Rabiot Unhappy with World Cup Final Venue Pitch

French international Adrien Rabiot has voiced concerns over the playing surface at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey following France's 3-1 victory over Senegal. His comments echo the frustrations previously expressed by Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior regarding the dry pitch conditions. The midfielder, who provided an assist in France's opening Group I match, remarked that the field, slated to host the World Cup final on July 19th, felt less like natural grass and more akin to an artificial turf.

"The pitch... I don't even know if you can call it that. It felt more like an artificial surface – quite hard and unstable," Rabiot stated, as quoted by BTA.

Meanwhile, French national team coach Didier Deschamps referred to the pitch as a "special surface" when questioned about it during a press conference.

"I think there's probably concrete underneath. The pitch felt different from last year's Club World Cup. The ball's bounce is a bit different," Deschamps commented, adding that his team is adapting to the conditions.

Earlier in the 2026 World Cup, Brazil's Vinicius also raised concerns about the pitch after their 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opening match, which took place there on Saturday.

"In the second half, with the heat, the pitch dries out very quickly. The game becomes very slow," Vinicius had said at the time.

All World Cup matches are broadcast live on bnt.sportal.bg. The platform will stream all 104 games from the 2026 World Cup schedule in real-time.