The countdown is on for one of the NFL's most anticipated international matchups, but the buzz around the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens meeting in Rio de Janeiro is turning sour. With just eight days until kickoff at the legendary Maracanã Stadium, the playing surface is under heavy scrutiny — and the criticism isn't coming from the usual suspects.
Members of CR Flamengo, the Brazilian soccer powerhouse that calls Maracanã home, have been vocal about the field's condition. Goalkeeper Agustin Rossi didn't hold back, describing "bumps everywhere" and calling both penalty areas "bad as [expletive]." Midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta echoed those sentiments, saying the deteriorating pitch makes it tough to control the ball, a nightmare for any team trying to play quick, precise football.
"You don't even need to talk about the field, it's there for everyone to see," Rossi said, via AtoZSports. "The way we play, it's unbelievable that we're playing on a field like this. Both penalty areas are bad as [expletive]. If you look at it, there are bumps everywhere. There's still going to be an NFL game here during the international break. After that game, I hope the field is in better shape."
De Arrascaeta added: "We've been struggling a lot in these last few games, and the field keeps getting worse. It's getting harder and harder to control the ball. We have to try to play quickly. If we want to be champions, we have to find a solution. With the team we have, we can't be playing on a field like this."
This isn't the first time an international NFL game has raised red flags about turf quality. Fans are already bracing for the worst, especially with stars like Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson set to take the field. One worried supporter wrote, "Just forfeit the game honestly. If the Ravens lose anybody to a season ending injury because of a bad field, I'm going to lose my mind. International games suck."
The memory of last year's Packers game in Brazil, where quarterback Jordan Love suffered a lower-body injury, is still fresh. Though Love only missed a couple of games, the scare was enough to fuel the fear that a serious injury on foreign soil could derail a season.
Critics argue the NFL's global expansion is more about money than player safety. "Stop playing international games. NFL is nothing but a bunch of greedy bastards," one user fumed. Another suggested limiting games to Europe, saying, "Australia and Brazil is too far and unpredictable."
While the league pushes its product worldwide, the question remains: is it worth risking the health of its biggest stars? As the Cowboys and Ravens prepare to battle in Rio, the focus should be on the game itself — but instead, all eyes are on the ground beneath their feet.
