World Cup 2018: England players play less than Spain & France

By Steve SutcliffeBBC Sport

Last updated on 5 June 2018.From the section World Cup426

England forward Raheem Sterling (right) made 51 appearances for Manchester City in the 2017-18 season

England's World Cup players played less club football this season than their Spain, France and Brazil counterparts.

Received wisdom suggests players in the Premier League play more than other major leagues, but Gareth Southgate's squad have played the fourth most minutes of all the nations to qualify for the finals in Russia.

Spain's squad have played almost a combined 10,000 minutes more than England's, with France about 5,000 and Brazil 4,000 ahead of England.

The data, provided by independent research group CIES Football Observatory, encompasses domestic and continental competitions between 1 July 2017 and 31 May 2018.

It shows that:

England's 23-man squad have featured in 994 competitive games between them since last July
Each player has played an average of 43 matches
The 76,476 minutes played by England's players equates to an average of 3,325 minutes or 37 full matches per player

Which players have played the most?

Lionel Messi, Argentina — Argentina's Lionel Messi is the third highest outfield player for minutes played during 2017-18

Portugal and Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Rui Patricio tops the 736-player list with 5,490 minutes over 61 games.

Croatia defender Duje Caleta-Car, who helped RB Salzburg to the Europa League semi-finals, has played the most games of any outfield player who will be at the World Cup.

His 5,117 minutes are 108 more than Atletico Madrid's Spanish midfielder Saul Niguez, with Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi fourth.

There are six England players in the top 100 - Kyle Walker, in 43rd, Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford, Harry Kane, Eric Dier and Dele Alli.

Premier League players occupy 28 of the top 100 spots and there are five players from the Championship, spread across 16 nationalities.

La Liga has the next highest figure among the European leagues, with 21 players - of 10 different nationalities - while Serie A has 11 players and Ligue 1 nine.

Player name	Club	Country	Games	Minutes
Rui Patricio	Sporting	Portugal	61	5,580
Duje Caleta–Car	RB Salzburg	Croatia	58	5,117
Saul Niguez	At Madrid	Spain	62	5,009
Lionel Messi	Barcelona	Argentina	60	5,008
Alisson	Roma	Brazil	56	4,995
Luis Suarez	Barcelona	Uruguay	57	4,969
Sebastian Coates	Sporting	Uruguay	55	4,950
Adil Rami	Marseille	France	55	4,904
Bruno Fernandes	Sporting	Portugal	60	4,879
Marc-Andre ter Stegen	Barcelona	Germany	54	4,860

What about in the Champions League?

Jordan Henderson and Cristiano Ronaldo — Liverpool's Jordan Henderson (right) played the most Champions League minutes (868) of any England player during 2017-18

The England squad also spent less time on the pitch in the Champions League knockout stages this season compared to Brazil, Germany, Spain, France and Argentina players.

Brazil lead the way - almost 2,000 minutes more than Spain - thanks in part to Real Madrid's Marcelo and Casemiro and Liverpool's Roberto Firmino reaching the final, and Roma goalkeeper Alisson making it as far as the semis.

Portugal's tally is boosted by the input of Cristiano Ronaldo, who played every minute in Real Madrid's 13-match run to victory in Kiev - the only player to do so.

Ronaldo's 1,170 minutes on the pitch were more than England's Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham) and Danny Rose (Tottenham) combined.

Of Southgate's squad, only Liverpool's Jordan Henderson (19th) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (21st) played more than 800 minutes - the equivalent of just over nine full games.

What about the winter break argument?

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson told BBC Sport that Southgate's squad will face problems with fatigue in Russia.

Eriksson, who led England to three major tournaments between 2002 and 2006, was an advocate of introducing a winter break to the English season during his five years in charge.

Each of the 23 players selected by Southgate plays in the Premier League, which, in contrast to the top flights of Spain, Germany, Italy and France, does not pause for a spell during the winter.

"If you play in the Premier League, you play a lot of games," said Swede Eriksson, England's first foreign manager. "That's the biggest reason why England struggle to make a big impact in big tournaments."

However, the England squad selected by Roy Hodgson for the 2014 World Cup played almost 4,000 fewer minutes than Joachim Low's tournament-winning Germany squad.

Germany became world champions for the fourth time by beating Argentina after extra-time in the final, while England finished bottom of their group.

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426 comments

Maybe English players play less football is because they can’t get a place

in their club’s starting 11.
BBC - you love your stats these days.

Could I have some statistics on the following:

- How many times per game Danny Welbeck trips over his own feet.
- Henderson and Dier's % of forward passes compared to backwards passes.
- Sterling's shot to goal ratio.
- Number of times Ashley Young has touched the ball with his left foot.
I like this article.
Really makes Svens argument senseless.
Our failure, which hopefully won’t exist. Will be to a lack of quality. As is always the case. The winter break argument is useless.
"Too" tired for being a reason England were not performing at an international tournament was always a myth. No football fan actually believed it. Only the England managers lining up their excuses in the event of inevitable failure peddled it. For me the problem of club loyalty over national loyalty is the bigger problem.
@15. The reason Germany do better is simple - they are better than us technically, physically, mentally, organisationally. Nothing to do with smaller leagues and less games.
@1. Dirk Bowden
"A winter break would benefit the national team absolutely"

Why would it? It just means they would have to cram more games in after Winter, leaving less preparation time for the World/Euro Cup. The 'Winter Break" doesn't actually exist anyway, because most of them play cup games and friendlies during the break.
Ok, so the usual "burnout" excuse is proven to be a sham. So what's the alternative excuse? My money's on VAR.

I wonder when the FA and the English media will finally accept what English fans have known for years: that we simply aren't good enough - and frankly never have been good enough - to be entitled to expect anything more than a QF place at any world cup.
Of course they have played less minutes. The PL is overrun with Spanish/French/German/Brazil/African players who play instead of our own England players.
@1. Don't agree. This is one of those football myths that keep being bandied around. Lets argue there is a winter break. There will still be 4 months solid football at the business end of the season. Having a 2 week break in Dec/Jan is going to make no difference come May/June. You never hear rugby calling for a mid season break, and that is much more rigorous game.
They will be playing less than them this summer, too.
This is no surprise and been said before. Sort of blows the England 'too tired as play too many games' excuse out of the water. To think England won the world cup in '66 on July 30th! Don't think I heard one word about tiredness then.
I find it really strange how the concept of a winter break crops up now and again, but the players from overseas who play in the Premier league never complain even though they play the same matches in the same league as the English lads. They go on to win European championships and World cups with their respective nations but for some reason we (England) feel like we deserve special treatment
Let's be honest, the follow arguments have never had any actual sound reasoning:

1) British players play too much
2) Winter break would make England better
3) Too many foreigners in the PL, means our national team is bad*

*On the 3rd point, pre-Bosman, the English top flight was full of English players. England still failed to qualify for the '74, '78 & '94 WC. What was the excuse then?
I fear the single biggest influence on our performance in Russia won’t be tiredness injury or fatigue .... it will be lack of ability, tactical nous and other teams being better. Tiredness is for people who want excuses and the stats seem to be proving this.
It's absolutely outrageous that the BBC has knowingly published statistics which debunk a traditional reason for doing badly. Disgusting.
Footballers have it easy compared to athletes and major tour cyclists- much less time spent training,and infuriates me when I hear managers moaning about their players being tired having to play 2 matches a week. Players in 70s/80s played just as often in a much more physical environment- and on much poorer playing surfaces. And minus benefits of modern physio and science
Might have something to do with Spanish and German teams being better that English sides in Europe. Liverpool being the exception this season.
Toure is talking rubbish as usual. Why didn't he speak out before leaving? Another over paid spoilt 30 something brat not grateful for what has. Good riddance !!!!
I think it all boils down to one simple fact, that the majority of English players are crap!
@60. Why is Jonjo Shelvey such a shocking omission for some people? He's not an established England midfielder. These are his stats for this season:

30 appearances, 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 red cards (from the Premier League website)

He's had more red cards than goals this season.
Looking at some people's ideas about him, you'd think Southgate had left out a Xavi-level talent. Come on.
The only reason the season is clogged up, is because there are too many European club games. These weeks PL are not allowed to play.

Also after the WC perhaps there should be a 'summer break' instead of the clubs jetting off to USA or Far East countries.

Fit, young players can easily play twice a week.