TM expert looks back on tournament
© Imago
On Sunday evening, FC Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain meet in the final of the club World Cup in New Jersey. This ends a football tournament, which has caused great criticism, especially in Europe, both fans and protagonists of the participating professional teams. Jürgen Klinsmann, who accompanies the tournament as a member of the “Technical Study Group” (TSG) of the FIFA and analyzes for the World Association, looks back at the event in conversation with the transfer market. The former national coach also believes important knowledge from the tournament for the upcoming World Cup.
Klinsmann reacts to criticisms, for example, on the part of BVB coach Niko Kovac and midfielder Pascal. The coach of the Dortmund, whose team had to compete twice in the final stadium in East Rutherford near New York as well as twice in Cincinnati and once in Atlanta, had disturbed the impetus, the high temperatures and the lawn of law. “If this is a world-class tournament, everyone can expect individual top conditions,” says Kovac. Big complained: “The stadiums were not sold out, and the conditions were of course extreme. Kovac also said in an ironic undertone: “The World Cup will take place here next year, so everything will be much better, I assume.”
Klinsmann can understand Kovac’s criticism, says the former international. At the 1994 World Cup, he himself had to play games at lunchtime-as with the current club World Cup-and know the burden. But he also says: “More stages will be used at the World Cup next year. The Concacaf Gold Cup was played in parallel to the club World Cup, the euro for North and Central America, which Mexico has won, so to speak. These stadiums will be available next year, but there will always be stress if you have to start the games in North America earlier. Laid much earlier next year and therefore be great. “
Klinsmann: The number of spectators has exceeded expectations
Of course, Klinsmann explains about large criticism about many freedom in the stadiums: “Of course, Pascal is sometimes right, but that is also due to the traction of the various clubs from other continents. Ulsan HD from South Korea or Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, of course, attract fewer fans to the stadium than Real Madrid. Nevertheless, these clubs also played good football in the preliminary round.”
The often very sparse ranks in the stadiums had repeatedly caused criticism and amusement about the tournament on social media in Germany. Klinsmann, on the other hand, says: “The number of spectators exceeded all expectations, even if one or the other game was half full, depending on the pairing in the preliminary round. The average was over 38,000 fans per game until before the final.”
Contrary to the impression from afar, Klinsmann also asserts that the tournament had “extremely interested” the football fans in the USA, “and they have been pursuing the whole thing with excitement. Although the MLS league continued at the same time. The South Americans from Argentina and Brazil have sparked a great mood and these clubs wanted to show the Europeans at any time. And with flumb we also had a semi-finalist (from Brazil). “
Klinsmann: Bavaria was better than PSG – “Best game of the tournament”
For FC Bayern and BVB, it was over in the quarter -finals. A failure? “Both teams presented themselves extremely positively and highly professional,” says Klinsmann. He said about BVB: “You can leave Real” and FC Bayern was “the better team” in the quarterfinals against PSG, according to the former world -class striker. “It was an incredibly exciting and intensive game and I think the best of the tournament. I was on site in Atlanta. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium created an enormously loud atmosphere during the game. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the unfortunate injury to Jamal Musiala. That was incredibly suffering.”
Klinsmann looks towards the World Cup: “You learn a lot from such a giant tournament”
Klinsmann also rejects excessive expectations for the tournament ending on Sunday. “This form of the club World Cup was basically a start-up, so you cannot overturn the expectations at the beginning. The organizers around FIFA and the individual cities will draw their conclusions from it for the 2026.” According to Klinsmann, FIFA rates the tournament “enormously positive” according to Klinsmann. He himself thinks: “The quality of the games was at a very high level and all teams were highly motivated to get as far as possible in the tournament. Of course, this has to do with the high prize money. And this brings FIFA back in the transfer rights. Of course there were problems with the heat or delays in the event of weather such as lightning and thunder, which in the USA will lead to interruptions. will automatically lead to further improvements towards the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year. “
Klinsmann sums up about teams and attachments that were particularly impressed by him: “The fans from Argentina were sensationally loud and sang for 90 minutes, the Brazilian teams absolutely wanted to show the Europeans if you consider that the best South American players are all practical in Europe. Real Madrid can huge the megatalent Franco Mastantuono, only 17 years old, from River Plate, Looking for clubs like Al-Hilal and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Interview by Philipp Marquardt