Chelsea paid Benfica a British record £106.8 million ($144.1 million) for Enzo Fernandez in 2023. Two years later, Fernandez is certainly living up to those expectations. The attacking midfielder from Argentina has helped Chelsea reach the Club World Cup final, a little over a month after they won the UEFA Conference League. However, this time there are concerns.

During Friday’s press conference, the 2022 World Cup winner voiced his concerns over the heat. “The truth is, the heat is incredible. The other day, I got a little dizzy in the game,” the 24-year-old said about the searing New Jersey heat. The fact that their semifinal match kicked off at 3:00 pm only made things worse as the afternoon heat reached a scorching 96 degrees. However, analyst Stu Holden didn’t want to hear any of it.

“Honestly— enough of the ‘USA conditions aren’t safe for players’. Where do you want to play it, Enzo?” the Fox Soccer analyst wrote on X. Holden didn’t just stop with that question for Enzo Fernandez. He added, “Here is a graphic showing the current temperatures in NYC, London, Paris, and Madrid. (BTW that temp is at night in Europe and 3 PM EST in NYC). Give me a break.”

The screenshot in question showed that there was a difference of only 4 degrees between New York and London. As per Holden’s screenshot, the temperature in New York at 3:00 pm, the same time as the New Jersey semifinal, was 86 degrees. Meanwhile, Paris at night was just 4 degrees cooler, while Madrid was just 1 degree cooler at 85.

However, the global players’ union, FIFPro, has already defended Enzo Fernandez’s statement. As per ESPN, the organization agreed that the 3:00 pm kickoff should’ve been postponed. That’s because the temperatures exceeded their threshold of 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature gauge (WBGT). Meanwhile, Stu Holden wasn’t the only one who responded to the midfielder.

Gianni Infantino responded to Enzo Fernandez’s claim

The 24-year-old saying, “The truth is, playing in that temperature is very dangerous. It’s very dangerous” has created a lot of buzz. The weather has become a hot topic ahead of the Club World Cup Final. The fact that the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will also host the final match with a 3:00 pm kickoff is also one of the reasons why the debate has lasted.

“Every criticism we receive is a source for us to study and analyze what we can do better. Of course, the heat is an issue. Last year, at the Olympic Games in Paris, games during the day, in all sports, took place in very hot conditions,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, while listing ways in which the heat can be combated.

Fernandez, feeling dizzy and having to lie down in the sweltering 96-degree heat, isn’t something Infantino took lightly. Infantino emphasized that they are mulling things over, and while afternoon games probably won’t disappear from the schedule, there are alternatives. “Cooling breaks are very important, and we will see what we can do,” he said while addressing the press in New York.

“We have stadiums with roofs and we will definitely use these stadiums during the day next year,” said the FIFA President. Considering the fact that three North American countries will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Gianni Infantino wants issues like the one Enzo Fernandez complained about ironed out. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the CWC Final. Some have already shared their predictions. Feel free to share yours in the comments.