Heat and wear and tear will be villains in the World Cup, points out Marquinhos

Captain of the Brazilian team and PSG, Marquinhos chose who the teams' biggest opponents should be in the 2026 World Cup, in the United States, Canada and Mexico: the heat and physical exhaustion at the end of the season.

The defender already has experience playing in these conditions. Last year, he was with the French team in the Club World Cup - the team was runner-up, and lost the final to Chelsea, 3-0.

"The heat, tiredness and exhaustion were important factors, especially for those who reached the final. A final played in the afternoon, in absurd heat. Factors that influenced the results and the game. And it was an important experience that I had, things that happen in terms of training, preparation, care that we took and that worked, so that we can put together the best conditions", he said, in a press conference this Wednesday (3).

The heat is indeed one of the biggest concerns during the event. In recent months, experts have been warning about the likelihood of dangerous temperatures for athletes and fans during competition.

An analysis by climate research group World Weather Attribution concluded that around a quarter of the 104 matches in the expanded tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada, are expected to take place in conditions above the safe limits recommended by FIFPRO. The index represents almost double the risk recorded in the 1994 World Cup, held in the United States.

Marquinhos highlights how the strategy put together by the technical team can be important in the face of such an adverse scenario. "The team that starts scoring, with results in front, has an advantage", he explains.

"Chasing the result in the heat, in the sun, is even more exhausting. My experience in the Club World Cup, what I have tried to talk about with my teammates and with the committee and staff, is that it is important to start the games well. Focused. In the games against Real Madrid and Chelsea, whoever won had the advantage. Chasing is very difficult", he adds.

In the game against Real Madrid, PSG opened the scoring after six minutes and added to it after nine. The game ended 4-0 for the French team. In the final, Cole Palmer scored for Chelsea in the 22nd minute, and the English won the title 3-0.

2026 vs. previous squad
When asked at the press conference about the differences between this team compared to those that competed in the last world cups, Marquinhos avoided comparisons, and said that there is no recipe that guarantees success.

"I think that football is showing more and more that there is no secret formula for success, there are many philosophies, ways that we can achieve this success, and football is showing that it is a collective game. Where we need all the players, all the athletes, to be well physically, mentally, I think that is what we have been focusing on and preparing for", he said.

"I also see a lot of reports, statements, from former champions who were part of cycles that were unable to win and then were part of cycles that were champions at the front. I think this can be positive, having players who lived through those bad times and bringing that experience and motivation to those who are experiencing a World Cup for the first time", he added.

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Source: CNN