Raphael Varane, France’s 2018 Fifa Men’s World Cup winning defender, announced his retirement this week aged 31 after suffering from injuries over the last few years.
Varane’s forced retirement is a warning sign to men’s football about the dangers of an increasing workload on players. The number of matches played by elite football players has been on the steady rise over the past few years with players playing close to two matches per week on an average.
Varane, in an interview to French newspaper Le Equipe, had said, “From the managers to the players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is too overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being.”
“I know that, personally, I won’t live until 100; I know that I have damaged my body. I have put myself in danger. By speaking about it, situations can perhaps be better analysed and take decisions based on the risks,” Varane said.
Things have come to a point where players have spoken about potential strike to force Fifa and the continental federations to work together and limit the number of matches players play in a season.
“I think we are close to that – it is easy to understand,” Manchester City’s Rodri said about the prospect of a player strike last week. “If you ask any player he will say the same; it is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever. It’s the general opinion of the players.
“And if it keeps this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option. It’s something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer,” he added.
Unfortunately, Rodri suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury in their match against Arsenal on Sunday.
Increased workload
The Uefa Champions League has been restructured this season with the group stage replaced with a single league stage. Each of the 32 teams will play eight matches with the top eight teams qualifying directly to the round of 16.
The teams that finish between 8 to 24 will then play a two-legged play-off match to qualify for the round of 16. The two-legged round of 16 will then be followed by two legs of quarter-finals and semi-finals before the title showdown.
Teams which reach the final will have played either 15 or 17 matches depending on where they finished in the league stage, an increase of two to four matches.
The Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States from June 15 to July 13 next year, has been expanded to include 32 teams and will follow the same format as the Fifa World Cup.
For teams who reach the knockout stages of the Club World Cup, there will be a very short turnaround time before the beginning of the 2025-26 club season which is expected to start in August.
There is also an increase in international matches with the Uefa Nation’s League adding an additional quarter-final round with two matches played in home-and-away format.
There are also matches to be played in the continental qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
A similar load is expected for the 2025-26 season which will end with the expanded 2026 Fifa Men’s World Cup, where 104 matches will be played instead of 64 matches as has been the standard.
Players from Chelsea and Manchester City could potentially play 90 matches for their clubs and countries this season due to the number of competitions they are involved in. Both teams will end up with a season which will last for 356 days leaving barely any time for rest before the next season begins.
It is a similar situation for teams in the other top leagues in Europe. Reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid are scheduled to play nearly 70 matches, an increase of 10 matches. German giants Bayern Munich will play at least 62 matches, an increase of 10 matches.
What have players and coaches said?
Players have been vocal about the increasing workload over the past few years. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk highlighted the dilemma players are facing with increased matches.
“As a footballer you want to play all the games that are ahead of you, but the schedule is getting busier and busier,” said van Dijk, who also plays for the Netherlands. “You want to play at the highest level, but you have to be ready each and every game. We have to look at the welfare of our players and also look forward to the future.”
“Between 40 or 50 is the amount of games in which a player can perform at the highest level,” City’s Rodri said. “After that you drop because it is impossible to sustain the physical level. This year we can go to 70, maybe 80, I don't know. It depends how far you go in the competitions. In my humble opinion, I think it is too much.”
The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Dani Carvajal and Son Heung Min are among many players who have voiced similar concerns about the increasing matches players have had to play.
Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning coach Lionel Scaloni said that the workload on South American players coupled with their frequent cross-continental travel is concerning.
“The reality is that it is unthinkable that this can improve, because the players all play in Europe and the number of matches isn’t going to change.”
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti echoed similar thoughts, adding that players would even consider taking a wage cut if that meant they would play fewer games.
FIFPRO, the union of footballers all over the world, has repeatedly called on Fifa, continental federations and national leagues to reduce the workload of the players.
In June, the English and French players unions filed a legal claim against Fifa at the European Commission stating that Fifa, by unilaterally deciding the international calendar and by expanding the Club World Cup, is in breach of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
FIFPRO Europe and European Leagues followed the players’ unions by jointly filing a complaint against Fifa at the European Commission.
“Since all attempts at dialogue have failed, it is now up to us to ensure that the fundamental rights of players are fully respected by taking the matter to the European courts and thus to the ECJ,” said David Terrier, President of FIFPRO Europe.
Fifa hit back stating that European leagues were acting hypocritically and that Fifa was only focused on ensuring international football prospered alongside club football.
“Some leagues in Europe – themselves competition organisers and regulators – are acting with commercial self-interest, hypocrisy, and without consideration to everyone else in the world. Those leagues apparently prefer a calendar filled with friendlies and summer tours, often involving extensive global travel,” a Fifa spokesperson said.
Will there be a strike?
Though many top players have said that a strike is possible, it is much easier said than done. To go on strike, the players will have to reach a consensus among themselves.
That will be difficult since the players’ unions represent players across all tiers of club football in their respective countries, a majority of whom haven’t been affected by the increased number of matches. It is unlikely that players in the lower leagues, who make less money in a year than players like Mbappe and Erling Haaland make in a week, will be keen to jeopardize their livelihoods.
For now, the best bet for the players is to win their legal challenges in court, and force Fifa and the continental federations to take measures to safeguard players.
