MetLife's World Cup Grass Is 'Very Slow' and 'Cement Below,' and FIFA Is Still Denying It.
Okay, you guys, this is classic. Every time some big organization tells us "there's nothing to see here," what's actually happening? Usually, there's a whole lot to see, and it's rarely good. Right now, FIFA is tripping over themselves trying to downplay major concerns about the grass quality at MetLife Stadium, the very same venue set to host eight World Cup matches, including the championship game!
Brazil and Morocco already played there on June 13, and let's just say the players are not holding back. This isn't some minor turf divot. This is a real problem, and the folks in charge are trying to sweep it under the rug while the athletes are out there struggling.
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Players Are Calling Out the MetLife Surface
You know it's bad when the players themselves are speaking up. After Brazil faced Morocco, Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior laid it all out for TNT Sports Brazil. He didn't mince words, telling them, "Because of the weather and the heat, the grass dries out quickly and the game ends up being very slow." Slow? For a World Cup match? That's a nightmare scenario! He went on to say, "We can't build up a rhythm. . . . That makes things difficult because we want to play. We want to move the ball from one side to the other and this disrupts our game. But we have to adapt because I believe it will be like this all tournament. Everyone will have to play on the same surfaces." "We have to adapt" is not exactly a ringing endorsement, is it?
This isn't just one guy either. France also played Senegal at MetLife Stadium, and their coach, Didier Deschamps, had some choice words. You know when a coach is calling out the playing surface, things are rough. These guys are professionals, and they expect top-tier conditions for the biggest stage in the world. But what they're getting in New Jersey sounds like anything but.
"Cement Below" The Grass? Seriously, FIFA?
France’s coach, Didier Deschamps, didn't hold back, calling the MetLife grass "a special surface, it's different." Different how, coach? He elaborated: "We need to get used to this. There might be some cement below the grass. You have very short shards of grass here." Cement below the grass? That sounds like a recipe for injuries and slow play, exactly what Vinicius Junior described. France's Adrien Rabiot also commented after playing on it, reinforcing the sentiment that this isn't ideal. It’s wild that they’re hosting the championship game there, and the players are basically saying it feels like playing on concrete with a thin layer of turf on top. FIFA is going to have to do more than just "downplay" these concerns. The integrity of the matches and the safety of the athletes are at stake. You can't just ignore what the actual players and coaches are experiencing out on the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.