Chelsea star Cole Palmer has been labelled a 'victim' of the modern football calendar by the PFA Chief Executive Mahita Malongo.
Palmer withdrew from the England squad during the international break, joining Declan Rice of Arsenal, Newcastle's Tino Livramento, and Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford on the sidelines. This wave of withdrawals has reignited discussions about the strain on players and the pressures they face in both club and international competitions.
Speaking at the Peak Performance and Health Summit in London, organised by FIFPRO and the Cleveland Clinic, Malongo emphasized that players shouldn’t have to choose between their clubs and their national teams.
When you see people like Cole Palmer, who ultimately becomes a victim of the calendar—someone we warned would play four summers in a row if he went to the World Cup—you start to question why he’s missing matches,
Malongo noted that players find themselves in an uncomfortable position, forced to choose between the club that pays their wages and the national team that represents pride. He highlighted a systemic issue in football, stating that the game is centred around gaining votes and maximising profits, rather than focusing on the overall health and wellbeing of the sport.
