FIFA’s Global Football Development chief Arsene Wenger has spoken at a press conference today to address fears over the upcoming Club World Cup adding too much strain to an already-busy footballing calendar.
The former Arsenal manager has defended the competition, which begins in 2025 and which will be held every four years like the World Cup we see for international teams, despite some concerns about players already competing in too many games.
It has long been a bit of a worry that modern footballers are put through too rigorous a routine, with the game played at a faster pace and more intense level than ever, and with more and more games to contend with for both club and country.
Still, Wenger believes the Club World Cup is important for teams from all over the world to be represented in the same way that European sides have been for so long, whilst also stressing how much better the game is these days when it comes to sophisticated management of injuries and general player fitness.
The Frenchman pointed to the longevity of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema, saying that performing for so long at such a high level didn’t used to be as possible as it is now.
“I believe that the two main forces in our game are the nations and the clubs and there’s logic behind the thinking from clubs and FIFA to organise a Club World Cup that is similar in format to the nation’s World Cup,” Wenger said at a press conference attended by Ben Jacobs.
“The positive impact that this will have on clubs is going to be huge, because it will increase resources for clubs all over the world to develop and to compete. In Europe we are lucky, but it’s important that we make football really global and this creates a chance for other clubs to progress, this is the real target. It will give more opportunities to more players all over the world to compete at the highest level.”
He added: “I accept that the football calendar is a busy one, but this is a competition that is going to take place every four years and of course the rest period during the competition and afterwards has to be respected. There is demand for big competitions in football, and there has been a good support for this one.
“The welfare of the players in the last 20 years has increased dramatically as well, when you look at injury prevention, recovery work, nutrition and advances in medical technology. It is unrecognisable from what it used to be. Also VAR has helped with the protection of players, as players know they cannot escape from making bad tackles that cause injury. So overall there has been huge improvements on the welfare side, and we want to continue with that progress.
“We see players receiving world awards, the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Benzema, all over the age of 35. And it is not unusual to see international careers lasting over 20 years. Not so long ago, that was not possible.”