Croatian national team coach Zlatko Dalić has voiced his disapproval of the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams. In an interview with Novi List, Dalić expressed concerns about the impact this expansion could have on the quality of the tournament.
"Today, it has become more of a job than a sport. FIFA aims to globalize football further and give everyone a chance, but having almost 50 national teams in the tournament is excessive," Dalić stated.
He went on to say, "The number of matches is increasing, and players often arrive exhausted after long, demanding seasons, which affects the quality of competition. While this is an opportunity for smaller nations, I believe it would be better to expand the tournament with teams from Europe and countries like Italy or Denmark, rather than teams from other parts of the world that are less competitive."
The Croatian national team, nicknamed the 'Flames,' will compete in Group L at the World Cup. They kick off their campaign on June 17 against England, followed by matches against Panama and Ghana.
Dalić's comments are stirring up a lot of debate. Is expanding the World Cup really the best way to promote global football, or is it just watering down the competition? This move feels more like a business decision than a sporting one. What do you think, fans?