In many countries, football stops at this time of the year. Clubs give their players a few days of holidays before training is resumed to prepare for the second part of the season. In some countries this is done mostly because of the adverse weather conditions, while in others it is just a question of the players wanting to have a short break.

The few days of rest give the players some respite from the hectic schedule that they have, with the top clubs – those who have been involved in European competitions – sometimes playing three games in six days. Too often, clubs complain that they have so many matches that it is hard for them to hold one full training session.

This Christmas break – for some it is two weeks, for others longer – comes at the right time for the players to recharge their batteries.

England is, of course, the exception. Here, the league does not stop. If anything, the momentum is raised as the clubs play four matches within a very short time. There have been occasions when the players – the foreigners, mostly – called for a break over Christmas too, but their efforts were quickly shot down.

It is tradition that English clubs play on Boxing Day and over the New Year period too. And, conservatives as the British are, it is next to impossible that this will change anytime soon. Football supporters look forward to this time of the year, which is often a very good indication of what will happen in the remainder of the season.

It often happens that the team at the top of the table after Christmas is the one which ends up winning the title in May. There have been exceptions, but it must also be said that having 12 points at stake in such a short period of time does make it imperative for the clubs to win as many of them as possible – some to keep their chase at the top, and others to build up their chances of avoiding relegation.

For English football followers, the Christmas period is a feast of football, as there are practically matches almost every day. For the others, it is a lean time but they will not have to wait that long for their favourite league to resume.