ATLANTA (AP) — FIFA will consider keeping hydration breaks for future World Cups despite backlash to the extra stoppages in play at this year’s tournament.Gianni Infantino, the soccer body’s president, defended the decision to introduce breaks — which come midway through each half — at this World Cup and said Tuesday they may be providing more entertainment for fans.He said FIFA would analyze what it will do in future tournaments “based on this experience.” But after criticism that the breaks were a stealth way to insert advertising or American-style timeouts, Infantino suggested the stoppages have been positive.“Maybe the coach can reassess certain situations, correct certain mistakes. The players get a little rest and come back in full speed. Well, is that bad necessarily? Maybe it’s good,” Infantino told SNTV. “And we see as well the intensity of the games. We’ve never seen 90 minutes in a tournament like this played in such an intensity.
“Until the last second of the match, players attack and so on,” he continued. “And maybe, maybe not, but maybe it’s also a bit thanks to this little break that the players have and after they can go back on the field and show what they can do.”
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