World Cup

Jurgen Klopp: 'World Cup plans are all about the money'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 10 September 2021

Jurgen Klopp blasts plans to hold the FIFA World Cup every two years, claiming that player welfare is not considered as the proposals are "all about the money".

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has blasted plans to host a World Cup every two years, claiming that the initiative is "all about the money".

World football's governing body have proposed plans to hold the quadrennial event every two years, which has led to widespread criticism from fans and those involved in the game.

Klopp has often lamented the impact of an already hectic club schedule on his players, and the Reds boss believes that the financial aspect is the driving factor behind such plans for a biennial World Cup.

Speaking to the press ahead of Sunday's game with Leeds United, Klopp said: "We all know why it's happening. Whatever people say that it's about giving different countries opportunities, in the end it's all about money, that's how it is.

"That's fine. But in the end, at one point somebody has to start understanding that without the players - the most important ingredients of this wonderful game - we cannot play it. Nobody is more important than the players.

"Imagine if every two years there is a World Cup and there will be a European Championship every two years. That means for top class players they play every year a big tournament. That means they have a three-week break every week. All things which came up in the last few years as new ideas were always about more games. That's not right in the long term."

Klopp also hit out at the FIFA-imposed suspension of his Brazilian contingent, saying that the bans for Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino are "really not okay".