Rodri said he needed a rest in April. He didn’t get one, though. He continued to push his body “to the limit” in order to help Manchester City win a fourth consecutive Premier League title. Then, the Spaniard started six of his country’s seven games at Euro 2024 before being forced off at half-time in the final with a hamstring injury that saw him miss the start of the current campaign.

Shortly ahead of his return to action in September, Rodri revealed that he and a significant number of his peers were considering going on strike over the international match calendar as they were increasingly concerned by the effects of playing 60-plus games a season. “You can do it for one year, but when it’s two or three in a row, it can be worse because your physicality can drop,” the midfielder said on August 10. “So, I have to watch out.” Just over five weeks later, Rodri suffered meniscus damage and ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, ruling him out of the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Since the Ballon d’Or winner’s injury, the debate over player welfare has only intensified and could well end up in court, with European leagues and unions initiating legal action against FIFA. So, how did we get to this point? Is there any chance of a compromise that would satisfy everyone involved? Or could we actually see some of the game’s top players go on strike? Below, GOAL breaks down the dispute that has rocked football to its very core…