DALLAS — Virgil van Dijk does not like them, fans have started booing them and the many critics say they are ruining the World Cup.

“Hydration breaks are a bit interesting,” said Netherlands captain Van Dijk, whose side drew 2-2 with Japan in Texas on Sunday in an air-conditioned arena.

“I was watching almost all of the games up until today and every time going into a commercial is a bit... not really that I like it.

“I think for the neutral watchers on TV it’s also not great.”

Also Sunday, over at tournament co-host Mexico, spectators during Sweden’s 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia in Monterrey made their disdain plain by booing loudly when the pause came in the first half.

Fans similarly jeered the break in Monday’s game between Spain and Cape Verde in the air-conditioned arena in Atlanta.

The scheduled drinks breaks, not normally part of football, last three minutes each about midway through both halves of a game at the tournament in North America.

Football’s world governing body Fifa says they are designed to protect player health and will be used at all World Cup games no matter where or what the weather.

So during the clash between the Netherlands and Japan, the game was halted even though the match was played in comfortable temperature-controlled conditions under a roof.