Erm, the players were the ones that forced the globalization of the market in football (see Bosman ruling). Beforehand,football was much more localized with only the World Cups serving as a global show off. Now, it's a different market where everyone and their mother is searching high and wide across the globe for the next top talents.

Classic reddit incapable of having a nuanced take. its possible for both the pay structure to be fucked alongside prioritising the health of fellow humans more. but nah they deserve to suffer cuz they make money than you.

And what about the football fan?

If footballers agree to give up a percentage of their ridiculous wages then sure, otherwise they shouldn’t complain too much.

Capitalism ruins everything

Can’t believe ESPN said something smart for once.

People are overworked in almost every industry in the world, why should we necessarily care more about the ones who get paid astronomically to play what is at the end of the day an inconsequential game for a living?

They should stop treating themselves like products first.

People are overworked in almost every industry in the world, why should we necessarily care more about the ones who get paid astronomically to play what is at the end of the day an inconsequential game for a living?

I too get treated like a product by my company, but for less than 1% of what these guys make.

Ok, so they’ll give some of their money back then right? Right?

Comes with the money

People are labor and all labor is a commodity under capitalism. Footballers are no different.

I can't wait until the guy hears about what every other job looks like.

let's start paying them like 99.9% of humans then.

Can the footballer not say he doesn’t want to play this week or that week?

I’m sure there are stats to show he’s fatigued, tired, and prone to injury

If only they were paid for this sacrifice

The amount of games the top players have to play is insane. FIFA + league+ 3 country cups + euro.

Has to be close to 50-60 games a year. And they don’t even really get months off.

The top guys are starting at 20 and doing this for 15 years.

Has anyone ever heard of rotating players during games? Or what if you used the whole squad instead of playing 11 guys always?

I know...This sounds like madness and super revolutionary. Genius-like ideas here.

"Products" like they aren't paid millions a year and won't retire at 40 with enough wealth for 5 generations lol, fuck outta here with this nonsense.

With the shit load of money they make the demands and expectations increase. I have sympathy for an athletes' schedule. This is also quite ironic coming from an entity that is solely reliable on the product.

Yea uh, the players need to make a stand. Otherwise there will be more and more tournaments. It sucks, but they are the only ones that can stop this.

Oh purrrleeaaassseee. Footballers are the most oberpampered, overpaid, spoilt brats in the world of entertainment, besides actors. They get paid when they are injured, get paid when they are sick, get paid when they cant be bothered turning up for training,for a couple of hours a day. Think of the poorly paid staff behind the scene before you start crying about footballers

Players salaries go up, more games are added. Do I agree with it? Not really. But do I sympathize with players making millions of dollars for kicking a ball? Fuck no, especially when most of these players are shit human beings.

Okay. Then pay them like human beings

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce will be playing their league derby on December 24 and the league's Super Cup game will be played on December 29. This is after both teams' exhausting schedule filled with European matches. Okan Buruk (Gala manager) brought up in one his post game conferences that this busy schedule does nothing but wears down players. Both clubs have important players playing for their countries as well. They basically get no break. The congestion in the schedule truly is awful.

Give them less money that will humanise them

Internationals are just pointless nowadays. Could really reduce all those meaningless games from League cup to useless international friendlies. Who's even watching?

bruh their life are better than 99.99% people in the world

The issue is UEFA and fifa. They want a piece of the money pie that clubs get so try to make more and more competitions for national teams to play. And then UEFa adding so many more European games on top, players are not machines. The winter World Cup didn’t help either.

Obviously but capitalism says they are just said products

Players should have it in the contracts they can only play a certain number of games a season or they’re guaranteed a certain number of weeks off during pre season

They should also bin pre season touring across the globe

Ask Cristiano to treat himself as a human being a not a product or god.

We all agree and know this. The decision makers feel differently.

I really don’t get how people immediately blame the fixture list. The clubs decide how often players are selected.

A club like Barcelona could easily stop choosing literal children as their starters, but they choose not to.

I will go the other way to the comment section.

The product is oversaturated and not as good as it used to be.

I don't know anyone but diehard fans who watch champions league group stages.

Less games, more importance per game equals better product.

Product can be players or the game pick your poison

Ahh once the Barca players start going down, now these calls finally get stronger.

It’s time to accept they are human beings. To so many the wealth and life of luxury they receive apparently makes them immune to mental stress, injury and fatigue. Ultimately theirs so much money in the game between tv deals and prize money, their will always be a demand for more and more football and a demand for the top end players to be a part of it. We will reach a breaking point where such a large % of the best players in the world will be injured that it will affect match quality which will in turn hurt match revenue and tv deals. That’s when we might see a change

That’s what the money is for

Yes please treat them like the rest of the mortals, pay them minimum wage, and if they under perform they get sacked no questions asked, no millions getting paid for being shit.

Yes please treat them like the rest of the mortals, pay them minimum wage, and if they under perform they get sacked no questions asked, no millions getting paid for being shit.

That’s what the money is for

They should stop treating themselves like products first.