Next weekend sees the start of the new season in the major European leagues. For various top clubs, the break was short due to the Club World Cup.
11.08.2025, 11:14
11.08.2025, 11:26
SDA
The additional workload caused by the Club World Cup should not be dramatized, says Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, member of the supervisory board at FC Bayern. The Club World Cup, for example, was definitely worthwhile for his FC Bayern Munich despite the premature elimination. The former world-class footballer advises "to think outside the box from time to time".
"As a player," says the 69-year-old Rummenigge, "I would have been delighted to take part in a tournament like this. Of course, the Club World Cup brings additional matches, but you also have to say: this tournament only takes place every four years."
Rummenigge took stock of the summer in a major interview in "Kicker". And it's not just FIFA's fault that the calendar is becoming increasingly full. "Many players - together with their advisors - have contributed to this situation and set the trap for themselves. They demand ever higher salaries, forcing clubs to tap into additional sources of income. This is why new formats are emerging," says Rummenigge. "On the other hand, I see little willingness to sacrifice salaries. That is a contradiction that should be clearly stated."
Rummenigge drew an extremely positive balance for FC Bayern, although the Bavarians failed too early in the quarter-finals (against PSG) compared to their own high expectations. "Many of our national team players would otherwise have played in the Confederations Cup in the USA - without any added value for the club. Now FC Bayern could present itself on the world stage, win new fans and also benefit economically. It's worth thinking outside the box from time to time." FC Bayern was able to increase jersey sales in the USA sevenfold.
In the interview, Rummenigge also gave advice to the German national team, which is aiming to win the title at next summer's World Cup in North America according to coach Julian Nagelsmann: The former European champion recommends that the German team "show a little more humility". Germany has always achieved its greatest successes "when we haven't made ourselves the big favorites before tournaments." Rummenigge continued: "We didn't become European champions last year because that handball by Spain's Cucurella wasn't penalized. It's because nations like Spain, France, Portugal and Croatia - including some teams from South America - are currently ahead of us in sporting terms." For now, the aim is to get closer to the top again. This requires honest analysis and hard work.
