Hydration breaks affect game more than I initially thought, says England's Tuchel

England coach Thomas Tuchel believes the hydration breaks implemented at the World Cup are significantly altering the game's dynamics. Introduced by FIFA to combat sweltering conditions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, these three-minute pauses occur midway through each half. While intended to ensure player safety, Tuchel argues they disrupt the natural flow and momentum of football matches.

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I think that it (hydration break) interrupts and changes the identity of the football match, much more than I thought.

"I think that it (hydration break) interrupts and changes the identity of the football match, much more than I thought," Tuchel said at a press conference. He noted that while hydration breaks have existed before, they were typically shorter and used only when absolutely necessary due to extreme heat. The current format, he explained, effectively divides the game into four quarters, which he feels diminishes its characteristic intensity.

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So now it breaks the match almost in four quarters, and I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.

Tuchel expressed concern that the breaks make it difficult to build and sustain momentum. "It's hard to build momentum, and it's hard to keep the momentum," he stated. He prefers football played in a continuous flow within each half, believing it allows for a more engaging and dynamic experience. The coach acknowledged that from a tactical perspective, the breaks offer a chance to regroup his team, but he ultimately feels they detract from the overall quality and excitement of the sport.

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I like it as a coach, of course, to have influence and have my team together, but overall I think I like football more when it's played in one go, in one half, because it builds a momentum.