Jürgen Klopp fiercely criticized the new hydration breaks implemented in the 2026 World Cup, stating that football is being made “hostage by executives in air-conditioned offices.” The comments from the former Liverpool manager were made to the German channel ZDF. The German coach, who now serves as the director of football at Red Bull, did not hold back in his criticism of FIFA for the decision to introduce these breaks in each half of the matches. Klopp questions the true purpose of these interruptions, which coincide with television advertising slots. “When I saw the players standing still during a heat break while the TV airtime dictated the pace of the game, I couldn’t help but wonder: who does the World Cup really serve? The fans? The players? Or the advertisers?” Klopp questioned. Since the start of the World Cup, most television stations have taken advantage of these breaks to air commercials. In a specific example, during the opening match of the tournament between Mexico and South Africa, players had to wait to resume the game because the American channel Fox was still airing a commercial block. For Klopp, these interruptions distort the essence of the sport. “A World Cup match should flow like a river. Instead, we are building dams in the middle so that ads can pass through. This is dangerous for the spirit of the game,” he warned. The coach concluded with a plea, expressing concern that football may become secondary. “Football was the main event, but now it risks becoming the background music of an advertising spectacle,” he lamented, hoping that “football does not become an interruption between the ads.”
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