Mandatory hydration breaks during each half of the World Cup continue to frustrate the football community. Virgil van Dijk and Thomas Tuchel have strongly criticized the three-minute pauses for disrupting the flow of the game to accommodate television commercials. However, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who was firmly opposed to this innovation at the start of the tournament, has surprisingly softened his stance amid the widespread backlash. Serving as a pundit on German TV, the renowned coach acknowledged that he has come to see some benefits in FIFA’s controversial rule.
“It’s really hot at the tournament right now, and these breaks are useful for the players. Would coaches like this? Yes, I would definitely appreciate it. Perhaps there are even too many of them at the moment. The pauses are definitely too long since you don’t need two and a half minutes just to have a drink. But there is some value in it. When you’re at the stadium, it’s fine because they put on a little show, like cheerleaders in Dallas. That’s all good, but I understand those watching at home who just see the commercials. Although at my age, it’s a good excuse to take a bathroom break,” Klopp commented.
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