The head coach of the England national team, Thomas Tuchel, has expressed his disapproval of the controversial hydration breaks implemented during the World Cup.
Prior to England’s upcoming match against Ghana in Boston on Tuesday (21:00 BST), where cool and rainy weather is anticipated, Tuchel shared his views.
Advertisement
Fans of England began to boo the hydration breaks during the first half of their opening match against Croatia in Dallas, even though the match was played in an air-conditioned stadium.
Despite the weather forecast, the hydration breaks will continue in Boston, but Tuchel has raised concerns about their effect on the flow of the game. “I believe they disrupt the match and alter its identity much more than I anticipated. I’ve experienced hydration breaks during extreme heat before, but those were brief,” he explained.
He continued, “In fairness, these are now implemented in every game for all teams, breaking the match almost into four quarters. This fundamentally changes the match’s character more than I originally thought.”
FIFA recently decided to eliminate the second-half hydration break during France’s 3-0 victory over Iraq after a lengthy pause due to poor weather conditions.
Tuchel added, “As a coach, I appreciate the opportunity to regroup with my team. However, I prefer football to be played continuously, as it maintains momentum and flow, which is essential to the game.”
He emphasized, “Without breaks, you see the ongoing battle between players and teams. It evolves over time, contributing to the unique character of the beautiful game.”