MANCHESTER, England – Just a week after Manchester City midfielder Rodri expressed concerns over excessive workloads leading to possible strike actions, he is now facing a significant injury setback. This incident has intensified ongoing discussions about player welfare within the context of demanding sports schedules.
Notable former players and managers, including Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Pep Guardiola, and Erik ten Hag, have recently voiced their concerns, calling for necessary changes. Henry remarked that players have lost their passion for the game, while Carragher critiqued the treatment of players, comparing them to livestock.
Mark O’Sullivan, an associate professor of football at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, noted the diminishing power players have to influence their working conditions. He suggested that both FIFA and UEFA are prioritizing consumer interests at the expense of player health.
Rodri, who suffered a knee ligament injury during a match against Arsenal, had previously stated that the ideal number of games for peak player performance should be between 40 and 50. However, this season, some players could be required to participate in as many as 80 matches due to expanded tournament formats.
The inaugural FIFA 32-team Club World Cup will take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13 next year. Carragher expressed his lack of enthusiasm for this tournament, stating that many top players feel similarly uninspired.
The global players’ union, FIFPRO, raised alarms last year regarding the intense workload faced by young athletes, contrasting the experiences of current stars like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe with previous generations. By age 18, Mbappe had already played significantly more competitive matches than Henry at the same age, and Bellingham’s workload also exceeded that of notable English players.
Recently, Mbappe suffered a muscle injury, potentially sidelining him for an upcoming derby match, while Bellingham just returned after a month-long absence due to a muscle issue.
Concerns about the long-term impacts of intense schedules on young players are highlighted by O’Sullivan. He noted that Lamine Yamal, only 17, played 50 games with Barcelona last season and contributed to Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, raising questions about the sustainability of such workloads on developing bodies.
O’Sullivan pointed out the risk associated with such demands on young athletes, referencing injuries to players like Pedri and Ansu Fati as cautionary tales. He criticized the notion that improved recovery methods adequately address the underlying issues.
Henry expressed that player fatigue was evident during the Euro 2024 tournament and emphasized the importance of mental recovery, stating that the joy in playing seems to be diminishing for many players.