The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has criticised football's congested schedule, claiming it has led to the burnout of England stars Phil Foden and Cole Palmer. PFA chief executive Maheta Molango said the pair missed out on this summer's World Cup due to overwork, with new data showing seven of the ten most-played players in Europe's top leagues this season are at English clubs.
Molango argued that Foden has suffered from 'cumulative fatigue', a term used by global players' union Fifpro to describe a drop in performance from sustained overwork. 'Less than two years ago Phil Foden was voted by his own peers as the best player in the league,' Molango said. 'The reality is that, since then, the number of games he has been available for has dropped. When he has been available, it has not been the version we saw two years ago.' He added that Foden has missed key games due to fitness issues caused by relentless demands.
Foden played through the past two summers, featuring at Euro 2024 and the Club World Cup, while Palmer also played in those tournaments and the 2023 European Under-21 Championship. 'It's very sad we've seen only a glimpse of Cole Palmer this year,' Molango said. 'He has been one of those guys who have gone three consecutive summers without a break.'
Fifpro's annual workload report shows Arsenal's Martín Zubimendi top with 67 appearances this season. The rest of the top ten includes Premier League players Declan Rice, Virgil van Dijk, Morgan Rogers, Dominik Szoboszlai, Sandro Tonali, and Cody Gakpo. Molango warned that such output leads to decline over two to three years, damaging the sport and its stars. 'For us, a guy like Phil Foden or Lamine Yamal or Rodri should be protected,' he said.
The PFA is lobbying for a seat on the Football Association Board to ensure players' voices are heard in decision-making. This follows Fifpro gaining a position on Uefa's executive committee. With the global calendar under pressure from new competitions and Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup, the PFA wants formal representation at FA level. The PFA and FA declined to comment.
