France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has become the latest player to voice concerns about pitch conditions at the World Cup, saying the playing surface at New York New Jersey Stadium felt closer to artificial turf than natural grass.
Rabiot made the comments after France opened their tournament with a 3-1 victory over Senegal on Tuesday. The 31-year-old played the full match and set up Bradley Barcola’s goal before turning attention to the condition of the field in New Jersey.
The venue, better known as MetLife Stadium, is home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets and will stage several major World Cup matches, including England’s final Group L game against Panama on 27 June and the tournament final on 19 July.
Despite a temporary grass surface being installed specifically for the World Cup, Rabiot was unimpressed with the feel of the pitch, describing it as hard and rigid compared to what players would normally expect from a natural grass field.
His criticism follows similar complaints from Brazil forward Vinicius Junior after Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco. Vinicius said the pitch became increasingly dry during the second half, particularly in the heat, making it difficult for players to move the ball quickly and maintain their rhythm.
The concerns have renewed discussion around playing surfaces at several World Cup venues in North America. MetLife Stadium traditionally uses artificial turf and has developed an unwanted reputation in the NFL because of a series of serious injuries suffered by players there over recent years.
Among the most recent cases was New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in September, adding to what some have labelled the “MetLife curse”.
For the World Cup, organisers installed temporary grass pitches at eight of the 16 host stadiums. One of those venues is Boston Stadium, where Scotland began their Group C campaign with a 1-0 win over Haiti and will return on Friday to face Morocco.
MetLife Stadium is next scheduled to host Senegal’s Group I clash against Norway on 22 June, with attention likely to remain on the condition of the playing surface as the tournament progresses.