De Bruyne on calendar: FIFA values money more than players
Kevin De Bruyne said FIFA and UEFA prioritize money over players’ well-being, expressing concern about the loaded calendar.
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On the growing number of fixtures
FIFPRO’s European member unions have initiated legal action against FIFA over the expanded 32-team men’s Club World Cup.
All three European club competitions have been expanded to 36 teams this season
“The real problem will emerge after the Club World Cup,” De Bruyne said ahead of Belgium’s Nations League match against Israel.
The Belgium captain scored twice in their 3-1 victory on Friday.
“We know there will be only three weeks between the Club World Cup final and the first Premier League match. So, we have three weeks to rest and prepare for another 80 matches,” he added.
De Bruyne speaks on crammed calendar
A FIFPRO study released on Thursday revealed that elite footballers now have only 12% of the calendar year off, highlighting the need for a longer rest period.
Last July, FIFPRO lodged a complaint with EU antitrust regulators about FIFA’s international match calendar.
De Bruyne stated that the increased calendar load shows FIFA and UEFA value “money” over “players’ voices.”
“Maybe this year things will be OK, but next year could be problematic. The Professional Footballers’ Association in England and other player associations have tried to find solutions,” De Bruyne said.
“The issue is that UEFA and FIFA keep adding extra matches, and we can raise concerns, but no solutions have been found. It seems that money speaks louder than the players’ voices.”
