Phil Foden is a “victim” of football’s “crazy” schedule after being left out of England’s World Cup squad, according to PFA chief executive Maheta Molango.
Molango also fears this summer’s tournament in North America could be determined by “survival of the fittest” due to the impact of the sport’s relentless calendar.
Manchester City midfielder Foden was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2024 but was overlooked by Thomas Tuchel for the World Cup following an underwhelming season.
The 25-year-old was among a handful of high-profile players cited during a FIFPRO meeting examining concerns about cumulative fatigue caused by excessive workloads.
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, who was also not selected by England manager Tuchel, was another player mentioned.
“Phil was voted less than two years ago by his peers as the best player of the (Premier) League,” said Molango, who is a board member of FIFPRO, the world players’ union.
“The number of games that he’s been available has dropped and when he has been available it has not been the version of Phil Foden that we saw two years ago.
“Is it just a coincidence? We think it is not.
“Unfortunately, he is one of the victims of this crazy calendar that only makes sense for those who pursue commercial gain to the detriment of the quality of the show, and to the detriment of the protection of those who should be football heritage.
“It’s a very sad state of affairs if someone like Phil is not on the pitch, because we love people who make us dream and we love people of pure talent.”
Foden and Palmer have both had limited summer breaks in recent years after featuring at Euro 2024 and last year’s expanded Club World Cup. Palmer also represented England at the European Under-21 Championship in 2023.
According to FIFPRO, players cannot sustain “high-threshold competitive seasons” year after year and will eventually suffer injuries or declines in performance.
Data collected by the organisation suggests Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk are among the players at risk of dips in form or injuries next season because of their recent workloads.
Both England midfielder Rice and Netherlands captain Van Dijk are set to feature at the forthcoming World Cup, which has been expanded to 48 teams and will take place in high temperatures across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Molango believes a guaranteed summer break is the best solution to player burnout.
“We fear that in the end the World Cup will just turn into the survival of the fittest,” he said.
“Will it be the best or the most talented team that prevails, or will it be the fittest?
“I really hope it won’t be just the fittest but there is a big chance this may be the case because some of the most talented (players) who play for the most prestigious teams will get to a stage where it is just too much.
“You cannot get to a competition having already played 60 or close to 60 games.”
