The UNFP, the French players’ syndicate, has today called for a reform to the international football calendar, which they see as overly demanding on footballers.
In a statement released this afternoon, the union pointed to the fact that the French national team, after a busy season, was playing four games in the space of 11 days for the first time in its history.
Pointing to FFF president Noël Le Graët’s criticisms on the calendar, the UNFP says that it was “about time that a member of the FIFA council […] finally grasped this senseless race towards more and more competitions and profit in spite of common sense and the health of the principal actors, of which it also has full responsibility.”
The UNFP notes that “72% of international players have played more than 55 games this season”, and points to the need for players to be given proper rest time in order to protect their fitness and health.
They single out the Nations League games this month as particularly increasing the risk of injury, as seen in the case of France with Kylian Mbappé’s knee issue against Denmark just one example.
“When will the international bodies seriously take into account the players’ health and make it an absolute priority? The lack of rest time, recovery and physical regeneration is flagrant.”
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