Is it possible for a country to have the most physically demanding league in world football and still see its national team win an international tournament? England are about to find out at Euro 2024 as, once again, the Three Lions attempt to prove that the Premier League isn’t its biggest roadblock to achieving success.
Despite a status as a major football nation and an abundance of world-class players, England have failed to win a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup. But, ahead of their Euro 24 opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, they are considered one of the favourites to win it. So after another season of two domestic cup competitions, a winter break so brief that most teams barely noticed it, and European football for the Premier League’s top clubs, do Gareth Southgate’s players have any chance of overcoming England’s age-old problem of fatigue?
Former UEFA president Michel Platini famously said that England were “lions in the autumn, but lambs in the spring.” This was before football even considered the effects of so-called “burnout.” Sports science has become so advanced that the fitness of footballers is monitored constantly.
England start Euro 2024 with only Roberto Martinez’s Portugal having collectively amassed more minutes in all competitions during the 2023-24 season. Portugal’s players have clocked up 92,322 minutes, but nine of Portugal’s squad compete outside Europe’s top five leagues. England’s squad is stacked with Premier League minutes, making their workload much more intense due to the nature of the league.
Some experts believe that the lack of a real winter break and the high intensity of the Premier League pose definite risks for England at Euro 2024. The long-term injury absences of key players could also impact the team’s performance. However, the adrenaline rush of playing in such a prestigious tournament may compensate for any physical or mental fatigue experienced by the players.
Load management is crucial for the success of England’s team at Euro 2024. Monitoring factors such as heart rate variability, sleep levels, and mood can help gauge the state of the players. Elite marathon runners only do a couple of marathons a year due to the physical and mental strain it puts on their bodies, but in football, players must manage a higher number of games.
With the support of a team of sports scientists, England’s players can navigate through the fitness obstacles and succeed at Euro 2024. By carefully managing the players’ workload and fatigue levels, the team behind the scenes can help England finally overcome the challenges they have faced in the past and potentially achieve international glory.
England’s journey at Euro 2024 will be a test of their ability to balance the demands of club and country. With the right strategy in place and careful management of player workload, England may finally have a shot at winning a major tournament after so many years of disappointment.