England faces harsh temperatures during the World Cup (Image: Getty)
England face Norway in sweltering Miami in preparation for another tough test in scorching heat, with players at risk of losing the equivalent of eight pints of sweat. Thomas Tuchel’s side will be competing for a place in the semi-finals, which will see them face either Argentina or Switzerland.
The Three Lions have already endured the rigors of altitude, defeating Mexico 3-2 in the scorching temperatures of Azteca Stadium, 7,350 feet above sea level. Miami may be at a low altitude, but it doesn’t protect you from the elements. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory ahead of the game, warning that the combination of temperature and humidity could cause temperatures to reach an oppressive 43 degrees. The difficulties are compounded by Saharan dust that hit the Atlantic Ocean earlier this week, triggering health warnings, especially for people with allergies and respiratory conditions.
Additionally, if extra time is required in the quarter-finals, players could lose around 2 liters of fluid per hour, Radovivr reports. This equates to approximately 4 liters or 8.5 pints in 120 minutes.
Dr Foster, a lecturer in environmental physiology at King’s College London, explained to the paper: “With the type of workload expected of elite outfield football players, it is impossible to consume enough water to completely counteract the effects of high heat and humidity. This will begin to show up as a decline in performance as the match progresses.”
“At the start of a match, your core body temperature will be between 37.5 and 38 degrees. Towards the end of the match, the hardest-working athletes can have a core temperature closer to 39.5 to 40 degrees. At these high temperatures, fatigue increases rapidly as your body desperately tries to stop exertion and heat production. Heart rate is approximately 20 to 40 degrees per minute. The heart rate increases and water loss through sweat becomes very high, approaching 2 liters per hour. ”
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Dr. Foster continued: “The muscles become warmer, which causes them to deplete their energy stores faster. High humidity also promotes dehydration, which ultimately means the heart has to work harder to stabilize blood pressure. Competing at a high heart rate makes exercise seem more difficult, leading to the early onset of fatigue, which ultimately leads to decreased performance.”
England are also training in high temperatures. (Image: Getty)
“Additionally, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride are lost through sweat. These electrolytes are essential for neurological function, so loss of these electrolytes also reduces muscle performance and accelerates brain fatigue.”
Hydration breaks are an ongoing debate among some supporters, but they are an important safety measure for athletes competing in sweltering weather.
“We need to use this time to actively cool the athlete and bring their body temperature back to normal levels,” Dr. Foster added. “Athletes can also consume iced slurry drinks instead of just cold water. This cools the body five to 10 times faster.”
The match is scheduled to start at 10pm UK time, but the Three Lions will return to their traditional all-white strip if tonight’s threat of thunderstorms does not delay. Due to FIFA’s equipment regulations stipulated in Rule 6.2, he was forced to wear navy shorts in the previous round against Mexico. Each component of one team’s strip must clearly contrast with the corresponding item worn by the opposing team.
