Yorgen Klopp, the World Cup for the tournament, as if it were “the worst idea ever” and claims that the players deserve leave

Jurgen Klopp hit the newly expanded World Cup, describing it as “the worst idea that was implemented in football.”

The former Liverpool manager, who won the championship with the club in 2019 under his old coordination, believes that the updated version places an unnecessary burden on players at the highest level.

This victory, the first Liverpool in the competition, came when the tournament was a smaller event. Now, the new version of 32 teams began just two weeks after the Champions League final has already reached the last 16th stage.

Liverpool does not participate this time, unlike Chelsea and Manchester City, and Klopp admits that he feels comfortable.

Speaking to the German director Walt, he said: “The club’s World Cup is the worst idea that has ever implemented in football in this regard. People who had nothing related to daily work are ideas.

“I understand those who say: But there are crazy money to participate. But this is not for every club. Last year, Cuba and the euro, this year, the club’s World Cup, and next year the World Cup next year.

“This does not mean any real recovery for the players concerned, neither physically nor mentally. Of course, they all earn a lot of money. But let’s leave it aside for a moment.”

🗣 Klopp: “The club’s World Cup is the worst idea that has ever implemented in football. People who had nothing to do with daily business are ideas.

I am afraid that the players will suffer in the next season from injuries that they have never before. If not, this will happen in … pic.twitter.com/vf2ev8Nyky

Footballtalkq June 28, 2025

Klopp referred to the cumulative losses on the health of the players, using Virgil Van Dijk as an example.

“A player in the American Professional League who earns a lot of money has four months of every year. Virgil Van Digk had not even had in his entire career. It is not possible to play tournaments like the club’s World Cup on the appearance of the players. I do not wish it to anyone, but I have a serious fear.”

The championship will continue until July 13, which means that clubs like City and Chelsea will have only five weeks before the Premier League season starts on August 16.

Klopp believes that this busy schedule will lead to important issues, warning: “Maybe not everyone has realized the real problem yet, that the players next season will suffer from injuries that they have not previously before. If not this season, this will happen in the World Cup or after that.

“We are constantly asking them to go to every game as if it were the last. We tell them that 70 or 75 times a year. But it cannot continue like this.”

He added that the quality of the game itself can decrease if nothing changed.

He said: “We have to make sure that they have breaks, because if they do not get it, they will not be able to make the best offers in the long run, and if they can no longer do so anymore, the entire product loses the value of the sellers.”

Since leaving Liverpool last summer after nearly a decade, Klopp has played a new role as a global sports director for Red Paul, as he oversees the network of football clubs.