Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has strongly criticized the new, expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, labeling it “the worst idea ever implemented in football” due to grave concerns over player welfare and fixture congestion.
Klopp, who now serves as Red Bull’s head of global soccer, made the comments in an exclusive interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. His remarks come as one of his own clubs, Red Bull Salzburg, was recently eliminated from the group stage of the inaugural summer tournament in the United States.
“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 in this regard,” Klopp stated. “People who have never had or do not have anything to do with day-to-day business anymore are coming up with something.”
A long-time advocate for reducing player workload, Klopp expressed “serious fears” that the tournament’s addition to an already packed calendar will lead to unprecedented injuries. His concerns echo those of the global players’ union, Fifpro, which recently filed a legal complaint against FIFA regarding the tournament.
“Last year it was the Copa [America] and the European Championship, 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,” Klopp explained. “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. It can’t go on like this.” FIFA has previously stated that player welfare has been central to its decision-making process for the new tournament format.
In the wide-ranging interview, Klopp also commented on Liverpool’s recent club-record £116 million signing of German midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. “There’s no question about it, that’s an insane sum,” Klopp said, acknowledging how the transfer market has changed since he once stated he would leave football if such fees became commonplace. “He’s an outstanding player who can give any club something great. Whether he’ll make the reigning English champions even better remains to be seen.”
lopp, 58, reiterated his commitment to his new role at Red Bull and stated he has no plans to return to coaching, despite recent vacancies at affiliated clubs like RB Leipzig. “My gut feeling tells me: ‘No’,” he said. “I loved my job, but I don’t miss anything.”
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