Arsene Wenger transitioned from managing football clubs to a role at Fifa in 2019.
Arsene Wenger has responded to Jurgen Klopp’s previous remarks labeling the Club World Cup “the worst idea ever invented,” asserting that participating teams are in favor of the “fantastic competition.”
Former Liverpool manager Klopp previously voiced his criticism of the tournament in June, particularly regarding its expansion to 32 teams and its move to the summer months.
However, Wenger, the former Arsenal manager who now serves as Fifa’s chief of global football development, stated that the Club World Cup enjoys the complete support of the teams, players, and managers involved.
When questioned about Klopp’s commentary, Wenger stated: “I am going to give a very boring answer to a very interesting question. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I don’t share the view of Jurgen Klopp at all.
“I feel a Club World Cup is needed. If you make enquiries to all the clubs who were here then 100% of answers would be that they would want to do it again. That’s the best answer of what the clubs think of a Club World Cup.
“And the decisive question is do the fans like it or not? We believe the attendances were projected as low and in reality were much higher. The answer is there.”
Fifa is also making preparations to address challenges related to extreme heat and enhance pitch conditions in anticipation of the pan-North American World Cup in 2026, with the majority of matches scheduled to take place in the United States.
“The heat in some games was a problem but we tried to combat that with cooling breaks, watering the pitches during the break and overall I feel we learned a lot on that front,” Wenger said.
“In two different venues [there was a problem], one of them was Orlando. But we shouldn’t underestimate the quality of the permanent [real grass] pitches.
“The grass is a bit different here. It’s a bit harsher or more resistant than in other countries. The pitches were ‘flat’. But once we watered the grass, everyone was happy.
“Certainly next year in stadiums there will also be more with roofs and the TV times will be more sensitive. At the same time, the weather conditions can be a problem for everybody.
“I asked our analysts to analyse the impact of the heat. We found heat of over 35C had an impact on high-speed running, so sprints, not distances. You have to be equipped to deal with it.”
Chelsea is set to face Paris St-Germain in the competition’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
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