ExclusiveFIFPro: "Players need help in their personal lives, not just their sporting lives" (Simon Colosimo)

"The job of player unions, and the industry as a whole, is to help set up support networks to help footballers when they need assistance. Players need help in their personal lives, not just their sporting lives," said Simon Colosimo, deputy general secretary at FIFPro and former Australia national team player, to News Tank Football on 14/10/2021.

As part of its "Mind the Gap" campaign launched in October 2019 (co-funded by the European Union's Erasmus+ programme), which aims to help football players in their personal development in order to prepare for their professional lives after a sporting career, the international union published on 20/09/2021, the results of a survey carried out by researchers from the University of Brussels (BEL) involving 282 active or retired players in 33 countries (document available to download).

"Some 67 percent of professional footballers are not sure what they will do when they stop playing. While 49% said they have 'an idea' or 'a few interests' that they might pursue, 18 percent said they did not know," according to FIFPro's study.

"Many of our…