FIFA president Gianni Infantino has launched a staunch defence of the Club World Cup.
The tournament, in its first edition in the current 32-team format after being created by Infantino, has faced widespread criticism for a variety of reasons.
Global player organisation FIFPro have highlighted the additional demands an expanded tournament will place on players and the negative impact of not having a summer break, with some stars having previously threatened to boycott the competition over workload concerns.
Several games have also been played in front of swathes of empty seats, while the extreme weather of the USA at this time of the year and concerns over whether the $1billion (£740m) prize fund will unbalance leagues when teams return home have similarly been noted.
Elsewhere, Infantino’s claims that the tournament is ‘the best against the best’ have been brought into question given none of the champions of England, Spain or Italy are involved, while Bayern Munich beat Auckland City 10-0 in their first group game.
However, Infantino hit back at these claims and insisted the expanded competition is going well and has the potential to change people’s opinions.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has launched a staunch defence of the Club World Cup
Infantino created the new 32-format of the tournament which is taking place across the USA
But it has been widely criticised for a variety of reasons, including low attendances at games
‘So, maybe some criticise it a little bit, but it’s something new. It’s something special,’ Infantino said when speaking in Manhattan at the weekend.
‘It’s a real World Cup with the best teams and the best players.
‘It was about time that somebody invented a World Cup for club teams.
‘Since 100 years, we know which is the best country in the world, but, until today, we do not really know which is the best team in the world.
‘So, we thought it might not be a bad idea to create a World Cup for teams to decide.’
Infantino continued: ‘Well, I think the players who play, they are loving it. Harry Kane gave an interview saying, “it’s a fantastic competition. It’s beautiful”‘.
‘They (players) love it. Those who are not there, of course, they would love to be there.’
There have been some early success stories of the Club World Cup, including the atmosphere generated by the likes of Boca Juniors supporters, while Brazilian sides Botafogo and Flamengo caused major upsets against PSG and Chelsea respectively.
Infantino insisted the players ‘love’ the competition, citing an interview from Harry Kane
There have been some upsets, including Chelsea’s shock 3-1 loss to Brazilian side Flamengo
Infantino claimed the tournament has the potential to change the trajectory of football in the US
And Infantino, whose name is engraved on the tournament’s trophy, has claimed if the Club World Cup and next summer’s World Cup in the US are a success, the trajectory of football in the country may completely change.
He added: ‘The Club World Cup, and with the World Cup next year, is to show to young Americans that, actually, if you are good and if you are talented, you don’t need to go to another sport, because through soccer, there is a path for glory and a path for money, as well.
‘You can become famous. You can become rich if you follow a soccer path, which today young Americans don’t see.
‘Because they see, of course, the NFL or the NBA or baseball or ice hockey, but we will show them here, in their country, the power of soccer.’
