Jürgen Klopp: The new World Cup format threatens footballers’ health

One of the highest-ranking coaches in European football, former Liverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp, has spoken harshly about the new format of the Club World Cup. According to him, this idea is one of the worst initiatives in football history and seriously endangers the health of athletes.

During the interview, Klopp openly admitted that due to the new format, players lose the opportunity for rest and are on the verge of physical and mental exhaustion. “I understand that it’s possible to make a lot of money in this tournament, but it does not concern all clubs. In recent years, there have been the Copa America, the European Championship, the Club World Cup, and next year there will be the World Cup again. This leaves no time for the players to properly recover,” he said.

The coach cited NBA players as an example — they have a four-month vacation every year. According to Klopp, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has never had such a break in his entire career. He also added that he asks his players to treat every match as if it’s their last, but that cannot go on like this.

In Klopp’s opinion, in the coming seasons, the number of injuries among players may sharply increase. “I would not wish this on anyone. I’m afraid that next season or during the World Cup, there might be a record number of injuries,” he said with concern.

According to the coach, during his career, only once did he have a two-week camp where all players were fully at his disposal. After that, for a whole year, there was almost one match every three days.

Jürgen Klopp’s statement has sparked a serious discussion in the European and world football community. The need for proper rest and recovery for long-term effective play by footballers has once again come to the fore. Experts increasingly admit that the money and demands of the industry can negatively affect the value of football.

The biggest question for the football world: how will the new format affect the condition of athletes and the quality of the game in the future? The answer to this question is expected to become clear in the coming years. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!