Raphinha on the Club World Cup scheduling:
“Many people accuse European clubs of making excuses, but they don’t understand how difficult it really is to give up our only time to rest — our vacation.”
“It’s honestly unfair. We’re expected to give everything all season long, playing intense matches across multiple competitions. Then, when it’s finally time to rest and recover — both physically and mentally — we’re told we have to play in another major tournament. What’s worse is that no one even asked us, the players, if we wanted to take part. Our voices weren’t heard at all.”
Extended Elaboration:
Raphinha’s comments touch on an increasingly sensitive issue in modern football — player fatigue and lack of representation in decision-making.
Elite footballers today are operating under intense pressure, with congested fixture lists, travel demands, and relentless schedules across club and international competitions. For players in Europe especially, the summer break is not just a luxury — it’s a necessity to recover from physical strain, heal injuries, and mentally reset before the next grueling season.
Raphinha points out that the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place in 2025 with 32 teams, cuts into the only real break players have. He expresses discontent with the top-down approach of football authorities, where players are treated more like assets than individuals with human limits. The fact that players were reportedly not consulted reinforces a growing belief among many professionals that decisions in global football are increasingly driven by commercial interests over player welfare.
His comments align with concerns raised by organizations like FIFPRO (the global players’ union), which has warned of rising injury rates and mental burnout among players. Some clubs and managers — like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp — have echoed similar frustrations.
Ultimately, Raphinha is not just complaining about losing a holiday — he’s drawing attention to a system that demands more and more from players without giving them a say, and without regard for their long-term health or career longevity.
