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Cole Palmer's and Ousmane Dembélé's pictures on top of Top of the Rock prior to the Club World Cup championship match appeared impressive, but it isn't wise to suggest that the two might have gained more from seasonal rest than play.

Top players battling with fitness issues was predictable before FIFA's enlarged tournament began. Jurgen Klopp called it “The worst concept in history,” mentioning worries over lasting effects of squeezing more games into an increasingly packed schedule. Klopp remarked, “Last year it was the Copa América and the Euros, this year it’s the Club World Cup, next year it’s the global tournament. This implies insufficient rest for the participants involved.”

European football's governing body allowing league matches overseas marks a sad turning point, ending football as we have understood it.

It was not the wildest of predictions. The fixture list was already under strain due to congestion from the Covid-19 crisis, the 2022's World Cup being held in winter, and the European elite competition growing in scale. The global players' union has consistently warned about increasing physical issues and exhaustion among athletes. However, the reaction has been to introduce more football. Authorities fail to regard players and managers seriously. The risk is that the top talent have nothing left to give when the global event – expanded to forty-eight teams for the initial time – occurs in Canada, Latin America, and the US next year.

Cole Palmer's Case: A Star Pushed Too Hard

The Chelsea forward is the clear illustration. The 23-year-old was the inspiration for his club at the global tournament, defeating Dembélé's Paris Saint-Germain in the championship, but he has barely been seen recently. The belief is that Palmer has played too much. He has been troubled by a pelvic injury for a twelve months and, while there is not yet any indication that the forward needs an operation, it is hard not to feel that he is, as Arsène Wenger once said of Jack Wilshere's case, in the danger area.

That should be cause for alarm. A London club or England game without Palmer is a diminished experience. He is an outrageous talent, but everyone has physical limits. It is ridiculous that he has passed 3 consecutive summers without a proper rest. He helped England Under-21s to win the continental title in 2023, was key when the senior side reached the Euro 2024 final, and was still playing for Chelsea until the midpoint of the summer last season.

At What Point Does It Too Much?

The attacker featured in 57 matches for Chelsea and country in the 2023-24 season, his debut full year as an regular national team and English top-flight player. He skipped the league phase of the European competition then but was participating in the knockouts and was best player when Chelsea defeated Real Betis in the final at the close of spring. The Paris Saint-Germain game was his 55th of the season. He had also represented England in their global tournament qualifier against the minnows at the beginning of June.

So, don't be shocked that Palmer has missed a large number of games this season. His is a longstanding issue, but it surely could have been dealt with if he had been granted a break last summer. It isn't a controversial argument. There was no preferential handling; the club had a compressed, two-week pre-season. The PSG fixture was on July 13, and Palmer started when a weary, unprepared Chelsea opened the campaign by drawing 0-0 with the London rivals on August 17.

Spanish giants Madrid’s T. Alexander-Arnold is injured with a torn thigh muscle after participating in the Club World Cup following a exhausting campaign for Liverpool.

Chelsea manager Maresca was at a loss to foresee how the extra fixture load and absence of preparation time would affect his players. By now, though, it is clear that the London club are struggling. Levi Colwill ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament on the first day of pre-season. Liam Delap ripped a muscle against Fulham, Dario Essugo has had an operation on a thigh issue. Tosin Adarabioyo and Andrey Santos are injured. Moisés Caicedo, E. Fernandez, and Joao Pedro are playing through the pain barrier.

FIFPRO Report and Club Reactions

FIFPRO's yearly player workload monitoring report found that players who competed in the tournament after completing a national competition season were among many at the top of the men's game who did not have adequate summer breaks, hurting playing levels and raising the risk of physical issues. Last week the Chelsea boss commented in relation to the volume of injuries at Chelsea and Paris: “Probably it’s certain consequences from the Club World Cup.”

Will anybody listen? Arsenal's N. Madueke, who departed the Blues after the tournament last-four match, is sidelined for eight weeks with a joint problem. Paris Saint-Germain were without Marquinhos, Kvara Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doue, and Dembélé when they beat the Spanish giants recently. João Neves and Fabian Ruiz have also had fitness problems. PSG were back in play in the Uefa showpiece on 13 August. The show continues.

Real Madrid’s Fitness Problems

Also absent at the moment are Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold and J. Bellingham. Alexander-Arnold emerged from a draining championship season with his former side, signed for Madrid, featured in their progress to the last four of the tournament, and is injured with a damaged hamstring. Thomas the manager was saying in spring that Bellingham ought to have had surgery on a joint injury. The procedure was put off, though, with the demands of the fixture list pushing another young talent to persevere and keep going.

Why Deny the Evidence?

Why deny it? A few observers have noticed that players who didn't participate in the competition have also had fitness issues. This is not an adequate justification for the Club World Cup. Players will suffer injuries. Injuries and fatigue have been on the rise. It nonetheless seems inadequate when authorities are shoving in additional games, effectively jeopardising the entertainment they aim to market. The football, recall, is not better if the best stars are missing or exhausted.

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