Five Reasons Why The Top Teams Have Struggled At The World Cup In Russia

3. Unable to cope with the pressure at the international level

The fact that club football has gained a lot more importance over the years has clearly impacted the level of quality that is being showcased at the international level this time. A lot of money is involved, with the players playing for their respective clubs, along with the bonuses that follow based on the level of performances that they showcase. Due to this, a lot of effort are being put day in and day out to impress at the club level, which has hurt this World Cup in some ways in Russia.

The intensity and pressure to perform for the clubs has pushed a lot of players to the limit and it has been tough to cope up with the continuous football that they have had to play. Generally that should not be an excuse for under-performing, though the impact on some players has been quite visible in the current tournament.

To add to that, some of these players have have not shown the same kind of flare that they showcase when they play for their clubs and hopefully that changes soon. The desire needs to be there to achieve more. Only then will it be possible to lift the World Cup.