Jürgen Klopp Criticizes Club World Cup Expansion: “The Worst Idea in Football”
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has expressed his strong disapproval of the new expanded Club World Cup format, calling it the worst idea ever implemented in football. In an interview, Klopp expressed his concern about the overload of the football calendar and the impact this will have on the players. The new tournament format, which involves 32 teams and will be held every four years during the preseason, in the summers between the main international tournaments, has been the focus of criticism from the German coach.Klopp also pointed out that those who propose these ideas are often not involved in the day-to-day of football. The coach highlighted the lack of rest time that the players currently have, warning about the possible risks to their health by adding another tournament.“It’s a pointless competition. Whoever wins it will be the worst winner of all time because they will have played all summer and then go straight back to the league,” Klopp said.
Jürgen Klopp
Klopp emphasized the lack of real recovery, both physical and mental, for the players involved. After his successful nine-year spell in charge of Liverpool, which concluded in 2024, Klopp now serves as global head of football for Red Bull, owner of several clubs. In addition, Klopp was asked if he would like to coach again. “I don’t want that anymore. Now I have a job that satisfies me and is also intense. I don’t sleep in the morning and I don’t go to bed any later at night, but I can organize my work much better,” he replied.“There are too many matches. I fear that next season we will see injuries like never before. If not, they will come during or after the Club World Cup,” said Klopp.
Jürgen Klopp
