Stoichkov speaks out about Klopp’s criticism of 2025 Club World Cup

Hristo Stoichkov, Barcelona’s Bulgarian legend, has responded to Juergen Klopp’s criticism regarding the organization of the 2025 Club World Cup.

Klopp, who currently serves as Football Director of Red Bull Group — expressed his concerns about the new format of this FIFA inter-club tournament.

The event, scheduled to take place in the United States, has drawn attention due to its timing coinciding with European clubs’ summer break period.

“I understand for some clubs, the money is big, but not all teams are like that. Players don’t have time to recover, either physically or mentally,” Klopp stated in an interview with Welt am Sonntag.

The former Liverpool manager emphasized that the extreme weather in the United States and the tournament’s timing — could negatively impact players’ conditions.