The 2026/27 season is barely underway, yet a number of leading footballers are already nearing their physical limits. National teams are equally reliant on their key players as clubs, resulting in an accumulation of playing time over the opening months of the campaign.
According to BritBall.Net (BBN), a list of the eight star players whose absence from the pitch seems unfathomable for both club managers and national team coaches has been compiled, based on total minutes played.
Top 8 most overloaded players of the 2026/27 season
1–2. Ruben Dias (Manchester City and Portugal) — 990 minutes
Portugal manager Jorge Jesus may overlook Cristiano Ronaldo, but in defence, he relies heavily on stability. The Portuguese have won their first four Nations League matches with the same pair of centre-backs and goalkeeper, leaving Dias no time to rest. The City defender has played every minute in the Premier League and Champions League, adding 90 minutes in the Community Shield. Enzo Maresca needs to tread carefully; Dias has already suffered two injuries related to his hamstrings in 2026.
1–2. Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United and Wales) — 990 minutes
The Leeds captain hasn't missed a single second this season, featuring in seven full matches for the club in the Premier League and League Cup, alongside four full outings for Wales. The 26-year-old utility player is in remarkable form. Former Wales international Nathan Blake described him on BBC as “every coach's absolute dream.” The only minutes Ampadu missed this year were due to a suspension early in the season.
3. Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway) — 930 minutes
Norway’s coach Stale Solbakken has noted Haaland's extreme fatigue, especially in the game against Wales, which led to a serious one-on-one discussion:
He plays practically every match for his club. Erling is under immense pressure as he contributes to all tournaments and is a key figure.
Despite discussions about rotation, Haaland continues to appear on the pitch, logging maximum minutes in the Premier League, Champions League, and Nations League. However, his body showed signs of wear in the match against Portugal, where he limped off, requesting a substitution at the 67th minute. Maresca is hoping the striker can recover in time for Sunday's clash against Liverpool.
4. Marc Guehi (Manchester City and England) — 908 minutes
Maresca has pushed the defender to his limits, even deploying him in a deeper role in the first two Premier League rounds. Club overload and uncertainty impacted Guehi’s performance for England against Spain, where a mistake led to a goal conceded. However, in the subsequent three clean-sheet wins for the national side, Guehi started all matches and emerged as the England squad leader for minutes played in the current Nations League campaign.
5. Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary) — 906 minutes
The captain of the Hungary national team ranks second on minutes played at Liverpool under Andoni Iraola. Szoboszlai operated from a deeper position for his national team, leading in touches, shots, and chances created, but struggled with muscle cramps towards the end of the match against Georgia. Hungary coach Marco Rossi openly acknowledged the midfielder's fatigue, yet Szoboszlai was back in action for 87 minutes against Ukraine on Monday.
6–7. Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford and Norway) — 900 minutes
The Norwegian stopper has played every minute of the league matches for the Bees, including 90 minutes in the League Cup, and featured in all of Norway's Nations League matches after an exhausting summer, in which he played five games in the World Cup.
6–7. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Netherlands) — 900 minutes
Haaland's potential absence on Sunday could benefit Liverpool, but the 35-year-old Reds captain is also running on empty. Under the management of Javi at the Netherlands, the defender has played all four matches without being substituted and has now reached a milestone 100 appearances for his national team, becoming the 11th Dutchman in history to achieve this.
8. Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest and Wales) — 889 minutes
The Welshman shows incredible stamina, holding down the wing-back positions on both flanks. Out of a possible 900 minutes this season, he has missed just 11. The 25-year-old Wales international (with 60 caps) recently signed a new four-year deal with the Forest, which led to Steven Gerrard and James Collins openly criticising Liverpool for selling him.
