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England and Real Madrid have been warned that Jude Bellingham’s physical and mental health could be seriously damaged by his huge workload, which also threatens to “derail” the longevity of his career.
A new report from Fifpro, the world footballers’ union, has revealed the enormous physical strain that has been placed on Bellingham so far in his career and illustrated how his appearance numbers far outstrip those of comparable England players of the past.
Bellingham will be unable to play in England’s matches during the international break due to a calf injury that has kept him out for the past month. In a social media post, Bellingham said: “Maybe my body is telling me it needs a bit more rest after a busy year.”
The injury came after the 21-year-old said in the summer he was “mentally and physically exhausted” at the end of England’s European Championship campaign.
The Fifpro report identified a trend among young players accumulating a lot of game time and warned that the situation could have significant implications for their health and performance.
Bellingham has played more than Rooney and Gerrard at the same age
The study found that Bellingham’s number of appearances at the age of 21 far exceeds that of former England players such as Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard.
Before he turned 21, Bellingham had made 251 appearances for club and country. Rooney, by comparison, had made 212 at the same age. Owen, another player who made his England debut as a teenager, had made 156.
“By the end of the 2023/24 season, Bellingham had made over 250 first-team appearances for club and country (over 19,000 minutes),” the report reveals.
“It should be remembered that Bellingham only turned 21 on 29 June 2024 and his remarkable number of appearances so far in his career is a result not only of playing extensively each season but also of receiving substantial first-team minutes at 16 whilst at Birmingham City.
“Not only does this overexposure at an early age carry the risk of physical burnout, but the pressure to consistently perform at a high level can also impact on a young player’s mental health. Career longevity is also an issue, with injuries and wear and tear on a player’s body often impacting these footballers at an earlier stage.”
According to Fifpro projections, Bellingham could ultimately make over 1,200 professional appearances during his career, which would be significantly more than other notable English players such as Frank Lampard (1,002), Gareth Barry (885) and David Beckham (839).
Bellingham is not alone in having to shoulder a huge physical burden at such a young age, with his Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Junior another example of the trend towards younger players making more appearances.
At 24, Vinicius had played 369 career matches, compared to 163 for former Brazil international Ronaldinho at the same age.
England and Manchester City star Phil Foden was also dangerously overworked last season, making 72 appearances, well beyond the 55-match limit recommended by FifPro. Foden withdrew from England’s squad this week due to illness.
Top-level players are increasingly vocal in protest at their workloads and FifPro has warned that the demands placed on them will ultimately harm both individuals and the competitions in which they play.
“Our players have already exceeded their limits”
The report found that some players saw their rest time reduced by up to 12% of the calendar year, or less than one full day of rest per week. The study also showed that Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina defender Cristian Romero travelled a total distance of 162,978km (211 hours of travel) last season, the most kilometres travelled by any player.
“We are now facing one of the most serious and urgent problems in our sport,” said Stephane Burchkalter, interim general secretary of Fifpro. “A problem that is the result of an abuse of governance and a failure to exercise due diligence. The overall workload our players are facing is unprecedented. It has produced a physical and mental fatigue that is now dangerous.
“Our players have already exceeded their limits. The international calendar is already more than full. But what is the response of the international authorities? More. More matches, more competitions, more votes. And no guarantees or consideration for the players.
“This seems to be the vision of the future of our sport. We cannot continue like this! This path is not sustainable. It harms the players and the competitions that already exist.”
In July, FifPro Europe and the European Leagues announced that they would lodge a formal complaint against FIFA with the European Commission, in a further escalation of their revolt against the expansion of the Club World Cup.
