A recent friendly match, pitting the French national team against Brazil (2-1) last Thursday in Foxborough, featured two ‘cooling breaks’ in the middle of each half. These interruptions are set to become the norm, as FIFA has announced their systematic imposition for every fixture of the 2026 World Cup. This decision is far from being unanimously welcomed, and football pundit Eric Di Meco, in particular, has expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the concept.
