Barcelona Star Raphinha Unleashes Fury Over Club World Cup Format

Barcelona's Raphinha has voiced strong opposition to the scheduling and format changes of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, citing serious player welfare concerns.

The redesigned tournament taking place this summer in the United States has added to an already overcrowded football calendar, compelling players from the 32 participating teams to sacrifice their rest periods to compete for the championship.

Several clubs have already interrupted their current domestic seasons to participate in the Club World Cup, while others—including the tournament's 12 European representatives—made the journey to North America with less than a month's break following the conclusion of their 2024–25 seasons.

Valid concerns have emerged regarding the packed schedule and its effects on player health, with Raphinha voicing his dissatisfaction with the tournament format despite Barcelona not securing qualification.

"We must go and that's the reality, because we follow instructions, we must be present to play," Raphinha stated to Brazilian journalists. "Being forced to sacrifice our holidays is extremely difficult because it's our entitlement. Everyone should have at least a month of rest, perhaps three weeks minimum. And many participants in the World Cup won't even receive a full month.

"Football is employment like any profession, and we require breaks to recover. You cannot maintain this intensity level without proper rest."

The Club World Cup championship match is scheduled for July 13, meaning any European teams reaching the final would have only one month between the tournament's conclusion and the start of their domestic 2025–26 seasons. Players will also need to attend pre-season preparation before the actual campaign commences.

Naturally, many express concern about introducing a new month-long competition, with former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp joining Raphinha in criticizing the tournament.

"The Club World Cup represents the most misguided concept ever introduced to football," Klopp stated to Welt am Sonntag. "Individuals who have never been involved in daily operations are developing these concepts.

"I worry that players will experience unprecedented injuries next season. If not then, it will occur during the [2026] World Cup or subsequently."