Soccer-Germany fly in groundskeeper Breuning to maintain World Cup training pitch amid heat

June 10 (Reuters) – Germany have flown in veteran groundskeeper Sebastian Breuning to water and maintain ‌their World Cup training ground at North ‌Carolina’s Wake Forest University amid high temperatures, German newspaper Bild said ​in a report.

Breuning, who has been the German soccer association’s (DFB) groundskeeping coordinator since 2022, was seen tending to the heavily watered pitch with local staff ‌after Tuesday’s training session ⁠amid hot and humid weather.

FIFA has for the first time mandated three-minute hydration ⁠breaks in each half for all 104 matches of the World Cup starting Thursday in the U.S., ​Mexico and ​Canada, after soaring temperatures ​affected last year’s Club ‌World Cup held in the U.S.

“Yes, it needs water. That’s the problem with these temperatures, for drinking and also on the pitch. And that’s being taken care of,” Germany’s national team director Rudi ‌Voeller told Bild.

“The people here ​are going to incredible lengths. ​It’s great to ​see how much help is being given… ‌of course, the pitch can ​be harder ​and drier. But the conditions are quite good. We’ve got nothing to complain about.”

Germany will ​kick off their ‌campaign with a Group E match against ​Curacao on Sunday.

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; ​Editing by Toby Chopra)