Players Will Continue To Suffer If FIFA And UEFA’s Ego Battle Doesn’t End – Carragher

Liverpool legend, Jamie Carragher has come out to question the idea behind the 2025 Club World Cup. He recently had his say while speaking to the press, and fans have been reacting.

According to him, there is an obvious battle between FIFA and UEFA to have the best tournaments, and FIFA definitely finds it frustrating that while the yearly Champions League is the one of best competition in world football, fans have to wait 4 years to see a World Cup.

Carragher added that ever since that realization, FIFA keeps trying create something new to better its rival.

His words, “I don’t like it, but I’m always a little bit like, “Well, how did the European Cup start?” Something had to start somewhere. So that’s the little thing in the back of my mind. If I come out and absolutely say, this is a disgrace, whatever, and then in 10 years time, this is the biggest tournament… but I don’t like it. I just think there’s always this continual battle between FIFA and UEFA to have the best tournaments. And what frustrates FIFA is they’ve only got the World Cup every four years, and I think they look at the Champions League, and it’s the best competition in world football. It’s better than the Club World Cup. It generates money every season for UEFA. I suppose FIFA has sat there thinking, “We’re going to create something now.”

I don’t think any player out there at a big football club wants to play in this tournament. I think if you want to ask the Chelsea players and the Manchester City players and other big clubs around the world “Are you looking forward to this tournament?” I think they’ll be thinking, “This is the worst thing that could have happened.” Now, the top people at the clubs might be looking at and thinking, “If we win it, we win $50M, $60M, $100M, because that’s the only way FIFA can get people to go there embrace it in any way.” But I don’t think any footballer wants to play in it. I don’t see any situation where I’ll be watching it in the summer. I’ll be on holiday. I don’t even think I’ll keep abreast of the games. I might watch the semifinals or the final, if it’s two really big teams.

But Liverpool win the Premier League, Man City have the worst season they’ve ever had under Pep Guardiola. Chelsea could finish – both these clubs could finish outside the Champions League positions – and what if one of them win it? How can they say they’re the best team in the world if they finish sixth in the league? I don’t get it. I know sometimes the Champions League is won by a team who haven’t won their domestic league, but you’d have to be a good side. Chelsea are in for something they’ve done four years ago, winning the Champions League. I bet none of those players still play for them.

I think it’s a disgrace the way players are treated. People talk about the money. But in the end, it doesn’t matter how much money you make. Your body can only take so much. And we as the public, or the pundits, or people who go to stadiums, they deserve to watch these players at the best – and they’re not at their best. They’re playing too much football. The Nations League has just added more games. When do these players get a rest? Look at the injuries they get. I think it’s a joke, the way players are treated. The football landscape was fine, with a tournament every two years, European competition, the players get a good summer off every other year. That was perfect. Now they’re getting what, one summer off every four years? That is not right.

I know a lot of players have come out and complained about this tournament, and rightly so. And they get people coming out and criticizing them, saying how much money they earn. But they should make a stand against this competition. It’s not right. The football landscape is fine. And I get the Champions League has changed this season. It’s more of a league for me. You’re trying to make it more exciting, trying different things. There’s an extra couple of games, OK. FA Cup replays in England have changed. I’m in favor of that. I don’t think the Carabao Cup needs two legged semifinals, if I’m being totally honest. And then you’ve got this Club World Cup. I think it’s a disgrace the way these players are getting treated, and they should make a stand.”

WOW.