A survey conducted by the Professional Footballers Association showed that 87% of professional soccer players would prefer to limit the number of consecutive matches to relieve them of their heavy workload, saying "we are athletes, not machines".
The survey, which included 1,055 players and 92 performance experts, showed that supporters and opponents of the current match schedule support new measures that would ensure a minimum weekend break and reduce the frequency of consecutive matches, that is, those matches separated by less than 5 days off.
Among the players surveyed was a group from leagues in England, France, Italy and Spain, and 50% of them said they had sustained injuries due to a tight schedule.
Meanwhile, 40% said a busy schedule affected their mental health, and 50% said their club or national team had cut their vacation time.
"International travel over long distances puts pressure on the health and performance of many players due to sudden changes in climate and time zones," said Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal, who represents players from the Americas.
The Inter Milan player added, "Some players have traveled more than 200,000 kilometers in the past three seasons. This is equivalent to traveling around the world 5 times."
The report showed that at the end of 2020, Croatian midfielder Luka Modric played 24 consecutive matches;
That is 4 times more than the recommended maximum.
More than 72% said that the number of consecutive matches should be limited to 4 matches, while half of them said that a mandatory stop should be imposed after 3 matches.
The report found that high-performance experts support the players' views that the current number of matches in world football at the elite level, which are played without protective regulations, poses risks to the mental and physical health of players.