Norwegian Coach Criticizes Club World Cup in USA

Norway's national team coach Ståle Solbakken totally dismantles the club World Championship in the USA. It doesn't interest me and I will not watch a single match, he says.

» Published: June 10 2025

Norwegian Coach Criticizes Club World Cup in USA
Photo: Lise Åserud/NTB/TT

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Club World Cup, which starts this weekend, has been criticized for being everything from a joke to exhausting players during the summer break.

The tournament impresses little on Ståle Solbakken, who will neither follow Manchester City's superstar Erling Haaland nor the other Norwegian national team players in the tournament.

I can see them in proper leagues and cups, not in the Club World Cup, says Solbakken.

I am a traditionalist. I look at championships where people qualify in the usual way, not by lottery. I am not interested in seeing Seattle Waterfalls against Manchester City.

England's national team coach Thomas Tuchel sees the tournament as exhausting – and that Premier League teams can benefit from staying out.

I think the Club World Cup will have an enormous impact. It will give Liverpool and Arsenal a big advantage next season by not being involved, says Tuchel according to the German news agency DPA.

Even Sweden's national team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson has criticized the tournament, which he called "unnecessary".

The Club World Cup will be decided from 15 June to 13 July.

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By TTTranslated and adapted by Sweden Herald
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