Abstract: The phenomenon of campus football players retiring at the age of 12 has become one of the obstacles hindering the sound
and sustainable development of football in China. Adopting research methods including literature review and logical analysis, this study
sorts out the multidimensional negative impacts of the phenomenon, explores its causes from the perspective of good governance theory,and puts forward corresponding governance paths. The results show that the phenomenon of "retirement at the age of 12" will not only
cause a fault in reserve football talents, curb the consumption potential of the football industry, but also undermine the inheritance of
campus football culture. This paper analyzes the causes of the above phenomenon from the perspective of multiple subjects:
government, schools, society and families. It holds that the main causes are imperfect policies and the absence of collaborative cogovernance,
distorted educational objectives, prominent shortcomings in guarantee mechanisms, fragile support networks, insufficient
participation, cognitive biases, and worries about input and returns. Problem-oriented, this study puts forward the following paths:
optimizing top-level design and building a collaborative governance mechanism, reshaping the sports-education integration-oriented
educational ecosystem for campus football, developing social support networks and diversified platforms, and conducting targeted
family education guidance and career planning.

Key words: good governance theory, campus football, "retirement at age 12", governance pathways