June 15, 2026
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has criticised the introduction of mandatory hydration breaks at this summer’s World Cup, suggesting the pauses disrupt the flow of the game and cater to television broadcasters.
Speaking after the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday—a match played inside the climate-controlled, air-conditioned AT&T Stadium—the 34-year-old defender was asked for his thoughts on enforcing the breaks even when stadium conditions are not overly hot.
The Dutch captain, who scored the opening goal of the match, laughed before offering a candid critique.
“Hydration breaks are a bit interesting, because I was obviously watching almost all the games up until today, and every time going to commercial is a bit … Not really that I like it,” Van Dijk said.
