Term coined by Spanish media at the beginning of the 2010s.
- IPA(key): /ˌbiɾus ˈfifa/ [ˌbi.ɾus ˈfi.fa]
- Syllabification: vi‧rus FI‧FA
virus FIFA m (uncountable)
- (soccer) The injuries and fatigue that football players suffer after playing for their national teams during the international break.
2023 November 18, Javier Hernández, “El virus FIFA despedaza a la Liga”, in Diario AS[1]: 2020 November 10, “¿Qué es el virus FIFA y por qué molesta a los clubes?”, in Goal[2]: 2013 October 17, “virus FIFA, en minúscula y sin cursiva ni comillas”, in Fundéu[3]: