Club officials often collide with their international counterparts over the use or overuse of players, who find their loyalties split as a result
The cash-fuelled ascent of club football since the early 1990s has done many positive things for the game, but it has also had an abrasive effect on international football.
While representing one's country in the global arena remains one of the highest honours for most footballers and the World Cup a holy grail, the lustre of the realm has undoubtedly lost its intensity.
Debate has simmered for a long time over the question of 'club versus country' as individuals are forced to consider their commitments and brutally protect the longevity of their careers.