France midfielder Rabiot joins Vinicius in criticising World Cup final pitch
Adrien Rabiot said the surface felt artificial and hard after France's 3-1 win, echoing Vinicius Jr's earlier complaints about the dry pitch.
- France midfielder Adrien Rabiot criticized the quality of the MetLife Stadium pitch in New Jersey following his team's 3-1 victory over Senegal on Tuesday, calling it "more like an artificial surface."
- Brazil forward Vinicius voiced similar frustrations after a 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday, noting the pitch's dryness caused the game to become "very sluggish" and disrupted rhythm.
- France coach Didier Deschamps called the pitch a "special surface," noting "I think there's probably concrete underneath" and that "the bounce is a bit different" from last year's FIFA Club World Cup.
- Multiple nations have struggled to find rhythm on the short fibers at the East Rutherford venue, with Rabiot describing the surface as rigid and hard compared to natural grass.
- Senegal prepares to face Norway on June 22 at the venue, which is also scheduled to host the World Cup final in July amid ongoing concerns about pitch conditions.
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French midfielder Adrien Rabiot criticized on Tuesday the lawn status of the New York/New Jersey stadium, where the ‘Bleus’ premiered in the 2026 World Cup. “You can’t even call it playing ground,” said the AC Milan flyer, and described it as “like synthetic grass.” “It was pretty hard and rigid. But it’s the same for all teams and you have to adapt,” Rabiot said in a mixed zone after France’s 3-1 win over Senegal. Read also... With his so many …
France midfielder Rabiot joins Vinicius in criticising World Cup final pitch
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot said the pitch "felt more like an artificial surface" after Les Bleus opened their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal on Tuesday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which will host the final game of the tournament on July 19.
FIFA World Cup 2026: France midfielder Rabiot joins Brazil’s Vinicius in criticising New York pitch
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot raised concerns about the quality of the pitch at the New York/New Jersey stadium after a 3-1 win over Senegal on Tuesday, echoing Brazil forward Vinicius Jr’s frustration with the dryness of the surface.
France’s midfielder Rabiot joins Brazil’s Vinicius in criticising New York pitch
A general view of the pitch at the New Jersey Stadium, which will also serve as the venue for July’s World Cup final. (AFP pic) EAST RUTHERFORD: France midfielder Adrien Rabiot raised concerns about the quality of the pitch at the New York/New Jersey stadium after their 3-1 win over Senegal on Tuesday, echoing Brazil forward Vinicius Jr’s frustration with the dryness of the surface. Rabiot, who bagged an assist in France’s Group I opener, said t…
France midfielder Rabiot joins Brazil's Vinicius in criticizing New York pitch
EAST RUTHERFORD: France midfielder Adrien Rabiot raised concerns about the quality of the pitch at the New York stadium after their 3-1 win over Senegal on Tuesday, echoing Brazil forward Vinicius Jr's frustration with the dryness of the surface.
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