Lloris believes European players need to adapt to the FIFA Club World Cup schedule

The new FIFA Club World Cup has drawn plenty of criticism from European players, as it further crowds an already packed calendar. But this challenge isn’t unique to the old continent.

Details: LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, before his move to the United States, thought the North American schedule would be somewhat lighter than in Europe. However, he quickly realized this was a misconception. Now, just like his European counterparts, he must adjust to the new calendar.

• See also: Former Kaizer Chiefs winger believes Mamelodi Sundowns won't win a single match at the Club World Cup

Quote: “Honestly, when I came to MLS, I expected the match tempo to be less intense than in Europe. But then you realize there’s a lot of travel involved, the number of matches is the same as in Europe, and you’re also playing in the Champions League, in CONCACAF, in the Club World Cup, and in the cup against Mexican teams.

It’s the same everywhere—so many tournaments, and players have to adapt to the schedule. You can’t say that playing in the Club World Cup doesn’t matter to players. But then there comes a moment, especially for European players, when you have to figure out how many days, how many weeks you can get for rest—mentally and physically—before the next season begins.

For us, as soon as the tournament ends, we have to immediately return to MLS matches, and that’s no easy feat. Players simply have to adapt to this kind of schedule. I’m not here to criticize the fixture list. I’m here to say—we’re happy to be here and we want to show what we’re capable of,” Lloris told The Athletic.