Jurgen Klinsmann follows Pep Guardiola’s lead in backing Arsene Wenger’s plans for a World Cup every two years… and says qualifying could be changed to ease the burden on stars like Neymar and Lionel Messi
- Arsene Wenger’s is currently FIFA’s chief of global football development
- Jurgen Klinsmann said that the idea of a biennial World Cup shocked him at first
- However, he believes discussions about changing the calendar are a good thing
- Klinsmann suggested that the qualifying campaign needs to be looked at
Jurgen Klinsmann has thrown his weight behind Arsene Wenger’s push to hold the World Cup every two years.
Traditionally the competition is held every four years, but Arsenal legend Wenger, who is currently FIFA’s chief of global football development, wants to halve the time between events.
The idea has split football but Klinsmann, who famously has a rich World Cup pedigree, is backing the proposals after Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola also endorsed the idea.
Jurgen Klinsmann has joined Pep Guardiola in backing the idea of World Cups every two years
He said: ‘When you get an idea like this, at first it shocks you and you feel out of your comfort zone,’ said the Germany legend.
‘How can they change that? But there is far more behind the idea than that, and when you know Arsene Wenger, he is a very smart gentleman.
‘He isn’t just waking up in the morning and saying: ‘now we are going to do it every second year.’
Klinsmann suggests a new qualifying campaign could be created to ease the burden on stars
‘The goal behind this whole thing is to discuss what they think about it. Even if the reaction is negative, it’s important to have the debate about how we can create a global calendar in a better way for players, coaches, clubs and national teams.
‘How can we create a qualifying campaign that is less stressful for the top players in the world like [Lionel] Messi and Neymar, who have just travelled to South America and then playing on Saturday and Sunday in Europe?
‘Having a World Cup every two years has far more facets to it than just having the World Cup every four years.’
