‘This takes away from it’ – Thomas Tuchel reveals why World Cup hydration breaks are bad for football

ENGLAND manager Thomas Tuchel admits football matches are better WITHOUT the controversial water breaks. Every half at the World Cup features a three-minute hydration break for players due to the extreme heat at some venues. Yet the German has revealed he completely underestimated the impact the breaks are having on games as they interrupt the flow. It is also hugely unpopular among fans. Supporters in the stadiums are booing each time the players head over to the touchline to speak to their coaches midway through each half. Tuchel said: “I think it interrupts and changes the identity of the football match much more than I thought. “I had, of course, hydration breaks before. They were needed, but they were shorter. They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP “Now it is a point of fairness to every team. Now it breaks the match almost in four quarters. I think it changes the characteristics of the match more than I thought. 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. It builds momentum, it’s part of the game. “It’s hard to build momentum and it’s hard to keep the momentum. It’s just like the battle on the field between the players and the teams. “It plays out over a longer period of time. It just adds to the characteristic of a beautiful game. This takes away from it. But in terms of fairness, of course it makes sense that everyone gets it.” Most read in Sport WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS World Cup 2026 - all the info LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! This year’s World Cup is like no other as a record-breaking 48 nations compete to lift football’s biggest prize. England manager Thomas Tuchel is hoping to finally bring football home after a 60-year drought. But footballing legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have other plans in what will likely be their final World Cup appearance. SunSport have got everything you need for the huge tournament LATEST NEWS - Fans locked inside stadium after Netherlands vs Sweden clash - Ivory Coast centre back’s ‘sickening’ shirt number sparks uproar - EXCL: How Jamie Vardy is quietly helping England’s rivals Ghana - Former mayor forced to issue statement about her boobs KEY INFO - World Cup 2026 full match schedule including kick-off times - World Cup 2026 full squads - World Cup 2026 rule changes - World Cup 2026 prize money VIDEO - Proper Football Daily: Get all the expert analysis each morning - Team Talk – Tactics Exposed: Dive into the tactical talking points TIPS AND BETTING If you click a link in this article, we will earn affiliate revenue. England completely lost momentum after the first water break against Croatia when they were leading 1-0. Ironically, that match was played under a roof and against Ghana here in Boston, the weather will be just 18C with rain also forecast. At his pre-match press conference, Tuchel also revealed he was happy that FIFA have moved the photographers before the game so he will be able to see his players during the national anthem. He said: “I will now be able to see my players as we have the protocol right.” CLICK ON PIC FOR STAR’S PROFILE After the game in Dallas, an angry Tuchel said: “I have to tell you something. I’m begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem, because I could not see my team in the national anthem. “And I was waiting for this moment. It was a very, very special moment today, and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a metre away, and I could not see one single player.”