The former German tennis player, Boris Becker, recently shared his take on hydration breaks that have been made compulsory at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Multiple opinions on this new rule have been making headlines online.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, which is the 23rd edition of the global men’s football championship, commenced on June 11 and will continue till July 19. This iteration is the first three-nation co-hosting model in FIFA history, as it is being co-hosted entirely across North America by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Mandatory hydration breaks have been introduced by FIFA to protect player health against the intense summer heat. The referee is instructed to officially stop play for exactly three minutes at the 22-minute mark of the first half and the 22-minute mark of the second half of every single match. In the past tournaments, cooling breaks were only allowed if temperatures exceeded 31 degrees; however, these breaks are now strictly universal regardless of the temperature.
They will take place in all 104 matches and will be applied even inside fully air-conditioned, climate-controlled stadiums. The debate over hydration breaks has become one of the biggest talking points in the sports world, and Becker recently shared his opinion on the rule, expressing his opposition to it. He wrote on X:
“Drinking Break” …what a joke in professional sports !!!
Mixed reactions have been shared on hydration breaks, as some of the coaches stated that it makes sense when the temperatures are extreme, but they opposed the fact of them being necessary at every match. While some are saying that it might interrupt the game’s flow, some have stated that the breaks are too short to make an impact on cooling the players.
When Boris Becker opened up about his love for Bayern Munich
Boris Becker is an avid football fan, and, in 2009, he spoke to Football Fanzone, where he made his feelings known about his favorite football team, Bayern Munich. Opening up about his support for the club, he revealed that he had been a fan for years and had also served on its advisory board for ten years. He further shared that he played football before taking up tennis, saying:
“I am a big fan of Bayern and have been for years. I’ve actually been on the advisory board for ten years. Every German kid, before they walk and before they can talk, they love their football. It is similar story for me. Before I was a tennis player I was a football player and supporter,” said Boris Becker.
Comparing his love for football with tennis, he added:
“Football is as much of a love as tennis.”
After an illustrious 15-year tennis career, Boris Becker retired from the sport in 1999. During his career, he won 49 singles titles and 15 doubles titles.
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