In recent months, several players have voiced frustration over the congested schedule created by international federations and the number of matches crammed into each season. But ahead of France’s upcoming UEFA World Cup qualifiers, star forward Kylian Mbappe made a surprising statement on the matter: “We aren’t playing too much.”
The 2024-25 campaign was marked by the revamped FIFA Club World Cup, held in June and July—right in the middle of what should have been players’ offseason break. For 2025-26, the calendar ends with the 2026 World Cup, raising concerns that many Europe-based stars will be running on fumes by the time the tournament kicks off.
Ahead of France’s clash with Ukraine for the World Cup qualifiers, Mbappe was asked if he had learned to prepare differently for such a long season after last year’s grind. His response was candid: “I don’t know if you can ever really be ready to play a 60-game season. From my experience, from what I’ve seen, I can’t remember a player performing at a high level across 60 matches. Physically, yes, you can be ready—but in terms of performance level, it’s just not possible. There will be times when you’re not at your best.”
The Real Madrid forward then delivered the line that caught everyone’s attention. “Are we playing too much? No. I used to think so, but not necessarily anymore. What we really need is just a bit more rest during vacation, to allow the body to recover and try to come back fresh,” he said, shifting the debate from the number of games to the lack of recovery time players are given.
Kylian Mbappe #9 of Real Madrid C.F. waits to enter the pitch during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Real Madrid CF and Juventus FC at Hard Rock Stadium on July 01, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
“The counterargument is always: ‘You earn a lot of money, so play.’ If we stop there, the debate will never end. When I saw teams playing friendlies before the season had even ended, that wasn’t normal. I don’t want players to get to a point where they’re thinking they don’t want to play certain matches,” Mbappe added, highlighting how the calendar has become overwhelming.
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With competitions like the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup adding even more fixtures to the calendar, the conversation has long focused on match volume. But Mbappé’s stance reframes the issue—arguing that recovery time, not the number of games, is the key factor in maintaining peak performance.
Mbappe’s 2024-25 season
Last season was a landmark one for Mbappe, his first at Real Madrid following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. He featured in seven different competitions—La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Club World Cup, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
Across those tournaments, Mbappe played 59 matches, scored 44 goals, and added five assists, missing only nine games. That included three Club World Cup fixtures he sat out with acute gastroenteritis, while the others were due to minor muscle strains or coach’s decisions to rest him between matches.
On top of his club duties, he also featured in six matches for France, including the Nations League Final Four, while missing four others during his public dispute with coach Didier Deschamps. In total, Mbappe played 65 matches in the 2024-25 season—a staggering workload that makes his refusal to complain about the number of games all the more striking.
