Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has spoken against the new larger format for the Club World Cup. In an interview with Die Welt newspaper, Klopp indicated that the competition added stress to players' already busy schedule. This expanded setup involves a tournament with 32 teams conducted every four years during the gaps between significant international events.
He described the competition as offering no benefit, suggesting that the winner would be the unluckiest champion by having played continuously during the entire summer break. In his view, "There are people who had no active involvement in football and those are the ones generating these concepts now."
Klopp further stated that modern players were receiving less recovery time, warning that extra matches like this potentially threatened player health. He feared injuries might rise significantly in the following season, possibly even linked to the Club World Cup period. He stressed there isn't genuine recovery, not just physically but also mentally, for the participants.
After concluding his nine years at Liverpool in 2024, Klopp now serves as global football head for Red Bull, an organisation owning RB Leipzig and other clubs. Red Bull Salzburg was eliminated in the group phase of the Club World Cup recently.
When questioned about his desire to coach again, he replied: "I don't want that any more. I'm currently in a job that satisfies me and involves considerable activity. I can now manage my duties more effectively."
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