Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has criticised the introduction of mandatory hydration breaks at this summer’s World Cup, suggesting the pauses disrupt the flow of the game and cater to television broadcasters.
Speaking after the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday—a match played inside the climate-controlled, air-conditioned AT&T Stadium—the 34-year-old defender was asked for his thoughts on enforcing the breaks even when stadium conditions are not overly hot.
The Dutch captain, who scored the opening goal of the match, laughed before offering a candid critique.
“Hydration breaks are a bit interesting, because I was obviously watching almost all the games up until today, and every time going to commercial is a bit … Not really that I like it,” Van Dijk said.
“I think for the neutral watchers on TV it’s also not great. If it’s really hot, obviously it would be good to put them in. But I think you have to look at it in every game, separately, in my opinion. But I think I’ve said enough already for that.”
FIFA implemented the mandatory three-minute breaks in each half for every tournament fixture following bouts of extreme heat during last summer’s expanded Club World Cup.
However, the initiative has drawn skepticism from critics who argue the rule serves a dual commercial purpose rather than focusing solely on player welfare.
Those concerns were heightened in March when FIFA gave broadcasters the green light to air commercials during the pauses, a window several networks have since utilized.
Beyond the commercial aspect, the breaks are also facing scrutiny for their tactical impact on the pitch.
Following Sunday’s fixtures, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann indicated that the first-half hydration break proved invaluable for his side, allowing his coaching staff a timeout to tactically regroup after conceding an equalizer during their eventual 7-1 rout of Curaçao.
