‘Fans want to watch a good football game and not a theatre play’
Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen has urged FIFA to ‘change to effective playing time’ to stop teams ‘taking advantage of constantly diving and crying’.
While it remains unclear if the Belgian was referring to a specific match, the ex-Spurs man was keen to express his frustration about teams benefiting from ‘diving’ and ‘crying’ – insisting that supporters want to watch a ‘good’ football match, and not a ‘theatre play’.
The 34-year-old, who currently plies his trade for Benfica, tweeted: “Football (@FIFAcom) really really needs to change to effective playing time ASAP!! The teams taking advantage of constantly diving and crying taking all the joy away from the fans who want to watch a good football game and not a theatre play!!!”
Football (@FIFAcom) really really needs to change to effective playing time ASAP!! The teams taking advantage of constantly diving and crying taking all the joy away from the fans who want to watch a good football game and not a theatre play!!!
— Jan Vertonghen (@JanVertonghen) April 21, 2022
Vertonghen – who has made 136 appearances for his country – played 315 times for Spurs during his time in England, registering 14 goals and seven assists.
The centre-back left the London club in 2020 to join Benfica, where he has gone on to make 85 appearances for the Portuguese side.Â
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- Man Utd players said to be ‘ambivalent’ and ‘underwhelmed’ by Erik ten Hag appointment
