Top football players are facing extreme fatigue due to a packed schedule, with major tournaments occurring back-to-back since 2024. The 2025 summer, typically a rest period, will instead host an expanded Club World Cup.
Key points
Football has been continuous for the last three summers
Major tournaments include the Euros and Club World Cup
World Cup players are experiencing significant fatigue
2025 summer will not provide a rest opportunity
74 players at the World Cup have had minimal breaks
Football does not seem to have stopped for the last three summers.
In 2024 we had continental competitions like the Euros, then came the Club World Cup, and now we have the World Cup.
You could not blame some of the world's top players for feeling the strain of the game.
The summer of 2025 would usually have been the opportunity to rest. Instead, Fifa placed its expanded Club World Cup into that slot.
That tournament featured 74 players who are at the World Cup, some barely having a break in three years.
How will the fatigue built up over the last 12 months affect the star players?
BBC Sport looked at the total minutes played - for club and country - by every member of the 26-man squads of the top 10 countries in the Fifa world rankings.
The numbers are taken from 15 June, 2025 - the day the controversial Club World Cup kicked off.
Which national teams will go into this tournament carrying lots of minutes?
And which players are most impacted?
France go into the World Cup with the most fatigued squad
Michael Olise of France during the international friendly football match between France and Northern IrelandImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Michael Olise has made 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and France over the past 12 months
France must battle with both heat and fatigue if they are to win the World Cup for a third time.
Didier Deschamps' squad have been in action more than any of the leading nations, with 1,341 matches totalling 98,895 minutes.
Crystal Palace central defender Maxence Lacroix has the most starts (58) and minutes (5,009) of the France players, but the 26-year-old is only expected to be a squad pick for Les Bleus.
Bayern Munich forward Michael Olise (65), coincidentally a former Palace player, has made the most appearances but by coming off the bench 12 times he is second on minutes played (4,942).
Olise is one of 11 France players who featured at the Club World Cup. Portugal also had 11 with only Germany, on 12, having more in action in the United States last summer.
In the squad top 10 we find Portugal in second, with 1,299 matches and 96,405 minutes.
Q&A
Which players are most affected by fatigue in the World Cup?
The article mentions that 74 players participating in the World Cup have had little to no break over the past three years.
What tournaments have contributed to player fatigue leading up to the World Cup?
Players have faced a continuous schedule with the Euros, Club World Cup, and now the World Cup, leaving little time for rest.
Why is the summer of 2025 significant for football players?
The summer of 2025 is typically a rest period, but it will instead feature an expanded Club World Cup, adding to players' fatigue.
How has FIFA's scheduling impacted player recovery?
FIFA's decision to place the Club World Cup in the summer of 2025 has eliminated a crucial recovery period for players.
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Roberto Martinez's squad would have been closer to the top had Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot seen more cup action with Manchester United. The Red Devils failed to quality for Europe and played only one match in both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Paris St-Germain midfielder Vitinha played the most games (66) in reaching the final of the Club World Cup and winning the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo started all 44 matches he played for Al Nassr and Portugal.
England are third, with Thomas Tuchel's men having played more games (1,304) than Portugal but made fewer starts (1,051 to 1,092).
The workload on Harry Kane could be a concern with the captain - who is 33 next month - playing 63 games for Bayern Munich.
Morgan Rogers is the most played, featuring 64 times across 5,037 minutes for Aston Villa and England.
England have the most players (seven) to make 50 or more starts, followed by Belgium, Germany and Portugal (six).
For Germany, Bayern centre-back Jonathan Tah has played the most minutes (4,923) of Julian Nagelsmann's squad.
With only three players to have started 50 or more games, and a squad which may handle the hot conditions better, Brazil might feel they could challenge.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has made the most appearances (67), though Flamengo centre-back Leo Pereira has been on the pitch for the most minutes (5,559).
Argentina will look to defend the title they won in Qatar, and they have only four players on 50 or more starts.
That includes Palmeiras striker Jose Manuel Lopez, with the 25-year-old remarkably having made 76 appearances, 59 of them as a starter.
Lopez has played 5,174 minutes, which is pretty much the same as Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez on 5,173 from 65 appearances.
Lionel Messi, who turns 39 later this month, goes into the tournament having played 51 games, with only three as a substitute.
Argentina have fewer combined starts and minutes than any of the bookmakers' tournament favourites.
Spain's numbers are kept down to injuries through the season to the likes of Manchester City's Rodri and Barcelona midfielder Gavi.
Only Belgium's Romelu Lukaku, with nine games, has made fewer appearances this season that Gavi's 14, among the 260 players on this list.
Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi (63) has played the most games in the Spain squad, with Chelsea's Marc Cucurella (4,981) on the most minutes.
After this the total minutes drops away for Belgium, Netherlands and Morocco. But all three countries have stars in the player top 10.
Portugal's first XI faced the highest workload
Assessing the minutes played by the whole squad is one thing, but what really matters is the first XI.
The first-choice team must handle the rigours of tournament football - and eight matches to lift the trophy in New Jersey on 19 July.
Portugal move up to the first place, with five of their expected starting team having made more than 50 starts in the last 12 months.
France are in second with England in third, who would be higher if John Stones had not become a bit-part player for Manchester City in the second half of the season.
While Netherlands are in ninth for their squad, they are in fourth when it comes to the likely first XI. This could suggest the Dutch lack depth, with their squad members not getting the same level of minutes in club football.
Perhaps surprisingly, Germany also have comparatively fewer minutes in their projected starting side. That is helped by Arsenal's Kai Havertz and Bayern's Jamal Musiala having injury problems - both made only 15 starts.
Van Dijk the most exposed player for a major nation
Virgil van Dijk will celebrate his 35th birthday during the knockout rounds, and his bones could be creaking if Netherlands are still in the World Cup at that stage.
The Liverpool defender, who was not at the Club World Cup, played 5,661 minutes - a whole match more than the second player on this list, Brazil defender Pereira.
Van Dijk started all 64 of his appearances for club and country. The two others in the top 10 not to come off the bench are both goalkeepers.
Despite Belgium's low squad total, they have three players in the individual top 10. Courtois, plus Club Brugge attacking midfielder Hans Vanaken and team-mate Brandon Mechele.
Lopez of Argentina has the most appearances with 76 - nine more than the next on the list, Vinicius with 67.
Where are the England players? Villa's Rogers is in 12th place, with Kane in 15th, Manchester City's Marc Guehi in 17th and Arsenal's Declan Rice in 18th. Plenty of representation, just not inside the top 10.
No France player features either, with Lacroix in 13th and Olise in 16th.
Germany only have two players in the top 30, with Tah in 20th and Bayern's Joshua Kimmich in 21st.
It's the same for Spain, too, with Cucurella in 14th and Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon in 26th.
