Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan travelled greater than 100,000 miles final season – and veteran Luka Modric performed extra video games than anybody else on the earth, in response to a brand new Fifpro report into gamers' welfare.
It additionally discovered gamers on the Fifa Membership World Cup – which happened in June and July – didn't get a protected quantity of low season or pre-season days.
Soccer gamers are caught in a “excellent storm of how to not deal with a human”, says the worldwide gamers' union.
Fifpro has launched its fifth annual report on the problem, taking a look at how a lot gamers performed and travelled in 2024-25.
Alex Phillips, the secretary normal, stated: “Final 12 months, the Ballon d'Or winner [Rodri] bought injured and missed almost a season.
“This season, the Ballon d'Or winner [Ousmane Dembele] is out once more with a muscle harm.
“How lengthy will this hold taking place till even the membership homeowners realise it is dangerous for enterprise?
“We're trying on the participant well being situation however even the individuals proudly owning golf equipment and leagues are beginning to take observe and realise the system is not working for anybody.”
The analysis paper appeared into seven sections, together with dangers to gamers' well being due to calendar congestion and lengthy worldwide journey, the quick spell in between seasons, the warmth – and the way younger footballers are enjoying greater than ever.
Amongst its findings had been that Modric, who turned 40 this summer season, performed extra video games than every other participant in 2024-25, together with friendlies – 76 for Actual Madrid and Croatia.
Europe-based Ryan needed to journey 169,000km (105,000 miles) within the season for Australia obligation.
And Lamine Yamal has performed 130 video games by the age of 18, which is way over most of his friends ever managed.
The research discovered the Membership World Cup dramatically added to some gamers' workload too.
Darren Burgess, a high-performance advisor for Fifpro, stated: “It is an ideal storm of how to not deal with a human – a lot of video games and fewer than the advisable low season days to enter a lot of video games.
“The cycle goes on.”
BBC Sport has a have a look at a few of Fifpro's findings.
