Former Ghana playmaker Kevin-Prince Boateng has called out modern footballers and revealed why several promising talents won't reach the elite level.
Boateng, 32, emerged as one of the most promising players in Germany over a decade ago and has since enjoyed a nomadic career at some of the biggest clubs in world football.
However, he admits he no longer enjoys the sport as the modern game has become more about money, rather than the passion that drove him during his formative years.
"Football is a business and players are just numbers," the former FC Barcelona man told Bild.
"If you don't perform, you're replaced. It's that simple. There is no loyalty and that's sad.
"They should do a survey to find out how many players still like to train and how many still enjoy playing.
"It's a professional job now. The pressure is enormous and it leads to players getting depression. There are times when I enjoy playing and others when I don't."
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Boateng went on to suggest that the instant fame and riches has become a curse to the upcoming generation as he looked towards a philosophical explanation.
"They don't work to improve their skills and I know what I'm talking about because I threw it away several times," Boateng explained.
"Some of them drive around in their Mercedes at 19 years old and they think that they have enough talent that they don't have to do anything to improve. They don't do extra training sessions, nothing.
"All they think about is playing PlayStation and looking at Instagram. They're the last to arrive at training and the first to leave. Football has changed, the same as society."