is a place for a veteran defender to take a step back and read the game without having to get into a foot race with every striker.
Calcio has long been a leader in how players are looked after nutritionally, but also from a medical and physical point of view. England took a long time to catch up to this professional attitude off the field, and even now you still have players who don't buy into it. It all adds up at the end of your career - it takes years off longevity. Sure, not everyone can be disciplined like a Tibetan monk and be in the condition of Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic or Lewandowski, but the younger players of today have the best advice and facilities so it is only their attitude that changes the duration of their career.
If you look at England there are very few outfield players who play at a high level after 35. Most are retired by that age. The speed of the game and number of games is prohibitive in that regard, and players need enough quality and intelligence to still play without speed. The ones who could still cut it looked after themselves, players like Scholes, Giggs and Sheringham. It's probably not surprising to see so many of Alex Ferguson's old players high up on these lists.
There is also a tactical difference with how some teams set up. In Italy there is still a place for a veteran classic centre forward, the type you don't see in England or Germany often because of the requirement to press and chase even hopeless causes. There is still a place for a veteran DLP to control a game with speed of thought. And there is a place for a veteran defender to take a step back and read the game without having to get into a foot race with every striker.
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