World Cup 2026 - Argentina: cooling breaks, Lionel Scaloni's take

22.06.26 FT World Cup

Argentina

2

:

Austria

0

Speaking to the press in Arlington, on the outskirts of Dallas, Lionel Scaloni addressed the introduction of cooling breaks during matches in this 2026 World Cup.

The Argentina head coach believes that these interruptions, combined with the intense heat seen since the start of the tournament, can shake things up and narrow the gap between teams. "What we’re seeing in this World Cup is that there are no more easy matches," he said.

Scaloni feels these new match conditions can benefit so-called underdog teams, who are able to catch their breath and reorganize their game plan during the stoppages. "The heat and constant breaks can help the theoretically weaker side, because they have time to recover. This didn’t exist before," he emphasized.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

Related teams and leagues

Argentina

Austria

World Cup