The World Cup may be over but the fall-out from the biggest tournament continues in earnest on Tuesday. According to Real madrid manager Jose Mourinho, football's biggest showpiece event is not better than the Champions League - an opinion that has been heavily criticised by former Liverpool defender, turned TV pundit, Alan Hansen.

In the Telegraph, Hansen launches a vociferous defence of the World Cup, insisting that, for players, it remains the most prestigious prize in the sport.

Jose Mourinho’s claim that the Champions League is now “bigger and more important” than the World Cup might provoke a debate in the wake of South Africa 2010. But personally I believe the World Cup remains far bigger, despite the poor quality of this tournament.

One thing that the football world has to face up to, however, is the fact that lesser teams at the World Cup will continue to become more organised and difficult to beat.

It makes for boring and dour football, but there is nothing that can be done about it because the primary objective for every team is to reach the last 16 and, if they have to be organised defensively to do that, then so be it.

But in spite of the poor games and lack of stand-out matches in South Africa, Mourinho’s argument about the Champions League being a better tournament is irrelevant because that competition still pales into insignificance compared to the World Cup.

I won the European Cup three times, but if you ask any player what they would rather win, it would be the World Cup.