Ghana forward Kevin-Prince Boateng insists there is no loyalty in football again and claimed the huge salary paid to teenagers is ruining the beautiful game.
The 32-year-old Fiorentina hitman once typified the lavish lifestyle of a young footballer for many after his breakthrough move from Hertha Berlin to Tottenham Hotspurs.
The former AC Milan ace admitted he has grown disillusioned with the direction in which the game is heading.
“All this money is a curse,” the former Sassuolo attacker told Bild am Sonntag.
“Football is now just a business and we’re only numbers. If your face doesn’t fit, you’re replaced, period. There’s no more loyalty and it’s sad.
“There should be a survey to see how many players are happy to go to training and how many have fun.
“Obviously football is a job for professionals, but it’s so well-paid that it becomes a source of stress.
“The pressure is huge and so it’s easy to talk about things like depression. There are times when I have fun and moments I don’t.
“I always had fun before. I get annoyed when I see lads who don’t show their talent. I know what it’s like to throw [talent] away.
“Some 19-year-olds drive a Mercedes, receive their salary and are happy. They have all that talent and do nothing, no extra training, nothing.
“They only play on their PlayStations and post on Instagram. They are the last to turn up at training and the first to leave.
“I did that once myself, but you can’t afford to do that in football anymore.”