

Two soccer players are treated during a League Naños match between the mold and the apoel. Reference photo.
Photo: EFE – SEVIN OVE EKORNESS SVAG
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FIFPRO EUROPA claimed on Wednesday an international calendar reform and specific measures to protect the health of soccer players, given the workload they suffer and the harmful impact that the last international 'window' has had.
The European Division of the World Players Union assured that the injuries of Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Frenkie de Jong, John Stones, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill and Liam Delap “are just a visible part of the workload crisis facing professional football”, which also generates conflict between selections and clubs.
#FIFPRO Europe calls for action on player workload after the latest international window, with injuries to players such as Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue showing a growing tension between clubs and national teams.
— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) September 10, 2025
The president of FIFPRO EUROPA, David Terrier, defended that he has “reached a point where the change is inevitable”, since “without an urgent reform of the international calendar, specific regulations on health and safety and adequate coordination of all competitions, players will remain in danger due to commercial and political interests.”
The union considered in a statement that the FIFA Club World Cup this year has altered the minimum protection measures recommended by independent experts in high performance, which include a recovery period of 28 days out of season and one of preparation of 28 days before the season.
“The impact is not only suffered by players, but also, more and more, clubs, national selections, fans and national competitions. Solutions are clear, and it is our responsibility – such as unions, leagues, clubs, fans, regulatory agencies and public authorities – to find sensible solutions through social dialogue and collective agreements,” he demanded.
“FIFPRO EUROPA continues to press to apply mandatory rules in health and safety and establish binding coordination between clubs and national teams, while committing to collaborate with all interested parties to establish a sustainable calendar that protects the health of players and safeguard the future of football through collective agreements and social dialogue,” he added.
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