The football union has argued its case against FIFA and made an example of Haaland
The scandal between football union FIFPRO and world football's premier body FIFA is gaining momentum. Following lawsuits filed with the European Commission and the Brussels trade court, the footballers' representative body has submitted a report that proves its case.
According to the FIFPRO study, in which around 1,500 footballers were interviewed, FIFA's claims that international national team football is a small fraction compared to club football are refuted.
For example, the players who took part in Euro 2024 spent 17 per cent of the entire playing season with national teams. In view of this, they only had up to 42 days of rest and recovery during the year.
Manchester City forward Erling Håland is a case in point. He missed the European Championships with the Norwegian national team, so he was able to rest better and get into the season, as shown by his seven goals in three games in the new Premier League season.
The report also compares Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, who at the same age - 21 - has played far more games than Wayne Rooney, a previous teenage star in the England squad.
‘There are no guarantees,’ says FIFPRO researcher Darren Burgess. ‘The science tells us that these athletes are still growing, and we're putting them under more and more stress, which tends to lead to injuries.’
We will remind, earlier it was reported that the clubs of Spain and England, which filed a lawsuit in the commercial court of Brussels, intend to boycott the club World Cup 2025.
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
