The Premier League clubs fighting a World Cup hangover

ByPrudent Nsengiyumva

BBC Sport journalist

The Premier League play begins connected 21 August - conscionable 33 days aft the World Cup final.

For immoderate clubs, that leaves hardly capable clip to invited players backmost from the mandatory three-week post-tournament interruption required nether Fifa regulations, fto unsocial integrate them into pre-season preparations.

Four Tottenham players were inactive progressive connected the last play of the tourney and whitethorn person small much than a week of grooming earlier the caller run starts. Chelsea excessively were importantly affected.

And Manchester City and Arsenal person their ain concerns aft seeing much players than immoderate different Premier League nine scope the second stages of the competition.

The World Cup whitethorn beryllium over, but its interaction connected the Premier League is lone conscionable beginning.

Tottenham are among the clubs whose pre-season preparations person been astir importantly impacted.

Cristian Romero and caller signing Marcos Senesi reached the last with Argentina, portion Pedro Porro helped Spain assistance the trophy. Djed Spence remained with England until the third-place play-off connected 18 July.

Assuming players instrumentality the minimum 3 weeks disconnected nether Fifa guidelines, Romero, Senesi and Porro would not instrumentality until 9 August, portion Spence's earliest instrumentality day would beryllium 8 August.

That leaves them with astir 2 weeks to reintegrate earlier their Premier League play begins astatine Brentford connected 22 August.

For managers, the situation is not simply the lack itself. Players returning truthful precocious miss overmuch of pre-season's tactical work, conditioning sessions and affable matches, creating a hard balancing enactment betwixt mentation and recovery.

Manchester City and Arsenal, meanwhile, had the top attraction of players making heavy runs into the competition.

City's World Cup contingent featured for respective of the tournament's starring nations.

Rodri helped Spain triumph their 2nd men's World Cup aft playing 726 minutes, portion Marc Guehi and Elliot Anderson helped England scope the last weekend.

Nico O'Reilly featured successful England's semi-final run, portion Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku some reached the quarter-finals.

Arsenal's numbers were likewise striking.

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka remained progressive until England's 6-4 triumph implicit France successful the third-place play-off, portion Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino reached the last with Spain.

William Saliba helped France scope the third-place play-off, though helium was subsequently injured and did not diagnostic again. Noni Madueke was portion of England's tally to the last play but did not play beyond the quarter-finals, portion Martin Odegaard captained Norway to the quarter-finals.

The workload concerns are already being felt. City's Rodri precocious had backmost country and is expected to miss a "short period" astatine the commencement of the season, portion Saliba avoided surgery, but Arsenal person confirmed helium volition beryllium sidelined for an "extended period" due to the fact that of a backmost issue.

Even though neither setback tin beryllium attributed solely to the World Cup, some underline the carnal demands being placed connected players successful an progressively crowded shot calendar.

Those clubs are apt to statesman the run without having enjoyed a afloat pre-season with respective cardinal players.

The World Cup's biggest workload belonged to Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who played each 810 minutes of Argentina's tally to the final.

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister ranked 2nd among Premier League players with 749 minutes, portion Spain midfielder Rodri was 3rd connected 726.

Several players efficaciously completed the equivalent of 8 afloat matches during the tournament.

Goalkeepers people look antithetic carnal demands from outfield players, but the figures underline the grade of Premier League engagement passim the competition.

With the players entitled to a minimum three-week interruption nether Fifa regulations, for those progressive successful the last connected 19 July - including Rodri, Porro, Zubimendi, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Emiliano Martinez and Lisandro Martinez - the earliest instrumentality day is 9 August.

Players who featured successful England's third-place play-off volition instrumentality a time earlier.

That leaves clubs with astir 12 days to reintegrate immoderate of their astir important players earlier competitory shot begins.

The concerns widen beyond this summer's World Cup.

Many of football's starring players person present experienced 3 consecutive summers of large tournaments, pursuing Euro 2024 and Copa America, past past year's expanded Club World Cup and present the World Cup.

One of those players is Rodri, who warned successful 2024 that footballers were "close" to striking due to the fact that of workload concerns.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea brag Enzo Maresca person besides voiced concerns astir the demands being placed connected elite players and the increasing fig of matches successful the calendar.

The increasing wounded database during the World Cup provided different reminder of those concerns.

Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana suffered a superior genu wounded portion representing Belgium, portion Manchester United and Uruguay antiaircraft midfielder Manuel Ugarte saw his tourney chopped abbreviated by injury. Reece James besides had his minutes cautiously managed by England arsenic helium continued his betterment from a hamstring problem.

For clubs specified arsenic Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, the situation is present immediate.

The World Cup has concluded. The countdown to the Premier League play is nether way.

But for immoderate players, betterment comes first, and the contention to beryllium acceptable for opening play has lone conscionable begun.