Late career of superstar soccer players: win, play or gain?

The aim of this study is to explore the job mobility of superstar soccer players entering the final phase of their career. We will describe their last job transitions identifying a typology of individuals and their relative late career choices. The study offers contributions to both sports and career literature. We add to the sports literature exploring the job changes which precede the declining phase and the retirement. The study is relevant also for the career literature, because it explores the career choices of a special group which characteristics resemble the profile of other professional groups (e.g. high level professionals, top managers) but that received scant attention. Finally, exploring the transition between career cycles (from athletic to post-athletic career), we contribute to the developmental approach to career.