Barcelona defender Gilles Cute “I agree with everything” what Manchester City’s Rhodri said footballers are “approach” on strike over the annual volume of departures.
FIFA’s huge expansion of the Club World Cup, combined with an increase in Champions League fixtures in UEFA’s new competition format, has expanded the clubs’ calendar.
The World Footballers’ Association (FIFPro) recently joined forces with several players’ unions in Europe, including the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), to launch two legal actions against FIFA’s decision to stage the competition next summer.
“I agree with everything Rhodri said”said Kute, 25, ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League match against Monaco. “The calendar is getting longer every year, we have more games and less time. We have been saying this for a long time and nobody pays attention to us. Neither the players nor the coaches are listened to”.
“There will come a time when we will have to go on strike, because that is the only way for those who decide to understand us. We are taking more and more risks, there are more injuries because there are fewer days off. Now, with the Club World Cup, we are going to reach around 70 games per season, which is crazy.”.
A recent FIFPro report into football player welfare concluded that the 2024-25 season will be the “worst ever” in terms of workload.
Meanwhile, FIFA has denied the claim that it is responsible for the stifling calendar, adding that FIFPro was consulted on changes to the overall 2025-30 international fixtures calendar, including the 2025 Club World Cup.
Rodri’s voice is accompanied daily by other famous football players, such as Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal, who in statements to COPE radio agreed with his teammate in the national team.
“A strike for us players is a possibility. Football players are not being taken into consideration, so we have to raise our voices.”highlighted the 2024 European champion with “Roja”.
With the new 32-team formula for next summer’s Club World Cup in the United States, some players could make more than 80 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign.