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Kroos on fixture congestion: players "just puppets of FIFA and UEFA"

Toni Kroos has railed against fixture congestion, claiming players are nothing but "puppets" of f...
Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

15.34 11 Nov 2020


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Kroos on fixture congestion: p...

Kroos on fixture congestion: players "just puppets of FIFA and UEFA"

Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

15.34 11 Nov 2020


Share this article


Toni Kroos has railed against fixture congestion, claiming players are nothing but "puppets" of football's authorities. 

The Real Madrid midfielder is currently on international duty with Germany. Die Mannschaft play the Czech Republic in a friendly on Wednesday night. Following that are a pair of UEFA Nations League games with Ukraine and Spain.

The Nations League was a confection of European football's governing body in an effort to replace friendlies with more meaningful matches.

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Kroos' club have been part of discussions for a proposed European Premier League, which would run in tandem with regular domestic competitions.

FIFA is also bloating its World Club Cup to 24-teams in the near future. Originally scheduled for 2021 in China, it's been pushed back to "later in 2021, in 2022 or in 2023 to save clashing with the European Championships and Copa America, both of which have been pushed 12 months because of the coronavirus", according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

But Kroos - capped 100 times by Germany, and with over 550 club games under his belt - has had enough.

"With the invention of all these new things we seem to be just the puppets of FIFA and UEFA," he told his Einfach mal Luppen podcast.

"These competitions are created to suck everything out of every single player physically and to suck out as much money as possible.

"When certain things work well it is a good idea to leave them that way."

In a separate rant that would befit Roy Keane, Kroos had his say on choreographed goal celebrations.

He reserved special criticism for Arsenal striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

"I find it very silly. Even worse is if there are any objects hidden in their socks," the 30-year old said, "Aubameyang once celebrated and took out a mask. That's where it ends with me.

"I don't think that's a good role model, either. What nonsense."

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European Premier League European Super League FIFA Germany Nations League Pierre Emerick Aubameyang Real Madrid Roy Keane Toni Kroos UEFA Uefa Nations League

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