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Hopping Mad: Club World Cup Players Getting a Bad Bounce

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Andy Hageman | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 12:45 PM ET

FIFA’s Club World Cup pitches are bouncing players into a fury, with surfaces so shoddy they’re more suited for rabbits than world-class footballers. Jude Bellingham blasted the turf, saying, “The ball barely bounces”. With the 2026 World Cup looming, can FIFA fix this pitch pickle?

Real Madrid’s Bellingham didn’t mince words, calling the pitches “tough on the knees” and urging FIFA to act. PSG’s Luis Enrique hopped on the complaint train, joking, “The ball looked more like a rabbit jumping”. Players are leaping over divots like bunnies dodging a fox.

“It holds up the ball,” Bellingham groaned, noting the dry, patchy grass. Even FIFA’s year-long grass studies haven’t saved these fields from player scorn.

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Weather isn’t helping the pitch plight. “They watered it, but ten minutes later it was bone dry,” a groundskeeper admitted to UEFA.com. Scorching June heat evaporates moisture faster than a SpaceX rocket during launch, leaving surfaces cracked and unforgiving.

Prize money, reportedly $50 million for the winner, fuels FIFA’s coffers according to Sky Sports. Yet, players wonder why funds aren’t funneled into fields. “It’s a money grab,” one anonymous star quipped, dodging FIFA’s wrath like a nimble hare.

Bellingham’s plea for better pitches echoes across the tournament. “It’s important to protect players,” he stressed, eyeing the World Cup. If FIFA doesn’t act, 2026 could see stars hopping mad on subpar surfaces.

Enrique’s rabbit jab sparked chuckles, but the issue’s no laughing matter. Poor pitches risk injuries and tarnish FIFA’s shiny event. Fans deserve to see Messi the Magician, not Roger the Rabbit.

FIFA’s turf troubles aren’t new. Past tournaments faced similar gripes, yet solutions lag behind them. With $2 billion in Club World Cup revenue projected, surely FIFA can spare a carrot or two for quality grass?

Players like Estevao slammed MetLife’s field, calling it “unplayable” talking to The Athletic. The Brazilian wonderkid’s frustration mirrors a tournament-wide sentiment. Nobody wants to chase a ball down a rabbit-hole.

The Club World Cup should showcase football’s best, not its worst lawns. FIFA must sow seeds for better pitches before the World Cup. Until then, players will keep hopping over divots, dreaming of greener pastures.

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This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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