World Cup star oppose 2022 Winter Tournament in Qatar

Iker Casillas and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who captained Spain and the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final, don’t want the 2022 edition to be moved to the middle of the European soccer season because of the impact it would have on domestic championships. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said four days ago he expected the 2022 World Cup to be played in December and January because afternoon temperatures in June and July in host country Qatar seldom fall below 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany are among European countries whose leagues take a midwinter break between mid-December and early January. A hiatus of about 60 days would be required for players to prepare for, play in and recover from a World Cup, said Van Bronckhorst. “Normally it’s less than a month, or some countries just play on, like in England,” the Dutchman said in an interview in Zurich yesterday. “It may be a two-month break. Obviously, it’s a lot.” — Bloomberg