Six player workload findings ahead of UEFA Champions League ...

As the 2023/24 club season reaches its climax with the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, we are reminded of the gruelling toll elite-level players have had to endure in a congested season with minimal rest periods.

Workload data from FIFPRO and Football Benchmark, detailing the most overworked players from around the world, was presented to player unions and representatives from leagues such as the Premier League and La Liga in London on Thursday. It followed fruitful dialogue between stakeholders on what this extreme calendar congestion means for players and the need for collective action to push for change.

FIFPRO brings you six key findings on player workload from an arduous 2023/24 campaign – from the players who have had to endure the most minutes this year to the ones who could suffer the most with expanded UEFA competitions and a 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in the 2024/25 season.

1. Premier League players among those enduring high workload

Seventy inclusions mean no player featured in more matchday squads than Manchester City and Argentina forward Julian Alvarez. He is followed by City team-mate Phil Foden and Liverpool duo Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott with 69 matchday squad appearances.

Meanwhile, Benfica midfielder Fredrik Aursnes, who retired from international football with Norway earlier this year, made the most appearances (66) along with John McGinn (Aston Villa/Scotland) and Saud Abdulhamid (Al Hilal/Saudi Arabia). Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta/Albania) played the most back-to-back matches (18), while Cristian Romero clocked up the most international travel with a staggering 139,130 kilometres.