Klopp Slams Club World Cup as 'Worst Idea Ever.'

By Ubong Usoro

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has once again voiced his disapproval of the Club World Cup, calling it “the worst idea ever implemented in football.”

Now serving as Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer, Klopp expressed his concern about the physical and mental toll the competition and football’s congested calendar more broadly are having on players.

Background on the Club World Cup

The FIFA Club World Cup is a global competition that brings together champion clubs from each of the six continental confederations, along with a host nation’s representative.

Traditionally a seven-team event, FIFA has now expanded it into a much larger tournament, with the 2025 edition featuring 32 clubs and a total of 48 matches. This new format mirrors the structure of the FIFA World Cup for national teams.

The current tournament is being held in the United States, making it the first time the Club World Cup is being played in this expanded format. While FIFA has promoted the event as a celebration of global club football, many critics, including Klopp, argue that it adds to an already overwhelming fixture list.

Klopp’s Criticism

In an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Klopp didn’t hold back: “It’s all about the game and not the surrounding events, and that’s why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football.”

He accused football administrators, many of whom are detached from the day-to-day running of clubs, of making decisions that overlook player welfare. “There is enough money for participating, but it’s also not for every club,” he noted.

Klopp also emphasised the relentless nature of the football calendar: “Last year it was the Copa America and the Euros; this year it’s the Club World Cup, and next year the World Cup. That means no real recovery for the players involved, neither physically nor mentally.”

His concerns are shared by others in the sport. Manchester City midfielder Rodri said players were close to going on strike due to the overcrowded schedule.

Defender Manuel Akanji even suggested he might retire early because of the lack of rest. In response, global players’ union FIFPRO filed a legal complaint with the European Commission, accusing FIFA of an “abuse of dominance”.

FIFA, for its part, has claimed the Club World Cup replaces the Confederations Cup and adds, at most, seven matches every four years for two clubs. They point to initiatives like permanent concussion substitutes and player protection funds as signs of progress.

But Klopp remains worried about what lies ahead: “I have serious fears that players will suffer injuries they’ve never had before next season. If not next season, then it will happen at the World Cup or afterwards.”

https://thepinnacleng.com/sport/superstition-or-symbol-the-stories-behind-jersey-numbers

On Wirtz and Transfer Market Realities

Klopp also commented on Liverpool’s recent record-breaking £116 million signing of German midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. “There’s no question about it; that’s a huge sum,” he said. “But the world keeps changing. That is how the market is.”

While Klopp is unsure of Wirtz’s exact role under new manager Arne Slot, he was confident in the player’s potential: “He’s an outstanding player who can give any club something great.”

https://thepinnacleng.com/sport/club-world-cup-big-games-empty-stands