Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has voiced his concern about the Club World Cup, calling it "the worst idea ever implemented in football" due to serious concerns over player welfare. Klopp, now the head of global soccer at Red Bull, spoke about the tournament during an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
Red Bull Salzburg, one of Red Bull's teams, qualified for this year's Club World Cup in the United States. Klopp has often spoken about players' workload and fixture congestion, and a report by global players' union Fifpro recently recommended a four-week off-season break for players. This year's Club World Cup features 32 teams and 48 games, and saw Salzburg knocked out in the group stage.
"The Club World Cup is all about the game and not the surrounding events - and that's why it's the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard," Klopp said.
"People who have never had or do not have anything to do with day-to-day business anymore are coming up with something," he added, expressing concern about the insane money involved but questioning whether it's accessible to every club.
Klopp also raised concerns about the physical and mental toll on players, stating, "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."
In September, Manchester City midfielder Rodri suggested players were close to going on strike due to the increase in games, while team-mate Manuel Akanji proposed retiring at 30 due to the lack of breaks in the calendar. In October, Fifpro filed a legal complaint with the European Commission over what it said was FIFA's "abuse of dominance," specifically related to the Club World Cup.
Klopp concluded, "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."
FIFA, the organizer of the Club World Cup, has been approached for comment. FIFA sources told BBC Sport earlier this month that the protection of player welfare has been at the core of decision-making, citing initiatives such as a fund for players, additional substitutes in competitions, and permanent concussion substitutes.
Meanwhile, Klopp also discussed Liverpool's recent high-profile signing, Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz, who joined the club in a club-record £116m deal. "There's no question about it, that's an insane sum," said Klopp. "We all agree that we're talking about a great player here." Klopp added that while he once stated he would step down if they paid 100m euros for a player, the world keeps changing, and the market is adjusting accordingly.
When asked about Wirtz's potential impact at Anfield, Klopp expressed optimism, stating, "Yes, although of course I don't know exactly which position Arne [Slot, Liverpool's new manager] has in mind for Florian."
Klopp also reiterated his commitment to his role at Red Bull, stating that he will not return to coaching, even on a temporary basis, despite speculation linking him to RB Leipzig after their recent managerial change.
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