In Salzburg, Austria, Jürgen Klopp, the head of global soccer for Red Bull, expressed strong criticism of the upcoming Club World Cup during a press conference held on Tuesday. He argued that the tournament places an excessive burden on players who are already fatigued from their demanding schedules. Despite Red Bull-backed Salzburg’s participation in FIFA’s newly expanded 32-team event set to take place in the United States next summer, Klopp voiced his discontent with the existence of the competition.

“I believe it’s unnecessary. For players who have participated in international tournaments like the World Cup or the European Championship, there’s simply no summer break,” Klopp stated. He lamented that the team emerging victorious from this tournament would not have much to celebrate, as they would end up playing throughout the summer, immediately followed by the commencement of the league season. Increasing incidents of injuries among players in European football were also noted by Klopp, emphasizing the urgent need to streamline the number of matches played. He suggested that some leagues might benefit from reducing their team count to 18 instead of the current 20, thereby limiting the number of fixtures.

Klopp also proposed that fans should be encouraged to engage with various other sports during the off-season. “In Germany, there’s the option to watch handball. Meanwhile, in Austria, fans could enjoy skiing and other exciting sports. There are numerous fantastic athletic events that could be explored during this time,” he remarked. “It’s not necessary to fill every available slot with football.”

In a related note, it was reported that the global players’ union in soccer had previously indicated the possibility of a players’ strike due to the overwhelming number of games they are required to participate in, highlighting the ongoing discussions concerning the welfare of players in the sport.