Virgil van Dijk has voiced his concerns about the implementation of hydration breaks at this summer’s World Cup.
After the Netherlands’ match against Japan, which ended in a 2-2 draw at the temperature-controlled AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Dutch captain was asked for his opinion on the hydration breaks in conditions that aren’t excessively hot.
The 34-year-old chuckled before responding: “Hydration breaks are rather intriguing. I’ve been watching almost all the games leading up to today, and each time there’s a commercial break … it’s not really my favorite.”
“For fans watching at home, it’s probably not ideal either. If it’s sweltering, then yes, they make sense, but I think each game should be evaluated individually.”
“But I’ve already said enough on that topic.”
FIFA implemented the three-minute breaks in each half of every match during the tournament following instances of extreme heat in last summer’s restructured Club World Cup.
However, the decision has drawn criticism, with some arguing that the move serves commercial interests in addition to concerns for player welfare.
Some broadcasters have opted to air commercials during these breaks after FIFA approved them to do so back in March.
The impact of these breaks on the game’s flow faced scrutiny during the weekend matches, with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann suggesting that the three-minute pause allowed his team to regroup tactically after conceding an equalizer in their 7-1 victory over Curaçao.
“Curaçao utilized a diamond formation today, and we adjusted our attacking strategy prior to the hydration break,” Nagelsmann mentioned.
“Nonetheless, there were still a couple of instances where it took us some time because, ultimately, facing a diamond-shaped team is quite rare these days. It’s almost unheard of.”
“Very few teams employ that formation anymore, and we required a bit of time. The water break was actually beneficial to reinforce the adjustments we had already discussed.”