Soccer Players Face Career Risks Due to Excessive Match Load, New Report Reveals
A new monitoring report from FIFPRO reveals alarming demands placed on professional soccer players, perhaps jeopardizing their careers and long-term health. The report highlights that players are routinely exceeding recommended workload thresholds, with some playing over 70 matches in a single season – a figure FIFPRO deems an “excessive load” beyond the recommended 55 games. This comes as FIFPRO and several national leagues have filed a formal complaint against FIFA regarding its governance and decision-making.
The findings underscore a meaningful disparity between soccer and other sports like the NBA, which benefit from more substantial rest periods. “He shows that other sports obviously have their rest and time of inactivity much more, which is excellent for the body and even better for the mental side of sport. And it shows that athletes could potentially play more time in their career,” stated a FIFPRO representative. while players like Cristiano Ronaldo have extended careers into their 40s, the report suggests this is an exception, and increased rest could allow for more players to achieve similar longevity.
Players specifically cited in the report for high match volume include Luka modric, Federico Valverde, and Fabián Ruiz. FIFPRO argues that “for football to protect their most valuable assets, players, reform is needed,” advocating for minimum standards for rest and pre-season preparation. The institution emphasizes that prioritizing player recovery wouldn’t diminish the game, but rather “strengthen it by ensuring that those in the field are in form, available and capable of paying to the maximum.”
The report also calls for greater protocols to address the challenges posed by extreme heat during matches. FIFPRO believes that following the example of other sports in safeguarding recovery is crucial for the future of the game. This is the First FIFPRO monitoring report from the Champions League Expansion and the New Club World Cup.
