What is it like to be a professional footballer during the pandemic?

UEFA reported that the pandemic has cost the games 7.5 billion euros in the last two years, with most of the losses, 88%, being attributed to reduced ticket sales.

But what has football in the pandemic been like for the players themselves?

Dutch footballer Lewis Montsma played behind closed doors during his first season as a defender in England for Lincoln City. He says the presence of the supporters in the stands can often increase energy levels.

"I think with fans, just the adrenaline and everything makes you run fast and makes you need to think faster. If you make a good run and you pass through one or two players, and the fans are cheering you on while you're still in action. I think you can even run faster with all the cheering. I think that helps a lot."

For the fans, it has been equally as difficult. Below we can see a rough overview of how Covid-19 has affected the game over the past two years.

Sport has mostly returned to normal, but life in Australasia is still challenging for many teams. This is primarily due to the strict border controls and Covid-19 restrictions imposed on the continent. Wellington Phoenix went 433 days without playing in front of their own fans in New Zealand after the outbreak. Instead, they have established a permanent base in Wollongong - south of Sydney - ever since.

"They've had enormous restrictions placed on them," says Australian broadcaster Daniel Garb.

"Most clubs have, but there's have been of a completely different level, and it's certainly very arduous, so they've done pretty well to navigate through that. You feel sorry for their fans, you feel sorry for the club not having any home games at all, but it's all they can do."

It's not just the men who have been affected, either, Daniel