Fans are not happy with hydration break at the ongoing FIFA World Cup
Loud boos were heard across the stadium during the hydration breaks around World Cup group L matches played on Wednesday largely as fans made their discontentment for the new FIFA rule in the World Cup, of players having mandatory three minutes break intervals for hydration in the first and second halves of the soccer play all through the tournament. This is to help players deal with the heat and humidity of the North American summer.
The boos were first at Dallas Stadium for England’s clash with Croatia, and later in Toronto where Ghana played Panama.
Critics voiced their frustrations that the break kills the flow of the game, others viewed the innovation as a ploy to bid time for commercial adverts showings. Even Jurgen Klopp, the former Liverpool coach, aired his disbelief on how the intervals for commercial activities are killing the game, a ploy of driving the football game to commercial gains instead of the wellbeing of the footballers, is ruining the beauty of beauty of football.
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Fans of England team showed their stance against the hydration break at the Wednesday’s match and boos were heard from both Croatia and England fans as soon as referee Turpin Clement blew his whistle for the hydration break in the first half.
The other group L game where Panama played Ghana was not left out in their protest. The hydration break was met with a negative reception as players walked out of the field of play.
Else where in Tuesday’s game before, Norway’s match against Iraq in Boston, their were also boos from the fans when the first hydration break commenced though with the temperature relatively normal.
