Former FC Nordsjaelland player Andreas Schjelderup scored the match-winner for Benfica, when the Portuguese giants beat Bayern Munich 1-0 at the Club World Cup, but it wasn't his goal but the extreme heat that was in focus, when he was interviewed after the match.
During the match, temperatures allegely reached 40 degrees (celcius) , and the conditions were not satisfactory, said Schjelderup.
"I don't think I've ever played in such heat before, and to be honest I don't think it's healthy. But I managed to continue, and so did the team, and we're very happy. Of course it's very hot - it is for everyone, but we have to continue. I think we handled it well today" (Tuesday, ed.), he said to Portuguese media outlet "A Bola".
A brutal heatwave blanketing swathes of the eastern United States, adapting to the weather has become a key focus for coaches and players.
A recent study published by the International Journal of Biometeorology warned of the risk posed by extreme heat at the tournament for players and spectators, citing climate change as a cause of "extreme heat" events that were "more frequent and intense".
The study concluded that 14 of the 16 host cities being used for the 2026 World Cup experienced temperatures that frequently exceeded the commonly accepted safe thresholds for wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) -- a widely used measure for heat stress.
The study argued for games to be scheduled outside of the afternoon windows when conditions were typically at their most fierce.
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