FIFA is too slow

FIFA Days - Ảnh 1. — The FIFA Days are constantly being broken up, causing many difficulties for South American players playing in Europe - Photo: REUTERS

It was the decision to combine the two international competition periods in September and October into one, to help players reduce the need to travel constantly.

Restricted movement

For years, top European teams have been complaining about the FIFA Days (national team competitions) schedule being constantly broken up at the beginning of the season. Specifically, FIFA Days take place once a month, each time lasting about 10 days and consecutively in the three months of September - October - November.

Such a schedule is considered extremely difficult for teams with many players from South America, Africa and Asia. Simply in terms of travel, players from South America often have to spend almost a whole day flying from Europe to their home country. Then they spend almost another whole day traveling from South America to Europe.

Some teams, like Liverpool, have an unwritten rule: rest their South American players for the first game after FIFA Days. When these players fly back to Europe from their home countries, they often land on Thursday, only to be forced to play again on Saturday. Such a schedule is considered too harsh and unscientific for top-level football.

And the more FIFA Days, the more disadvantaged the clubs will be. There are FIFA Days in September - October - November, making all calculations about player fitness and avoiding injuries extremely complicated for the clubs.

Everyone is happy

Not only that, the old FIFA Days schedule was also criticized for making things difficult for everyone. The club season usually starts at the end of August. And during this period, many players - especially those who have just changed clubs - are just getting used to and training. That is also the time when they are prone to injury.

And then every 3-4 matches at the club, they have to return to play for the national team. Play 2 matches for the national team, then return to play for the club 3-4 matches, then continue to return to the national team... Such rapid changes are considered not suitable for the beginning of the season for players. Many stars even need several months of continuous playing to adapt to a new club.

Even the national teams are not satisfied. Many head coaches have complained that playing 2 matches, then being away for 1 month, then playing 2 matches again... makes it impossible for them to deploy tactics and assemble the team. At the same time, this makes the head coaches of the national teams often not have the services of their favorite players.

Coach Wenger even proposed that in odd years (no World Cup, Euro), FIFA could set a very long FIFA Days schedule to play qualifying matches once. According to Coach Wenger's proposal, in a calendar year, FIFA should only have 2-3 FIFA Days periods, instead of 5 periods as before.

At least the suggestions of coach Wenger and the clubs have been somewhat listened to by FIFA, albeit rather late. From next year, the world football governing body will combine the two international competition periods of September and October into one. For now, the FIFA Days schedule for this period will last from September 21 to October 6, a total of 16 days, 1.5 times longer than the current 10-day period.

A rather late decision, but better than nothing.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/fifa-qua-cham-chap-20250911225948111.htm