Maheta Molango Calls Phil Foden A Victim Of Football’s Crazy Calendar

Phil Foden was left out of England’s World Cup squad, and PFA chief executive Maheta Molango called him a “victim” of football’s “crazy calendar.”

Molango said the number of games that Foden “has been available for has dropped” and that when he has been available it has not been “the version of Phil Foden we saw two years ago.”

BBC

Molango also warned that this summer’s tournament in North America could be determined by “survival of the fittest” because of the sport’s relentless calendar.

FIFPRO’s meeting discussed concerns about cumulative fatigue caused by excessive workloads, and Molango said players cannot sustain “high-threshold competitive seasons” year after year without eventually suffering injuries or a decline in performance.

Data collected by FIFPRO indicated Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk could be at increased risk of injury or reduced form next season because of their workloads.

While the fixture calendar debate played out around England’s squad, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola issued strict instructions for the Christmas period and said he would discard players who gained kilos.

Guardiola told reporters, "Each player is weighed," and said the players return on December 25 while he monitors how many kilos they gain to see if they come back overweight.

BBC

He warned that players who return overweight would not play against Nottingham Forest on December 27, and he added, "Imagine a player who is now perfect, but will arrive with three kilos too many."

In the same period, Guardiola said he pays “very close attention to conduct on and off the pitch,” and the DHnet report linked Phil Foden and Jack Grealish to a nightclub photo taken by the Telegraph.

Flashscore.fr said City returned after a three-day rest, with Guardiola telling reporters, "It's not a trip to the Maldives."

Beyond the player workload debate, the 2026 World Cup qualification draw in the European zone set out two possible scenarios for France depending on its result against Croatia in the Nations League quarterfinals.

“- Published Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is a "victim" of football's packed fixture schedule after being left out of England's World Cup squad, says the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association”

BBC

Football365 said the quarterfinals will be played next spring, and if France defeats Croatia it will be placed in Group D alongside Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan.

If France loses to Croatia, Football365 said France would shift to Group L composed of the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Gibraltar, and the Faroe Islands.

Football365 also described the tournament as the first edition to host 48 teams, with 16 spots reserved for Europe and the 12 group winners earning tickets to the tournament co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Molango’s concerns about the expanded 48-team World Cup in high temperatures across the United States, Canada and Mexico echoed the stakes of the schedule, with the BBC reporting that matches will be played in high temperatures.