Jurgen Klopp hit the newly expanded club World Cup, calling it “the worst idea in football implementation”.
The former Liverpool manager won the game against the club in 2019 in his old format, and he believes the updated version puts unnecessary burden on top players.
Liverpool’s first win in the game was a smaller game. Now, the new 32-team version has begun just two weeks after the Champions League final and has reached the final 16 stages.
Unlike Chelsea and Manchester City, Liverpool did not participate this time, and Klopp admitted he was relieved.
Speaking to German media Welt, he said: “The Club World Cup is the worst idea football has implemented in this regard. Those who have anything to do with their day-to-day business have come up with ideas.
“I know the people who said: But there is a lot of money to play. But it’s not every club. Last year it was the Cup and the Euro, this year it was the Club World Cup, next year it was the World Cup.
“This means there is no real recovery for the players involved, nor is it physically or mentally.
🗣️Klopp: “The Club World Cup is the worst idea ever soccer has ever been. Those who have anything to do with their day-to-day business come up with the idea.
I worry that players will suffer injuries that they have never been before next season. If not, that would happen in… pic.twitter.com/vf2ev8nyky
– Football Talk (@footballtalkhq) June 28, 2025
Klopp pointed out that taking Virgil Van Dijk as an example, it caused cumulative losses to the health of players.
“A player in the NBA also makes a lot of money and has four months off every year. Virgil van Dijk hasn’t even been in his entire career. Tournaments like the Club World Cup can’t play on the back of a player. I don’t want anyone to be with anyone, but I’m very scared.”
The game will last until July 13, which means clubs like City and Chelsea will be five weeks before the Premier League season begins on August 16.
Klopp believes this crowded schedule will cause major problems, warning: “Maybe not everyone recognizes the real problem, and players will suffer injuries that they have never been done next season. If it weren’t for this season, then this would happen in or after the World Cup.
“We often tell them to play in every game, as if it was their last game. We tell them 70 or 75 times a year. But it can’t be like that.”
He added that without any change, the quality of the game itself could decline.
“We have to make sure they have a break because if they don’t get them, in the long run, they won’t be able to deliver the best performance and if they don’t do that anymore, the whole product will lose value to the seller.”
Since leaving Liverpool last summer, Klopp has taken on a new role as Red Bull Global Sports Director, where he is in charge of their football club network.
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