Over 200 players were reportedly recruited from clubs in England, Germany, Spain, Italy and France, where the world's top football leagues are, for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire. Moreover, many Asian players had to depart their clubs for the Asian Cup in Qatar.
That means some clubs will miss their best players in the middle of the 2023-24 season. For example, Liverpool will have to bear the absence of their ace scorer, Mohamed Salah, when Manchester City are pressing hard upon them. Tottenham Hotspur, in the short term, will need to find a replacement for their best striker, Son Heung-min.
Most players always put playing for their national teams first, but clubs, understandably, have their own concerns over a possible dip in performance and the rise in the risk of injuries to the players whose salaries they pay.
When international tournaments for national teams overlap with league competitions, it's impossible to make everyone happy.
Mohamed Salah of Egypt looks on in the Africa Cup of Nations group game against Mozambique at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, January 14, 2024. /CFP
Son Heung-min (#7) of South Korea shoots in the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup group game against Bahrain at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, January 15, 2024. /CFP
Goalkeeper Andre Onana of Manchester United looks on in the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, January 14, 2024. /CFP
Host: Li Xiang
Guests: Josh McNally, Bhargab Sarmah
Cover designer: Feng Yuan