Raphael Varane retired from the French national team in February this year, aged only 30. And his decision seems to have sparked a trend among fellow footballers, who are looking to protect themselves from injuries.
The hectic schedule that players face in the modern game is one of the most frequently mentioned topics. But the workload does not seem to be reducing for the players, which is leading to them sacrificing the opportunity to play for the national team.
Raphael Varane’s international retirement sparks new trend among players
Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois recently suffered an ACL injury which will keep him sidelined for the majority of the season. The Belgian recently admitted that the workload and constant games could be the cause behind the injury.
The soaring demands of the modern game, such as constant pressing and pace have taken their toll on players’ bodies. Teams like Manchester United and Chelsea, who feature a huge number of international players have many key players injured.
The same goes for clubs like Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, with both clubs without key players. There have been calls for the number of games to be reduced per season. But, no changes seem to be taking place.
In fact, the opposite seems to be happening with the number of Champions League games set to increase from next year. As a result, it could drastically increase the number of international retirements and lead to a drop in quality of international football.
