Overview of why bundesliga players age has gone up
Players who play in the German top flight have seen an immense increase in the age of players. In the 2021-22 season the average age of a bundesliga player was 25.7. The age of players in the Bundesliga in Germany has increased by 8.9 during the 2013-14 season. Teams want players that know how to win trophies and score goals and most of the time players that know how to score goals and win trophies are mostly 23+.
Robert Lewandowski a player with experience
A great example is Robert Lewandowski for FC Bayern Munich in Germany. He reached his peak when he joined Bayern Munich as he won 8 consecutive Bundesliga. Lewandowski scored over 238 goals for Bayern in the the bundesliga since he joined at age 26. Bayern picked him from Dortmund because he had won two consecutive bundesliga’s in 2011 and 2012. In 2012 he scored 22 in 34 in the 2011-12 season.
Marcos Reus a Dortmund veteran
Another example is Marco Reus who is another player with bundesliga experience. Marcos Reus has scored an outstanding 144 goals in 340 matches over his time in Germany. Marcos Reus also won 185 matches out of 340 matches. Marco Reus also won the player of the year all of which in won when he was over 23. Reus also won two German cups in 2017 and 2021 when he was 28 and 32.
Thomas Muller
Last example of a player that has succeeded due to their experience is Thomas Muller. Muller has 137 goals in 415 appearances. He has also won eleven bundesliga’s since joining FC Bayern Munchen in Germany. He also won seven German Super Cups as well as six DFB Pokal’s
Importance of older players
To conclude Lewandowski, Reus and Muller are players who have succeeded in Germany because of many years of experience in Germany. Vfl Bochum’s average age is 27.3. Union Berlin’s average age is 26.6 and it led to them coming in 5th place in Germany . It also led to them getting a place in Europe this season. Teams are more likely to rely on players that between the ages of 23 and 35 as they know more about the game where as players between 18 and 22 still have a lot to learn and experience.
