Worker wear and tear after football
biographical trajectories of former Argentine footballers between the 20th and 21st centuries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.152167Keywords:
Worker wear and tear, Professional footballers, Workload, Biographical trajectories, Sports injuriesAbstract
This work explores the concept of “worker wear and tear” in former Argentine professional footballers of the twentieth century, examining long-term health and well-being. Through qualitative interviews with retired players, their life trajectories were analyzed, focusing on their experiences of physical deterioration, decision-making regarding their health and assumed risk, precarious working conditions, and the normalization of bodily sacrifice in sport—which ultimately becomes suffering. The findings reveal injuries suffered and wear accumulated during their professional careers that, after retirement, manifest as chronic health problems and diminished quality of life. This study seeks to bring to light the hidden costs of professional sport and proposes reconsidering positions regarding athlete health, contributing to a deeper understanding of the sport–health intersection and challenging dominant discourses of individual resilience and performance.
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