Pitch Problems Persist at MetLife Stadium
France’s Adrien Rabiot and Didier Deschamps, alongside Brazil’s Vinicius Jr., have raised serious concerns about the playing surface at MetLife Stadium. The venue, which is scheduled to host the World Cup final on July 19, has come under fire for its difficult conditions.
"The pitch... I don’t even know if you can call it that. It felt more like an artificial surface — quite hard and quite rigid."
— Adrien Rabiot, France midfielder
After France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal, Rabiot was blunt in his assessment, describing the surface as hard and rigid, similar to an artificial pitch.
"I think there’s probably concrete underneath, it’s very short fibers. The bounce is a bit different."
— Didier Deschamps, France coach
Deschamps echoed his player's frustration, calling it a "special surface." He noted the presence of concrete underneath and short fibers, which significantly alters the ball's bounce.
Beyond the hardness, Brazil’s Vinicius Jr. highlighted another issue: heat. After a previous game, he pointed out how the pitch deteriorates in high temperatures.
"In the second half, with the heat, the pitch dries out very quickly. The game becomes very sluggish and we can’t get into our rhythm."
— Vinicius Jr., Brazil forward
Looking ahead, MetLife Stadium will remain a central venue, hosting Senegal vs. Norway on June 22 before the World Cup final on July 19. With top players already complaining, the pressure is on to improve conditions before the tournament's biggest match.