Pause or Play?

Every few months, just when club football is really heating up, everything comes to a standstill. Players hop on planes to travel all over the globe, domestic leagues hit the brakes, and fans are left hanging, waiting for their teams to come back. For some folks, international football is the soul of the sport; for others, it’s just a frustrating interruption. So, do we actually need these international breaks, or have they become more hassle than they’re worth?

If you ask club managers, they’d probably ditch international breaks in a heartbeat. The downsides are pretty clear. Key players come back injured, worn out, or even out of form. Just look at Premier League clubs; they pour millions into their squads, only to see star players pick up injuries in some meaningless friendly against a team they’ll never face in a real tournament.

For fans, these breaks can be annoying. One week, your team is on a roll, the title race is heating up, or your club is battling relegation. The next, you’re stuck watching a dull international qualifier where a top team crushes an underdog 6-0. Sure, the World Cup and continental tournaments are thrilling, but does anyone really get pumped about yet another round of qualifiers right in the middle of an exciting club season?

On the other hand, there’s something truly special about watching your country play. Club football is all about loyalty, while international football brings everyone together. That’s why even the casual fan tunes in for a World Cup or Euros. It’s about national pride, history, and those rare moments that unite a country.

For players, wearing the national jersey is often the highlight of their careers. Not every player gets to shine in the Champions League, but someone from a smaller league can still make waves on the international stage. Just think of the stories like James Rodríguez bursting onto the scene in 2014, or Morocco’s incredible journey in 2022. Those unforgettable moments wouldn’t happen without international football.

The issue isn’t international football itself. It’s how it’s currently set up. Right now, these breaks feel disruptive, with players flying back and forth for scattered matches all season long. What if we had a revamped calendar where international games happened in one longer block instead of multiple short breaks? This way, clubs could maintain their momentum, players would travel less, and international football could keep its significance without feeling like an annoying interruption.

International football isn’t the bad guy here. But in a world where club football takes center stage, it needs to evolve. Because honestly, it often feels less like a celebration of the sport and more like an inconvenient pause button.