Experts from around the world have long cautioned that football's congested schedules, further aggravated by a first-ever mid-season World Cup, could put players at higher risk of becoming injured during training sessions or matches.  

Their warnings are proving prescient as multiple national teams have been hit by injuries ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifiers. 

Late Monday night, the Italian Football Federation announced that Juventus winger Federico Chiesa and Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco have withdrawn from the squad for their opener against England due to injury concerns.  

Chiesa was in the starting-line up that beat England on penalties in the final of Euro 2020.

The Three Lions also suffered a catalog of injuries as in-form Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, Chelsea midfielder Mason Moun and Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope were all forced to pull out of Gareth Southgate's squad for their upcoming encounters with Italy and Ukraine. 

Rashford, in particular, will be sorely missed. The 25-year-old has netted 19 goals since returning from the World Cup in Qatar, which saw him deservedly earn both United and Premier League Player of the Month awards for February. 

Meanwhile, the Dutch Football Federation confirmed on Monday that Barcelona playmaker Frenkie de Jong, who played an instrumental role in Sunday's El Clasico win over Real Madrid, and Ajax striker Steven Bergwijn will miss their blockbuster showdown with 2018 World Cup winner France.

"Frenkie de Jong has upper leg complaints from the game with Real Madrid and is not available for the Oranje. Bergwijn also had to step aside with a knee injury," read a statement. 

"Frenkie is an important player in the team," added Dutch coach Ronald Koeman, who took over from Louis van Gaal after the 2022 World Cup. "He has qualities that few other players possess." 

Player organizations have regularly expressed concerns about players' overloaded schedules. FIFA's controversial decision to approve an expanded World Cup with 48 teams and 104 matches has sparked widespread backlash. 

"Ongoing research provides new evidence of the excessive demands on elite players," Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, general secretary of players' union FIFPRO, said earlier this month. 

"We are now observing a growing awareness among players about the harmful effects these pressures have on their performance, careers and personal lives," he observed.

"They realize that their match calendar is not sustainable, affects their mental and physical health, and leaves them exposed, and without any protection, to an accelerated cycle of poorly coordinated competitions." 

The sentiment was echoed by Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Officer Maheta Molango.  

"Fundamentally, the football calendar needs a complete reset," he said. "The expanded World Cup format being announced for 2026 means that, yet again, more games are being forced into an already overcrowded schedule. 

"We know that the current workload players face is having an ongoing impact on their well-being, both on and off the pitch. We can't simply push them until they break."