Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has accused football authorities of prioritizing revenue over player welfare in a damning assessment of the global football calendar.

Courtois, 29, was speaking after his country lost 2-1 against European champions Italy in UEFA's Nations League third-place play-off on Sunday - a match he described as "pointless" in the build-up.

Both countries made a number of changes to their starting line-ups from their respective semi-final defeats in midweek, with Belgium unable to call upon captain Eden Hazard and striker Romelu Lukaku due to muscle fatigue.

"This game is just a money game and we have to be honest about it," said Courtois.

"We just play it because for UEFA it's extra money''.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvsyV2Ze1MI

If keeper dey complain like this wetin players go do then or is he complaining on their behalf?



It's what you signed up for,, Endure

ItsGoodToBeGood:
If keeper dey complain like this wetin players go do then or is he complaining on their behalf?

Exactly my thoughts... Sounds more like an excuse for conceding the goals he let in.

ItsGoodToBeGood:
If keeper dey complain like this wetin players go do then or is he complaining on their behalf?



It's what you signed up for,, Endure

Do you like the idea of having the World Cup played after every 2 years instead of 4 years? The prospect of players having very little time to rest with many congested fixtures, Tournaments and other sporting events e.g Olympics, AFCON, EUROS, Women Soccer, etc. Could there be a more sinister and selfish agenda attached to it which benefits only the likes of FIFA, UEFA and other Organizers in terms of the Cash flow and Marketing.

I just want you to see from another angle besides what you already know

Leemao

the likes of klopp n pep av said this countless times when they started dt meaningless uefa nations league in Europe but others said thy complain too much..
too much games kill players bt the organizers dnt care bcoz its more money n good business for them..

Thus guy is a selfish, greedy and entitled fool

He plays 60 times or less per season for Real Madrid, does he complain?

No! Do you know why?

Because of the wages. His wages are astronomical and RM can obviously afford it.

Playing for Belgium, I think they only get little allowance and its nothing compared to club football. Since he wasnt forced, why complain.

UEFA should sanction him for a very long time. This is insulting to the body.

paulolee:
the likes of klopp n pep av said this countless times when they started dt meaningless uefa nations league in Europe but others said thy complain too much..
too much games kill players bt the organizers dnt care bcoz its more money n good business for them..

Good point

TarOrfeeek:

Thus guy is a selfish, greedy and entitled fool

He plays 60 times or less per season for Real Madrid, does he complain?

No! Do you know why?

Because of the wages. His wages are astronomical and RM can obviously afford it.

Playing for Belgium, I think they only get little allowance and its nothing compared to club football. Since he wasnt forced, why complain.

UEFA should sanction him for a very long time. This is insulting to the body.

60+ matches a year for some of these players, high intensity, loads of duress on the joints, tissues and tendons. There's only so much strain a player can put their body under even with world class recovery and sports massages etc. I get that footballers today make an outrageous amount of money, but if the number of games would actually be less, maybe they will have more meaning and players would start to care more again.