One of the finest midfielders in the game, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, has once more highlighted an issue that just simply will not go away-the overwhelming amount of games that players are forced to partake in. De Bruyne made no bones about it in the interview with Mundo Deportivo, attacking the financial interests that both FIFA and UEFA seek over player welfare. At 33, De Bruyne's worries are shared by many top-flight footballers, especially with the addition of the Club World Cup, which this year will be staged in the United States.
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De Bruyne's Warning: A Burnout Cycle
For De Bruyne, it is not about what is happening currently, but rather what awaits them. "Maybe this year, everything will be okay, but next year, it will be a problem," he said. And what he is anticipating is not pleasant. Between the end of the Club World Cup and the beginning of the Premier League, there will be merely three weeks for the players to have their rest period and go into training for the beginning of a season that possibly might entail more than 80 games.
In this way, it becomes a vicious circle of exhaustion, as players are always taken to the limit. De Bruyne makes it clear: with such a schedule, the injuries are inevitable. Players might not be able to notice that, but within months and less recovery time, their bodies are sure to take a toll. He does have experience in this matter, as each season, more and more players fall into the injury lists of clubs and national teams.
FIFA, UEFA, and Profits Over Players
De Bruyne was quite candid when he stated, "FIFA and UEFA only care about the money, it seems, without thinking about the players. Look at how the Club World Cup has expanded, even more teams will be added and the calendar will get even more packed," he said. In addition, competitions like the Champions League, Europa League, and the Conference League already keep the clubs busy and mostly extend teams beyond 70 games in a season.
That is not easy for someone like De Bruyne, who plays in every possible tournament at club level and is still a crucial player for Belgium's national team. "The PFA and unions in other countries have tried to find solutions, but nothing has been done. They just don't care," De Bruyne said as he expressed frustrations felt by those who experience the apparently limitless program of fixtures.
Club World Cup in the U.S.: Yet Another Challenge
The Club World Cup that is to take place in the U.S. just adds another layer of complication. Most of them have to take long trips, adjust to a different time zone, and cope with unfamiliar climatic conditions-all this when the time for rest is limited ahead of plunging into domestic leagues that are as relentless as ever.
De Bruyne mentions that these conditions put a lot of stress on players in their 30s, like him, who have been accumulating years of physical pressure. Such a star player, the winner of everything and still champing at the bit for more and more, is finding balancing the physical and mental demands increasingly difficult. The fact that there are not proper breaks between seasons does not help the players either.
Injuries: The Price of a Brutal Schedule
One of De Bruyne's biggest concerns is a surging number of injuries, and he's not wrong. Over the past few years, we have seen a rapidly growing number of players who have been put out for months with muscle strains and other physical problems. Culprit: too many games, too little rest and not enough time to recover properly.
Manchester City have felt that firsthand. This past season, players under Pep Guardiola missed match after match because of muscle injuries, direct fallout of the congested schedule. And that doesn't even consider the national teams, where physical exertion only tends to build up. Worst of all, in De Bruyne's eyes, is that the leadership of soccer seems utterly unconcerned with the fate of the players. "They're adding more and more matches, and nothing has been done so far," he said candidly.
Is This the End of the Golden Era for Players?
Working at such an exhausting schedule, one wonders, for how long can the best players maintain this superlative level? De Bruyne is probably the best example of such an athlete who, at 33 years, continues to perform at the highest level in all competitions. Yet, he himself realizes that with the increased number of games, even he may fall short of his length at the top.
Other stars have also spoken up to lament the heavy match burden, like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. All these are seemingly in the direction of a breaking point that may come soon, with continuous lack of rest likely to shorten the careers of many talented players. This insatiable quest for more and more competitions, more and more games, and more and more revenue seemingly appears to have clouded any desire to protect the physical and mental health of players.
What's at Stake: Player Health or Profits?
Ultimately, De Bruyne is pointing out a decision that soccer has to face: give health priority to the players or continue its mad dash after profits by arranging more tournaments and jam-packed schedules. The Club World Cup on American soil could be the next major test to this equation. For more games in the queue and less time for recovery, the fallouts can only be expected.
If this keeps up, a generation of players is at risk of being benched-and not because they can't play to that level, but because they're hurt. De Bruyne isn't calling for a reduction in the number of competitions, but what he is asking for is more attention given to the very people who make the sport what it is. After all, without the players, there's no soccer.