Club World Cup Added Stress Not as Severe as Perceived, According to Rummenigge - Rummenigge: Avoiding unnecessary emphasis on the additional pressure of the World Cup
FC Bayern Munich's Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Embraces Club World Cup, Views Extra Workload as Overrated
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a supervisory board member of FC Bayern Munich, has expressed a positive outlook towards the FIFA Club World Cup, despite the added strain on football professionals. In an interview, Rummenigge shared that he found great pleasure in watching the tournament and that it provided significant benefits for FC Bayern Munich.
Rummenigge highlighted the opportunities the Club World Cup presented for the club, particularly in comparison to less valuable tournaments such as the Confederations Cup. By participating in the Club World Cup, Bayern had the chance to showcase itself on the world stage, a chance that many national team players would have been taking in the Confederations Cup without any direct benefit to the club.
This exposure helped FC Bayern gain new fans internationally, particularly in the USA, where jersey sales increased sevenfold. Economically, the Club World Cup also provided advantages for the club.
Rummenigge acknowledged that the Club World Cup adds matches, but he believes the positive outcomes for Bayern Munich's global brand and commercial potential outweigh the extra demands on players. He suggested that it is worthwhile to think innovatively about these opportunities, despite any additional strain.
The Club World Cup, which occurs every four years, reflects the global football reality well, according to Rummenigge. The tournament received broad approval, particularly among young viewers, and the ratings on TV, both on Sat.1 and DAZN, were still good.
Despite the positive sentiments, Rummenigge noted a contradiction in the lack of willingness among players to forgo salaries. He suggested that many players and their advisors have contributed to the situation, demanding higher salaries, which forces clubs to find additional revenue streams and create new formats.
In conclusion, Rummenigge expressed a positive conclusion after FC Bayern's quarter-final exit, stating that he would have been delighted to participate in such a tournament as a player. The Club World Cup winner was FC Chelsea.
"Having noticed the benefits of vocational training programs for football professionals, Rummenigge envisions a possibility for FC Bayern Munich to implement similar initiatives, providing their players with additional skills to excel on and off the pitch. Such programs, akin to community policies, could be advantageous for the club, fostering a balanced approach to football careers.
Moreover, Rummenigge, being a die-hard football fan himself and having been part of FC Bayern Munich's champion-league winning team, dreams of a successful venture in the European leagues, perhaps culminating in triumphant victories similar to those he experienced when they played football."
