Player Welfare:A Case Study
Pedri gonzalez
Meet Pedri Gonzalez, the breakout star of season 2020/2021 for FC Barcelona in Spain and the Spanish national team.
Pedri is a central midfielder currently playing for FC Barcelona, widely regarded as a top talent. However, many sports enthusiasts believe his growth has been hampered by injuries. This article examines Pedri's experience to highlight the urgent need for re-evaluating player welfare.
Pedri first made headlines at Las Palmas, showcasing remarkable technical skill, vision, and composure at just 16 years old. Although initially doubted due to his performances coming in Spain’s second division, his critics were soon proven wrong. By late 2019, Pedri had signed with FC Barcelona, spending a few additional months developing before joining the senior team for the 2020/2021 season. the praises began to heap and more took notice, Pedri quickly gained attention, reminding Spaniards of their golden era of football. His exceptional style that marked by skillful turns, incisive passing, and heightened awareness drew comparisons to legendary midfielders.
The train took off and he received his first call-up to the Spain senior national team on March 15, 2021, at the tender age of 18. it seemed no one could get enough of Pedri. In that breakthrough season alone, Pedri played an astonishing 73 matches for club and country. But at what cost?
First training session vs Last game of the season
The aftermath of Poor injury prevention
Pedri’s case highlights the need for football stakeholders to reconsider player health management. According to the international federation of professional footballers (FIFPRO), their research indicates that players are more susceptible to muscle injuries when playing two matches within a week. This shows the dangers of congested match schedules amidst a myriad of problems related to player health. there is a need for re-evaluating the conversation around player welfare.
Recurring injuries for Pedri became the norm
For Pedri Gonzalez the cost of such an extensive playtime was spending most of the next 3 years sidelined. his extensive playtime during the 2020/2021 season, totalling 73 matches across all competitions, has been linked to subsequent injury challenges. the next year Pedri missed 201 days to injury and from the end of that season to April 2024, he missed 75 games due to injuries, with eight out of nine affecting his hamstring muscles.
While it might seem an isolated case, Pedri's experience highlights broader issues prevalent in elite sports: intense demands with insufficient emphasis on player longevity. Unfortunately, player health in high-level sports has historically been under-researched, allowing such glaring drawbacks to persist.
Recurring issues became the norm
The Need for Re-evaluating Player welfare
There is not a lot research on current player welfare practices but some researchers are paying attention. For example, (den Hollander et al., 2024) used data from the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons of five top-tier European men’s football leagues to conduct a retrospective observational study. 860 elite male football players met the eligibility criteria for the study. Over two seasons, 585 players experienced injuries, primarily muscle strains and ligament tears, with hamstring injuries alone constituting 20% of all incidents.
Key findings indicated that injured players had significantly higher workloads, characterized by more frequent match appearances, shorter recovery times (less than 3–5 days between matches), and extensive international travel across multiple time zones compared to non-injured controls. These conditions were linked to increased injury susceptibility, reduced recovery capacities, and heightened physical and mental fatigue. Specifically, prolonged exposure to high workloads without adequate rest not only elevates immediate injury risks but also jeopardizes long-term player welfare and career sustainability. Coaches, players, and stakeholders overwhelmingly support workload limitations—highlighting an urgent need to adjust match schedules, optimize rest periods, and implement rotation strategies. their study emphasizes the necessity for football governance and clubs to reevaluate current practices, prioritize player health, and establish protective standards that sustain athletes' performance and careers.
What can we learn from this case
Improving athlete health requires involvement from all stakeholders, including parents and guardians of younger athletes. Mismanagement by guardians can hinder rather than support athletic development. Clubs must manage player workloads from early stages, treating young athletes with the same care and attention given to seasoned professionals. This involves distributing workload responsibly, providing sufficient recovery periods, and emphasising injury prevention.
Better recovery schedules, spacing more rest in between high intensity activity, a larger focus on injury prevention. in many cases football clubs save more money (Top European men's football clubs incurred €732 million in wage losses due to player injuries during the 2023/24.) if their efforts are focused on injury prevention rather than rehabilitation. injuries will come but the industry is better suited to placing more emphasis on injury prevention. Clubs specifically have to invest in advanced injury prevention programs for their athletes.This case also highlights the possibility of athlete governance bodies (in this case FIFA), placing appearance caps on players, a radical idea but one to be explored. The responsibility rests with major stakeholders (clubs, leagues, governing bodies) to spearhead these changes. Governing bodies and clubs must lead by creating policies and practices prioritising athletes' long-term health above short-term victories.
He is free and fit again to play
Thankfully,
Pedri González has returned to full health after intensive injury rehabilitation and prevention programs. His journey highlights the pressing need for systemic changes in professional sports. Our mission is a future where athletes perform freely without jeopardizing their well-being. Contributing to a sports world where there is more emphasis on injury prevention than rehabilitation.Stay tuned as we continue exploring player health and welfare throughout this month. Upcoming articles will provide deeper insights into specific aspects of player health/welfare. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive more thought-provoking insights directly. Engage, share, and join us in supporting initiatives aimed at creating a healthier, more sustainable sporting future.
References
https://fifpro.org/en/supporting-players/health-and-performance/player-workload/rise-in-excessive-back-to-back-matches-in-men-s-football-fifpro-research-shows
MacInnes, P. (2024, October 15). Injuries cost top men’s clubs in Europe €732m last season, study shows. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/oct/15/injuries-cost-top-men-clubs-europe-record-732m-last-season-study-shows
Nobari, H., Khalili, S. M., Zamorano, A. D., Bowman, T. G., & Granacher, U. (2022). Workload is associated with the occurrence of non-contact injuries in professional male soccer players: A pilot study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.925722
Rise in excessive back-to-back matches in men’s football, FIFPRO research shows. (2021, October 5). FIFPRO. https://fifpro.org/en/supporting-players/health-and-performance/player-workload/rise-in-excessive-back-to-back-matches-in-men-s-football-fifpro-research-shows
den Hollander, S., Kerkhoffs, G., & Gouttebarge, V. (2024). The Impact of Match Workload and International Travel on Injuries in Professional Men’s Football. Sports, 12(8), 212. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12080212
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