Published on 6/21/2026
Uruguay’s Argentine coach, Marcelo Bielsa, on Saturday criticized the water breaks imposed in all 2026 World Cup matches, considering that they “add nothing and take away a lot” from football.
The veteran coach said regarding this new procedure imposed by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in the finals hosted by North America, with the aim of combating the high temperature that affects the players by giving them a three-minute rest and hydration period: “Playing in four periods instead of two periods changes the concept of football itself.”
Read also
list of 2 itemsend of list
Bielsa added: “No thought was given to the consequences that might result from this sport, but rather to another type of repercussions,” in an indirect reference to the large profits generated from television advertisements during these periods, which sometimes last longer than expected, delaying the resumption of the match.
He continued: “Before this decision was taken, football had a certain characteristic, but now it has another characteristic,” comparing this new procedure to the video assistant referee technology, which he believes has contributed to improving the game.
He explained: “The conclusions I present are not my personal opinions, but rather what I constantly hear and agree with.”
On the other hand, the Uruguay coach did not mention much about Sunday’s match against Cape Verde, which forced Spain to draw 0-0 in the first round.
In Miami, the “Celeste” team will seek to perform better than the one they showed when they tied with Saudi Arabia 1-1 in the opening round.
