Former England defender Wayne Bridge has weighed in on FIFA's contentious hydration breaks, just days after ex-U.S. Men's National Team star Alexi Lalas declared he had no issue with them.
The World Cup is now in full swing, with Bridge likely thrilled after watching England kick off its campaign in Dallas with a commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia . Wednesday's action also brought embarrassment for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal , who were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo.
Among the most hotly debated topics surrounding the tournament has been FIFA's implementation of hydration breaks, with stoppages scheduled at the 22nd minute of both halves, effectively transforming a 90-minute soccer match into a four-quarter contest, via The Mirror US .
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The breaks have drawn sharp criticism from soccer fans, who argue the interruptions can derail a team's momentum, giving opponents the opportunity to regroup after sustained pressure.
Furthermore, some fans have suggested FIFA's hydration breaks are less about protecting players from the intense heat and more about creating additional TV commercial opportunities.
Several World Cup venues are domed and air-conditioned, making hydration breaks arguably unnecessary. Nevertheless, earlier this week, Lalas stated he had no objections to the stoppages, noting they "benefits players and advertisers."
Posting on X, Lalas wrote: "I have no problem with hydration breaks. It benefits players and advertisers.
"Win/win. Yes, it changes how you play/coach/watch, but so did substitutions, 3 pts for win, VAR, etc. Evolve and adapt. There will be a generation whose version of the beautiful game includes quarters."
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Yet not everyone is on board with the hydration breaks. Wayne Bridge, who represented the Three Lions at two World Cups (2002 and 2006), has reservations about their introduction.
The former Chelsea and Manchester City fullback acknowledges the heat-related reasoning behind the breaks, but warns they could give certain sides an advantage by disrupting the natural rhythm of games.
Speaking exclusively via Freebets.com, Bridge told Mirror U.S. Sports: "I think it's obviously for the welfare of the players because of the heat mainly.
"As a fan, you probably just want to get on with the game. As a player, I used to always hate having half-time - you're on a roll, you're going, then all of a sudden you're sat down for 10-15 minutes, and you've got to get going again. If you're in the game, I'd rather it just keeps flowing. Unless it's going really bad and you need to sort something out.
"I like the game to flow. Will it suit some teams? It'll probably suit the teams that are really in control of the game, that are comfortable passing it around and keeping possession. In terms of the sport itself, I'd rather not have it. I think fans wouldn't, and as a player I just want to get on and play the game."
