Increase the injuries in football, with more and more footballers who get injured during matches. The busy schedule, which the players have to cope with, significantly increases the psychophysical stress to which they are subjected, thus leading to a greater risk of accidents. And this trend was also increased World Cup played in Winter.
International players who participated in the World Cup had an average increase of eight days on the sidelines in the months following the tournament due to injuries. In the five main European men's leagues, the average length of absences is increased by a very large percentage, going from 11,35 days before the World Cup to 19,41 days in January 2023. In the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 the the overall cost of accidents has increased by almost 30%, going from 553,62 million euros to 704,89 million euros.
They are the results of the third edition of the "Howden Men's European Football Injury Index” drawn up by the Group howden, a British company specializing in the insurance and consultancy services sector.
The report, released a year after the first men's World Cup winter tournament, reflects on a season marked by growing concerns about commitment congestion at the international and national levels, as well as at a greater level attention to the well-being of the players. In addition to these aspects, the report also considers the evolution of injuries in the under-21 age group and the cost associated with increased wages in the main European men's leagues.
More injuries with the World Cup in winter
With the winter World Cup, European football clubs found themselves having to manage both absences of the players whoincreased workload necessary to compete in their national championships.
As of October 2022, 88 injuries were recorded, leading to an average player absence of 11,35 days before the start of the tournament. This period of absence decreased to 19,41 days in January 2023 after the world competition. During this time period, a significant increase in the severity of injuries, particularly for those at ankle (+170%), al calf/shin (+200%) and others hamstring (+ 130%).
The leagues most affected
Despite different approaches to the post-World Cup winter breaks, I am there English Premier League , German Bundesliga, with 23,6% and 14,8% of players involved in the tournament, i championships who registered theimpact more significant on rates accident.
In the two months following the tournament, the players of Bundesliga participants suffered 46 injuries, while those of Premier League they conceded 49. This suggests that the extended winter break in Germany after the men's World Cup had little effect on injury risk.
Other championships as La Liga (18), Ligue 1 (11) and Serie A (12) recorded far fewer injuries in the same period.
In 'last season of Serie A, a total of 655 injuries occurred, down from 835 the previous season. But, despite the decrease in the number of accidents, themedium inactivity it rose to 22,31 days compared to 18,08 the previous season. The total cost of injuries for all 20 participating teams amounts to 99.280 million euros.
Injuries in the 2022-2023 season
In 2022 / 23 season, occurred overall 3.985 injuries in the five main European men's championships. Despite an overall decrease compared to the previous 2021/22 season (4.006), i accident costs have increased significantly, recording an increase of almost 30%, going from 553,62 to 704,89 million euros.
Queen of bad luck in Spain is the Real Madrid which recorded the maximum number of injuries, with 72 cases, double that of Barcelona, totaling 21,49% of the cost of injuries across La Liga.
In Italy, in Serie A, the newly promoted team LecceInstead, managed to manage successfully the limits of its budget, keeping injury levels low throughout the season. Overall, the Salento teams reported 19 injuries, with an average cost of only 60.000 euros for each injury suffered.
“Howden's Sport & Entertainment team makes this happen unrivaled injury report in European football and is also active in Italy with all the specializations relating to the management and coverage of risks for individual athletes, clubs, organizations and sports associations/federations, stadiums and event spaces. The experience and expertise of the Howden Group are available for a dialogue with all the protagonists and professionals of Italian sport to address the issue of injuries, from the causes to the costs" he commented Federico Casini, CEO of Howden Italy.
Burrows, Howden: “we need better alignment of national and international calendars”
James burrows, head of the sports sector of howden, said: “In the third report of its kind, the Howden Men's European Football Injury Index has uniquely analyzed the impact of changes to the international calendar on player availability for domestic football. We have clearly seen that theorganization of a World Cup male in a European winter brought the players having to face eight more days on the sidelines in the second half of the season, compared to the first.
"L 'impact it was consistent in all national championships, such as the English Premier League and the German Bundesliga, and the increased severity of injuries contributed to the increase in the financial impact by almost 30%, from €553,62 million to €704,89 million, in the top five men's European championships.”
“The data clearly demonstrates a trend and we hope that our research and analysis will provide Europe's top clubs with further food for thought to continue talking to the governing bodies of the game of a better alignment of national and international calendars and the broad problem of appointment congestion.”
