"We should really be reducing the number of matches footballers have to play," said Mancini on Monday.

"Here we are raising the number a great deal, while what we need is a reduction so that the top players can catch their breath a bit," he said.

Mancini is under contract until the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, where 48 teams will contest the finals instead of 32, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104.