The Bayern Munich honorary president believes the international calendar is disrupting the rhythm of club football, with the German champions particularly affected by the number of players required to represent their countries.
Hoeness was speaking after Bayern were held to a 2-2 draw by Augsburg, missing the opportunity to move above Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga. The club had sent 18 players away on international duty during a break that interrupted the domestic season only four weeks after it began.
“I think it is a catastrophe on UEFA's part to have a two-week break just four weeks after the Bundesliga starts. We had 18 players away with their national teams, and it is completely normal that the rhythm is lost,” Hoeness said, according to Sport1.
The former Bayern chairman also pointed to the consequences of the summer's extended World Cup, arguing that players returned late, had to take their holidays and were left with limited time to prepare for the new campaign.
“We are the ones who suffer most from the long World Cup. Our players came back very late and then had to take their holidays.”
His frustration is directed particularly at the Nations League, which he believes adds unnecessary pressure to an already congested international schedule. The competition was introduced to replace many international friendlies with more meaningful fixtures, but Hoeness questioned whether its benefits justify the disruption to domestic football.
“Then they introduce such a ridiculous competition as the Nations League. It is the joke of the year.”
Hoeness also challenged clubs to take a stronger collective position against the demands placed on their players, arguing that the financial responsibility for footballers rests with their employers rather than national associations.
“The clubs finally have to put their foot down, because it is the clubs, not the national teams, who pay the players.”
His comments come amid wider debate about the international calendar and the demands placed on elite footballers. Bayern's leadership has also raised concerns about the workload facing its squad, although chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen previously expressed support for changes to the calendar.