Are you 24 or older?

Help us verify your age by providing an honest response. This site contains gambling advertising for 24+.

Age-restricted content

You’re not old enough to view betting content. You’ll be redirected to the homepage.

alt
LiveTickets
This page contains affiliate links. When you purchase through the links provided, we may earn a commission.
Virgil van Dijk Lionel Messi Covid-19Getty/Goal composite
Ryan Kelly

How long does Covid-19 keep footballers out for? Recovery time & self-isolation period

Premier League
LaLiga
Bundesliga
Serie A
Ligue 1

Footballers are required to isolate like anyone else if they contract the virus, but how long does it keep players out?

Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Advanced

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 12 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 73%
Protect 14 devices with the top ExpressVPN plan
ExpressVPN

Pro

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's top-tier Express Pro plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 14 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is included with the Express Pro plan.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers an unlimited private email relay plus an unlimited number of shared aliases and 20 custom domains, ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator, and ExpressAI, an AI assistant that offers 500 credits a day, six AI models, a web search facility plus 2GB storage.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 67%
Protect 10 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Basic

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

Over 28 monthsSave 80%
Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Advanced

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 12 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 73%
Protect 14 devices with the top ExpressVPN plan
ExpressVPN

Pro

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's top-tier Express Pro plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 14 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is included with the Express Pro plan.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers an unlimited private email relay plus an unlimited number of shared aliases and 20 custom domains, ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator, and ExpressAI, an AI assistant that offers 500 credits a day, six AI models, a web search facility plus 2GB storage.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 67%
Protect 10 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Basic

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

Over 28 monthsSave 80%
Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Advanced

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 12 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 73%

The spread and attempted containment of Covid-19 has been a major feature of life across the world ever since the outbreak of the virus at the end of 2019.

It has had a massive impact on lots of different industries and football is no different, with a number of tournaments being moved back, fixtures being postponed and even cancelled due to public health concerns.

The virus continues to have an effect on day-to-day life for footballers, with Premier League clubs' preparations for games notably being thrown into disarray over the festive period after a number of localised outbreaks within squads.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how long Covid-19 keeps footballers out of action.

How long does Covid-19 keep footballers out for?

If a footballer contracts Covid-19 they will be out of action for, at the very least, a number of days in order to fulfil self-isolation guidelines.

The period of time an individual must spend in self-isolation varies, but, for Premier League footballers in England, it currently stands at 10 days - per the NHS. However, it is possible for an individual to come out of self-isolation after five days, provided they have two negative lateral flow tests, 24 hours apart.

The rules vary from country to country, with Germany's self-isolation period lasting 14 days - or until a negative PCR test is produced - so Bundesliga footballers would be out of action for longer than their Premier League counterparts. However, in Spain, the period of self-isolation was reduced from 10 days to seven days, meaning La Liga players have a shorter time out.

Of course, as with any illness, the length of time Covid-19 keeps a footballer out of action for ultimately depends on the severity of the symptoms and how long they persist. For example, a player could contract the virus, but be completely asymptomatic, and their recovery time is simply however long they must self-isolate. However, it is possible for symptoms to persist for a week or more, meaning the recovery time would be longer.

Lionel Messi missed a number of weeks and a handful games for Paris Saint-Germain in January 2022 after contracting Covid-19. After missing the majority of the month with the virus, the Argentina international said, in an Instagram post, that, "it took me longer than I thought to be well".

What about 'Long Covid'?

For some footballers, the effects of contracting Covid-19 have had a lingering impact, with a number of individuals being ruled out for a longer period of time than first anticipated.

When it comes to long Covid there is no set period and it depends on the individual, but it can see a player on the sidelines for weeks, months or even a year.

Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson was unable to take a full part in the Red Devils' 2021-22 pre-season training camp in August 2021 due to what the club described as "prolonged fatigue", three weeks after he contracted Covid-19. The England international was only included in matchday squads approximately two months later, in October, but subsequently found himself playing back-up to David de Gea.

Finlay MacNab had been playing for League One team Wimbledon before 'long Covid' disrupted his career and kept him out of action for over a year, with fatigue, diet issues and heart-rate problems taking their toll.

"With long Covid, I get extreme fatigue," MacNab told the BBC in November 2021. "It feels like I've played a full 90-minute game, that feeling of tiredness after, I'll get it if I walk up the stairs or if I come back from a walk."

What are the symptoms of Covid 19?

The UK's NHS has identified the following as the main symptoms of Covid-19:

  • A high temperature
  • A new continuous cough
  • A loss or change to sense of smell or taste

What are the symptoms of long Covid?

The official NHS website lists the following as common symptoms of long Covid:

  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain or tightness
  • problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
  • difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
  • heart palpitations
  • dizziness
  • pins and needles
  • joint pain
  • depression and anxiety
  • tinnitus
  • earaches
  • feeling sick
  • diarrhoea
  • stomach aches
  • loss of appetite
  • a high temperature
  • cough
  • headaches
  • sore throat
  • changes to sense of smell or taste
  • rashes

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Follow GOAL on Google