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WCAD 4-5: Group K Preview with Jack Collins
457 Plays4 days ago
Austin & Amit welcome Jack Collins of Sirius XM FC and the Ranks FC Podcast for a full preview of Group K. How will Portugal answer their questions and move past the second tier to become genuine World Cup contenders? Can Colombia set piece their way to a dark horse run? What do debutants Uzbekistan have in store, and will DR Congo stay solid enough to frustrate the favorites?
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Transcript
Jack Collins' European Adventures and Reflections
00:00:01
Speaker
So Amit, I have to say, as I'm sure you were, I was a little scared, right? We did a great European preview podcast ah ahead of the European playoffs. We brought on Jack Collins for a very first time. It, I thought, went very well. I think you feel the same. Great appearance, great stuff.
00:00:18
Speaker
And then our friend Jack went to Prague to watch Ireland attempt to make the World Cup. They didn't do that. I was worried he might never come back. They were up, you know, early 2-0 as well. It's just a nightmare.
00:00:31
Speaker
You got a little of that World Cup After Dark stink jack and you're still back for more. We love it. Thank you for having me back, boys. I was, you know, it was it was tough. I will say that that 2-0 only lasted for approximately 30 seconds. And I don't think anyone in the pub I was in noticed that the Czechs had got a penalty. Everyone was still celebrating the second goal. So it's one of those. it was It was a wonderful day, a wonderful trip, a tough evening and a tough kind of night. But um I wouldn't have traded it for the world.
Introducing Jack Collins and Group K Discussion
00:01:00
Speaker
That's how you know, Amit, that a guy really wants to be here on the show. When the last time he was on, it didn't end well for his side. He still chose to come back. I feel personally pretty special. Same. It's the the World Cup after dark magic. And even though Ireland isn't here, there's still some some joy to be had with these teams today.
00:01:18
Speaker
Absolutely is. He on the other end is Amit Malik. My name is Austin Miller. Joining us for today's show is Jack Collins. You know him from Sirius XM FC and plenty of other places. We will be breaking down Group K to on today's show in our World Cup preview podcast. We generally try to treat our guests very well around here. And so when I was talking with Jack to see if he wanted to come on the show, I gave him a menu of options for groups to preview. I said, hey, look, pick whichever one you want. Why, Jack, did you choose this Group K for your appearance? Yeah.
00:01:48
Speaker
Well, with my beloved island out of the picture, um I have to to find something to get behind, right? And I married a Portuguese girl. So in my wedding speech to my wife and to her family, I spoke to them, you know, and I said, I'm really looking forward to supporting Portugal once Cristiano Ronaldo retires.
Group K Analysis: Portugal's World Cup Prospects
00:02:07
Speaker
So for the time being, I'm sort of a bit stuck in limbo. But I thought it was a good place to start. I keep a quite a close eye on Portuguese football. And I thought that was ah a good jumping off spot from from where we could go from there. And I find this group really interesting.
00:02:19
Speaker
i Yeah, I also do as well. i think Portugal are maybe for my money, the most interesting, most intriguing of the second tier of favorites. Amit, I know you really like this Colombia team. They have what seems to be the makings of a good, modern international football team.
00:02:39
Speaker
And then we have DR Congo, a team that probably was tested more than anybody else in World Cup qualification as far as playing high level matches. And then there's a World Cup debutante in Uzbekistan who are maybe one of the pictures of what World Cup expansion can mean. of it It's top to bottom a very interesting group and it might be the most physical of all 12 World Cup groups.
00:03:03
Speaker
I think there's a fair case for that. You've got three teams in Colombia, Uzbekistan, and D.R. Congo that are just really, really tough to play against. It's going to be really nasty. They're all going to you know try to beat each other up, and that's fun in a way. And I think Portugal are a a fascinating team that we're going to talk about, and they're kind of a great foil to the rest of this group because they are very, very silky. So we'll get ah an idea of of kind of how far that can go and in the first three matches. um there's gonna There's going to be some blood in these four matches. It's going to be great. um
00:03:39
Speaker
we're We're going to see exactly how far the the DR Kongos and Uzbekistans can go with this style. um But I think there's a chance here that maybe there's a sneaky sneaky dark horse. I don't like to use those words. But ah all ah all of those teams, if they get through, that style can travel. And I think that is what is exciting.
00:03:59
Speaker
And I think Portugal are also really interesting, Jack, because it kind of feels like they're playing the hits, right? Like this, this just feels like it's very well constructed to be a storyline at this World Cup, as it always seemingly is with Portugal.
00:04:14
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, look, and and and that's the thing. They have such wonderful technicians, right, in this team. And yet the questions are obviously going to be around who plays in the number nine, where the defensive solidity is. Can they all play together? Can you get, you know, the likes of Joanev and Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva into the same team? How does that all work out together? Is there enough defensive metal in there? Is Samu Costa kind of bashed his way into the picture? i also think it's really interesting with Portugal how they set up to play. Because you could talk about all of the, you know, they want possession, they'll hog the ball and all of those different elements. But actually, if you go back to the Nations League, where they were eminently more successful than what we'd seen in the Euros before, they actually didn't have loads of the ball. And yes, it's Spain and Germany. So you've got to kind of take the punches when they come. These are two sides that want it and they're going to try and dominate. I thought that Portugal looked quite good in transition. And I do wonder how they set up in this World cup because they're obviously not going to go into this group and and kind of look at it and be like, right, we'll have 30% of the ball and hit these teams on the counter.
00:05:15
Speaker
That doesn't make any sense. But can they adapt if they start the tournament in ah in a kind of mindset of, okay, we've got the Alcongo and Uzbekistan first, then we play Colombia. The order's good, I think, for Portugal. That's the exact order you'd want them in, I think, if if those games are going to come. But do they start to transition into a more, don't know, counterattacking side as we get deeper into the tournament and they start to face higher quality opposition who want the ball a little bit more?
00:05:40
Speaker
Can Roberto Martinez oversee that? but I think that's a really interesting kind of dichotomy that they're going to have to deal with throughout. So this is a Portugal side that are making their seventh straight World Cup appearance. It's their ninth overall. They finished third in 1966, fourth in 2006. On paper, it looks like it was a cruisy qualifying for Portugal. Four wins, one draw, one loss in a group alongside Hungary, Ireland, and Armenia.
00:06:04
Speaker
That said, I think that those numbers maybe paint a prettier picture than it was. There was a late winner a away to Hungary for Portugal, a late winner at home against Ireland. Sorry, Jack. They were held at home by Hungary. They were beaten away to Ireland.
00:06:17
Speaker
They did rack up a 14 to one combined scoreline to Armenia. They got to this world cup. There was obviously some funny Ronaldo red card drama. Don't worry. He's not missing the world cup. Everything's okay there, but I mean, it, It was a qualifying campaign where Portugal got the results necessary, but they maybe didn't look like the most impressive side.
00:06:35
Speaker
And that kind of leads you with some of these questions. And as Jack alluded to, at the top of it all, pulling the strings is one of the characters of international football managing in Roberto Martinez.
00:06:48
Speaker
he is kind of the perfect foil character to, to lead this squad. And I think as Jack described, this whole Portugal team is about balance. We know that the attackers are there and the ballplayers are there, but they need defense. And that's kind of against,
00:07:07
Speaker
Bobby Martinez's instincts. He wants to be expansive. He wants to share the ball. He wants to play beautiful attacking football. And he has had teams that could kind of do that. Like Belgium, you think of is his other big international project.
00:07:23
Speaker
And here he's kind of got a similar team. And there's just so been some limitations with him at the highest level of, is it defensive enough? And then you look at this Portugal team, and I think the the biggest question is, is it defensive enough? And then, you know, Jack is saying they've kind of had some success being a bit more defensive, but that's not going to work in the opening matches here. And the other thing with Roberto Martinez is he is a pretty...
00:07:53
Speaker
vibes caretaker in ah in a hands-off way. he wants He wants the ball to bring joy. He wants everything to be nice and rosy. He's not confrontational. I don't think that's what he is. And then I think you saw with Belgium when some big personalities kind of butted heads. He could not...
00:08:11
Speaker
solve that you're thinking about you know Bruyne Lukaku Courtois and all of that mess and then you look at this Portugal team and I think like there's no there's no big personalities here right they're fine everything's gonna be okay and yeah there's a there's the biggest soccer personality and it's He can't avoid it. I think to start with with Portugal, he cannot avoid the eternal Cristiano Ronaldo question. There's really two number nines here.
00:08:44
Speaker
At some point he's going to play. And I think it is very crucial to this team's style and timing. Who plays when? How does Ronaldo fit into that? How does Martinez manage that? Because...
00:08:59
Speaker
So far for Portugal, it has been how far can Cristiano Ronaldo carry us? And at this point, it's eight years past that even being the right question to ask. But here we are again.
00:09:11
Speaker
And Jack, it's so Cristiano Ronaldo, always the protagonist, right? We've never had any doubt about that. This feels like we're running back what we did four years ago, because in guitar, it kind of became clear that Ooh, Portugal are actually kind of better when he is not playing or when he's in a secondary role, maybe coming off the bench.
00:09:34
Speaker
So four years later, we're still kind of tiptoeing around the same sort of questions. I think it's a twofold question here. One, What is the best way for Portugal to deploy Cristiano Ronaldo at this point? And two, and probably most importantly, can they actually do that?
00:09:52
Speaker
Or is the personality aura of Ronaldo going to make it such that you can't do that? I guess, I mean, the truth is we we don't really know. i think it's interesting that in both of those Nations League games against Germany and Spain, he came off.
00:10:07
Speaker
but like he He wasn't asked to do the full 90 minutes and actually they end up going and winning that tournament. Whereas it did feel, you know, unless he was, he was kind of out of the game as we've seen in times before.
00:10:18
Speaker
Like he he's going to play 90 minutes and that's the kind of be all and end all of it. Because I suppose who do you want on the end of a 90th minute cross leaping to to to try and get on the end of it? I understand the assignment. I think the other thing with this question is that actually Portugal haven't had the number nine come through that has displaced him. Now, I don't necessarily think that Cristiano Ronaldo is, you know, is is near the best of of his career. And I don't necessarily buy the ticket that his time at Al Nasser, which is trophyless as long as we've recorded, they might win their first trophy this week, like has has kind of kept him at the top level and he's at peak physical condition. Equally, he might have been able to ease off the gas a little bit coming into this World Cup. And I think considering how long a season has been, considering some of the conditions we're going to be talking about when it comes to this World Cup, maybe that's a bonus. But the the question I think is interesting because, you know, he still is effectively the best number nine option. And I don't necessarily know if that makes Portugal a better team. I don't know if they would be better team if they had a false nine in there. We saw them kind of run riot, albeit against Armenia in that final game when he was suspended after the red card in the Ireland game.
00:11:24
Speaker
and they were excellent and fluid and everyone moved about. But, you know, we we've seen a couple of players come through. Remember Andre Silva's kind of emergence as as a genuine threat. Now, he's been good for Alce in the second half of this season, but equally, like, it not enough to displace a Cristiano Ronaldo. Gonzalo Ramos has been a perennial substitute for his entire time at PSG. And therefore, you'd probably want to utilize him in the substitute role. so There is yet to be this emerging candidate that's going to play in Cristiano Ronaldo's spot. And until that comes through or until he retires, he's going to remain there because ultimately he is the greatest player that Portugal have probably ever produced, but at the very least have produced since Eusebio.
00:12:05
Speaker
I like the historical context there for Ronaldo. I think it is important to talk about what he still is. And he's still a great finisher. He's still elite poacher in the box. He still is a pretty good header of the ball.
00:12:20
Speaker
And this team is kind of built to feed him service, right? You've got really great control players and creative playmakers. And we're going to talk about how they fit. But like...
00:12:35
Speaker
When it starts with the striker position, if the if if the question is, you know, we try to spoon feed you chances, like Ronaldo can do that. And I think that is a fine way to to live.
00:12:47
Speaker
The question is when it's game five or six, you need a little defensive work rate. Well, heat that's where he doesn't kind of do that. Now, does that can everyone else run enough to compensate for that? Maybe. you know This is a capable team.
00:13:03
Speaker
But also with with Ramos, I think 100%, the next best option here. He is a you know ah a runner. he He's a good you know player to run the channels. And I think he presses a little more.
00:13:15
Speaker
But there is, i i think we can agree, a finishing drop-off. Where's that trade-off? Do you need the guy that's going to steal you a goal in ah in a big match? Or do you need to protect your your defensive midfielders and back line with a little bit of pressing? and you know how do you game 90 minutes or 120 minutes? that's That's the big question for for Roberto Martinez to answer. And I think...
00:13:39
Speaker
We don't know. And that's going to be an interesting thing to see. i think in the group stage, we're going to see a healthy dose of Ronaldo. It's a chance for him to to, you know, stat pad his his World Cup totals, but also, you know, be the guy that that finishes in the box when they when they give him the ball. He's not going to have the easiest like matchups in this group, but he should have enough to work with.
00:14:03
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, the physicality here, I think, of the other three teams, particularly of Diaracongo and Colombia, I think is is an interesting proposition for this Portugal side because it kind of feels like there could be some some challenges there for Ronaldo. Jack, we we kind of do a bit of disservice to where the rest of this Portugal team is to have to center the discussion, at least initially, on Ronaldo and Martinez.
00:14:23
Speaker
This is a really well-built Portugal side. It's a really interesting Portugal side that, when tasked with it, can play silky. And as you mentioned, can also has also shown some defensive tendencies. There's a trio of solid options in goal. It looks like Diogo Costa at Porto. He's been the nominal number one. He had great shootout performances at Euro 24. He's probably the guy.
00:14:47
Speaker
And then in defense, it's it's interesting to see... kind of the push and pull that Roberto Martinez will have with the very ah various options that he has in defense. Yeah, I mean, look, Diego Costa is and should be the Portugal number one at this point. Still relatively young. Porto conceded 18-odd goals, I think, in 34 games in the league. They were absolutely monstrous from a defensive perspective. And part that is Farioli, but part of that is having the best shot stopper in the division. And I think it's a little bit surprising that he's still there. You know, at this point in his career in some ways, but he will be the number one and and and he should be as well. but there's good backups.
00:15:22
Speaker
I love Rui Silva ever since his time at Betis. And he's done an excellent job at spotting and Jose Sarr is an old head at this point. So they're very capable in those areas. I think a centre back is where it gets interesting because Ruben de Asch should start.
00:15:36
Speaker
He is Portugal's best centre back. Equally, we haven't seen very much of him. in the last couple of weeks. And again, maybe that works in his favor. Maybe the kind of end of the season peering out and, you know, he's he's a very, very classy operator. I don't think he's going to suddenly forget how to play football. But, you know, you do also want a little bit of rhythm going into ah a tournament like this.
00:15:55
Speaker
Who partners him remains a bit of a question, I think. I think it will be Gonzalo Inacio because he's had a very good season for Sporting. The question with Inacio was always, could he transfer from a back five as he played Amorim to a back four? But...
00:16:09
Speaker
Under Roy Borge, we've seen him play as a very, very capable left-sided centre-back. Again, someone who I think there'll be serious interest in in the summer, especially if he has a very good World Cup. He's probably the kind of nod at this point. But Thomas Araujo has had a really good season at Benfica. He's kind of displaced Antonio Silva as kind of next man up.
00:16:29
Speaker
I think there's kind of eyes on him as well as a ah very well-rounded centre-back for someone so young. It's not been flawless, but it's been pretty impressive for for someone, ah another one off the Seychelles production line. So I think that they should be okay with those ones. There's a few more players who who could kind of jump in there. Renato Vega has had an interesting campaign. might be I think he'll go because he can play in like four different positions. But I've got Hunter, Sean. And look, Sean, So Apollinha can play at centre back in a pinch as well. It is worth kind of bearing in mind that there are a few different elements that they can kind of change. And Martinez does, has promised that he would shift the formations up. We've seen a three at the back from Portugal at times. We've seen them kind of shift it around. So I think they'll probably bring four centre backs and...
00:17:13
Speaker
you know, and a kind of spare in some regards in like, you know, do you bring a Mateusz Nunes who can play centre midfield and right back and probably slot in at right centre back slot if you really want to, and you're trying to control from deep. But I think that they're pretty well stocked from a defensive standpoint.
00:17:29
Speaker
the The balance of this team is is yet to be completed. And look, if you have Joao Cancelo on one side who has spent most of the entire last six months just marauding up the flank, from a Barcelona perspective and hasn't actually had to contribute that much defensively. There are always going be questions there. Nuno Mendes, best left back in the world as far as I'm concerned.
00:17:47
Speaker
It feels strong from where I'm standing, but i know that, you know, you sometimes watch them and it doesn't necessarily add up to the names that are actually on the team sheet. The fullbacks could be big here a bit. Yeah, as mentioned, Nuno Mench is one of the the the best. i you know I'll agree with you. Best left back in the world at this point. He has you know pocketed a lot of players. He did a really good job, i think, on Michael Alise in the Champions League with his last round of tape, who is maybe right now the best right wing in the world. So I think that you feel good about that. And because he's so good, i think Cancelo does not have to start at left wing. He's kind of a...
00:18:26
Speaker
he could or left back He could play left wing if you need him in case of emergency. He could be a substitute left back if you need that. um So they're they're good there. And on the right side, Diego Dolo at Manchester United, you know, pretty, pretty solid player. I don't think he's ah a match winner, but he's a good attacking right back. He's pretty fast. He can defend what you need. And then I think, as you said, too,
00:18:49
Speaker
but Mateus Nunez at City is a very good deploy wherever you need him piece. So the so the the the pieces are all there. And I do think whoever the second center back is, is going to be who the best teams try to pick on if they can pick on someone here.
00:19:07
Speaker
But the the infrastructure is good. And I do think we'll see Martinez tinker. He with Belgium was was big on the back five. We know Portugal has played the back five. I think he's got that optionality to credibly mix and match for the opponent, which is going to help them um kind of, you know, play to strengths and weaknesses in the biggest games. Yeah.
00:19:30
Speaker
Ruben Diaz is an interesting one. i think he's great. He's, as you said, he's a smooth operator. That's a great way to describe him. If he is a little bit off the the pace, a little bit, just he's coming into form that maybe there's, there's a problem here for Portugal it's just center back pairing being a bit frail at the highest level.
00:19:49
Speaker
Maybe. And then part of the equation with the pieces that we're talking about, Jack, moves forward to the midfield because it kind of feels like the chess master Martinez has more pieces that he can deploy here, depending on which kind of strategy and which game plan he's looking at.
00:20:08
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And look, that's it. If you need a destroyer in there, then then you have Zral Poligno available to you. Whether he goes or not with the emergence of Samu on the international scene, i think is maybe slightly up for debate, but I'd be stunned if he didn't. um If he decided to go with Samu and, i don't know, you know maybe Ruben Nevs and and left Poligno at home, I think that would be a big call to see out games, et cetera, et cetera. And look, maybe I'm biased. I love Zral Poligno Fulham. But there There's an element of this that i kind of look at and think, yeah, that's the kind of play you want to bring on with 10 minutes left and a one-man lead.
00:20:42
Speaker
Having watched him this season at Spurs, he is like my least favorite and most favorite player. He saves us he saved us so many points all season. like he just He's a he's a moments big moments guy. like You say that about some guys, it's tacky, but it's not.
00:20:59
Speaker
ah He is like super rock solid. He is a great finisher for a center back, but he's also like... doesn't pass forward and insanely slow. so like the ball needs to be in his orbit for him to destroy it. um Sometimes that can be really useful at the base of a midfield or as an emergency, you know, third center back here.
00:21:21
Speaker
I think he, I think he'll play a role for Portugal, but I'm wary of him, you know, his mobility getting exposed against the best teams. But yeah,
00:21:32
Speaker
how does that balance if you need defense, like he's got to get in and then can you get enough attack? here Yeah. It's, it's intriguing. I don't think you start him, right? like think I don't think there is there's a world where you know we see Joao Polinias start many games. Maybe later on as Portugal shift shapes and all of those different elements come into the equation, maybe. But I can't really see it. And also, i think that when you have a centre midfield partnership that are as telepathic as Joao Neves and Vitinha are at PSG, you just run with that, right? If you have two of the world's best technicians who are running a midfield for arguably the world's best team right now... You you kind of go into that moment and think, yeah, you probably play them together. And I know that he's experimented with Jalenev right back. And i was like, just play them together in the midfield. And Bruno Fernandes has been the most creative player in the Premier League this season. Arguably the most creative player in the Premier League of the last five seasons when you put it all together. You know, I think in the form that he's in, you want him starting ahead of them. The question I suppose that gives you is...
00:22:30
Speaker
What do you do with Bernardo Silva? Because Bernardo has been absolutely magnificent. And again, one of my favorite players in the world. I adore the geezer and he plays in so many different roles. and He does so many different things. Well, I think he's played exceptionally well in a deeper role for City this year. But if going start him here, I think he has to start on the right. And the question then becomes, if you're using Cristiano Ronaldo as a kind of focal point striker,
00:22:52
Speaker
And you're playing Bernardo Silva on the right hand side and he gets up and down. We're not questioning his mobility here, but do you have enough attacking thrust in those areas when Bernardo wants to tuck inside and connect with the midfield as opposed to kind of explosiveness in in those like sharper areas?
00:23:07
Speaker
Great question. I think it's it's a good one because the the normal right winger might be Pedro Neto at Chelsea. And I think he's been pretty underwhelming. He kind of gets the ball in great positions and does less with it.
00:23:21
Speaker
Not what you want from your right winger. And I think... You're spot on about Bernardo Silva. He's a high IQ player. He is so, so smart. And obviously he's worked really well with Pep.
00:23:34
Speaker
Wherever you put him, he makes good things happen. And I think if you have Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes on the field at the same time... you should be able to get enough creativity and juice um and service for Cristiano Ronaldo.
00:23:50
Speaker
And obviously, i think we agree. Vitinha, Joao Neves, you don't have to touch it, right? So like pretty you've you're feeling pretty good. And I think that's where you can mix and match. And look, maybe Silva doesn't start all three games. Maybe he you know is a sub in one. Maybe he starts some um and comes off.
00:24:08
Speaker
This is a question of, does Dallo help overlap on the right? Do you find a way to to get Concello in here somewhere? Is just a winger wide player, even though he's on the wrong side, to to help grease the wheel?
00:24:22
Speaker
There's a lot of options here for Martinez to figure out. It's exciting because there's so many smart players. and Go ahead. you tilt right if you'll if you're Roberto Martinez? Yeah. Because also, I think on the left, you want Rafael Liao to be your your guy. He's had a an annoying, injury-filled season at Milan. It hasn't been the most productive. But he's kind of you know a great verticality transition option. And kind of ah he can be a second striker to be another guy to cross to.
00:24:51
Speaker
You tilt right, force everything right, do all your interchanges, and then play to the left to finish the play. And I think that is kind of the best way to go here, especially because Mendez is more of a defensive lock it down. So you don't need to build to the left. Obviously, he he can. you know he he He did great with Kvart Scalia at PSG, but like you don't have to do that. I think that's kind of the way we're going to see them end up.
00:25:19
Speaker
And then the other attacking options. So you talk about this tilt to the right that that maybe we might see from Portugal. There's some other interesting names that we could see. And again, Jack, I think it's interesting for Portugal because the question here shouldn't, at least I think, be, OK, how do Portugal approach the first match against DR Congo? like Portugal should be asking questions further down the line, right? That's the idea that that Portugal want to be. So When Portugal get, and we haven't talked much about the draw yet, but say there is this quarterfinal matchup coming with Argentina, which would break the footballing internet because you'd get Messi Ronaldo. Poor old Kansas. If this happens, little old Kansas.
00:25:59
Speaker
If this game happens, right, what are the best options for Portugal in attack and where will that be? I would imagine we'll probably see the majority of these attacking options throughout the group stage at some point.
00:26:10
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, look, I think that there's a space here where but someone could actually just come in as a substitute and and stick their name on this and be like, you know, I want this role. And look, Chico Consisal remains one of the most interesting players, I think, in world football. Someone who just makes things happen. I was reading an interview with Roberto Martinez recently and he calls us, he calls him his chaos creator. And you're like, okay, cool. So if you if that's what you're doing down that right-hand side, then that's very interesting. And look, maybe if you do tilt right, then Cancelo plays on the right-hand side and you effectively utilize him as another attacking option. But, you know, whether that's going to be better with a Bernardo drifting inside or a Chico kind of driving at his man, I think it is up for debate. And I think that maybe there's an argument that on the left is up for debate as well, because whilst Ralf Liao is one of those players that it can make things happen on a sixpence, he has been pretty dreadful for Milan. And when you actually look at it in the in the light of, and I know he's been played as this kind of central striker and it's not really worked and there's lots of different caveats to equation, he's never really turned it on for Portugal. We've never really seen that Liao kind of explode, maybe ever really in his career, to the point where we'd hoped. Like, by this point, Rafael Liao should have been Ballon d'Or contender. He had everything in his locker to be in that conversation. And we've just not seen it. And so Gonzalo Guedes had an absolutely phenomenal campaign at Real Sociedad, has been really, really threatening from that left-hand side. you Off the back of Anu Atabal, who kind of drags everything together, he's shown himself a very, very good finisher. We know that chair fras Francisco Trincao has had a very good season at that Sporting. And then there's someone like Pedro Gonsalves, who you know is kind of out of the picture right now, but is very useful in those kind of half spaces on the left-hand side, mini Bruno in some way. So when you when you put it in that context, there's there's so many different attacking tools that they have. Then we go back to that question at the top. How do you get the balance right? I think it is a tilt right. I think it is try and use a Bernardo to try and tuck into the midfield, add extra bodies in there and create things into those centered areas and utilize your left winger as as your kind of secondary goal threat. You can do that.
00:28:10
Speaker
And I think you've got a really, really good run in. This team on the field should be able to solve its attacking problems like nobody else. That is the cell for this Martinez team. And that's actually kind of what he does best. He like sets his guys up to play the beautiful stuff and to solve the block. This is a team where you know you have to play the deep block to respect them, but they can figure it out.
00:28:38
Speaker
where Where Portugal is going to have trouble is against... I team like France or I think a team like Colombia will be a good foil. We're going to talk about them. If you're physical enough to to ask questions, can you bump them off their spot? But if you're just going to defend, they should be able to clean you up with all the smart players on the field.
00:28:59
Speaker
So like... You hear there's a lot of players. I think Martinez has to mix and match the pieces and get it all right. But the the attacking potential here is maybe the the best in the tournament and the most fun in
Colombia's World Cup Journey and Key Players
00:29:13
Speaker
the tournament, I think. So there's some real juice in this Portugal team.
00:29:19
Speaker
Let's switch now to Colombia, Amit, because you you mentioned they make a really good foil for this Portugal team. They're back at the World Cup after missing out in 2022. It is their seventh World Cup appearance all time. They were obviously quarter finalists in Brazil in 2014.
00:29:33
Speaker
They were very solid in the ringer that is South American qualifying. Seven wins, seven draws. They were unbeaten against Argentina. They obviously lost to Argentina in extra time in the Copa America final in 2024.
00:29:46
Speaker
That set off really their only downslide in World Cup qualifying. They didn't bounce back very well from that outside of obviously beating Argentina in a rematch. They have been for a long period probably the second best team in South America depending on where your mileage is at with Brazil in its current state. Nesto Lorenzo took over as manager after they failed to make it in 2022. He's been very good. A steady set of hands. He's a good man manager.
00:30:11
Speaker
And for all of the organization, for all the physicality, for all of what we'll see from defense for this Columbia team, em I think there is no better place to start than with Luis Diaz, who has been flying for Bayern.
00:30:24
Speaker
If he brings that form to the World Cup, watch out, because that... Plus, everything we think we can get from Columbia in behind is a very dangerous proposition. He's had a great resurgence season at Bayern. I think Vincent Kompany has gotten the most out of him. You know, I think Bayern kind of do this thing where they buy slightly past the peak players and bring them the Bundesliga and just ease everything for them.
00:30:50
Speaker
And like you're thinking of Sadio Mane, who kind of had a similar Liverpool left wing to Bayern arc. And Luis Diaz has done that even better. He is a devastating inside forward. He starts wide. He cuts in. He runs long. And he's leveled up his finishing. I think that has always been the thing, right? Great speed, great dribbler. But he was always not the best finisher at Liverpool. And, I mean, some of the stuff he did this year at Bayern was incredible. And obviously he's playing off of Harry Kane, Alise, Amusiala, who make him look better.
00:31:24
Speaker
But if he can do just a little bit of that magic and, you know, freelance one-on-one, one-on-two, be that vertical threat and his legs look great,
00:31:36
Speaker
he He could be like the, you know, well, James brought Columbia the Magic, you know, all the way back in 2014. Different kind of player, but like this is the type of player that steals you around past we're supposed to go.
00:31:50
Speaker
And like you're looking at superstar with a good enough team around him to to kind of be your your dark horse candidate. He is in the form. He is in the vein right now of like it is all clicking for him.
00:32:04
Speaker
And Jack, one of the best World Cup characters is the grizzled veteran kind of there for one more run. And Amit mentioned him. He had the star performance in 2014. It hasn't gone for James Rodriguez at Minnesota. I also don't think it matters, right? I saw him turn back the clock in 2024 at the Copa America Cup. I think those types of performances are still laying around there. Maybe he needs a bit more help. Maybe it won't be for 90 minutes.
00:32:34
Speaker
But if we can get a throwback, Hamas, combining with Luis Diaz at the level he's at, with a dangerous striker potential in Luis Suarez, there is attacking joy here for Colombia that when you combine it with what they have in behind...
00:32:51
Speaker
all right, we're starting to see something that could be a ah tough test for some World Cup favorites. Yeah, 100%. And look, this is the curious case, right, of James at Minnesota. It kind of made no sense to begin with. It made no sense in real time. And then suddenly you watched him against LAFC and he was really good. And then suddenly you watched him in that game against Austin and suddenly he's put two assists on the park. And you're thinking, hang on. and then in the midst of all that, they're like, yeah, he's not coming back after the World Cup. The whole thing's just been... absolute chaos from start to finish. And I was talking to Adrian Heath about this recently and he was like, yeah, I don't know.
00:33:24
Speaker
have no idea what anyone was thinking, but you know what? It kind of is what it is. It reminds me a little bit of Guillermo Ochoa, right? Like you disappear for four years and then suddenly you'd back in the World Cup. You're like, why is this guy the best goalkeeper in the world once every four years? It makes no sense whatsoever. I'm hoping for something similar from James. Look, he started playing football at very young age, right? He he was playing professionally at 15. At this point, it's kind of reasonable to expect that his legs and body might be starting to give out a touch, you know, at this point in the campaign. So it's not, I suppose it's not a huge surprise, but the magic is still there in in spurts, right? Fits and starts. And you only need a little bit of that for somehow. and And also as soon as those kinds of things catch fire at World Cup. When the touch paper is lit, suddenly he'll have three games in a row where looks unplayable. And everyone be like, what on earth is going on? Where this come from? I think the good news for Colombia is that, as you say, the creative burden, I think, falls on Luis Diaz, right, in terms of of of what it looks like and and actually where they're going to try and get the ball into. It's not going to be James kind of pulling the strings all the way through. And also, if it's not working, they have a wonderful, wonderful alternative in Juan for Quintero. Yeah. who can effectively just do mini Hammers and has been doing so for River Plate, you know, as recently as this season. So like they have options in these areas. I think it's a very well-built team. I think they will go with the kind of two up top normally in in terms of of what it looks like. So while it's kind of playing off the right and Diaz off the left, it probably will be Hammers to start in the 10 and then three midfielders behind them who are going to do the hard yards and do that running, get the fullbacks up the pitch. It's going to be high octane. and It's going to be exciting. But I think when you're kind of looking at it tactically, James has the opportunity to shine here. And if he doesn't, i don't think it's necessarily the end of a world from a Colombian perspective.
00:35:14
Speaker
it's all about that, the balance. We talked about it with Portugal. We talk about it here. It's how do you make sure that James can have the room to do what he needs to do. And that's, you know, a really hardworking midfield behind him. And so I, I think it's set up well. And the the other thing you just adding on him in terms of why this can work, even though he doesn't, he's not going to move defensively or even move that much offensively is that dead balls, right?
00:35:44
Speaker
Mike could be the best in the tournament. You know, that's a high bar, but could be and going to have the opportunity. We'll say high, but yeah, sure. Yeah, yeah exactly. corner Corner kicks, free kicks, you know, set piece deliveries. And also...
00:36:00
Speaker
working like types of crosses just out of open play that feel set PC. Does he, you know, just find a pocket 30 yards out.
00:36:10
Speaker
And if you don't close him down, his, his delivery is good enough that he does not have to do anything else on the field, but hit five crosses a game. And if two of them are good, that is enough for Columbia.
00:36:23
Speaker
It is kind of just the right role here. And as, as we're all saying, if it doesn't work great, Okay, he's done. he's He's played his time, like 60 minutes. it's not it's It's a game where it's too hard for him.
00:36:35
Speaker
Put someone else on. Put Quintero on. and He could also do kind of the same thing. Like, if it's not working, they're not going to die by it. But if it is working, it is that explosive potential. Like, it's, you know, there there could be a game where he gets exposed. against a team with 11 guys that are really trying to hurt you the other way, maybe he gets exposed. But, like, it's set up really well for him to to tap into that magic. And I think there's something here. I love the Ochoa comparison that, like,
00:37:04
Speaker
He kind of knows how to manage the flow of this type of game. The heat part of it, the pace of these games, if if they're in some heat, you know there could be time for him to to shake loose.
00:37:17
Speaker
he you don't He's not going to run. like It's not a question of if he's going to run. He's not going to run. I think that's fine. I think they've got enough to let him do that. it's It's intriguing. and the The only thing, I think all of us, like it feels...
00:37:31
Speaker
um questionable to like just say like well they're counting on a guy who's like on his very last legs to save them not save them but like be the the magic man like isn't that kind of dumb yes of course it is but like he's that good yeah Yeah. And ahmit we've talked a lot about this on on all of the preview podcasts that we've done with set pieces and dead balls as important as they are in both the international and the club game. Columbia are one of the best teams at set pieces and dead balls. We saw it at the Copa America two years ago. They were phenomenal. from dead ball situations. And a lot of that is because of the delivery they have. And a lot of that, as we shift to maybe looking a bit further back, is because of what they have in the midfield and defense that are these strong physical players that can also contribute from a dead ball situation. So, okay. all right, we talked about the attack. We've got James. You've got Luis Diaz.
00:38:27
Speaker
There will be a Luis Suarez at this World Cup. It's not the Uruguay one, but it's the Columbia one. He'll be playing as the nine. You've got decent players in reserve. We talked about James Light in Juan Fernando Quintero. Jorge Carascal is also still kind of kicking around and another one of those creative, techie-type players. John Arias didn't work at Wolves, but he's back at Palmeiras. He's playing well. He's he's a wing-run option John Cordova, a reserve nine. All right. yeah The attacking situation seems fairly set.
00:38:55
Speaker
Behind them is where that solidity comes into play. And how can you play the luxury of a Hamas that you said it a minute? You're not even asking, will he run? it's it's It's set. He's not going to run. It's because you have Richard. Rios. It's because you have Lerma. It's because a player like Hamilton Kompas can come on and just run. It's because of the defense. You've got Daniel mo Munoz. You've got Johan Mojica.
00:39:19
Speaker
Big Dob Sanchez at center back. Jack, the solidity is there for Columbia. to make all of these pieces work and fit together. And they are one of the better defensive outfits in this tournament because of what Lorenzo has done stylistically with this team and because simply of the physicality of the pieces he can afford.
00:39:39
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And look, John Lukumi deserves an immense amount of credit, right? He stepped in pretty much at the same time that Lorenzo stepped in and has become, like for me, their first choice centre-back, right? Like it's him and then Sanchez or Cabal. Now it will be Sanchez because we know what we can offer at both ends of the pitch. was error-prone, sure, but most of the time he's pretty good. And that's fine. Like those two things can go hand in hand.
00:40:04
Speaker
Yeah, I think Sanchez has always been ah frustrating because of the errors, but he acquitted himself pretty well in his Champions League time with Galatasaray. He is still, you know, a very fast physical center back. And you're not asking him to play out of the back. He'll make less mistakes. And he has, as we've all alluded to, that set piece of value.
00:40:25
Speaker
I think he's kind of had a ah career resurgence as not an elite center back, but like right right off that level can just do a little bit of everything. And he is going to help Columbia, I think, shut down some of these, you know, very dynamic forwards. Like he can do that. that He can do the defensive side. As long as he doesn't toss in a howler, like I i think i'm inri I'm feeling good about him in in in the center back spot.
00:40:57
Speaker
Then in goal, Jack, what do you think Colombia do here? Because it's an interesting proposition. You know, you talked about Memo Ochoa. You know, old goalkeepers are still hanging around. We've still got David Ospina at Atletico Nacional in Colombia, who's probably going to be in this squad. I don't think the goal will be his. Probably Alvaro Montero, Camilo Vargas are probably the options. Feels like this could potentially maybe be the weak spot in the solidity defense for Colombia.
00:41:20
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. um and And to recall Ospina at this point would feel like a bit of a slap in the face, I think, to to to one of the others who stepped in at this point. Not impossible, as you say. and i don't think anyone's covered themselves in glory.
00:41:32
Speaker
You know, you watch those two friendlies in March against Croatia and France, and it was a bit like, ooh, this could be the worrying spot. you'd hope that things will calm down and settle down as you get a few more kind of reps with the full defense. I think, you know, from a defensive perspective, they're really good. And actually, when you look at the Kumi and Davidson Sanchez, we just talked about, like, I watched a lot of the NFL draft descriptions recently, and they're talking about defensive players with like big strides, able to cover ground, like get around people. And that's like, yeah, that's pretty much Colombia, right? And I suppose... It has be to an extent because both of these full backs want to get forward, right? We know that Daniel Munoz is going to want to go and join this attack. And yes, there is obviously a little bit of cut and dry with the midfield dropping in. But if you are going to play a midfield of Lerma, Rios and Arias, which I assume they are behind James at this point, you're kind of looking at him and be like, okay, is John Arias going to do quite as much as the other two in terms getting back?
00:42:31
Speaker
Perhaps. And pat look, I think he's a wonderful all-round player and I'm sad they didn't work out at Wolves for him. But you are asking a lot of the of those midfielders if your two fullbacks are going to go screaming forward every time you want. And and Lorenzo has has put in ah a team that wants to be pretty high octane and will gamble on chances. It's worked them. most part, right? So why wouldn't you?
00:42:49
Speaker
I think in those two friendlies in particular, it was exposed a little bit by two sides who were just like, okay, don't leave those kind of gaps for us or we will cut you apart. That's the that's the worry I have for this Colombia side. i think they've got a really good like element going forward. I think Luis Diaz is going to shine.
00:43:05
Speaker
i love Luis Suarez. I think he is absolutely phenomenal. I loved him at Almeria. I loved him back at g Granada. And then you kind of watch him now up front for this sporting side who had had lost... picked the Ocaraz and Conrad Harder was throwing a strop and he was like, no, no, no, all me, all me. And I think, you know, he comes into this team. Have you ever seen a player grab the number nine shirt like this?
00:43:25
Speaker
He's been like on the periphery, on the edge, not getting his moment. He gives him one start where they've already qualified. He bangs in four. You're like, okay, cool. Right. he's ah He's in the picture. There's an added kind of knife blade in this attack. I worry about them getting overwhelmed going the other way if both of these fullbacks go really far forward. And I think that the defensive line might have a slight weakness in the keeper. That's where I think perhaps their Achilles heel is.
00:43:49
Speaker
So, Mitt, the matchup with Portugal is obviously going to be very big in this group. But then as we kind of project forward, I mentioned a potential Portugal-Argentina quarterfinal that could happen if Portugal wins this group. The group winner gets a third-place side in Kansas City. The round of 16 matchup is fairly favorable. It's the winner of of the Canada group or another third-place side. The runner-up here ah will play the runner-up of the England group in Toronto. And then, potentially, in the round of 16 sits Spain.
00:44:17
Speaker
who will play the the runner up of of the Argentina group of Spain, end up topping that group. A Spain-Colombia round of 16 match I know is something that definitely piques your interest.
00:44:28
Speaker
I think this Columbia team, the way we're talking about them, is the right kind of team to to give Spain some issues. And I think Jack brings up a great point. The fullbacks are too aggressive. That's not going to work.
00:44:41
Speaker
Against a team like Spain, would not advise to leave that much space, especially where Munoz goes and who's behind him. That would be Lamin-Yemal if he's healthy. But I think if you're Columbia, right, you know when push comes to shove, you can just turn the dial back and be, you know...
00:44:57
Speaker
bus parking modes of playing. and And then you kind of live in being nasty and set PC. And I think if you bring that kind of game to Spain where you're very physical and you're just trying to not a full on double low block, but like a pretty mean low block and trying to be opportunistic with Diaz.
00:45:14
Speaker
And if Spain are just, you know, a little bit affected by some wear and tear, or maybe let me know malls, not a hundred percent. Like, i think there's a case. I think there's a case for, you know,
00:45:26
Speaker
Well, that is the question for Columbia. If they're going to be a dark horse, if they're going to make a quarterfinal or a semifinal, they've got to get through that kind of team. Why not? right you're You're making the case for Columbia. This is a nasty team to play against. I think i don't think they're going to be favored. I don't think they should be favored, but I just kind of like the way they're going. And I think you've got a few chances for Magic. You've got a few chances for you know being nasty defense.
00:45:53
Speaker
I like it. I feeling good about it. It's early. I need to, I need to see how it looks, but like, I'm really thinking, you know, in terms of, we said from the start, second best team in South America, right? Like they're checking a lot of boxes for the team. I like to make a run.
00:46:08
Speaker
Jack, are you buying this? Yeah, look, I don't hate it. I think that Spain will probably have too much. and But then again, I think Spain will probably have too much for almost everybody. But if you're going to, this is the whole point, right? You either need a favorable run and look, effectively, they could draw with Portugal in that final game and know that that would be enough. We'll know what the goal difference looks like by that point. and That might win them the group. And if suddenly you get to that point and they've got Argentina, right?
00:46:34
Speaker
in a quarterfinal. We've seen that before. We've seen that go the distance before. We know what those games are like. They're scrappy and a whole lot of fun to watch, but they're mad. Like anything can happen when you get those kinds of matchups. It was like someone was predicting the World Cup bracket the other day and they were like, I've got Argentina-Brazil semifinals. I end the tournament there.
00:46:52
Speaker
Just give it to whoever wins that. like We get that game in this order. And I think similarly about this, if Colombia and Argentina run into each other or Colombia and Brazil run into each other, way i think which i think is much more unlikely given the quadrants. But, you know, you're looking at those and thinking that is the kind of team that, one, they've got experience playing against. And two, yeah you kind run into and think, wow, okay, that that could go anywhere. And so I think that there's definitely something in this. I think a lot of it is going to depend on how they start.
00:47:22
Speaker
If they start things aren't working and people are at each other and it's all a little bit nasty, this is kind of one of those ones where I think they could probably beat themselves. And we know how quick it can turn, right? Like those three losses in a row in qualification, they were pretty much already there. And people were like, oh, do we need the coach out? You're like, no, no, no. Like guy did 26 game unbeaten run. a couple Like maybe we'll just cool it down a bit. You're third. But like it can get a lot. And look, these passions are inflamed because it's a World Cup. Yeah.
00:47:49
Speaker
I think that if they start well, there's every chance they go from strength strength. And you have to mention it with Colombia as well. They will be among the best supported teams at this World Cup in the United States. The Colombia and the Asperger in the US is massive. It will be very, very yellow when Colombia plays.
Uzbekistan's World Cup Debut and Strategy
00:48:04
Speaker
And that Colombia-Portugal group stage game in Miami is one of the hottest tickets at the World Cup.
00:48:09
Speaker
That is going to be quite the atmosphere. right, Jack, we're 50 minutes into this show. And I think so far, this podcast has kind of been on easy mode for you, right? We've talked about Portugal. You've got a lot of experience there. We've talked about Colombia. All right, you name dropped River Plate. You went outside the continent a little bit.
00:48:23
Speaker
Are you ready for the difficulty level here to to go up a little bit? Help me out for the Justin. Let's go. All right, it's time to talk Uzbekistan. They're making their first World Cup. It has been a long, long journey for the Uzbeks to make the World Cup. This has been a long-term project build. There is great footballing history in this country, and they got oh so close to the World Cup before finally making it here in 2026. They missed out in 2014 by one goal of goal differential and then went to a playoff with Jordan and lost 9-8 on penalties. In 2018, on the last day of World Cup qualifying, they had an opportunity at home against South Korea that they lost and then missed the World Cup.
00:49:01
Speaker
But this time around... an expanded field. But to be honest with you, they didn't even need the expanded field to get in because they were very solid in qualifying. They were in a second round group alongside Iran, Turkmenistan and Hong Kong, four wins, two draws. And then they were pretty clearly the second best team in a group alongside Iran, Qatar and the UAE in the third round to qualify. Interestingly, Iran and Uzbekistan, there's a lot of similarities here. They're very close geographically, as we'll get to in a minute. A lot of Uzbekistan them players play in the Iranian league. This is the most played fixture in international football over the last like three years. They theyve met in the second round.
00:49:36
Speaker
They met in the third round. They played four times in qualifying. They drew four times. They met in some friendlies. They met in a friendly tournament where they played in the final. We've seen too much Uzbekistan Iran for our liking on this podcast. Thankfully, hopefully we shouldn't get that at the World Cup.
00:49:51
Speaker
But managing this Uzbekistan team is a very familiar name and probably the only familiar name to some followers of European football. It's Fabio Cannavaro, who took over in October of 2025. He has a lot of experience managing in Asia, had a long stint with Guangzhou in China.
00:50:07
Speaker
He is a very interesting character here, Jack, because he's obviously a very familiar name. But he also brings that experience of Asian football that makes you think that this isn't like a duck out of water situation like Roberto Mancini in Saudi Arabia or something like that. I think this is the type of combination that could work.
00:50:25
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, look, yeah it's it's an odd one, isn't it? Because you get a manager that takes you there and then suddenly it's been like, oh, no, it's too attacking for us. We need someone that's going to come in and bring a bit of old school Italian discipline. That's a gamble, right? Like a massive gamble. And and he's speaking about this team in a quite interesting way, I think. When you're when you're looking at what what he's saying, he's like, the fitness levels aren't good enough. And and look, obviously...
00:50:49
Speaker
I'm aware that some of these players in particular have, you know, been playing in Iran and the league season's been suspended and therefore they're not coming into this in the sharpest possible fitness. And again, we go back to that conversation, obviously from a very different standpoint, but go back to that conversation about being fresh as opposed to being sharp and where the kind of middle grounds live in in those two different things. and And I think it's interesting to kind of,
00:51:12
Speaker
examine that in in some ways. But I do think that he's coming in here as as kind of a name. And obviously there was a couple of names thrown around before he actually got this job, right? Yergi Love was was linked with it. There was was Palo Bento who went over there and had an interview and then decided he was going to walk away. Clearly what they're doing here is trying to build some sort of solidity to to be a team that can and stay in games, hang in there and and and see what they can do at the other end and maybe kind of hope for a moment of magic or or just trying to wear teams down.
00:51:43
Speaker
But I still think this is a gamble. If you've got all the way there playing a certain style of football, and I know there's sometimes this argument in club football when, you know, a team who goes into a Champions League who's been dominant domestically, but in a weaker league perhaps, goes they're like, okay, we're going to try and outplay Manchester City and they end up losing seven nil and you're like, oh, maybe that wasn't the quite the strategy you would have employed.
00:52:05
Speaker
i understand the concept, but I still think this is risky. I'm not completely convinced that Cannavaro, you know despite his kind of, he he did do well when he was in China, but that was a pretty dominant side. Outside of that, there's not been a huge history of success for Cannavaro in and managerial terms.
00:52:21
Speaker
And Amit, if the defensive solidity option is what you're looking for, the pieces you're working with, it's fair to say, are obviously not at the level of the other pieces in this group. The situation in Golan on the back line is pretty much exclusively from the Iranian in the Uzbek League. Obviously, Man City's Aboukhor Kusanov is the obvious exception there. We've seen him.
00:52:41
Speaker
Feels like there's going to be a lot there. This is the type of situation where you're hoping that the some... you know, the overall parts here fit together than kind of the sum of the individual parts for Uzbekistan.
00:52:54
Speaker
Yeah. And I think there's a lot on Kusinov's plate to try to stop team's best attackers. He's had a pretty good season at Manchester city. He's not great, but he's, you know, fast, physical.
00:53:09
Speaker
yeah he's He's okay. i mean And again, that's at Manchester city. Everyone else is, know, a bit slower, ah a bit worse with the ball. We've seen Uzbekistan as a system be able to close games down pretty effectively. It's just the level of the teams they're playing um is is not quite. And I think, you know, we talked about Uzbekistan-Iran, which is kind of our best measuring point for them. They can really, really muck it up and take away space. That might work against Columbia Dierkongo, but like that is the extent of the level. And even then...
00:53:44
Speaker
It's just going to be all hands on deck for 90 minutes. Rustam Amrshad, Shurmatov, I should say, from Estegal the Iranian league is probably the best defender here outside of of the Khrushchev, who you mentioned at Man City.
00:53:58
Speaker
The midfield here, Jack, is where things kind of get interesting and kind of looking towards the attack. Odebek Shukharov at Banias in the UAE. And Jaludin Mashiropov is a player that I really fell love with during qualifier. He's also at Estegal in Iran.
00:54:11
Speaker
They're probably the most dangerous options. As Amit said, they can play a little bit. They can play the ball at the level they're at. The question then becomes, obviously, can they play the ball at the level they're going to? And then their best attacking card is going to be Shomarodov, who's at Istanbul on loan from Roma. He is the most talented player here. He is the talisman.
00:54:30
Speaker
And if they're making something at this tournament, Jack, it's probably coming from Shomarodov with Zhukrov and Mashirov combining in behind. Yeah, i mean, look, he he's a bit of an icon, right? Like, I've got to say, I mean, I'm higher on Kusinov than you are. I think he's been absolutely excellent for for the the majority of this season. and And look, I think with the midfield, you look at the players that are in here, and you you know, you talk about Shukurov there, but but also Hamrobikov, who I think they've kind of played well together. And they feel like they have a very solid, settled midfield partnership in there. It's not going to do all that much damage. right? Like this is a midfield three that is set up to spoil a little bit. It's set up to kind of make things difficult for the opposition to break through. And that's a good space for them to be. They're going to look to the sharp end of the pitch in order to to make things happen. And yeah, Shomaridov has kind of set the scene for so many years. And and people would talk about Kuznov being the face of this team. And yes, he's the new hot young star in the Premier League. And he's had a very, very rapid ascent to life and and fame. But actually, Shomaridov has had a very, very good cat career, right? Like yeah that bounce into Serie A, The move to Roma didn't quite work out, but he was quite beloved there for for a long time by the fans because he kept coming up with big goals and big moments. He made that move to Turkey at the start of this year and he did really, really well to begin with. like It was a really hot start and then it kind of slowed down ah a bit. I'm intrigued by Faisal Aev.
00:55:51
Speaker
who plays with him at Basak Shaheer. And when you kind of put those two together, they've got good understanding at club level. They seem to have kind of built that up over the course of the season. You've got an elder statesman and a young star. And, you know, we know that this Uzbek side has been really, really impressive at a youth level, right? The the runs in the 17s and the 19s and 23s. We've seen a lot of pretty special moments from them with generations coming through. And it's one of the reasons that, you know, I've kind of looked to Uzbekistan and Jordan, not because they played each other all that much, but as two kind of separate streams of consciousness in how you build a team. Uzbekistan seems to have gone down that route of kind of keeping the age groups together and trying to kind of work the the most talented of those young age groups who've done well together, bringing them through at the same time. Whereas Jordan seems to have gone kind of like dive back into the league and make things happen rather than necessarily looking elsewhere. I think they're two interesting strategies and and two differing ones, which brings up two different lights, right? Yeah.
00:56:45
Speaker
But I do think that if you can, if we can see, you know, some of this young Uzbek generation get minutes here. And and I think that it's important to kind of note that Cannavaro is talking about this has been like, this is an experience getting there and making it for the first time is the most important thing we could have done because we want to be on this stage and look they can play. Right. Like we're not going to sit here and say that they don't deserve to be here. know, I like the point you made right at the top, Austin, in that 48 teams are in this World Cup. And a lot of people will look at this and be like, wow, Uzbekistan are there. They're major benefactors of the fact that the tournament has been expanded. No, no, no, no, no. They would have made 32-team World Cup.
00:57:20
Speaker
with the qualification campaign that they had. So this is not a team to to be stepped on, but i do think that lack of kind of genuine experience, perhaps lack of top level kind of names, there's a few could break out here from that younger generation. And if they can, then there's no reason to suggest that this couldn't be a launchpad for what comes in future years, I think. So paint me the picture for success for Uzbekistan at this World Cup. What's it going to look like to, again, this is something that we've referred to time and time again on this podcast. Where's the path to three minus one? Where's the path to four points? How do Uzbekistan get out of this group?
00:57:56
Speaker
It would help if you unmuted yourself. They got to beat DR Congo. That's where it starts. I think you get three there and then you try to nick a point somewhere else or you you try to do the damage control. We say this for all these kind of you know teams in in this bit. I think you know the strike partnership is enough to steal some goals. And I think the other thing is even though they're defensive, they – Don't want to park it for two ah two sets of 90 minutes against Colombia and Portugal because the goal difference won't be there. They've got to still try to be operatistic in play.
00:58:28
Speaker
I think also... sometimes a team with the domestic based players, or in this case, Iranian based and domestic based players surprises. Yeah.
00:58:39
Speaker
Like there's a, like I, the models are kind of asleep on Uzbekistan and I can't make the case that every team, the models are asleep on is going to, you know, overperform, but there could be a scenario where if you're looking for a surprise shock team, like Uzbekistan could fit the bill and sneak in and in third place here.
00:58:58
Speaker
um I think they could steal steal something, and I think they can grind games to a halt against non-Portugal teams and and maybe like two two draws, or maybe a draw somewhere, and then you steal something against Congo.
00:59:16
Speaker
Crazier things have happened. I don't think it's going to be insane. Do I think that holds up in a knockout round if they get there? Less so, but... like I think there's something to say that with kind of our kind of pre-couching the vibes is like, look, we're happy to be here. He's not, I'm not saying he's saying that, but like, there's a little bit of like house money, which sometimes can, can get you the right thing. and listen, we, we already said like Columbia, like maybe things go a little bit wrong there. Like you catch them and on the wrong day. Like it could, it could happen. There's a path to four for sure.
00:59:48
Speaker
Yeah, so Jack, final point here on Uzbekistan. That uncertainty can work in their favor, right? This is a test of how well prepared are Colombia and Portugal, I think particularly.
00:59:59
Speaker
How is the scouting team, like, have they done the scouting necessary to dive in and look at this Uzbekistan team? Because if they haven't, A surprise could be waiting around the corner, whether that's for Colombia on the first day in Mexico City, whether that's Portugal in the middle match in Houston.
01:00:12
Speaker
The surprise possibility is always hanging around a team like this where it's not like you're dealing with very certain names that you know day in, day out. Yeah, I think it wants to be, from an Uzbekistani perspective, it wants to be that first day, right? They've got to come out and catch Colombia on the hop.
01:00:29
Speaker
that's how That's how they get into this. Because if they do that, there's no way that Portugal take them lightly in the second game. And even if they put up a you know, we kind of saw it with Saudi Arabia in the last World Cup, right? A lot of people were just like, what's going on here? And then suddenly they beat Argentina and everyone's like, no no no, no, right? We're not having that. like that that This has got to now work itself out. We've got to find these kind of gaps early towards.
01:00:50
Speaker
So I think that it probably does need to come in the first game if they're going to make us, if they're going to get a statement one, as we say, look, three points could be enough to get out of the group. We we don't know what that looks like as long as the goal difference isn't absolutely dreadful. That might be enough to just squeeze you in. And it's what makes predicting, I suppose, what's going to happen in this World Cup quite difficult because, you know, there's no group of death because three teams are almost certainly getting out of the group of death, which means that it's not a group of death anymore. But And so when you kind of look at it in in those perspectives, it makes things a little bit more open, I suppose, for for
DR Congo's World Cup Path and Tactical Analysis
01:01:23
Speaker
teams. To get to the knockout rounds would be such ah an incredible success story for this team being at their first World Cup. But I think there are people in here and and players in here who are able to to cause difference. And I also think that, you know, with the rise of Shmurdov and now Kusinov playing for Man City, starting week in, week out for Pep Guardiola, there will be eyes now. And then there's a couple of players who you're already seeing start to be talked about in certain lights, in certain transfer situations. Uranova, Persepolis, I think is someone that, you know, has already started to be discussed, not quite in Premier League circles, but I've definitely seen discussions in Portugal and around the Portuguese press around potentially being able to kind of start looking at markets that haven't been maybe tapped before. This is a huge opportunity for players as well as a team to go and show themselves on the wider stage capable of of making that step up.
01:02:10
Speaker
Difficulty level got turned up and he passed it with flying colors. iit Not that I was any sort of surprised, but ah good to hear. All right, DR Congo to finish off this group, making their second appearance to the World Cup. They qualified in 1974 as Zaire. They were out in the group stage with three losses, having scored zero goals with 14 against They had, as I alluded to earlier, one of the most testy qualification campaigns.
01:02:33
Speaker
They were one of the few teams that made it into the African Thunderdome of the African playoff after they got through a tricky Group B. They lost away to Sudan. Remember Sudan? and then We had good ties to Sudan at World Cup qualifying. What a fun story they were. They did not get very far after. They were a fun story, but they were a fun story for a time. They had a good draw away against Senegal, but then let a 2-0 lead slip at home to lose 3-2.
01:02:53
Speaker
However, those results were good enough to get into the African playoff. Once there, they beat Cameroon 1-0 with a goal in the 91st minute and on a slimy, wet night in Morocco in the semifinal. Then against Nigeria, D.R. Kongu are why Nigeria are not at this World Cup because they drew Nigeria 1-1 and then beat them on a wacky, wild, hilarious penalty shootout. And then they went to the Intercontinental Playoff. They outplayed Jamaica and then finally broke through an extra time for a 1-0 win.
01:03:18
Speaker
Sebastian Nassab is the French manager. He's been in charge since 2022. Has a good record. They were out in the round of 16 of the AFCON. But at that AFCON, they had one eye towards that Intercontinental Playoff. They got the result that they wanted.
01:03:30
Speaker
Getting here was the goal, even if it went the long way. They have one gear. They are a physical testy team in the midfield. They will fight for every blade of grass on the midfield. They have great mid and low blocks. They are tough to play against.
01:03:43
Speaker
They have some dynamic strikers asking questions of your center max, not a lot of creativity, but the work rate is there. And in a tough group with no easy games, admit DR Congo can absolutely hang. It feels like with the teams that are here.
01:03:56
Speaker
I think so. They've played kind of that mucky style. And I think the path for them through qualifying is illustrative, right? They sent Cameroon home, a team...
01:04:08
Speaker
not a great Cameron team, but people might've thought we're better. They sent Nigeria home who absolutely are better on attacking talent. They pushed Senegal, who in my opinion is the best team in Africa to the brink, went up two zero on them, like for Senegal to really, really dig deep. They don't make a lot of mistakes. They, they are tough to play through and the strikers are good enough um to to steal goals and transition. So I think that's just a good recipe here. And the fact that they've kind of dumped some of those teams kind of speaks to like, I think them being a little bit better than their ranking. And the Jamaica game in the intercontinental playoff was not the most impressive, but also it was just getting the job done. And I think like they just kind of,
01:04:53
Speaker
bring a really, really tough-to-play-through style everywhere they go. That can work against all the teams here. um i think the the biggest limiting factor on this team is the wingers and and the strikers are not creative. like They kind of need the ball to get to them in the right spots. They need you to commit enough that they get the other way in transition. um That is their weakness. But in neutral game states or in game states up one, like that's that's ah That's a good thing to hang your hat on. I think there's a lot of mileage out of there.
01:05:26
Speaker
The other weakness is the depth, and that's where they just kind of got got by Senegal. The legs went. When they play this style, it's very taxing because they do work so hard to to contest everything on the field.
01:05:39
Speaker
At the end of games, right, it's a little bit leggy, right? Is that a little bit tough on them? The the subs, the qualities are there. There's maybe 11 to 12 guys at the level and a bit of a drop off. So can that hurt them? It might and might limit their ceiling as well. But the proof is there. I think you've seen it in knockout soccer. I know the AFCON, we talked about they weren't fully invested.
01:06:00
Speaker
In one-off games, it's really tough to beat them. and Jack, which of the pieces here are most intriguing to you? I think there's a lot of places we could start, right? The the defense is is very interesting, super physical. The midfield is going to make life very hard for everybody. But it kind of feels like success for this DR Congo team might depend on what Cedric Bakanbu and Jan Wiese can come up with in attack.
01:06:24
Speaker
Yeah, a hundred percent. But just to to kind of double down on Amit's point there, you know, we spoke about Uzbekistan and making that change from pat potentially being quite a dominant force in terms of where they are in a, on a continental level, and then trying to take that into the world stage. Trying to change your situation is difficult, right? When you're in the middle of it and trying to kind of settle back and sit in and and and dig deep when you've been used to maybe controlling games a little bit more is hard. I'm going to have that problem. And I think that's probably a good thing in in terms of where they are. You know, they're going to come into games and be like, yeah, we know exactly what we're going to do because this is the style we've kind of utilized throughout it. And I think that you're right. You know, we're going to, you're goingnna need something pretty special from one of the two up top to, to make this happen. Now, McCampus had a funny season Betis in the, you know, he kind of was, was out for a few games because he didn't come home from, from getting qualifying and then, you know everyone was quite angry with him and then, came back in and scored a few important goals and took betters to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. And suddenly everyone was back on side. Johan Viss has had an absolutely dreadful year at Newcastle, but was incredible at Brentford as part of that, you know, that front two with Brian and Bermot. And you're kind of looking it thinking, okay... there is, there's the, you need things to fall for those players in order to make them make it happen. and
01:07:39
Speaker
But I think it's going to be very difficult to get through this this midfield, right? Siddiqui is under, and lot of people are talking about because he's been a breakout star in the Premier League, having moved from, from the Belgian top flight. But I do really like Sam Mutsami. And I remember him, he was at Nantes, right? And he the Coupe de France. He was a big part of that Nantes team for for quite a few years. Really, really competitive, kind of interesting midfielder, not going to make life easy. It's going to be very, very heavy going, I think, for whoever is playing against this team in the centre. And you think about, you know, just pull up Portugal for a second. And Joao Neves and Vitinho are going to want to be on the ball. And these two lads just going charging around, be like, no, no, no, no. You are not having any time on the ball whatsoever. Like, I think that that is where the backbone of the team comes. You know, you're right in that the defense is is quite physical. Perhaps Aaron Wan-Bissak will be able to pick up some form after having pretty poor back off of the campaign, I think, at West Ham um and really shouldn't have won his place back, if if I'm honest. But... It kind of is what it is in those regards.
01:08:40
Speaker
I think the central midfield area blocking those areas, not allowing teams to play through the middle, especially when you have a Colombia side who do like to play through the middle of the park, a Portugal side who are going to want to rely on the creativity of Vitinha and Brita Finanje in those areas.
01:08:54
Speaker
Can you block up the centre of the pitch and force teams into those wide areas where perhaps, yeah, they still have quality, but that's not the number one way that they want to play, that they want to create. If you can do that, i think you're goingnna make life hard for for the bigger teams. I think that the Alcongo have the potential to to really make that happen. Whether they can get the goals at the other end, i suppose, remains the big question.
01:09:15
Speaker
I think well said. It's those two in the midfield and then also at center back, Axel Twanzebe at Burnley. Again, not a ah great Premier League player, but he's shown his quality, I think, ah for the national team. He's he's a pretty good center back for the level. Chancel Mbemba, also a good center back for the level.
01:09:33
Speaker
Spot on the middle of the field. They just don't give you you anything easy. And we've seen this in qualifying in AFCON. There's no space like those guys are all really good at closing down the ball. It's not going to be easy to create chances against this team.
01:09:47
Speaker
I agree. we so We says had a really bad season. He's not really in form. I don't know if you can play two strikers when you're trying to be this defensive. It's certainly a plan B. But if you do, do you force teams to just think twice about committing that extra man to attack if you've got two on two with two physical strikers?
01:10:07
Speaker
If it's a just Mbemba one on two, he might find something for you. He is good enough. I think he's shown that at Batiste. It's going to be a little dicey in terms of the finding goals. In terms of creative players, I think the best one we've seen is Mishak Elia, who is in Turkey right now.
01:10:23
Speaker
He was in Switzerland. He's a good, tricky dribbler, and he he's you know he's a fun player, but I don't think he's quite going to unlock any little blocks. I don't think anyone here is going to do that for DR Congo. Theo Banganda is also kind of in that mold. They've got a few other options, but...
01:10:40
Speaker
I don't think there's enough creativity to really break down the block, so they need to hit on the counter. And that's where Bakumbu and Wisa's runnings would be great. I think for them to get anywhere, Wisa has to find some form, find a goal or two, or just work really hard and set up Bakumbu give them even long ball outlets to re to relieve pressure when they're doing all that defending.
01:11:02
Speaker
If he does that and if they find some some breathing room, they can easily not allow goals for 90 minutes and maybe steal one. And that is an OK theory game state model.
01:11:16
Speaker
Yeah. So I think there's two big points here with Dierakogu. The first and and Jack and and admit both of you guys really alluded to this is you have to be at the top of your game to get through what they're going to do to you in the midfield and defense. Right. If you hit your top levels, all right, you should probably get through. but we saw it. I watched, you know, we watched that Inter-Confederation final game.
01:11:36
Speaker
Jamaica, for whatever reason, didn't really show up to Mexico. They didn't want to be there. I don't know why. But Jamaica were completely taken out of that game. There was nothing for Jamaica against DR Congo in that game. If you don't hit your top level, DR Congo were a very difficult team to break through. So that's point one.
01:11:53
Speaker
And then point to, and admit this is something that you and I have talked a lot about this show. So much of international football comes down to, all right, we're going to create three and a half chances for our number nine.
01:12:05
Speaker
Can we take those three and a half chances and turn it into one goal? Can we take maybe four and a half chances and turn it into two goals? And that's where it kind of feels like everything is just resting for DR Congo. If they get clinical, technical play from those attacking players at the right moments, they don't have to dominate a game to be successful. They don't have to pin you in and hold. That's not how it's going to look for DR. com I think we've painted a pretty accurate picture of this is going to be slimy, grimy in the midfield and hopefully the ball bounces right twice for them and they can score and the ball doesn't bounce right for you.
01:12:41
Speaker
That's where this all rests for DR Congo is. Can Bakamu, can Wisa, is it Mishag Elia just going on a long run? they say I didn't know he had that in his pocket, but he did it once and it worked. right Can that happen enough for them to have an impact in this group?
01:12:56
Speaker
I think the answer, Jack, is I don't want to have to play DR Congo. right And that, I think, is what their biggest calling card is. Yeah, 100%, right? Like it's it's not necessarily, are they going to beat us? It's how do we beat them? How do we actually get through this? It's going to be sticky. It's going to be mucky. It's not going to be particularly pretty to watch. They're not going to come out of this as a neutral's favorite unless they suddenly, you know, bring a massive, massive upset and everyone's like, oh, that was fun. But like, if you actually watch a lot of of what they've done, so it it's not always particularly pretty. It does feel quite attritional at times.
01:13:29
Speaker
That I think is a strength in itself, right? Like the the fact that they are going to be coming into this capable of of knowing exactly what the game plan is. And look, maybe they bring in someone like Macau to to kind of stiffen up and play that third midfielder in there. and If they do, we've seen him, you know, occupy so many different roles for Lille, right? Like he came in as as an attacking midfielder and scored two goals in the Europa League and everyone like, where the hell has this guy come from? And it turns out that he was actually a defensive midfielder all along and he was just playing out of position because they had no players. And it's like, oh, okay, cool. So if you add that person in and he's the third man in that midfield, is he given a bit more license to roam? Is he given a bit more license to try and control the game? What does that look like? Espanol as well is is a decent ball player and someone who can kind of hold things down in terms of, can we slow the game down a little bit and and and maybe actually just knock it around and cool things off if there is sustained periods of pressure against us. So I think that they have options. I'm kind of struggling with it in terms of who's going to step up and be those kind of key players in in wide areas, as you both kind of alluded to.
01:14:28
Speaker
And it doesn't feel to me that, you know, when we're talking about Uzbekistan in in sort and saying, okay, there could be a couple of breakout stars here. I don't know if we're necessarily going to see that with this DR Congo team, because I think that one, quite a lot of the the elder statesmen are quite well versed in the kind of general football universe a little bit more, have had stints in Europe's top five leagues or Premier League or or whatever it looks like.
01:14:52
Speaker
I can't see someone breaking through and and lighting the world on fire in the way that you could maybe see that with Uzbekistan. But that doesn't, I don't think, count against them when you're actually talking about qualification.
01:15:06
Speaker
I think the best word that you mentioned is attritional and that that's going to be their model. It's worked for them to get through the slog of qualifying the playoff. Does that hold up in this three game sprint format, but that's not quite knockout.
01:15:20
Speaker
It's interesting. And put this team in a potential knockout game. And again, if they're a team that pops up, right, that third place picker wheel, if it comes out DR Congo and you're a big favorite, that's not the matchup you want in the round of 32 at this world cup. right, we've gone on
Anticipating Exciting World Cup Matches
01:15:34
Speaker
long enough. We're going to bring this show to a close. Jack, I know that this question might not make a lot of sense to you as somebody who I'm sure, like us, is probably going to watch every game for the World Cup. But if you could only watch one game from this group, which one would you go for?
01:15:48
Speaker
I mean, yeah and it's a difficult question. i suppose the the obvious matchup, the marquee matchup is Colombia-Portugal. And I think there's going to be, like especially considering that's the last game of the group, if both teams have actually won their opening two,
01:16:04
Speaker
I think that becomes a really interesting game. Whereas I think if some one of them has slipped up and you can play for the draw as the team kind of in the ascendancy, both teams will probably try and shut it down a little bit more. There won't be any real need to to go for broke. But if they do, and you're looking at this and thinking, okay, you know, we you know it's all in the balance. It's hanging in the balance. I say the goal differences are similar for posterity's sake. If we have a shootout between those two in the final game, I think that could get very interesting very fast. And, you know, we spoke about it at the time. the winner's route through to the quarterfinals looks very comfortable. Whereas second place doesn't, that suddenly becomes almost a knockout game within itself, you know, a second chance and, you know, to pull a reference that absolutely nobody will get, you know, it's is a bit like what happens in the senior Hurling and football championships in the Republic of Ireland. Two sides qualify automatically for the all-island finals. The third side goes into a quarter final and it might end up playing another one afterwards. So they're not necessarily, you're bit knocked out, but it's like you've suddenly added two more games that you didn't want. And you you might end up with the same team again in two rounds time. So like that, I think that that game could be massive, but I think it does depend on where the two teams are when we get to that final day. So Amit, while the rest of the footballing world has their eyes on Ronaldo versus Colombia in Miami, while everybody's shelling out thousands and thousands of dollars for tickets, can I count on you to to to make a case here for DR Congo Uzbekistan?
01:17:29
Speaker
That's two of the World Cup after dark darlings. It's a there's a few of these littered throughout the tournament. Cape Baird, Saudi Arabia, Congo, Uzbekistan. Something's got to give right to teams that are absolutely trying to maul each other. Third place is on the line like the stakes are real. And I think that forces two teams that don't want to do something to do something. And that is fun. And, you know, I hopefully we've made the case for both these teams being interesting. Even if the football isn't right, like the stakes of drama for two of the teams that have given us the qualifying stakes and drama, great storylines like that's going to be blood, sweat and tears in the best way.
01:18:07
Speaker
A quick word for for Portugal, Dierre Congo, for me on the first match day, I think the physicality of Dierre Congo has the potential to You mentioned it, amit attritional. I think that game in Houston can be very attritional for Portugal. And again, if Portugal don't show up to this World Cup at top form with all of that kind of silkiness working, Dior Congo can just throw a gum in the works and say, all right, 90 minutes, see what you can do. We'll take our nil-nil and go home. That's a perfectly fine result for us. i think that's a pretty interesting game here as well.
01:18:38
Speaker
Go ahead, Jack. Just on that, like how many times do we see that when we end up talking about MLS, like the Dynamo in the middle of, in the middle of summer, just be like, yeah, come, come down here if you want. Like if you really fancy and like teams who haven't lost all season will just suddenly rock up against the team that are 12th in the conference and be like, nope, no chance. Absolutely no chance of doing us down here. I don't think the conditions help Portugal there.
01:19:00
Speaker
A lot people like hold Portugal up as this really hot country. spent a lot of time in Portugal. and A lot of it is not very hot, not much of the time. Like, yes, on the Algarve in the summer, it's quite warm. But like, you know, Porto is as rainy as London is. Like, it's not a particularly like warm country in the same regard. and I think sometimes that gets lost in it. But to your point, both these opening games are interesting. And we spoke about with Uzbekistan, right? If they have a chance to jump the gun,
01:19:26
Speaker
It's again, Columbia in that first game in Mexico city. Can they jump the gun there? I think the first two games are really interesting. I think the last two games are really interesting. I'm not sure that the middle two are going to have quite the same level of stardust sparkled on them.
01:19:38
Speaker
It's a fascinating group.
World Cup Coverage Plans and Insights
01:19:40
Speaker
Thank you so much, Jack, for coming on and appearing with us to to break it down. Where can the listeners find you during the world cup? What do you have planned during the world cup for people who maybe want some more of you?
01:19:51
Speaker
Thank you very much for having me as ever. It's been an absolute pleasure speaking to you both. I'm i'm going to be on Sirius X MFC for a lot of the World Cup, covering it stateside. So that's ah that's very exciting. We haven't quite got our schedules yet, but I'll also be doing stuff on the Ranks FC podcast, and myself and Dean Jones, the Intercontinental Fund, because he's based in San Diego, which makes it a little bit difficult on time differences, but ah we're going to be making things happen throughout. So if you fancy it, the Ranks FC football podcast, we'd love to love to have you there.
01:20:22
Speaker
Hopefully our paths will cross at least a few times this summer on the Sirius XM FC, Jack. It's a world company that's after dark for you based in Europe, right? You're going to be ah burning the midnight oil. Exactly. i'm I'm right in the heart of it. and please, boys, keep doing what you're doing. i absolutely adore this podcast. so It's a pleasure to come on.
01:20:38
Speaker
Thank you so much. If you got to this podcast through Jack and you want more of us, patreon.com slash WCAD is where our World Cup preview hub is. We have group by group previews for all 12 of these groups by the time the World Cup kicks off. Amit and I have a big picture look at the World Cup that that has been very well received as well. And then we'll also be making our predictions. Amit's just roaming around with his dark horse stink, just waiting to spray it on somebody and ruin the World Cup campaign of an entire nation. Columbia potential candidates there. mean, I don't want to spoil the fun.
01:21:11
Speaker
I try not to say the words, but it's out there. Okay. It's out there. So if you're looking for more from us, you can find that there. And then obviously during the world cup of it, and I will be here with plenty of content. And if you would like to support us, you can do so as well at that previously mentioned site, patreon.com slash WCAD $3 a month, subscriber only content, plenty of stuff. And you monetarily support what we do here, which we do because we love it. Again, A final thank you to Jack for joining us today. Amit and i will be back with plenty more ahead of the World Cup and during it. And as always, thanks for listening.