GENEVA.- Julian Alvarez was called up for 83 matches last season. Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Phil Foden played 72 matches. Cristian Romero travelled more than 160,000 kilometres for international matches. FIFA.
In contrast, Erling Haaland rested during the summer without any commitments to his national team and started the season with a torrent of goals for Manchester City.
The psychological and physical demands that the footballers top-level last season were detailed on Thursday by their union, which has filed a pair of lawsuits against FIFA.
The International Federation of Professional Footballers’ Associations (FIFPRO) has published its match load report, which analysed 1,500 players. The aim is to support its legal argument that more is being asked of its members without proper consultation on the expansion of international competitions.
“This season will be the definitive season,” said FIFPRO board member Maheta Molango, of a busy 2024-25 calendar that will culminate with the first-ever 32-player Club World Cup, organised by FIFA and the United States.
An online presentation by FIFPRO on the report included representatives of the footballers’ unions in England and France, who filed a complaint against FIFA in June at the Brussels Commercial Court. An appeal was also lodged with the European Court of Justice, which ruled on the Super League case last year.
A considerable “gap”
In a separate case, FIFPRO’s European division joined domestic leagues in filing a complaint with the European Commission in Brussels against FIFA’s unilateral approach to expanding its tournaments, including the first men’s World Cup with 48 teams in 2026.
“The gap between those who organise and schedule full international competitions and those who play in them has never been greater,” said FIFPRO strategy director Alexander Bielefeld.
The new Club World Cup, to be held every four years, was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the expansion of international tournaments, according to FIPRO.
