Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has raised eyebrows with an admission about his future in football. The 29-year-old Swiss international, known for his robust performances on the pitch, has playfully hinted at the possibility of an early retirement due to the grueling demands of modern football.
A Player's Perspective
Since joining Manchester City two years ago, Akanji has been a workhorse for both club and country, clocking an impressive 127 appearances. This season alone, he's already featured in seven matches, including the Community Shield and two Nations League fixtures. The defender's last game of the previous season was as recent as July 6th, when England dashed Switzerland's European Championship dreams.
"It's so tough," Akanji confessed. "You don't just think about this season - but also the next. Let's say we win the league or cup, then go to the final of the Club World Cup; the Community Shield is three weeks after. So when do we have holidays?"
The Expanding Football Calendar
The increased fixture load is becoming a recurring topic in football circles, and Akanji's comments have thrown it to the light again. Manchester City is gearing up for the expanded Champions League with a first game against Inter Milan, a rematch of the 2023 final. This new format includes eight first-phase games, with potential matchups against footballing powerhouses like Sporting Lisbon, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain.
But that's not all, and that's part of the issue. More competitions await, including the 32-team Club World Cup in the United States. This tournament concludes on July 13th, leaving a mere four weeks before the anticipated start of the 2025-26 Premier League season. And let's not forget the World Cup looming on the horizon.
Akanji's remarks force the human aspect often overlooked in the allure of top-flight football. "There are no breaks in winter," he pointed out. "If we're lucky, we get two weeks, and then we need to be back and into next season. Then the next summer, it's the World Cup. There's no end to it."
Contemplating the future, the defender pointed out: "It's just game after game and I don't know how it will work out over the next couple of years. You can't just keep adding game after game and assume everything will be like it was. You have to think about the players as well.
"At some point you'll be too tired to play any more games. And then come injuries, definitely. We train as hard as possible and we are fit – but there has to be a limit.
"Maybe I'll retire at 30!”
A Cry for Change?
Akanji's half-joking suggestion that he might "retire at 30" is more than just a throwaway comment. He isn't even the only player to speak out about the ever-expanding football calendar. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker just recently addressed the concern, saying that nobody listens to or cares about the players regarding fixture congestion.
Months back, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) considered legal action against FIFA over the expanded Club World Cup. In collaboration with the Premier League, the union posited that the international match calendar has become too saturated and unsustainable for national leagues, becoming a risk for the health of players.
It has been pretty quiet on the legal front since then. Aside from FIFA defending its calendar and accusing leagues of hypocrisy, there has not been a development yet. However, with players like Akanji speaking up again, perhaps a change for the beautiful game will be near.