Thomas Tuchel critical of World Cup hydration breaks
Quick Look
- England head coach Thomas Tuchel has voiced his disapproval of the hydration breaks implemented at the World Cup, citing their disruptive effect on the game's flow and identity.
- He noted that while breaks were previously used in extreme heat, their current mandatory nature in every match, regardless of conditions, significantly alters the match's characteristics.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Thomas Tuchel, England's head coach, expressed his views on the hydration breaks used in the World Cup. The breaks have been a point of contention, with fans jeering them during England's opening game.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is not a fan of the controversial hydration breaks being used at the World Cup.
Tuchel, 52, was speaking before England's second Group L game against Ghana in Boston on Wednesday (21:00 BST), where rain and cool temperatures are forecast.
England's fans started the now customary jeering of the breaks when play was stopped in the first half of their opening game against Croatia in Dallas, despite the match being played under a roof in an air-conditioned arena.
The breaks will continue to be used in Boston irrespective of the weather, but Tuchel expressed his reservations about them and the impact they are having on games.
"I think that it interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter," Tuchel said.
"They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team.
"It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought."
Open Questions
- Will FIFA reconsider the hydration break policy?
- How will coaches adapt tactics to the breaks?
