Marcelo Bielsa rarely minces his words. And at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the veteran Uruguay coach has trained his sharp analytical mind on a target closer to the game itself - the hydration break.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Uruguay's Group H clash against Cape Verde on Sunday, Bielsa became the latest high-profile figure at this tournament to publicly criticise FIFA's decision to introduce mandatory three-minute hydration breaks during World Cup matches, a move introduced ostensibly to protect players from the intense summer heat across the tournament's North American venues.
"With the new rules there are lots of goals - so be it," Bielsa said. "According to the general consensus, playing four periods instead of two alters the culturally constructed conception of how to interpret football. In my view, it adds nothing and takes away a lot."
The 70-year-old did not stop there. He argued that when the decision was taken to split matches into what effectively becomes four segments, those in charge did not properly consider the impact it would have on what makes football such a captivating and unique sport. "People fall in love with the game because of its characteristics," he said plainly.
Bielsa is far from alone in his frustration. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino had already gone public with his reservations, stating the breaks should only be triggered in truly extreme conditions rather than applied routinely across fixtures. Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk, meanwhile, had called out broadcasters for using the breaks to run commercial advertisements, a practice FIFA had quietly approved back in March.
For Bielsa, the comparison with VAR was telling. He acknowledged that VAR had improved the game, calling it a "great success." The hydration break, in his view, is the opposite, an intervention with consequences that are "not positive."
Uruguay drew their opener 1-1 against Saudi Arabia and need a strong result against Cape Verde to stay on track in a group that also includes Spain.
The breaks will continue. But so will the debate.
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