Hydration breaks have become the pantomime villain of this World Cup.
Indeed, England fans booed loudly during the interval against Croatia, with players and managers demanding a three-minute stoppage at the 22nd minute of each half.
The mandatory provision has been met with increasing backlash, with accusations that it is an artificial way to turn soccer into four quarters to benefit U.S. broadcasters who can make more money with additional commercials.
This was put in place by FIFA in a bid to “prioritize player welfare” in a similar way throughout the tournament, where humidity is an issue and temperatures often reach the low 20s and often above. But in less intense conditions, or in air-conditioned stadiums, this practice looks farcical.
England players hydrate themselves during the hydration break during the match against Croatia (Image: Javier Garcia/Shutterstock)
England manager Thomas Tuchel insisted they were not needed in an indoor environment, but admitted it would give him a chance to have a more direct influence as a manager – to “regroup, change and reset”.
And some experts suggest they could derail the flow of the match and disrupt the momentum built over a “normal” 45 minutes. I looked into the data…
Will a hydration break change the flow of the game?
1. One of the earliest signs that such a break could have a measurable impact on momentum was when the United States defeated Paraguay 4-1.
The outcome of the game was already decided, with America leading 3-0, but Paraguay, who had shown little in the second half, turned around immediately after the second-half rehydration break and were able to score with Mauricio’s goal just seconds after the restart.
It was a lack of concentration on the part of the Americans, giving the unmarked Palmeiras forwards a simple long ball.
Paraguay took advantage of the hydration break in the second half and were able to gain momentum and score against a surging USA team (Image: Machine Football)
2. Meanwhile, Haiti may suffer from a first-half hydration break in their game against Scotland the next day, after the less impressive Caribbean side got off to a decent start in their first game.
The momentum graph below shows how the threat differential swung significantly in Haiti’s favor before the suspension.
After the restart, Scotland quickly regained the lead, with John McGinn scoring the only goal of the match in the 29th minute.
Early momentum in Haiti vs. Scotland reversed after first-half hydration break (Image: Machine Football)
3. The match between Group G outsiders Iran and New Zealand also saw a noticeable swing in momentum after the first-half rehydration break.
New Zealand had an early advantage before the break, finishing with a goal from Elijah Just seven minutes into the game.
However, the top-ranked Iranians (FIFA #20) were able to assert their quality after the restart, riding the momentum and leveling the score in the 32nd minute with a goal from Ramin Rezean.
New Zealand outperformed expectations at the start of the game against Iran, but hopes of an upset were dashed by a reversal of momentum after a first-half water break (Image: Machine Football)
The end-to-end match ended 2-2, with the remaining two goals scored between halftime and the second half hydration break.
lessons to be learned
It is too early to tell whether hydration breaks will benefit the stronger side or the weaker side more, but it is inevitable that hydration breaks can disrupt the momentum of a match.
Attacking teams with high positioning, using possession to create chances, often rely on staying focused longer than their opponents in order to break through organized defences.
So it’s no surprise that game after game, teams that gained momentum before the rehydration break struggle to maintain that trajectory once play resumes.
England fans boo loudly at the break that occurs between every World Cup match (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
A slow, possession-oriented team like the Netherlands could particularly struggle at this World Cup, making it more difficult to win games without a first half to dominate the pitch and build momentum.
Soccer is a unique sport because its low-scoring nature makes momentum central to its appeal and a key element in the success of the winner.
This gives the sport a sense of flow, where the influence of emotion and atmosphere becomes a more obvious factor in the outcome of a match than in other sports.
By introducing this measure without a proper trial and feedback process, FIFA is betting on the very formula that makes soccer the most popular sport in the world.
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