Is there a more irritating and ill informed thing spouted by some fans than ” he gets paid thousands a week so he shouldn’t get tired?” There can come a point where players will simply get burned out and struggle to play at their best.
According to Marca, the player who played the most minutes in world football during the 2018/2019 season is Celtic’s Callum McGregor.
In a way its not a complete surprise given how vital McGregor was for Celtic and Scotland last season. Celtic started earlier than most other teams in early July thanks to the Champions League qualifying rounds.
READ MORE: Video: McGregor’s stunning long-range strike seals Celtic’s Champions League progress
His season ended playing against Belgium in June and he looked absolutely knackered at points towards the end of the season.
The closest player to him was Ajax’s Daley Blind who was an integral part of their run to the Champions League semi-finals.
It shows the incredible attitude and durability of the Scotland international, but he must be hoping for a rest at some point this season.
At this point that could be unlikely as Celtic haven’t added to their midfield yet and the future of Olivier Ntcham still looks unclear.
He scored six goals and provided 16 assists in his 59 games last season.
McGregor has transitioned from an attacking midfield role to play slightly deeper in Celtic’s midfield, a role in which he has shone. It’s led to expectations that he could be the player to fill the void left by current captain Scott Brown when he does decide to move on or retire.