Welcome to the jungle: How England and Italy prepared for sweaty Manaus
Saturday is billed as a clash of the titans in the Amazonian city of Manaus with Italy taking on England in one of the hottest World Cup venues. Like physically warm. There has been much talk of temperatures in the lead up to this game, so here is everything you need to know ahead of the afternoon game.
Manaus: So hot right now
Let's set the scene: Manaus is in northern Brazil. It is hot: The temperature for game time could be close to 29 degrees Celsius/90 Fahrenheit. It is humid: It is expected to reach close to 86%. If you believe in humidex, it could feel like 41C. In contrast, England rarely sees the sun and considers double digit temperatures an excuse to go tanning. So, you can see the team's concern. This is going to be very sweaty for everyone.
What England did to prepare
The Three Lions had the biggest adjustments to make, given they come from a gloomy island. First, they went to Portugal for camp to get used to the warmer temperatures. In training, they layered up with hats and gloves to mimic the heat they would face in Brazil and to get their body used to the extreme conditions. They also got scientific: Researchers took sweat samples to figure out the best approach for replenishing electrolytes and monitoring hydration.
Then, England was off to Miami to get more used to the weather. They were able to get some experience with game situations thanks to two friendlies at Sun Life stadium against Ecuador and Honduras.
There was also worry that they might get sick after taking a round of malaria prevention pills, since one in ten users often experience side effects of nausea and vomiting.
On Saturday, at least they get to wear white.
What Italy did to prepare
Italy seemed to be a little less worried than England about the temperatures, but that is because they are used to the heat. However, the Azzuri were nearly destroyed by the humidity at last year's Confederation Cup, so they were not taking the venue lightly, either.
The team built a sauna next to their training base and rode stationary bikes inside to mimic the experience of Manaus.
This is the best quote to sum up that strategy:
"What happens in the sauna? Nothing strange! We are doing specific training in order to help us acclimatize," striker Ciro Immobile said in May, via the Daily Mail.
Nothing. Strange.
Another interesting strategy: They are also changing their diet to match fruits and vegetables eaten the rainforest, including coconut water and papaya. Except there will still be pre-game pasta. Pre-game pasta is forever.
Regardless of preparation, it seems the environment will be a major factor in Saturday's match. It just depends on which team handles it better.
“The weather there will be a problem for both teams,” Italy's Andrea Pirlo said. “Both England and Italy will suffer so there is no sense worrying about it. That would be a waste of energy. If it is a mess, it will be a mess for both teams.”
Sure, let's just paint the pitch
Heat aside, the biggest gripe about playing in Manaus so far is about the state of the pitch. As Eurosport puts it: The field at Arena de Amazonia "looks bumpier than a walnut that's been 12 rounds with Mike Tyson." As in, not good.
It is patchy, bumpy, brown, and generally not what you would expect from a world class event. This is a $290-million stadium. So, according to reports, the staff decided the best way to deal with this is to spray paint the grass to give the illusion that it is healthy. But while it might cover the imperfections, and FIFA says it's totally good to go, it could make for a difficult ride on Saturday afternoon.
The Daily Mail says Wayne Rooney will be fine because he's used to playing on the streets, which is kind of a compliment?