Former star says Manchester City Club World Cup entry is 'a joke'

Manchester City are set to Moroccan side Wydad AC in their first match of the 2025 Club World Cup on June 18 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

While the Club World Cup provides clubs with an opportunity to add to their trophy cabinet, many share the opinion that the upcoming competition is a hindrance to players' time off between seasons.

The 2024-25 campaign also saw most players and clubs having a packed schedule amid various competitions, adding to the concerns regarding the impact on their rest due to the Club World Cup.

One of the Man City clan, Manu Akanji candidly admitted (comments via Manchester Evening News) that he and his fellow players would have preferred 'some time to rest.'

"We players would love to have some holidays, and some time for our bodies to rest," said the centre-back.

Now, former Man City goalkeeper David James has voiced his take on the upcoming Club World Cup, referring to it as a 'joke.'

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What did David James say about Man City's Club World Cup entry?

James arrived at the Etihad from West Ham United in 2004 and continued there until 2006. The Englishman told FourFourTwo that he would send Man City's youth team to the Club World Cup in order to rest the first-team players.

"If I were Manchester City, I would declare my entire first team injured and send the youth team to the Club World Cup. I think it’s a joke. You’ve got the best players and the best teams in the world complaining about too many games, then you introduce this tournament," he said.

"You’re trying to work out who benefits, especially when you look at some of the outfits in it, who – as far as I can consider – haven’t even got a world ranking of the stature to be involved with the best in the world," added the shot-stopper.

While the Club World Cup matches do cut down the players' resting time ahead of the upcoming season, Man City are expected to have their key players on the pitch. They have also been reported to rush new signings to include the stars in the squad for the international competition.

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