Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticised the Club World Cup as “the worst idea ever implemented in football,” citing concerns over players' welfare.

This isn't the first time Jürgen has made such complaints about the tournament. During his stint at Liverpool, he cited player exhaustion, particularly when Liverpool had to juggle the Club World Cup and domestic competitions.

During an exclusive interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Klopp talked about the expanded format and player development.

According to Klopp, these people sit in comfort and come up with ideas like the Club World Cup, which puts extra pressure on players and teams.

“It’s all about the game and not the surrounding events – and that’s why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard,” he said.

“People who have never had or do not have anything to do with day-to-day business anymore are coming up with something.

Acknowledging the financial benefits of participating in the Club World Cup, Klopp also highlighted the exclusivity terms as far as the tournament is concerned, saying, “There is insane money for participating, but it’s also not for every club."

“Last year it was the Copa [America] and the European Championship, this year it’s the Club World Cup, and next year the World Cup. That means no real recovery for the players involved, neither physically nor mentally.”

Klopp added, “I have serious fears that players will suffer injuries they’ve never had before next season. If not next season, then it will happen at the World Cup or afterwards.

“We constantly expect the players to go into every game as if it were their last. We tell them that 70 or 75 times a year. But it can’t go on like this.

“We have to make sure they have breaks, because if they don’t get them, they won’t be able to deliver top performances – and if they can’t achieve that anymore, the entire product loses value.”

Man City's coach, Pep Guardiola, made similar complaints about player exhaustion and intense player schedules, citing potential jeopardy in player performance in the upcoming season.

He said players hardly rest after the end of the Premier League season (May 25) and the start of the Club World Cup (June 18).

The players union, FIFPro, on June 12, recommended a one-month mandatory off-season break for professional footballers.

This year’s Club World Cup is the first to feature 32 teams and 48 games and saw Salzburg knocked out in the group stage.

In September, a week prior to suffering an ACL injury, Manchester City midfielder Rodri said players were close to going on strike because of the increase in games, while teammate Manuel Akanji suggested he would have to retire at age 30 as a result of the lack of breaks in the calendar.