While football associations vie for bigger tournaments and ever-greater viewer numbers, player burn-out threatens to leave the game in embers, says Dylan Checkland Hart, 14, from the British School of Brussels.
In 2024, Argentinian football manager Marcelo Bielsa said in an interview: “I am certain that football is in a process of decline … the business only cares about how many people watch it”.
In the past 10 years, the number of football games played has increased massively. If this is not stopped, football as a sport might break down forever.
In 2024, in a press conference, Manchester City star Rodrigo Hernández stated that, “between 40 and 50 per season is the number of games in which a player can perform to the highest level.”
Today, premier league players are playing upwards of 60 games a season.
Rodrigo speaks with the voice of many players; he says that it is incredibly challenging to keep up a proficient level of fitness with the number of games per season being so high. This is an issue particularly for teams competing in extra domestic cups and other competitions.
Ronaldinho, a former Brazilian footballer born in 1980, was 24 years old by the time he had played 163 games for club and country. Compare that to his compatriot Vinicius Junior, born in 2000, who had played 369 games by the time he was 24.
If an F1 driver attended every race in 2023, they would have travelled close to 80,000 miles in the air. In 2024, F1 driver Max Verstappen expressed his concern over the impact of long-haul flights on drivers. Begging the question, does this only impact football? – In short, no, it is not only footballers who are being overworked, but all sportspeople, and this must be changed.
In an interview in 2024, Pep Guardiola, head coach of Manchester City FC, remarked: “There are players who can play every three days; there are some that can’t.”
He also expressed his concerns about players’ mental health, noting that many reported being under stress. It is a huge pressure to play in front of 70,000 people every couple of days.
.Footballers also suffer with their own personal challenges. Martin Sordell, for example, a former professional football player, suffered with depression for many years, a mix of the pressure to perform, and constant fatigue, which led to a failed suicide attempt.
The objective of sport associations is to increase viewership and, as a result, profit. But there is a limit to the extent you can take advantage of players. What is left of a sport if its top performers continue to burn out? The quality of sport will decrease, arguably leading to fewer people watching and consequently fewer heroes to inspire the next generation.
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Kenneth - gputc
Yes I believe because playing too much games drains out their energy and also causes more injuries.
AF - Royal latin school 11S
I Agree footballers are playing way too many games. At certain points players are playing 2 games a week with an occasional rest of 1 game a week and sometimes rarely none. They have International breaks but most high level players are playing in the international break with even less times between games. Usually post season they have a lot more rest but now they are playing 6 pre season games and clubs will play in the club world cup will play around 10 games. It is burning out players taking them out with injury and ruining the game. Teams should either play less games or be allowed to make more subs per game so players aren’t as tired.
M - Y8h
Footballers should play more games at least 3 games a week and practice 5 times a week.
Adi - Y8
I’m a Man United fan and I disagree with this article because although footballers play many games, I think it improves their athleticism and their fitness and it makes them overall better athletes.
Ali - AGS
I agree footballers do play too many games. As a supporter of Chelsea, you can see how tired and laid back the players are after every match.
Musa
I think footballers do play to many games. As a supporter of Arsenal, you can see the fatigue in player. There needs to be a middle ground. However, where it says ‘If this is not stopped, football as a sport might break down forever.’, this is 100% not true.
Dominik - Reddam Y8E
I think there are some very good points outlined in this article, showing that payers in all sorts of sports are overworked, and that people should reduce the amount plaid in these sports to give them a break. The backing of proffesional quotes make me side with this argument more
Layla
I think this is a very good article and it was very interesting. I do believe that if you do sport professionally you are asked to do a lot.
Mollie
I really like this you should do more
John - Leigh Academy Bexley
Stop footballers playing too much football