How former players are shaping FIFPRO's future

As FIFPRO marks its 60th anniversary today, the occasion offers a chance to look back at how far the player movement has come and the work still ahead. When national player associations first came together six decades ago, the aim was simple: protect footballers and give them a voice in shaping their own careers. The landscape has changed dramatically since then, but the principle guiding the union has not.

That perspective is shared deeply by FIFPRO’s four divisional presidents: Sergio Marchi (FIFPRO Americas), David Terrier (FIFPRO Europe), Geremie Njitap (FIFPRO Africa) and Beau Busch (FIFPRO Asia/Oceania). Each of them has lived the realities of professional football. They have experienced its demands, uncertainties, potential, and they carry those experiences with them into their leadership today.

Their reflections show what continues to define the player movement: leaders who understand the game from the inside, who know the progress made through collective action, and who remain committed to securing a fairer and more sustainable future for the next generation.

To mark 60 years of FIFPRO, we asked each president one question – inviting them to look back, look forward and reaffirm why the player voice must stay at the centre of football’s evolution.

Sergio Marchi (FIFPRO Americas and FIFPRO President)

Country: Argentina
Playing Career: 1979-1996
Former Clubs Include: Gimnasia (ARG), Almirante Brown (ARG), San Lorenzo (ARG), Queretaro (MEX), Union de Santa Fe (ARG)

FIFPRO: Sergio, you played professionally in a very different era, when players often had little protection and even shorter careers. Looking at the growth of the game, what key improvements in player rights and wellbeing have come thanks to unions, and what must still change so that future generations continue to benefit from progress?

Sergio Marchi: "During the days of Baresi and Maradona, footballers were subject to retention rights, which were detrimental to them at the time. They were like slaves, subject to the whims of the clubs. On a personal level, I was a victim of retention rights. Then, thanks to the work of unions in some countries, such as Argentina, we have achieved various collective agreements that have significantly improved the welfare of players, giving them the labour rights that correspond to any worker: fixed-term contracts, social security, paid vacations, severance pay.

"There is undoubtedly still a long way to go. Every day, players’ rights are violated on different continents. The industry is pursuing productivity without humanity and without respect. Everything that footballers have been able to achieve over the years has been through hard work, resilience, and conviction. Nothing has been given to us; everything has been hard-won. A universal pension for footballers would be very fair, since they have given part of their childhood, adolescence, and youth to this profession."

David Terrier (FIPRO Europe President)

Country: France
Playing Career: 1992-2007
Former Clubs Include: Metz (FRA), West Ham United (ENG), Newcastle United (ENG), Nice (FRA)

FIFPRO: David, European football has become faster, wealthier and more congested than ever. From your own experience in top level football, what should unions focus on to ensure players can cope with the physical and mental demands of today’s game while building sustainable careers?

David Terrier: "The professional expertise I acquired throughout my career is an instrumental asset in fulfilling my union duties, which include social justice, legal support, improving working conditions and defending the interests of our members. And since it is also a question of protecting players, at a time when workloads, for example, are now reaching critical levels that endanger their physical integrity and mental health, my experience and knowledge I gained over the years have been of great help to me in the thorny issue of the international calendar overhaul.

"While my position as president of the UNFP has facilitated meeting and exchanging with French internationals, I also took care to reach out to players of my generation. Having access to world champions such as Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, and being able to talk to many current coaches, with or against whom I have played, has fuelled my thinking – and very quickly reinforced my long-held position on the matter."

Geremie Njitap (FIFPRO Africa President)

Country: Cameroon
Playing Career: 1995-2011
Former Clubs Include: Real Madrid (ESP), Middlesbrough (ENG), Chelsea (ENG), Newcastle United (ENG)

FIFPRO: Geremie, your career began in Cameroon and reached the highest levels of European football. From your global perspective, how can unions in Africa ensure that players have the structures, protections and pathways they need so talent can flourish at home as well as abroad?

Geremie Njitap: "Africa has the potential to become a football powerhouse, but faces challenges such as limited legal protections for players, poor infrastructure, and weak governance. To address this, it is essential to provide players with the necessary support and safeguards to prevent any form of exploitation. We need to ensure there are effective dispute resolution systems, fair labour standards, and oversight measures to protect the integrity of the game in Africa.  In some countries, unionising is discouraged, which restricts player rights and expose them to abuse.   

"For Africa to achieve any degree of self-sufficiency, it must tackle the issue of insufficient investment – not just from the football sector and private investors, but also from governments and football federations. However, state budgets are always competitive, with health and education naturally taking precedence."

Beau Busch (FIFPRO Asia/Oceania President)

Country: Australia
Playing Career: 2003-2012
Former Clubs Include: Manly United (AUS), Sydney FC (AUS), North Queensland Fury (AUS), Arbroath (SCO)

FIFPRO: Beau, you represent a region that is growing quickly and bringing new opportunities for professional players. As a young leader and former player, what role do you see the new generation taking in shaping a more modern, fair and united future for the player movement in Asia and Oceania?

Beau Busch: "As players we intuitively understand that great careers are only possible in a great industry. Undermined by poor and self-interested governance, the football industry has arrived at a critical inflection point. The players across our region are determined to seize this opportunity to build a better and more robust industry where, through their unions, they are genuine partners in shaping the future."