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4 months ago
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Gary Lineker and Rio Ferdinand have called for extra-time to be scrapped from football competitions, as they sound alarm bells over the sheer number of games professional stars are playing each season.
The BBC pundits voiced their concerns after neither France nor Portugal were able to find a winning goal during 120 minutes of football on Friday night, with Didier Deschamps' side ultimately knocking the 2016 European Champions out 5-3 on penalties.
During their analysis of the game, Lineker raised concerns over how tired some of the players were looking during extra-time, with the BBC Match of the Day host noting that both sets of players have been through a long and gruelling season of football.
The observation prompted the former Tottenham and Everton forward to pose a question over whether it was time to get rid of extra-time and go straight to penalties. Lineker also noted that players are being asked to play more games during the season - a topic that has struck a nerve with managers such as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp in the past.
'I have to say, though, I do wonder about extra-time these days, with the players. It's at the end of an incredibly hard season of football,' Lineker said, during BBC's live coverage of the match.
Gary Lineker (pictured) and Rio Ferdinand have called for extra-time to be scrapped following France's victory against Portugal
Ferdinand (pictured) raised alarm bells over how busy the fixture schedule is, adding that players are going to reach a 'breaking point'
It came after France beat Portugal on penalties during their Euro 2024 quarter-final clash
Speaking on the already busy football schedule, he added: 'They're asked to play so many games of football.
'I think it's one of the reasons perhaps at this tournament we've seen some tired-looking footballers.'
Lineker then offered up a solution: 'If they're asking them to play more football matches, Rio, perhaps they can give them something back by taking away extra-time.
'Because everybody at home wants to see the penalties once it goes to extra-time anyway!'
Ferdinand concurred with the Match of the Day host's opinion, claiming that games should go straight to penalties.
'There's going to be a breaking point,' the former Manchester United defender said.
'The players are going to break. If we produce more competitions and more games the players are going to break, it's not fair on the players I don't think.
'You have to find a way of taking the minutes away and rather than going to extra time go straight to penalties.'
Several games at Euro 2024 have gone to extra-time, with England progressing through to the quarter-finals thanks to Harry Kane's decisive header in the 91st minute of their match against Slovakia on Sunday.
Joao Felix (pictured) agonisingly missed a penalty in the shootout with Portugal going on to lose 5-3
France will now advance to the semi-finals of the competition where they will take on Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo (second from right) cut a disappointed figure at full-time, with the Portuguese superstar having previously hinted he would retire after Euro 2024
Spain, meanwhile, secured a last-gasp winner against Germany earlier on Friday, with Mikel Merino scoring in the 119th minute of extra-time to dump the hosts out of Euro 2024.
Some managers have already voiced stern opposition against the already busy footballing schedule, with the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola previously bemoaning the crammed fixture list.
It comes after FIFA's 2025 Club World Cup came under fire from with player unions and leagues, who have jointly taken a stand against the inception of the tournament, by penning a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In the letter, the player unions and leagues wrote that the football schedule is now 'beyond saturation'.
The letter adds that the new 32-team Club World Cup, will 'push players beyond their limits'.
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