If you’re good enough you’re old enough” is a quote from the legendary Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby.

It’s so true and years of sporting history have proved it.

On Sunday, at Augusta, Georgia at golf's prestigious Masters tournament, Jordan Spieth proved Sir Matt was right – he was good enough which made him old enough.

Spieth became the second youngest winner at 21, with only the great Tiger Woods claiming the Masters crown at a younger age.

  •  Sport

Sport has shown young men to defy age and experience to become the best at their chosen discipline.

Michael Jordan entered the NBA aged 21 and became an instant superstar of the basketball world.

In the world of boxing, Mike Tyson ruled the roost after winning the heavyweight title at the tender age of 20.

It still amazes me how, at such a young age, Iron Mike was able to take on the boxing world with raw power and fear.

Lewis Hamilton became Formula 1’s youngest world champion at 23 while he was racing for McLaren.

Hamilton’s youth and enthusiasm – as that of Sebastian Vettel who won the title at the same age – proved to be more valuable than his lack of experience.

The world of football also has a history of many talented young players coming through to become superstars.

None more so than the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who at only 20, became the FIFA World player of the year in 1996.

He won the award two years in a row and that demonstrated to a global audience that he was the real deal and not a flash in the pan.

I look at all these megastars and their achievements and it makes me think of what I was I doing after just leaving my teenage years behind me.

My early 20s were the best years of my football career in terms of success and winning trophies.

I cannot compete with Tyson, Hamilton or Ronaldo in terms of achievements, nor will I try as they were the best in the world at the same age.

I never reached world class, but did compete at domestic and European level.

Being a European champion is something I can say I achieved in my early 20s, winning the European Cup Winners Cup and European Super Cup, both with Chelsea when I was 21.

Playing in my first European Cup final was a massive achievement for me.

And I think the key to dealing with the occasion and not getting overwhelmed was that I felt like I belonged.

I was never once concerned about my age or inexperience.

Belief and confidence in myself are qualities that I had from early on in my career.

And I believe it’s one of the qualities that all those superstars possessed.

Having talent in their chosen sport was not enough to take them to where they got to.

It takes belief and supreme confidence to elevate you to an elite level.

In sport, it continues to show us that if you are good enough you’re old enough.

And long may that trend continue.