Two weeks before the start of the World Cup, the players’ union FIFPRO is warning that professional players are being overworked due to the large number of matches played within a single year. Among the most overworked players is Jonathan Tah of FC Bayern.
According to a projection by FIFPRO, Jonathan Tah could have played his 76th match of the season by the end of the World Cup—provided the German national team reaches the final. In about half of these matches, the 30-year-old wore the Bayern jersey at the national level. Added to this are international appearances with the club, as well as friendly matches for the German record champions, and finally the DFB international matches.
According to the FIFPRO forecast, only Arsenal players David Raya and Martin Zubimendi, with up to 83 appearances, as well as Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice, with 79 appearances, will have played more matches within a year. Liverpool FC’s Virgil van Dijk could reach 75 games.
“Cumulative fatigue”
The changed schedule is to blame. “In the past, it was rare for a player to have played 73 or even more than 75 games by the end of the season. But since the reforms were adopted, this has become the norm,” criticized FIFPRO Director Alexander Bielefeld. This has given rise to a phenomenon “we call cumulative fatigue.”
Despite all warnings from player organizations, the leagues have continued to expand the schedule in recent years. “You can’t go into a competition when you’ve already played 60 or nearly 60 games,” criticizes Maheta Molango, CEO of the English players’ union. Performance suffers as a result, and the risk of injury increases.
Is Foden a “victim of the schedule”?
Molango blames the “crazy schedule” for the fact that players like Manchester City’s Phil Foden are not reaching their original level of performance and were therefore not selected for the World Cup. The 25-year-old has become “a victim of the schedule.” “The number of games he was available for has dropped. And when he did play, it wasn’t the Phil Foden we saw two years ago,” says Molango.
For the players and their medical staff on site at the World Cup, the heat and, in some places, the high altitude will pose an additional problem. “Fatigue will be more pronounced than at any other World Cup in history,” warns Darren Burgess, Director of Performance at Juventus Turin.
In other sports, rest periods for players are significantly longer. “I don’t get the impression that the NFL or the NBA are being particularly generous or trying to hand out charity. They do it to ensure that the players are available in top form,” emphasizes Bielefeld.
FIFPRO has been trying for years, in discussions with FIFA, UEFA, and national associations, to limit the number of games—so far to no avail.