Mascherano: I see it as a positive to play the World Cup every two years

Javier Mascherano has declared that he is strongly in favour of the idea of the World Cup taking place every two years.

The former Barcelona player has followed in Arsene Wenger's footsteps in calling for the current format of a four-year period in between World Cups to be halved.

"The world has changed a lot and it moves very fast," Mascherano told EFE.

"What were normal cycles in the past are no longer like that. I believe that four years is too long for everyone to have to wait to see the most beautiful event in the world."

Mascherano went on to highlight a key advantage that international football has over club football.

"In the past, local clubs used to represent their countries in some way, because the majority of the players were from that country," Mascherano continued.

"Now, especially in Europe, that is no longer the case, therefore it is in the international competitions where we can find the purest form of football, football where no team can buy players from another team, where we play for our families, friends, honour and country, and where there are no big contracts, salaries or transactions involved.

One of the main arguments against the World Cup taking place every two years is the fear that it would devalue the competition, but the Argentine explained why this would not be the case.

"I understand that there are some people who think like this, but I believe that this is because it has always been this way, it is a slightly conservative way of thinking which I believe is normal," said Mascherano.

"But I am convinced that when it changes, many people will be so convinced by it that they will ask why it hasn't always been this way.

"If we look at it objectively, we have fantastic annual tournaments like the Champions League and the Copa Libertadores which don't lose their prestige even though they take place every year."