Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), July 31: Fifa's vice president has criticised top European clubs for sending players on preseason tours instead of releasing them to play in events sanctioned by the World Soccer Body, including the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Jack Warner, who helps coordinate the tournament, complained that clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona and AC Milan sent their teams on tours to the United States and other parts of the world.
Mexico claimed the Gold Cup title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Brazil, which sent its under-23 team and didn't use its top players.
Warner's home country, Trinidad and Tobago, failed to qualify for the tournament this year.

"It shows the hypocrisy of the top clubs who are critical of having their players participate in Fifa competitions on the grounds that their players need a rest," he said.



Concacaf covers North America, Central America and the Caribbean.


Bureau Report