An interview conducted in 2018 with the late Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona has resurfaced and spread widely across social media platforms, rekindling interest nearly six years after his death in 2020.
In the interview, Maradona was asked for his opinion on the selection of Canada, Mexico, and the United States to host the 2026 World Cup. He expressed outright opposition to the FIFA decision, arguing that the host nations lacked football "passion" in the traditional sense.
Speaking to Venezuelan network Telesur, the late Argentine star said: "There is no passion. Maybe the Canadians are good skaters, but the Americans wanted to play four quarters of 25 minutes each to make room for advertisements. I didn't like that."
Maradona added that the biggest beneficiary of the joint-hosting decision was Mexico, even though he felt it "doesn't deserve it," saying: "Mexico wins two matches and then leaves. We saw that in Germany and Brazil."
The interview's renewed circulation has brought back to mind a prediction Maradona made years ago, when he spoke about the possibility of matches being divided into four quarters for commercial reasons — something many now see as drawing closer to reality, given FIFA's adoption of hydration breaks during World Cup matches.
These breaks, applied across all tournament matches, have drawn widespread reactions from coaches, players, and fans, as well as extensive media coverage.
Under tournament regulations, a 3-minute stoppage is scheduled in each half, usually between the 22nd and 25th minutes, to allow players to rest regardless of temperature or the nature of the venue, including covered stadiums.
FIFA announced the measure last December, justifying the decision as aimed at "providing the best possible conditions for all players, drawing on previous experience at various tournaments, including the recent Club World Cup, which was also held in the United States."