In recent years, there has been growing concern about the risk of fatigue and injury faced by soccer players as a result of over-intensive fixtures. The Athletic has written an in-depth report on the subject, revealing the far-reaching effects of this phenomenon on player health and the quality of play.
The struggling performance of Harry Kane at the heart of the England team in the Euro 2024 final was impressive. He was substituted after just one hour of playing on the field due to lack of stamina, a far cry from what was expected of him as a team leader. In fact, Kane's back injury was so severe that it even affected his daily life, making his form uncertain even before the Euros.
What happened to Kane is not an isolated case. Bellingham, Unai Simon, Lionel Messi and many other top players have also been plagued by injuries. Either due to the recurrence of old injuries, or due to new injuries, they had to miss the game at the critical moment or with injuries on the battlefield. These injuries not only affect the players' athletic performance, but also increase the uncertainty of their future careers.
To make matters worse, many players were already in a state of extreme fatigue at the end of the season. Not only did they have to deal with intense matches for their clubs, but they also had to play international matches for the national team. This double pressure puts their bodies and minds through a huge test. As Bellingham said, "With such a crazy schedule, it's really difficult to get to the end of the season and play the last game."
The Fédération Internationale des Fédération Professionnels (FIFPro) and a number of major European leagues have filed a legal action against FIFA, alleging that international fixtures under its auspices have become "over-saturated", and that FIFPro believes the current density of fixtures is more than the leagues can cope with, and poses a serious threat to the health of the players. They called on governing bodies such as FIFA and UEFA to pay more attention to the welfare and health of players when organizing fixtures.
However, the problem cannot be solved overnight. While pursuing commercial interests, governing bodies such as FIFA and UEFA often neglect the actual needs of players. They keep launching new tournaments and restructuring programs, making the players' schedules more and more intensive. This "the more the merrier" approach not only jeopardizes the health and welfare of the players, but also reduces the overall quality of the game.
For leagues such as the Premier League, they have certain problems of their own. While they often complain about overly busy fixtures, their scheduling of pre-season and post-season tours and the like is equally staggering. This practice of traveling long distances and playing frequent matches undoubtedly increases player fatigue and the risk of injury.
