Phil Foden (26, Manchester City) has been claimed to have ultimately become a victim of an excessively congested match schedule. There is a view that his exclusion from England's final World Cup squad is not simply a matter of poor form.
The U.K. broadcaster BBC reported on the 27th (Korea time), citing remarks from officials at the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO) and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), that "Foden has become a victim of an excessively congested football schedule."
Foden was left out of England's final squad for the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup. Manager Thomas Tuchel selected other options instead of Foden, who had a poor season.
However, the players' associations argued that it is hard to view the matter as simply a decline in ability.
Maeta Molango, chief executive of the PFA and a member of the FIFPRO board, said, "Foden was not the player we saw two years ago. His number of available appearances decreased, and when he did play he did not produce the same performance as before."
He added, "Unfortunately, he is one of the victims of a crazy schedule," and strongly criticized, "The current football calendar exists solely for commercial gain. Match quality and player protection are being pushed further to the back."
Molango added, "It is sad that a talented player who shows fans dreams like Foden cannot stand on the pitch."
Chelsea's Cole Palmer was also mentioned as a similar case. Palmer was also left out of this World Cup squad after an underwhelming season.
Molango said, "This season fans hardly saw the real Cole Palmer. It was a loss for both Chelsea fans and England fans."
FIFPRO warned that if players are required to play an excessive number of matches every year, it will inevitably lead to injuries or declines in performance.
In fact, according to association data, Declan Rice (Arsenal) and Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) were also classified as players who may have an increased risk of injury next season.
Van Dijk played in all 38 of Liverpool's Premier League matches, and Rice also appeared in 36 league matches for Arsenal.
The problem is the World Cup. This CONCACAF World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, and matches are scheduled in some regions under high temperatures.
Molango warned, "It is likely to become a tournament where only the players who survive endure," and expressed concern, "It is not normal for top-level players to enter the World Cup having already played nearly 60 matches during the season."
[OSEN]