Gianni Infantino slammed for 'changing' football after England tactical break comments

After England rallied to Thomas Tuchel's orders in the latter stages of their Round of 32 fixture to scrape past DR Congo, Gianni Infantino has infuriated fans with comments about the use of hydration breaks.

England has been one of the most vocal fan bases against hydration breaks, condemning the elongated breaks in play in favour of advertisements on American TV - British broadcasters ITV and BBC both took the stance to not show commercials during the three-minute gaps.

Booing each break in all four of their games so far, the fans have been joined by World Cup stars like Virgil Van Dijk, who became the first player to criticise the quarterly stops.

But FIFA President Gianni Infantino has continued to stand by the hydration breaks, claiming that they are necessary even in games in air-conditioned stadiums.

"The main reason is the heat, but we also have to understand that in a competition like the (FIFA) World Cup, played over 39 days, with teams potentially playing eight matches in those 39 days, having a moment to rest is extremely important," he said during the group stage.

"What matters even more to us is ensuring that all teams, in every match, are playing under the same conditions. And it’s very difficult to accept that a coach might have the opportunity to influence a match by making adjustments simply because it’s hotter, while in another match, where the temperature is slightly lower, the same coach doesn’t have the same opportunity."

Following England's win against DR Congo, the FIFA President praised the breaks again, saying that the system helped Thomas Tuchel's side.

Gianni Infantino claims controversial hydration breaks helped England

While some FIFA rules have helped England players avoid being sanctioned, the use of hydration breaks are still being condemned by the Three Lions fans.

However, Infantino has now suggested that the England players benefited from the chance to 'regroup' during the breaks, and suggested that it was the reason they managed to rally again in the final 15 minutes.

"After an intense start to both halves, England used their hydration breaks well to regroup, reorganise and get on the front foot before finding the net twice in the final 15 minutes," Infantino said.

"These breaks are so important to give players a break during tournament play, while also allowing all coaches a dedicated moment in every match - not just depending on the weather conditions - to engage directly with their players.

"Overall, this was another fantastic FIFA World Cup contest involving two great teams - in a fantastic venue in Atlanta."

These comments didn't go down well with fans, though.

England fans condemn Infantino's hydration break praise

Fans took to social media to claim that the FIFA President is trying to 'change' football with the breaks and is using the England match as an example to push the agenda.

"If you are a DR Congo fan seeing the FIFA president say this, you'd be shocked (I say this as an England fan). We looked so much better after the hydration break, but that's not the game. The game is the players have to figure it out for themselves. They had us on the ropes," said one fan on X.

Another added, "Ok, so now it’s a hydration+coaching break. Clearly changes the sport massively."

A third popular post said, "It’s not Gianni Infantino’s place to change the structure of the game."

No matter whether it helped England or not, it seems football fans prefer the game without hydration breaks.

The change to refuel will likely be a key factor again as England take on Mexico at the high-altitude Azteca stadium, which Thomas Tuchel has already labeled as an 'impossible' obstacle to overcome.