Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has called for a radical restructuring of international football, proposing that players should only represent national teams until age 23 to protect club interests and player longevity.
The controversial Italian club chief argued that current football schedules burden players with too many matches, often 50 to 70 per season, which is unsustainable for their careers. He believes this leads to injuries and diminishes respect for national leagues.
De Laurentiis made his remarks at a gala in Washington, where he was interviewed by CNBC. He strongly criticized football officials, stating they are “reluctant to change this because they are afraid of losing the positions where they are sitting very, very comfortably.”
He stressed that the time has come to change both the game’s format and the structure of leagues. He added that if players over 30 continue to play for national teams and get injured, it harms clubs and domestic competitions.
The president also advocated for clubs to receive compensation when their players are called up for international duty. He highlighted that clubs pay players for 12 months but receive no fee for their release to national teams. “That should also be regulated,” he stated.