Former England and Sunderland striker slams proposal to host World Cup every two years, compares it to Super League plans
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The international governing body are conducting a feasibility study, with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger at the helm, following a proposal by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation earlier this year.
The news has been met with a largely negative response from fans and pundits alike with one former England striker comparing it to the much maligned European Super League proposal which crashed and burned earlier this year after a massive backlash from the footballing community.
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Hide AdSpeaking on Talksport’s Breakfast Show, former Sunderland attacker Darren Bent blasted the plans.
Bent, who won 13 caps for the Three Lions between 2006 and 2011, said: “Football as a product is perfect as it is, I don’t understand why people are trying to change it.
"It feels like the Super League all over again in terms of the rich trying to get richer.
"As soon as you start hosting it every two years you take away a bit of that special shine to it.”
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Hide AdThe 37-year old never played at a World Cup finals, missing out on the 2010 competition after being cut from the preliminary 30-man squad.
He went on to add: “I am all for the World Cup every four years, If a team gets there they’ve earned the right to be there.
"The format is perfect with the World Cup, Euros and African Nations Cup and if you condense that to every two years something’s going to have to give.”