League Football (soccer) vs Country competitions

**TitoFan** · 03-19-2023 07:42 PM

Question to the British and other Europeans football fans out there:

Does the Premier League in England, for example, have a problem with its players competing in competitions where they represent their own countries? For fear of injury, maybe? Are there contract clauses that prevent players from international competitions such as the World Cup or Euro Cup?

Does La Liga frown on the same thing? Do players abide by club management wishes if they try and keep players from representing their countries in international competitions?

How about football leagues in other European (or Asian or South American) countries?

**Mark TKO** · 03-19-2023 07:50 PM

Some managers have an issue with it - fergie never liked his players playing for England for fear of injury. But he's a scot so what do you expect.

You always hear rumours some clubs have said a player is injured when they aren't when it comes to international duty week.

Bottom line is though if you're selected you play. Unless you don't want to of course but in that case you'd never play for your country again.

Who turns down their country?

**Master** · 03-19-2023 08:35 PM

Most players will want to play for their country not for the money but the glory. They do get endorsements which help for the major internationals tournaments.

Clubs are worried about injury and there is insurance and compensation paid to the clubs if they are injured during internationals.

Clubs do deter their players from playing international friendlies as a compromise.

Older players retire earlier than necessary to preserve their club career and save their legs with all that travelling.

**palmerq** · 03-19-2023 08:52 PM

Clubs are obligated to release their players for competitive international games because UEFA and the other continental bodies (conmebol etc), are in charge of football and the clubs play under their umbrella..... Once the big European teams break off into their own super league it'll be a different matter and then it'd resemble the north American sports more..
Fifa and UEFA aren't great but they keep football more traditional than the super league will be.

**Beanz** · 03-19-2023 09:07 PM

The Premier league has f*ck all to do with football. Just d*ck measuring between billioniares and fans who have never even walked past the ground of the muppets they support. Soooner it is gone the better.

**Primo Carnera** · 03-19-2023 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Master

Most players will want to play for their country not for the money but the glory. They do get endorsements which help for the major internationals tournaments.

Clubs are worried about injury and there is insurance and compensation paid to the clubs if they are injured during internationals.

Clubs do deter their players from playing international friendlies as a compromise.

Older players retire earlier than necessary to preserve their club career and save their legs with all that travelling.

That’s exactly why UEFA started the nations league. Effectively there’s no such thing as an international friendly anymore.
FIFA & UEFA have done deals with the clubs.

**TitoFan** · 03-20-2023 03:09 PM

Thank you all for your responses.

My reason for asking is that right now the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is taking a LOT of flak from fans of Major League Baseball (MLB), mainly because of some injuries sustained by key players during the WBC tournament.

Those who defend the WBC (including yours truly

) point to the players themselves, who gladly represent their countries for free... although they knowingly put themselves at risk of injury just like any other sport.

But MLB fans are especially vicious... and some become quite ultra nationalistic (and a bit jingoistic)... in trashing the WBC as a "useless" tournament.

I've put in my own two cents in some instances, where I've made comparisons between the WBC, the FIFA World Cup, the FIBA World Cup, and other international tournaments.

**Master** · 03-20-2023 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Originally Posted by Master

Most players will want to play for their country not for the money but the glory. They do get endorsements which help for the major internationals tournaments.

Clubs are worried about injury and there is insurance and compensation paid to the clubs if they are injured during internationals.

Clubs do deter their players from playing international friendlies as a compromise.

Older players retire earlier than necessary to preserve their club career and save their legs with all that travelling.

That’s exactly why UEFA started the nations league. Effectively there’s no such thing as an international friendly anymore.
FIFA & UEFA have done deals with the clubs.

Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope withdraw from England squad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65006322

**Primo Carnera** · 03-20-2023 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Master

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Originally Posted by Master

Most players will want to play for their country not for the money but the glory. They do get endorsements which help for the major internationals tournaments.

Clubs are worried about injury and there is insurance and compensation paid to the clubs if they are injured during internationals.

Clubs do deter their players from playing international friendlies as a compromise.

Older players retire earlier than necessary to preserve their club career and save their legs with all that travelling.

That’s exactly why UEFA started the nations league. Effectively there’s no such thing as an international friendly anymore.
FIFA & UEFA have done deals with the clubs.

Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope withdraw from England squad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65006322

Mount and Pope wouldn’t have been playing anyway. Italy have a few injuries, but hey , we shall see. I’m going over for it. 👍

**TitoFan** · 03-20-2023 08:45 PM

So I gather for the most part that the FIFA World Cup, Euro Cup, FIBA World Cup, and other international tournaments don't get nearly the amount of grief the WBC is getting from narrow-minded Major League Baseball fans.

The ironic part is that a great portion of MLB players that play for the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Phillies, etc. are foreign born.... and without their participation, the Major Leagues would be much thinner on talent.

**Master** · 03-21-2023 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Originally Posted by Master

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Originally Posted by Master

Most players will want to play for their country not for the money but the glory. They do get endorsements which help for the major internationals tournaments.

Clubs are worried about injury and there is insurance and compensation paid to the clubs if they are injured during internationals.

Clubs do deter their players from playing international friendlies as a compromise.

Older players retire earlier than necessary to preserve their club career and save their legs with all that travelling.

That’s exactly why UEFA started the nations league. Effectively there’s no such thing as an international friendly anymore.
FIFA & UEFA have done deals with the clubs.

Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope withdraw from England squad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65006322

Mount and Pope wouldn’t have been playing anyway. Italy have a few injuries, but hey , we shall see. I’m going over for it. 👍

It is in Napoli? The Maradona stadium should be a great and hostile atmosphere for the English.

**Primo Carnera** · 03-21-2023 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by Master

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Originally Posted by Master

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Originally Posted by Master

Most players will want to play for their country not for the money but the glory. They do get endorsements which help for the major internationals tournaments.

Clubs are worried about injury and there is insurance and compensation paid to the clubs if they are injured during internationals.

Clubs do deter their players from playing international friendlies as a compromise.

Older players retire earlier than necessary to preserve their club career and save their legs with all that travelling.

That’s exactly why UEFA started the nations league. Effectively there’s no such thing as an international friendly anymore.
FIFA & UEFA have done deals with the clubs.

Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope withdraw from England squad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65006322

Mount and Pope wouldn’t have been playing anyway. Italy have a few injuries, but hey , we shall see. I’m going over for it. 👍

It is in Napoli? The Maradona stadium should be a great and hostile atmosphere for the English.

Yep, it’ll be the first time I’ve been to the Maradona stadium. Bit of a bucket list job for me! (So long as Italy win.)