Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticized the timing of the FIFA Club World Cup, deeming the competition the ‘worst idea ever implemented in football’.
The 58-year-old who left the Reds last season and currently works as the head of global soccer for Red Bull, has joined the list of critics who are against the newly-expanded tournament.
La Liga president Javier Tebas alongside Barcelona forward Raphinha and former Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, have criticized the competition in recent weeks despite FIFA’s decision to proceed.
Check this: La Liga’s Tebas criticizes Club World Cup scheduling
According to Klopp, footballers are now subjected to higher risks of burnouts and injuries due to little or no time to recover due to the increase in the number of competitive games they play.
He said; “In the end, it’s all about the game and not the surrounding aspects – and that’s why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard.
People who have never had anything to do with day-to-day business or who no longer have anything to do with it come up with something.”
The newly revamped competition sees 32 teams compete for the first time, with the final scheduled to take place on the 13th of July.
With regular European football league season expected to kickoff in August, Klopp cited little recovery time for the players hence his criticism of the timing of the tournament.
He added: “Last year we had the Copa America and European Championship, this year the Club World Cup and next year then the World Cup.
This does not mean any real recovery for the players who are there, neither physically nor mentally.
An NBA player, who also earns a big salary, has a four-month break every year. This is what (Liverpool defender) Virgil van Dijk got in his entire career”, Klopp continued, making reference to the long holiday enjoyed by NBA players during the offseason.
“Perhaps not everyone has recognized the real problem yet, that next season players will suffer injuries they’ve never had before. If not this season, then it will happen at the World Cup or afterward. We constantly tell them to go into every game as if it were their last,” Klopp concluded.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
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