DFB director Oliver Bierhoff is still very critical of the World Cup reform plans of the world football association FIFA and expects an extreme burden for the top players in the coming year.

Although he has not yet seen any details on the discussed organization of the world championships every two years, he has so far "found no one among the players and coaches who said it was a nice idea," said Bierhoff on Wednesday in Hamburg.

It shouldn't just be about “further maximizing revenue”.

“Actually, the point is that we want to see great, passionate games. This is simply not possible with a tight schedule, ”said Bierhoff. "We should really make sure that we put the quality of football and the health of the players in the foreground." The European Football Union (UEFA ) and the German Football Association are strictly against it.

Bierhoff expects a "special" World Cup year in the near future.

The final round in Qatar will kick off on November 21, 2022 (until December 18).

Accordingly, the appointment calendar will be designed differently.

"We knew that. That also applies to the other teams," said Bierhoff, who therefore sees no competitive disadvantage for the German national team.

"But it makes work more difficult for the coach," remarked the ex-national player (53).

"Certain pressure on results"

The current course with the World Cup qualifiers against Romania on Friday and three days later in North Macedonia will be followed by only four more meetings of the national team before the Qatar World Cup.

The World Cup elimination will end next month with the games against Liechtenstein and Armenia.

With a direct World Cup qualification as group winners, Bierhoff says two test matches are planned for the start of the World Cup year in March.

In the summer there are four games in the Nations League, "which is a huge burden at the end of the season", as Bierhoff said.

In the UEFA competition against strong opponents, there is also a “certain pressure on results”.

Two more Nations League games will follow in September 2022 at the last meeting of the national team before the World Cup tournament, before the secondment period only begins shortly before the final round in Qatar.

"We have a week of preparation, so maybe we'll be able to push in another international match," said Bierhoff.