It now resonates in people’s minds like a catchy refrain. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the entire planet, it shattered many frameworks, established and accepted ways of life. The next world has remained the same for some, not for others in our society. In football too, things are changing as tongues are loosened.
While it is time for the multiplication of competitions and meetings, between reform of the Champions League, the addition of a new European Cup (the Europa League conference) and the idea of a World Cup every two years, a report from Fifpro, the union of professional football players around the world, reminds us that it was time to slow down and think about the mental and physical health of players. Vice-president of the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP), and co-author of the report alongside Fifpro, David Terrier spoke on this subject to Franceinfo: sport.
Franceinfo: sport: Why do you draw this alarm signal on the overload of the calendar among professional footballers?
David Terrier: The proposal to hold a World Cup every two years was the trigger. Enough is enough ! The players are already completely against it. This is not possible, because adding dates will be to the detriment of something. And the goal is purely financial. We sent a letter to Gianni Infantino signed by the captains of all the French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs asking for the calendars to be redesigned because it was no longer tenable. This report is the logical continuation.
How do you explain that the players finally express themselves?
Claude Makélélé explained that in his time, when he felt wear and tear coming, he went to see his coach to ask him to breathe but he had the feeling that he was not going to lose his place by asking that. Which is not the case for many. Languages also took a long time to loosen because football is an environment where you must not show weakness. So we are silent.
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What are the consequences of an overloaded schedule for players?
Take the example of Sadio Mané, the Liverpool striker, who will play in the Champions League final against Real Madrid on Sunday. He will finish his season at nearly 70 games (64 games played so far). And our experts have analyzed the fact that beyond 55 matches, the physical and mental consequences are enormous. It is not yet known if this will lead to an early career end, or will they pay for it afterwards. There is less recovery than before while the search for performance goes ever further.
Are all players affected?
Each in their own way. The DTN did a study and revealed that 90% of each club’s playing time was performed by an average of 16 players. But this poses a big problem because players under contract do not even play competitive matches. When some will play everything, others will be ostracized and think they are useless. They came to football because it was a passion, and they are disgusted by these methods. Trading is also developing a lot in France and favors these methods.
Is Ligue 1 in danger?
This schedule overload will also have an impact on the business. The chains also buy the rights because there are foreign stars; however, if the competitions multiply, the South Americans, for example, will miss 4-5 matches over 38 days because they will take three days to return from selection.
“What will Amazon or Canal + say if a Mbappé only plays Ligue 1 matches at 50% of his capacity because he is saving himself for the World Cup every two years or the Champions League?”
David Terrier, vice-president of the UNFPat Franceinfo: sports
What are the solutions ?
The summer and winter break is essential. Not only for the physical but also for the mental of the player. And when you have a week off, but you’re South American, you’re already wasting two days on the plane in total. Sometimes people can’t get in. I had discussed with Maxwell a few years ago when he played at PSG. He explained to me that they had eliminated Chelsea in the round of 16 one season (2016) because the London players were burnt out after Boxing Day, and they hadn’t been able to digest it.
How to find an agreement with Fifa and Uefa?
We are not attacking them, it is not a court, we come with factual elements. We brought in players, coaches and even a manager, Olivier Létang [Le président de Lille] who intervened in favor of an overhaul of the calendars. Fifa puts its dates on a calendar. Then Uefa puts its own and says to us: ‘Make it easy with the rest’. We don’t work that way! Everything must be done in harmony. We have to think about the football of tomorrow together.