Thomas Tuchel Leads Growing Backlash Against FIFA's New World Cup Hydration Break Rule

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has hit out at the mandatory hydration breaks introduced in this summer's FIFA World Cup as an unwanted distraction.

FIFA mandated that every half of football be divided into two, with a three-minute break in between to allow players take on fluids, regardless of the weather conditions.

This arrangement has come into practice for the first time at the FIFA World Cup, and has not been widely accepted by fans, players, and coaches alike.

Why Thomas Tuchel Believes The Rule Is Changing Football

Usually, football is played in two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 15-minute break in between to allow teams to regroup in private.

By introducing the mandatory three-minute hydration break, FIFA has caused games at the World Cup to be divided into four quarters, similar to how American sports are played.

In every game played so far in the tournament, the referees pause the game at around the 23-minute mark for the players to head to the touchline. While there, they take on fluids and instructions from their coaches for the remainder of the half.

Thomas Tuchel said to the BBC that he does not like the idea of the hydration breaks, seeing how they have changed the characteristics of a regular football match.

"I think that it interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter

"They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team.

"It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought", he said.

A football game is expected to flow normally, and the introduction of the hydration break can confer undue advantages to teams, like Tuchel implied in speaking of the change to the characteristics of matches.

Teams that have built up a head of steam at the start of matches risk losing their momentum if the break comes at a wrong time for them, affording their opponents a way back into the game.

The renewed freedom of coaches to have three uninterrupted minutes to explain tactical details to the players also largely takes away the need for players to adapt and find solutions within themselves during games.

For three minutes, fans in the stands are forced to watch while the action dissipates and restarts. For three minutes, fans watching on TV are made to watch adverts that they never signed up for.

Why FIFA Introduced Mandatory Hydration Breaks

Tuchel spoke about how the hydration breaks are not completely new to football, but how the present nature is alien to the sport.

In the past, football games were normally paused very briefly to allow the players to take in some drinks if the games were played under very hot conditions. This was done to protect the players and keep them safe.

Now, however, FIFA's mandate states that every game at this summer's World Cup has two hydration breaks, regardless of weather.

The stadia in Houston, Atlanta, and Vancouver for this summer's World Cup are all equipped with retractable roofs and full air conditioning, ensuring that the players are protected from the harsh summer heat.

Despite these features, FIFA stated that every game must be stopped for the hydration break, stating that they could not single out certain venues because they wanted to establish uniformity.

In reality, the hydration breaks have been marketed as commercial ad spaces for money to be made by FIFA during games.

Why Coaches Benefit Even If They Don't Like The Rule

Away from the controversial decisions of men and women in suits in the executive boxes at the games, a key point has emerged from the introduction of these hydration breaks.

Tuchel admitted that the break is favourable for coaches as it gives them more time to get instructions to their players after observing the state of the game.

"I like it as a coach, of course, because it is good to have influence and have my team together.

"Overall, though, I think I like football more when it's played in one go in one half because it builds a momentum. It's part of the game.

"It's hard to build momentum, and it's hard to keep the momentum, when there are breaks.

"If you do not have a break, then it's just like the battle on the field between the players and the teams. It plays out in a longer period of time. It just adds to the character of the beautiful game," he added.

The breaks take away the need for players to harness their problem-solving skills, allowing coaches to better manage games to the tiniest details.

Fans, who are the soul of the game itself, have expressed their displeasure by booing loudly whenever the hydration breaks are announced.

From Tuchel's submission, it is evident that hydration breaks can be an added advantage for teams. It is, however, also clear that the fans, players, and coaches do not support it, particularly because it kills momentum.

The breaks are here to stay for this FIFA World Cup, at least. The voice of the fans must be adhered to, after this.

The soul of the beautiful game has been mutilated in many different ways, and the hydration break must not be added to the list, going forward.