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Free Weekly Episode - Giroud France’s Hero, Morocco’s World Cup Miracle, End Of CR7 Era & Much More (Ep. 281)
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From AC Milan's Olivier Giroud France's hero against England, the Cristiano Ronaldo era over, Sofyan Amrabat's magical Morocco continue to marvel, Brazil flop against outstanding Croatia midfield to Argentina beating Netherlands after festival of shithousery and much more as Nima and Carlo discuss it all.
Every Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast is free for all. To listen to all full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP to become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Introduction to the Italian Football Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian Football Podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nima Tavalli.
World Cup 2022 Semi-Final Stage Discussion
00:00:16
Speaker
We are now into the final week of the 2022 World Cup. We are at the semi-final stage after
00:00:24
Speaker
some three matches actually in the quarter finals i really really enjoyed those four matches and i haven't been that big on the world cup so far in the groups and even in the last sixteen obviously it's not being there. Has played a big role and in that and but generally i haven't thought the matches have been.
00:00:43
Speaker
that great has also become a little bit tiresome or the off-the-field stuff that's been going on. But I really thought that the tournament caught fire in the quarterfinal stage.
Review of World Cup Quarter-Finals with Serie A Links
00:00:52
Speaker
I thought some of those matches were fantastic, some great stories, some great comebacks, some great matches, full stop. So what we're going to do on the show today is we're going to review all those four games. There's a lot of serial links there in all of the four matches, a lot of big talking points.
00:01:10
Speaker
So that's gonna take up most of our show today. I think you'll enjoy it. There's a lot of big, big, like I said, a lot of big talking points.
Major World Cup Quarter-Final Talking Points
00:01:21
Speaker
We're gonna talk about England's exit and the English media, which I know all our listeners love. Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo going out. Should he retire now from football? Brazil, shock defeat there. Many people thought that they would win the tournament.
00:01:37
Speaker
Croatia just go on their midfield. Where does it rank among the best central midfields of all time? I've got a segment on that, which I really want to discuss. Argentina, there's a lot of needle in that game. Messi versus Vekor, probably the biggest mismatch ever, which is pretty hilarious. And then we will review... When he comes in, I die.
00:02:05
Speaker
And we'll also talk a little bit about Morocco, that brilliant fairytale, some of their players, Amrabbat, who has just been an absolute sensation in this tournament, where Nimrod's going to do a little profile on him.
World Cup Semi-Finals Preview and Player Profiles
00:02:18
Speaker
And then we'll preview the two semi-finals as well, which are coming up on Tuesday and Wednesday, recording this on Monday. So lots to talk about, let's get into it.
00:02:30
Speaker
OK, so as I said, we'll go through game by game and do a review. So we'll start with the most recent one first. So it's the fourth and final quarterfinal. France versus England. France win 2-1 in a game which I thought was a brilliant game. I thought it was a proper World Cup game. You know, you really felt attention in that game. And that was, you know, it felt like a World Cup game.
00:02:55
Speaker
It was a good atmosphere and it could have gone either way. It went to France. I thought England played really well,
France vs. England: Key Matches and Analysis
00:03:05
Speaker
if I'm honest. I thought they played really as well as they could have done, but it just wasn't enough. I think in the end, France just had that extra bit of quality. France had that ability to just
00:03:17
Speaker
you know, move up a gear, turn up the heat when they want to. And they did it. And they had that, just that little bit of extra individual technical quality, I think. And that's really what made the difference in this game. But, you know, I don't want to take anything away from England. I thought they really did play well. Didn't create much, to be honest, but I thought they held their own and it could have gone either way. But France just, they just know how to get the job done, don't they?
00:03:47
Speaker
Well, they do, but the reason for that is because I think they've got a team that's more ready. They're decisive players, whether it's Griezmann, who I think has been really, really good and gone under the radar a little bit this World Cup.
00:04:02
Speaker
Mbappe, who we all know, he's probably been the player of the tournament so far overall, and Giroux, who is in the form of his life, as we've said on this podcast when we've spoken about how he's playing for Milan. They've got players that are where they are in their careers and where they are in their forms, in their form right now. They're more decisive, they're more ready to deliver at this level, and I think England
00:04:30
Speaker
have such a young squad still, and are not quite there yet. If we take away Harry Kane, it's a very, very young squad. I think England are two to six years away from winning something, and I think they will win something.
00:04:51
Speaker
I just think that this particular tournament, I feel that teams like Croatia, Argentina, France, they're more ready, they're more mature now to win than England are. But yeah, I agree with everything
Debate on England's Progress and Coaching Future
00:05:06
Speaker
you said. I think England played really well. I think England have played really well this tournament.
00:05:11
Speaker
I just don't think they're quite ready yet and I do have some doubts as to whether or not Gareth Southgate is the right man to take this England side to a trophy. I think he's done an absolutely phenomenal job. You know me personally, Carlo, one of the things I hate the most about football debates is this ridiculous
00:05:32
Speaker
polarisation of if someone is shit or champagne. I think Gareth Southgate has done an absolutely fantastic job. If you look at what he took over, where England were, when he took over, and what he represented, this new young generation of coaches with a new approach, the work he'd done at youth level for England, and how he managed to bring these players over and integrate them into the first team,
00:06:02
Speaker
and has gotten to read some success with. I mean, look, semi-final of the World Cup, final of the Euros, quarter-final of the World Cup, these are really good results. And I think, you know, if you look at his overall management career at England, he's one of the all-time greats in terms of winning percentages and what he's done. England are a world-class team under Gareth Southgate.
00:06:26
Speaker
And they play some really good football. He gets the most out of every player. But I don't think, having said all of that, I still don't think that he is the right man to win England something. Because I think England have the quality and will have players that will be ready to win something.
00:06:45
Speaker
in the next two to six years, the next three tournaments, upcoming tournaments. In fact, I actually have them as my favorites to win the Euros in two years' time. I think that's when they'll be ready to push and win. But regardless, I think they showed once again that this is a young team, this is a team that has incredible firepower,
00:07:10
Speaker
And the way they play is just so... They're not bothered. There's no weight on their shoulders. They play so relaxed. They know what they want to do. They know how they want to play. I think Jude Bellingham has been an absolute revelation.
00:07:27
Speaker
And they just keep producing. I think the only problem they've got is still, I think,
England's Performance Analysis and Media Critique
00:07:34
Speaker
Declan Rice. I don't think he's good enough to be starting in that role. If they could find someone who's a little bit more creative next to him and maybe just give him defensive duties, I just don't think that he
00:07:47
Speaker
he and Jordan Henderson are of the quality, at least not from what I've seen today, to help England win. I mean, that's the weak area. But other than that, I think England have had a great tournament. They've scored the most goals after the quarterfinal stage. I think they've scored 13. And they
00:08:05
Speaker
No, you know, congrats, congrats England on a good tournament, another step taken forward. And I just think that France are more ready and have more ready players today. I think, listen, I want to try and make this as nuanced as possible for the reasons you just said. I think with England is
00:08:27
Speaker
that the issues we saw against France is kind of the problem that they've always had in that in many ways they were actually the better team in this game in overall play. But if you look at actually what chances did England actually create aside from the penalties? Well I'll tell you, England had the non penalty XG of 0.8 in this game.
00:08:51
Speaker
which is not very high, let's be honest. I mean, the only really good chance they had was Kane when he slipped up a Meccano at 1-0 in the first half and Laurees came out and actually made a really good save. He was fast off his line and he kind of...
00:09:06
Speaker
spread himself and made the save. That is actually the only chance in open play. Then they had the two penalties, which I don't want to discount. A penalty is a penalty, but it was a penalty. Then the rest was just the usual set pieces. You had a Harry Maguire header, which clicked the post, but that was a header off a free kick.
00:09:29
Speaker
And the other stuff was just, you know, you know, Rashford's free kick at the end, which went over and, you know, a few little bits and pieces, but nothing, it didn't really, and that was despite England actually for once.
00:09:40
Speaker
because this is how France played. England actually had much more of a ball, which is kind of surprising, but they never created anything. And this is England for me, this was England at their very best. This is one of the best performances that England played. And they're playing against, remember they're playing against a France team who are a fantastic team, but also it's a France team with half their team out. France has been absolutely decimate, which kind of shows the strength in depth that this France team has. They have half of their first team missing through injury.
00:10:10
Speaker
You know, they have the Ballon d'Or winner, Benzema, missing. They have their first two first-choice sentiment fielders, Pogba and Kante, out. You know, they have other players that are out injured as well. You know, and they've also, they lost Lucas Hernandez as well, which might be a blessing, but still, you know, they lost him during injury in the first game. I was going to say, that's probably been a blessing because Teo's been outstanding, isn't he?
00:10:33
Speaker
I know, but they've been gutted yet but England didn't create anything and I think this is the difference that even though I have no doubt that England are producing more players than maybe in terms of depth than they ever have done and that is down to obviously the trickle down effect of
00:10:50
Speaker
The Premier League's riches because because of all the money that's coming through TV and in the Premier League The clubs have so much money that they're building all these world-class academies. They're bringing in the best youth coaches in the world They've got the best facilities the best nutrition the best doctors the best science that they're fire advanced You know in technology and everything else that they're able to produce these young players and for that reason I think the future
00:11:14
Speaker
is brighter for England than it has been in the past. But at the same time, if we're just judging England and what they have achieved during this Gareth Southgate era, I think it is very, very much the same old, even though they've got to a final, a semi-final, and a quarter-final, which is
00:11:38
Speaker
outstanding for England based on their history. If you actually look at who they've actually beaten during that time, they haven't beaten anyone. I mean, their record against elite teams is, let's be honest, for a team that wants to be and considers itself a big team, which I don't think it deserves to be based on its
00:11:56
Speaker
traditional history as an international football country. It's abysmal. They played 17 games during Southgate's reign since 2016, six years. Since 2016, they played 17 top 10 teams. They've only won three of those games, three of 17. They've lost nine, right? Now, two of those wins were in friendlies against Belgium and Spain.
00:12:23
Speaker
They've only won one competitive game against a top 10 nation during Southgate's reign. That was against Denmark, who were hardly, as you would say yourself, hardly a super nation. Now, that wasn't even won in normal time. That was won in extra time in the semi-finals of Euro 2020. And it was won by a penalty, which was a dive by Raheem Sterling. So the fact is that
00:12:48
Speaker
The simple fact remains, as it has nearly always been the case throughout England's history since 1966, which was the last time they won anything, is that whenever England plays an elite team, they lose. The only reason they got so far in these other tournaments
00:13:06
Speaker
recent tournaments under Southgate is because their roots to the latter stages in those tournaments was so kind to them. They didn't play anyone. It's a good team. The big nation, let's say, they played during these three tournaments before France was Germany, which they beat. Obviously, they beat in the Euros at home, but it wasn't a bad Germany team. It was a terrible Germany team.
00:13:27
Speaker
So, yeah, the point I'm making is that really, in many ways, it was still the same old from England if we're judging it on what we've seen. Now, that's not me saying that the future can't be bright. They have got a young team. They are, like I just said, they are producing and they have the tools to produce more players because of all the money that's coming through the Premier League and that will help them.
00:13:49
Speaker
You know, the idea, and we'll come onto the English media in a bit, the idea that, you know, England need to be seen as this big, major super nation and that, you know, they're going to win the World Cup. And I think it's absolutely absurd because, you know, they, again, it's been the same old story. England playing against an elite team, they lose. And yes, they played well in this game, but they didn't create anything. They barely created anything. That's true.
00:14:13
Speaker
Well, that's true, but I think that's more down to a couple of reasons. This particular one, if you look at it, this particular defeat. And I think that's more down to the fact that their decisive players are either not informed like Harry Kane, because he's not been in that great of a form, if we're perfectly honest.
00:14:36
Speaker
And the youngest, yeah, he's a little bit too slow. But if we look at, also, if you look at the players like Saka and Bellingham, they're all very, very young. They're not in their prime yet. They're still moving towards their peak. I don't think we've even seen 80% of the potential that these guys have.
00:14:54
Speaker
And also, I think Gareth Southgate, again, is a great coach, but I think he's limited. I think this is his ceiling. I don't think he can win England anything. I think he would deserve to on a personal level because I really like the guy.
00:15:09
Speaker
But I don't think he has the tactical astuteness to take England to that next level. I think he can get them to a semifinal. I think he can get them to a quarterfinal. I think this is the level he can do. But in in-game management, like, for example, taking Saka off, you know, he doesn't in these decisions. Yeah, that was his mistake.
00:15:27
Speaker
Yeah, when he's up against the best, you know, indecisive moments in big games, I think he makes mistakes. I think he did it in the Euros as well, in the final, as we saw, you know, putting a 17-year-old Saka to take the final penalty, I think was a very bad decision. And luckily, it didn't break Saka, but it wasn't thanks to Gareth. But my point is simply that
00:15:50
Speaker
again i really rate the guy i think he's a great i think he's done a fantastic job but if england want to win anything they need to have someone who is better at this level who's better at handling these the problem with that is they'll have to go for a foreign yeah they have to go foreign they they have to go for a foreign coach they're going to do that because there are no english coaches yeah you know so yeah that's that's that's the i agree with that isn't it yeah
00:16:14
Speaker
Or if they decide, you know, once Graham Potter fails at Chelsea, they want to go after him. But regardless, I mean, it's... And that is a matter of time, by the way.
00:16:25
Speaker
because he was not ready for that Chelsea job. But regardless, I think someone like Thomas Tuchel or even Luis Enrique, I mean, do you know what I mean? I honestly think Luis Enrique with his England squad, it would be interesting. Maybe Harry Maguire wouldn't get in, but everyone else, I mean, I look at overall, I think it would be interesting to see him trying to make England, yeah, it'd be interesting to see him try and make them play possession football. That would be interesting.
00:16:49
Speaker
Yeah. But anyway, I want to move on. I want to talk about our favourite friend, the English media. And let me just, before I introduce this, let me just, let me be honest that, you know, I'm not, when we criticise here, criticising English media, this isn't criticising
00:17:10
Speaker
the English people, the English football team, the players, the fans. And it's definitely not, it's not criticizing the English independent media, which I guess we're part of. It's not none of that, but it is. I've been open and honest about it.
00:17:29
Speaker
Can't stand the English mainstream corporate media. I can't stand it. I find it insufferable I find that the narratives that they always run are just unbearable and It you know, I just found this is exactly the same and and you know it was exactly the same with this game and that the English corporate mainstream media always has a narrative and
00:17:51
Speaker
Whatever it is they're talking about, whether it's a World Cup, whether it's a football match like this game, or whether it's a political issue, or whether it's a big news story, like they're talking about the latest Megan and Harry documentary on Netflix. There's always a narrative, there's a preconceived narrative before the fact, before the event,
00:18:14
Speaker
and they stick to that narrative and it's always the same. And in football, whenever it comes with England in a World Cup, it's always the same. It's the same narrative every single step of the way. And when it comes to England getting knocked out of a World Cup, it's always the same. And in this case, I just find that the narrative since England went out has basically been
00:18:36
Speaker
Number one, they were robbed by the refs. Number two, they were actually the best team in the tournament. Jamie Carragher actually said this, I've just seen just now. They were the best team in the tournament and this is a golden opportunity they missed out on. And number three, the future is still incredibly bright for the next one. Now that is always the narrative, that generally is nearly always the narrative if there's the opportunity there. And that has been the narrative in this. I just find, I find it, I don't know about you, but I find it absolutely astonishing that
00:19:04
Speaker
that England, they got two penalties in a game, and they were correct penalties, they were deserved penalties, but they got two penalties in a game, and they still want to blame the ref. What do they want? They want four penalties. I mean, I find it... I've just found it amazing. But the thing is, if you look at the episodes, then I don't understand what they're talking about. They were not robbed.
00:19:27
Speaker
They got every major decision in terms of penalties was given after VAR review, which is the correct thing to do in that situation. I mean, the referee got it right there and so did the VAR. As for the one that they didn't get in the first half, that was outside the penalty area. This is not a penalty. Harry Kane, Harry Kane.
00:19:47
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he should have had a free kick. Don't get me wrong. He should have had a free kick. But are we now, if we're going to move the goalpost to call it an absolute outrageous scandal just because you don't get a free kick or 45 seconds before the goal.
00:20:04
Speaker
Yeah. I'm sorry, but I'm not buying that. There was no scandal. The Sacco one was a foul. It was a foul. It was a foul. I'll be honest. It was a foul. He got fouled. And you can say, OK, that's a bit unlucky. It's unlucky. But it was 45 seconds before the goal. It had 45 seconds. It went around the whole length. They covered the length of the pitch before. And there was loads of different
00:20:25
Speaker
uh different phases of that attack before it eventually got to to a mani who then smashes one in from from miles out a miracle goal you know and you want to blame the referee for it i mean i i've just i find that i don't think the referee was
00:20:40
Speaker
I don't think the referee was particularly good, but it wasn't like Argentina, Netherlands. That was a horrible referee. That was dreadful refereeing. That was a referee that had no control and created more problems than he resolved.
00:21:01
Speaker
and had no consistency and completely destabilized the game, which ended the way it did. But to me, I don't think England were robbed. I think the referee wasn't very good, but I don't think England were robbed. Again, they weren't robbed of any major clear... I don't think it was a red card, because I don't think the rules prescribed that it was a red card on Theo Hernandez.
00:21:21
Speaker
No, no, the rules are clear. The rules are clear. The rules are clear. The rules are that's not a red card. You cannot get a red card unless the attacking player is in control of the bull. Then the attacking player wasn't in control of the bull because the bull was flying over his head. I mean, it was an absolute brain dead foul from Tehran. It's absolute stupidity. It's not a red card. He did quite a few of those.
00:21:44
Speaker
Yeah, no, he was bad. He was bad. Theo Hernandez was bad. And this kind of shows that there is still a weakness of his game, his defensive side of things. But anyway, they complained about three incidents going their way. Well, two of them clearly, the correct decision was made. And the only one was the sack of foul. But as we said, it was 45 seconds. I mean, how many goals are there in games where fouls are made
00:22:07
Speaker
45 seconds, a minute, two minutes, three minutes, five minutes before. Do you know what I mean? It's, it's, it's, it's, you know, it's, I find that reaction a bit ridiculous as well. I find it a bit ridiculous as well. They've got two penalties. The point is England got two penalties. That's the point. I mean, they got two penalties in the game. I mean, you know, it's just, I find it, I just find it unbelievable. I really do. Yeah. ITV, ITV's commentary. I think the Rob by Rest is embarrassed in England.
00:22:38
Speaker
Yeah, I read what's his name, what was his name, Sam Matterface, I think his name is saying that, making a really, really, it was funny, but it was very unprofessional, that comment about Chris Waddell. Yeah, we needed Gary Lineker, but got Chris Waddell. It was like, whoa,
00:23:02
Speaker
When Chris Waddell was a better player, Chris Waddell was a better player. Talking about Chris Waddell, he's some donkey when he was one of the greatest players England's ever had.
00:23:19
Speaker
Yeah, it's just, it's just, this is the problem. This is the problem I have. The English media is that they rub up, they rub, they rub up people the wrong way with that. Just this, this, this, this arrogance. Well, I mean, what the sun did, willful ignorance.
00:23:33
Speaker
Yeah, but what the sun did go into Paris and buying ginormous billboards taunting the French. I mean, if you I mean, I'm sorry, but if you do stuff like that, and again, I have no problem with trash talk. I think it's funny. I think it's brilliant. If it's, you know, within, you know, without.
00:23:51
Speaker
crossing the line of racism and stuff like that, which they didn't, by the way, for once in their lives. The Sun actually did it in a funny way. They posted stuff like that in and around the Champs-Élysées in Paris. But if you're going to talk the talk, you also have to walk the walk. And if you fail, then of course people are going to make fun of you. And it's not harder than that. It's the same thing with a game against Argentina and Netherlands.
00:24:20
Speaker
if the Dutch were all up in Argentina's face and so they lost, the Argentinians taunted them. It's like I have no problem with that. I just feel this notion of, you know, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. If you're going to dish it out, you're going to have to be able to take it back. But that's the only thing for me. Yeah, I mean, yeah, there's that as well. I just just think the English, the English corporate media, mainstream media, this is why
00:24:47
Speaker
people will just be honest. It's why the rest of the world wants England to lose when they play. And some people can't understand it. It's the English media, the reason why.
00:24:58
Speaker
everyone wants England to lose and that's why, you know, everybody else was celebrated. The England lost to France. It's France. I mean, France, let's be honest, they're not the most like nation in the world, are they? Let's be honest. They're not the most likable. They're not the most likable nation either, are they? But everybody was, you know, and this is why they brought people up the wrong way with it, you know, with the arrogance and the willful ignorance.
00:25:28
Speaker
the willful ignorance and just just the way that they talk about the you see on this block going back when i'm talking about going through the stats before you know you know the the teams england have beaten in knockout world cup games since 1966 i'll read them out for you they've got eight knockout wins in 56 years eight wins in 56 years it's been 14 14 world cups since 1966 england have eight knockout world cup wins that i read out the teams they beat paraquai belgium
00:25:57
Speaker
Cameroon, Denmark, Ecuador, Colombia, Sweden and Senegal. Name me an elite team that they've beaten in a World Cup knockout tie since 1966. Well, they haven't. I've just read out all the games there.
00:26:08
Speaker
You know, that's 1990 by the way, let's say you're talking World Cup. Yeah, sorry. Talking World Cups. Yeah, I'm talking World Cups. Yeah. So I mean, that again, that says it all. Yet, you know, that does it all about the pedigree and the historic pedigree of England. Yet you listen to the English media and they talk about England as if, you know, they have this God given right of being a challenger for the World Cup and they have to
00:26:29
Speaker
the World Cup and this is England's year, it's coming home, which pisses everyone off as well. They bring out that stupid song every single tournament. I don't know how many real years they're going to drag that song out for. And it's just like, it pisses everyone off. It really does. It winds people up. And then you see their media and you see like on TalkSport and X is better than Y. Every year, every single day, do you know that they can
00:26:56
Speaker
The other day I saw a clip, me and Adrian Del Monte were laughing about it, but Raheem Sterling said that Raheem Sterling is better than Pele. Raheem Sterling is better than Pele.
00:27:11
Speaker
you know you know coming up with stuff like this and you've got um you've got um what's his name uh uh mason mount sorry what's his name we said mason mount he said mason mount is better than Neymar or whatever i mean that that just ended me like mason mount doesn't believe that
00:27:29
Speaker
Mason Mounds about the Neymar, you had Stuart Pearce, doing it before the game, was picking his combined 11, his combined France England 11. He had three France players in it, three, three France players in a combined England France in it. He sent a midfield duo, it was Declan Rice and Bellingham, he had Harry Maguire sent at that, he picked
00:27:52
Speaker
Luke Shaw over Teo Hernandez. I mean, it's just, it's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. You know what? Lee Hendry. Lee Hendry before the game said, I look at Giroux and he doesn't worry me. Like when you say stuff like that, it's like,
00:28:10
Speaker
Yeah, it's unbelievable. I'm sorry for laughing, but it's like when you say shit like that and then it comes back and bites you in the ass, people will laugh. And again, it's the same over time. It's always the only X number of players would get in the England team. You hit that every single time. I remember when Germany knocked out England in 2010 when they beat them 4-1. Yes, I do know that that Lampard goal was over the line and it should have, it was a scandalous decision, it should have counted and it would have made it 2-1. But actually,
00:28:39
Speaker
If you look up into that point, Germany battered England and they battered them thereafter as well. There was so much debate on them. And before the game, the commentator, I can't remember if it was BBC or ITV, said that only one Germany player would get an England team. And the thing is, after the game, even after they've lost, they've doubled down. And that's why you get people like Jamie Carragher, who was an absolute imbecile, that said after the game that England was the best team in the World Cup. Jamie Carragher.
00:29:09
Speaker
I mean, it's unbelievable. It really is. And this is another, another petition as well. I saw, I saw, I saw Jerry mentioned, he tweeted something out there and started a petition to replay the game.
00:29:22
Speaker
It's always a petition to replay the game. I love when they go football Karen on tournament. Football Karen. They want to speak to the manager. It's like, I love that. I live for it. For me, it's hilarious. I would never start a petition over a football game in my life. It would have to be a very specific situation.
00:29:50
Speaker
Just before we just before we move on I promised I would do this I have to give a shout out to my to my good friend Arnie who who has a bet on on France to win the World Cup and He was a bit nervous before the game thinking England, you know, England might win. So he he got his his Neapolitan mum to do that
00:30:08
Speaker
before the game and they hung up the chili and the pepper from the TV during the game. I think France are the favourites now but they have to get free Morocco in the semi-final after
Morocco's World Cup Journey and Impact
00:30:35
Speaker
I mean, wow, what a fairy tale. What a story in Morocco. They've beaten Belgium. They've beaten Spain. Now they've beaten Portugal. And let's be honest, it's been no fluke. I mean, it's been deserved. Hasn't it? It's been deserved. They haven't fluked these games. I mean, the Spain one, OK.
00:30:52
Speaker
It was 50-50. It was a penalty shootout. It could have gone either way. But they haven't deserved to lose any of those games. They've been equal or better in all three of those matches. They deserve to win this game against Portugal. They were absolutely fantastic. I mean, this is what a story this is, Nimr.
00:31:10
Speaker
There really is. I'm just, you know, just to be fair and then show that we're not where there's no bias on our sides against the English media. Peter Drury is the goat of commentators. Please go on YouTube and Google Peter and search Peter Drury Morocco commentary and just enjoy. He really is a poet.
00:31:34
Speaker
of a football commentary it is absolutely fantastic the way he talks it gives you goosebumps brought me to tears just listening to to him afterwards but you know in those clips is so fantastic he really captures what it means i mean
00:31:50
Speaker
What it means that he captures, what it means to the Arab world, how the Arab world and the Muslim world has united around this Morocco side. I know someone who's in Saudi Arabia said that the level of excitement around Morocco is something he's never seen before, even when Saudi played in the World Cup. It's a different kind of energy.
00:32:11
Speaker
and they've really galvanized everyone and also the fact that the first African team to reach the semi-final of the World Cup is it's so it's so great and also if you you know if you take into consideration how the chaos that was before they came into the World Cup and you know this new coach taking over when he did and everyone was so annoyed that you know finally we have a good team we have a good chance and all this chaos and and he manages to turn it all around and
00:32:37
Speaker
They've only conceded one goal, and it was an own goal. They're so defensively solid. And their counter-attacks are outstanding. It's hard not to have fallen head over heels in love with this Morocco team. And the way that they celebrate with their mothers on the pitch, dancing, it's just wholesome. You just love them. You just fall in love with them, don't you?
00:33:08
Speaker
Oh, for sure. And it's great also for the African and Arabic world as well, the first nation ever to get to the semifinal. And, you know, we've had this debate, you know, I said it myself, didn't I? You know, is African
00:33:22
Speaker
Asian, North American, basically all the continents outside of Europe or South America are those continents and the national teams there and their football, the players they produce, are they any better than they were 20, 25, 30 years ago or let's say 20 years ago, the beginning of the millennium? We've asked that question and I don't think just one team gets a semifinal and necessarily says, yes, it is or it isn't,
00:33:47
Speaker
This is historic. This is the first team ever to get there. And they've deserved it. It hasn't been a fluke. It hasn't been that they've been holding on and they've got lucky. They've deserved it. They barely conceded any chances against Portugal and against Spain. And if I can remember rightly, against Belgium as well. They barely conceded anything. And they've not just been playing well as a team. They've had great individual standout players as well.
00:34:13
Speaker
The two midfielders, I'm going to do a profile on Amrabbat in a minute, but Amrabbat and Unahi in Senate midfield have been as good as anyone in Senate midfield. They've been absolutely fantastic. And Nesri up front has been great. Ziek has been back to what he was like at Ajax. He's barely been playing for Chelsea. Bufau has been magical to watch. Some of the skills and the close ball control and little nutmegs and tricks down the touch line. I think he's been beautiful to watch.
00:34:37
Speaker
And then the defence, as we've said, the defence have been absolutely rock solid. I know they've got some injuries at centre-back, I'm not sure how fit they're going to be going into the France game. And then Bono, I think, has been the best goalkeeper in the tournament, not just his ability, not just shot-stopping, but just his whole everything about him, how commanding he is, just the calmness that he brings to the defence and everything. And then obviously you've got the manager who's come in at late notice,
00:35:06
Speaker
and I mean look at I mean I think I think they've only conceded one goal during his June I'm not sure how long ago you're not just in this tournament but even before I think they had about four four clean sheets or five clean sheets before the tournament with this new manager as well like it's like their defensive record is absolutely insane it's just unbelievable so
00:35:26
Speaker
It's a beautiful, beautiful story. But for me, the player of the tournament, or the best midfielder in the tournament, I'm not sure if I would call him the player of the tournament, I would still probably go with Mbappe for that, but the best midfielder in the tournament so far, in my opinion, has been Sofia Namrabbat, the Fiorentino midfielder, so we've got a Serie A angle there.
00:35:44
Speaker
He has now been heavily linked to all the big Premier League clubs, to PSG, to Liverpool, to Tottenham. Just for those that don't know that much about him, can you just tell the listener a little bit about him?
00:36:00
Speaker
Well, Sofian Amrabbat, as everyone would know, is the younger brother of Noridin Amrabbat. He was born in the Netherlands in
00:36:15
Speaker
Huyzen, I think it's called. I'm sorry for the pronunciation. He came up at Utrecht and if I'm not mistaken, Eric Tenhag was his coach there as well. He moved to Feynord where he had kind of a breakthrough season in 2017-18. I think he scored the consolation goal against Napoli in a 3-1 loss. And then he got his move to
00:36:43
Speaker
to Club Bruges, where he signed a four-year contract. And he was there for just the season before Helas Verona discovered him for the measly, on a loan with an option to buy, set at a measly €3.5 million.
00:37:06
Speaker
And he quickly, under Ivan Yurich, became the most important player. I remember Ivan Yurich saying in a pre-match press conference where they said if he's going to rest Amrabad, he said, no, Amrabad will play for as long as he's alive. Unless he dies, Amrabad always starts. And that's the kind of, you know, that's how quickly he became so
00:37:30
Speaker
so central and important to that Hellas Verona side, who were just outstanding in the Serie A. And then of course, you know, he moved to Fiorentina. But if we look at, you know, some of the stats, I know you've got more detailed stats for him. But in this World Cup, I mean, I've brought up pretty much all the big names of all teams from Gavi to Pedro to Kovacic, Modric, all these guys. He's in the top five for the defensive stats in pretty much every single stat.
00:37:59
Speaker
from defensive duels per 90 minutes to successive defensive actions per 90 minutes to defensive duels percentages one, etc, etc. And he's just become an absolute pivotal player for this Morocco and how they defend. He's always in the right place at the right time and always does the right thing.
00:38:21
Speaker
It's so impressive to see him really have this incredible breakthrough at the World Cup and finally people see what, you know, people who listen to this show will know what I've been raving about for years. I absolutely love this player and I think he is a
00:38:37
Speaker
So up until this point in his career, he's been kind of a poor man's Marcelo Brozovic. He doesn't cover the same amount of space that Marcelo Brozovic does, but then again, I think that's physically biologically impossible for any human being to run as much as Marcelo Brozovic does in a football game. I think he set another world record the other day for distance covered in one football game.
00:39:00
Speaker
But other than that, he is such an important player. And what he does, which I think is one of the most overlooked aspects of his game, is the all-important long ball from deep. When Morocco or Fiorentino or Helas win the ball defensively, that all-important first ball, whether it's a long ball, high ball that gets a teammate who then wins it up and can hold up or play off
00:39:29
Speaker
another player and the team gets breathing space and can move up and at the counter-attack. He really does that really well. Brozovic is a master at it, but Amrabad is just behind him there. And I think that's what has gotten teams like Spurs, who I knew were interested in him already last January. They tried to sign him in January.
00:39:52
Speaker
Yeah, they were really close to signing him. They were in advanced talks. They were in advanced talks with him. It fell through. The reason it fell through was because Fiorentina decided to sell Eric Polga or loan him out instead. That's why it fell free because at that time, it's weird because he joined Verona in 2019.
00:40:11
Speaker
season. And at that time, although you said, you know, he had a bit of a kind of a breakout season at finals a couple of years before, three years before, you know, he wasn't really, he didn't arrive to much fanfare. There wasn't really much of a buzz with him. He wasn't really regarded as a
00:40:25
Speaker
as that much of a you know no one ever thought he would ever be a top player when he when he arrived in in seria because he was joining verona who were just been promoted uh from sedia b and that summer uh under even yurich and you know so he not much was really expected of him and he was an absolute revelation in that first season uh on loan at at verona he was one of the best
00:40:47
Speaker
midfielders in seria that season and then as a result for your team ended up signing him and the following the following year and so he's in his third season out for your team and to be honest the first eighteen months or so out for your team he i think he's not we haven't we definitely didn't live up to to his billing at all the first season was just complete chaos wasn't it would be a key name brandell coming back and then again and
00:41:12
Speaker
It was a joke. Then Italiano come in and he didn't really, Italiano's got a very, very specific systemic type of football where you have to fit into his system. And Amrabbat didn't really do that at first. And he didn't, you know, wasn't even always a first choice player. And that's why Fiorentina were prepared to sell him.
00:41:29
Speaker
at the start of this year during the January 2022 transfer window and they were negotiating to sell him. It didn't end up happening but since then I think he has now at Fiorentina this year in 2022, he has started to show his real level again and he started to become a top player. I think this season he has been very good for Fiorentina and obviously now we've seen at the World Cup what an incredible player. I've always rated him. I've always been a huge fan of him.
00:41:56
Speaker
I've always thought that there's a top player in there, always. Absolutely, and I think the links to Liverpool and Spurs make perfect sense for me because Antonio Conte, given how he likes to play, Amrabad is a shoe-in there in front of the defence because he's a very physical and energetic player as well. He likes to get stuck in. He doesn't shy away from tackles and getting stuck in. He's not just a destroyer though, is he?
00:42:26
Speaker
Yeah, he's not just a destroyer. He's not just a destroyer because he won't score many goals. He doesn't look at his number of goals he's scored in his career. And he won't assist many goals. He's not that kind of player, but he is very, very press resistant. You try and pressure him when he picks up the ball in a deep midfield position or in the center of midfield.
00:42:44
Speaker
He's very, very strong. He's very, very physically strong. You can't shrug him off the ball. Players bounce off him and he can get out of a space with five yards of a little burst or just the way he protects the ball, uses his body well, sticks his big ass out. I like him. I like him a lot. He's an excellent, excellent player and I think he's worthy of a big club and I think it's going to be difficult for Fiorentina to keep hold of him because his contract runs out in 2024. We've seen his agent, which I think is his brother,
00:43:14
Speaker
who's been talking a lot in the press. I think he will leave in 2023. I'm not sure if it will happen in January, but I do think that he will leave in 2023, maybe in the summer.
00:43:26
Speaker
I think he will. I think January could be the moment because I know Liverpool are looking at him and I know Liverpool are really interested in him and to me it makes sense that that Klopp would want Amrabbat given all the traits that we've listed so far and given how high, not just press resistant but he's also a high intensity player.
00:43:44
Speaker
um as well so you know he is he's a different kind of brosovich if you want you know it's a kind of a player in the similar mold but different um and i and and and though brosovich has been linked with conte and and clop as well in the past so no i think he's got presence he's got presence yes he does he has presence and he has personality i think he has personality as well yeah
00:44:09
Speaker
Yeah, he really does. And I think Spurs or Liverpool links, they make perfect sense to me. And I think if not in January, then certainly in June. And I think that's such a shame because I really, really love this guy. I think he's brilliant. Yeah, yeah. OK, right. Let's just before we finish off on Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil's World Cup Challenges
00:44:31
Speaker
Morocco. So Cristiano Ronaldo, he's played his final World Cup game. He posted on Instagram on Sunday.
00:44:39
Speaker
waving goodbye from the world cup he's 37 he'll be 41 by the time the next world cup is around so obviously he's not going to be around for that um but you know he's kind of hinted at retirement from international football full stop or maybe even retirement from from football all together um you know so i mean the question now is and we've seen a few people say this i mean
00:45:03
Speaker
Should Ronaldo retire from football now altogether? In my opinion, I think he needs to consider whether he should. I don't know what else there is for him to stay on for in football, to be honest with you. The World Cup was the one major trophy which he hasn't won.
00:45:21
Speaker
in his career, he's won everything else, including the European Championship for Portugal, but he's won the Premier League, he's won the Spanish League, he's won the Italian League, he's won the Champions League multiple times. He's won all the major titles, he's won every single individual trophy, award, goal scoring, records and everything else. He's got everything.
00:45:46
Speaker
you know but what is everything to carry on for now he's a free agent he's just had a let's be honest he's had a bad world cup all he did was score a penalty and then after that you know he was dropped for the last two games um he's 38 in february there's no interest at all from big clubs no major clubs want him
00:46:03
Speaker
No, but no major clubs are going to pay his salary and no major clubs really think that he's he's going to offer He's going to provide anything for them anyway And I've seen all the off-field problems as well that go with it. And you know, he's been so unprofessional And this this year for both club and country we saw the problems he's caused not just at Man United PS Morgan interview obviously but also at the World Cup with Portugal Salkin complaining about being subbed and you know and everything else and
00:46:33
Speaker
I don't see who, what's the point of him carrying on and just playing in Saudi Arabia or in the United States? I mean, okay, there's money, but I mean, should he just leave the game now?
00:46:46
Speaker
I think that he needs to decide, I think he needs to come to the realization that he's no longer the player he once was, those days are over, and that unless he finds a project like Milan, the way that Zlatan did, with Milan, where he can build it up again and they can build around him,
00:47:08
Speaker
Then I think it's time for him to either retire or go to, you know, that he had an offer from an Arabic club. You know, MLS is a frontier that I think he should probably, you know...
00:47:23
Speaker
try out but yeah it's no I'm with you I'm really with you it's I wonder if if I mean if he's okay with going through that that stage of his career then then he should but if he's not I think he should retire because I don't think anything good can come from this
00:47:40
Speaker
It would just become sad, is my point. There's been players over the years that have carried on and played on for too long. Some of them have ruined their legacy a little bit and I just don't see what there is to gain. I remember Lota Mateus playing on until he was 40, getting humiliated at Euro 2000.
00:48:02
Speaker
you know, Canavaro playing on for too long and getting humiliated at 2010 World Cup. You know, there's there are there's examples of absolute legends of the game that just played on for too long. And it's and it's I mean, those those two guys will still be remembered as two of the all time great. So, you know, eventually, you know, I guess maybe doesn't matter. But
00:48:21
Speaker
I just don't see what there is to gain from him carrying on. I don't see anything at all. If I was him, I would just bow out, enjoy your life with your family and that's it. Just be remembered as the legend that you were. Okay, right. Let's move on to Brazil versus Croatia. So absolute shock. I couldn't believe they lost this game. 1-1 draw.
00:48:45
Speaker
And then they lose on penalties. I mean, first of all, I think that as much as I want to praise Croatia, and we will be praising Croatia, I think Brazil were incredibly unlucky. Despite not playing anywhere near their level, they were incredibly unlucky. I think they had 11 shots on goal to one. Croatia had one deflected shot the entire game, which they scored from. And Brazil were very, very unlucky. They had big, big chances. Novakovic made some incredible saves in the second half onwards.
00:49:16
Speaker
But again, you know, Croatia, they keep doing it. What went wrong for what went wrong for Brazil? Who's to blame for this? Because everyone thought they would win this. I blame. Yeah, no, listen, there's for me, this is a disaster all on their coach. The way that he handled this game was just atrocious. Brazil, again, I don't want to take anything away from Croatia. I just, you know, we're going to talk about Croatia.
00:49:42
Speaker
and how well they are. And above all, their never-say-die attitude, their professionalism is really, really remarkable. And it reminds me, Croatia reminds me of West Germany in the 80s and 90s, that they might not always be
00:49:57
Speaker
you know, some of their parts might be better than their individual parts, even though their individual parts are of really high quality. But as far as Brazil goes, I think both Scallone and Tita almost cost, with Scallone, I mean, Tita actually costing Brazil a place in the semi-final.
00:50:20
Speaker
because the way that he handles. My personal opinion on defending deep when you're 1-0 up is that do it, but do it cleverly. Do it smart. Brazil stopped playing. I don't understand why Fred was brought on. I think that was an insane decision.
00:50:36
Speaker
He offered absolutely nothing. I thought they just gifted away. This was a game that they had won and they completely just threw it away by bad tactical decisions by their coach. And I understand that Neymar is devastated because this was his best chance so far in his career to win the World Cup, I think.
00:51:00
Speaker
They were really good result. They may not have been as good as they once were, but they were a very good team. And I emphasis on team. Yeah. I mean, I think that what you say is true, but at the same time they, you know, the goal that they conceded was through, through naivety. They, they pushed too many men forward and they would, and then they would then counted, um, like four on four, weren't they? Um, they pushed too many, I mean,
00:51:26
Speaker
Casamiro, I have to blame him, he tried to press. He went and tried to press and win the ball, he didn't win it, and then he was out of position. Just naivety, just keep your positions. Don't push too many men forward. See the game out. You can still attack, but don't overdo it. I think they just got their positions wrong, and then Croatia counted.
00:51:49
Speaker
And they defended the counter very badly. Aleksandro, what the hell was he doing? He's a left back. He come on as a left back. He watched the replay of Croatia's goal. He charges over from the left-hand side of the field, all the way over to the right-hand side of the field. I don't know why he did it. He was never going to get to the runner. And then as a result, completely vacated his area from the left. So then when the ball came across from left to right, he wasn't there to defend that space. And then the Pekovic came in and he had a shot.
00:52:19
Speaker
It's quite lucky the goal is deflected, you know, just just one of those where it was meant to be But yeah, I think that I mean Brazil Brazil were unlucky in a day It's the kind of game that nine times up to no win that game with them out chance they created But at the same time, you know, Brazil as good as they are as a team like you say They do they do still have weaknesses and I think maybe that is something that every team in this world that does have weaknesses You know, I think the full backs
00:52:46
Speaker
Then we said at the beginning of the talk, the fullbacks don't offer anything going forward. Then Nilo, Alexandra, any Juventus fan would have told you that over the last two to three years. If those two are your fullbacks, then you've got a weakness there going forward.
00:53:01
Speaker
And you know kasemura was often holding on his own and we saw when he wasn't there to to protect what happened and you've got spurs reserve as you're sent forward i mean okay i know he scored three goals according maybe the goal of the tournament but in the day he's a spurs reserve and he got a barcelona flop on your right wing in raffinia who doesn't convince me to be honest at the top top level and even naymar although he's got a great goal but
00:53:26
Speaker
He's not the same name. I know he's having a good season with PSG, but he's not the same name. He's lost half a yard. He can't do the same things that he could do a couple of years ago. There are weaknesses in this Brazil team. It's not a team that you know that is unstoppable. That's why
00:53:44
Speaker
That's why Croatia stopped. That's why Croatia beat them. Now, that's Brazil. We're now gone 24 years now without winning, well, it will be 24 years by the time the next World Cup, without winning a World Cup. For a nation as big as Brazil, that's a national disaster for them. It's like we were saying with Italy and Germany. Italy, Germany, and Brazil
00:54:07
Speaker
Dominated every single World Cup every single World Cup. It was those three teams were always the dominant teams in every World Cup And now all of a sudden, you know, we did a didn't really be chatting about Italy in Germany last week and now Brazil We can add Brazil into that bracket now, but me that they're they're not dominating football Like they are, you know the quarter final in those six quarter final in 2010 semis in 2014 and then two quarter final appearances in the last two so that they're not
00:54:32
Speaker
Yeah, it started to become a bit of a... Maybe it started to become a bit of a mental problem with Brazil, you know? I think it is. I think it's becoming a mental thing with them. And maybe that hurt them on the penalties that the pressure got to them as well.
Trends and Analysis of International Team Performances
00:54:46
Speaker
That's a very good point. That's a very, very good point. And I think you're right. I think for me, I think Brazil's midfield was not where it's at. I think also maybe I would have played a little bit differently. I think a back three would have suited that team better.
00:55:02
Speaker
But no, I think every point you made is valid. And also, for me, that's further evidence that the top elite teams, barring maybe Portugal or England, I think they've all declined in their level of how good they used to be compared to 10, 15 years ago, whilst the so-called traditionally weaker teams, African teams, Asian teams, have raised their level so that the distance between the best and the worst has severely diminished.
00:55:30
Speaker
And whether or not this is a trend that continues in Brazil remains to be seen. But it's definitely an interesting point to be made.
00:55:42
Speaker
And also that Brazil like we also said last week that some of the big nations definitely are weaker than they were 20 years ago I mean like Brazil one of those teams that we name-checked along with I release I know they're still in the competition with Argentina. I would say Italy I mean compared their teams today with 20 years ago 16 years ago I mean, I'm sorry, but that those teams their teams back then were much much stronger than they are now They wouldn't have a spurs I mean
00:56:06
Speaker
you know, the 2002 World Cup Brazil team wouldn't have a Spurs reserve as their senate forward. They wouldn't have full backs that can't even cross the halfway line, you know, they would have Caffu and Roberto Carlos. So, you know, there's definitely that as well. We do have to praise Croatia though and a lot has been said about them, a nation of four million people and how they keep
00:56:32
Speaker
punching above their weight. It is miraculous. It is absolutely miraculous. But what I want to focus on is that midfield, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic. I know we can add Rakitic in so he's not there anymore, but if you're going back four years. I mean,
00:56:50
Speaker
The question I want to ask is, where does this central midfield rank among the greatest international centre-midfields of all time? Because for me, it's up there. It's not the greatest, but it's definitely up there. If you look at what they've achieved as a final,
00:57:05
Speaker
Now a semi-final, maybe a second final in a row, with a team which, let's be honest, the rest of the team isn't the best here. They're nowhere near the best team in the World Cup. They're punching above the weight. But for me, it's down to this midfield, because this midfield, even though Brazil deserved to win and created the chances, this midfield was actually on top from large portions of the game against Brazil. They controlled it.
00:57:28
Speaker
they dominate the possession, they're so good at keeping the ball, the little triangles, the little short passes, I say it all the time, that's my kind of football, the players that can play the short passing game, it's amazing what they do together. And, you know, I think it's definitely up there. I mean, for me, the greatest ever
00:57:48
Speaker
midfield, central midfield, if we're talking about, it's probably France. France's team of the 80s, the duress, Tigana, Luis Fernandez, and then you could probably put Platini in there. It's called the Magic Square. I mean, for me, that had everything. That had the defensive solidity, but it had the runners, the running of Tigana and Tackley, and it had the technique and the imagination and skill and the goal scoring.
00:58:13
Speaker
of GRS and Platini, it was the complete midfield. For me, that's the greatest. And then you've obviously got Spain, Javi, Iniesta and Busquets, who are a bit more like this Croatian midfield in that you just couldn't ever get the ball off them. They were just so good, so good with the ball. And then the other ones I would probably, you know, I think, I really think Italy's, I mean, it's not a well-cut midfield, but it's an international team. Verratti, Giorginio, Barella and the Euros, I thought were absolutely amazing. Right up there, again, you can't get the ball off them, dominate possession every game.
00:58:43
Speaker
Brazil's 1982 midfield, Socrates, Falcao, Sarrazzo. Unbelievable midfield. They didn't win anything. We can go further back as well, but I mean, where would you rank this midfield?
00:58:59
Speaker
It's a fascinating midfield, but I have to say Rakitic, Modrić, Brozovic, for me still, that hit a higher note. I think that Croatia team of four years ago was, I mean,
00:59:16
Speaker
given where they all were in their careers, they were much better than they are. I mean, this is the funny thing. This is what's so impressive about this Croatian team is that they're kind of in the middle of a rejuvenation. They're in the middle of a generational shift from the four years ago, and they're still in the semifinals. And that goes to show that
00:59:36
Speaker
When you have an organization both on and off the pitch surrounding the team and the players in the squad all have this incredible super professional attitude and you have a coach who has all the players behind him and they all work towards a one goal, they're all united, you can overperform. And I do think that this Croatia has overperformed. I think last four years ago, they did not overperform. They were one of the best
01:00:03
Speaker
second best if not the best team in the world. I think France winning was fair and I think them getting to the final was more than fair. Croatia were that good four years ago. I think this is a little bit of an overachievement which shows again how incredibly impressive this Croatian generation is of Perisic and Modrić and the likes and their mentality that they there's a clip going around. I don't know if you guys have seen it. I think he's talking to the goalkeeper Modrić
01:00:31
Speaker
at the Croatian national goalkeeper and talking about how he has to think in order to succeed and say, look, making mistakes is OK. Everybody makes mistakes. I mean, he says, don't you think I have made mistakes? What matters is what you do after the mistakes, how you bounce back, how you don't repeat them. I mean, this mentality, they have an incredible elite mentality.
01:00:53
Speaker
When it comes to, I think, when it comes to winning mentality, when it comes to professionalism, they are the winners of the World Cup. I don't think anyone comes close to this Croatia side in how they prepare, how they take care of their bodies, how they take care of themselves, the way that they build a team, they are the best in the World Cup at that. And it reminds me so much of Germany in the 80s and 90s that sometimes, that Germany weren't always maybe
01:01:22
Speaker
the best team, but they always got to the semi-final final because of their
01:01:27
Speaker
well prepared they were tactically physically mentally and that they never give up I mean for goodness sakes they were there were parts of that game against against Brazil where they were hanging on by the by the skin of their teeth but they hung on and they just do not give up they just keep fighting and fighting and fighting and that to me is just the the morale of this team is just
01:01:53
Speaker
it's you know really the hat is off like they salute you it's it's unbelievable and I'm telling you now I wouldn't be surprised Argentina have to watch out this Croatia can make the World Cup final they can make life a living hell for for for Argentina for Messi and friends by doing what they did against Brazil by slowing down the tempo in midfield and those three know how to slow down a tempo they got Brozovic who covers more distance than any human being should
Argentina vs. Netherlands: A Classic Match Review
01:02:21
Speaker
be
01:02:21
Speaker
should be legally allowed to. It's insane. And then they've got Brozovic, and then they've got Kovacic, who's such an intelligent player. And Modric, we know, Modric is a legend of the game. And of course, the best defender in the tournament, Guardiola. No, it's just so impressive. They really are a team in every essence of the world. And it's so impressive to see them playing. It really is.
01:02:51
Speaker
It sure is. And finally, final game, Argentina Holland, because it will be Argentina that Croatia play in the first semi-final on Tuesday.
01:03:04
Speaker
This was a World Cup classic for me. Argentina 2-0 cruising. I thought Argentina was total cruise control for the first 75 minutes or so of this game. And then Holland just decided to go long ball, bring on Bearcorse, De Jong and just lump it forward.
01:03:22
Speaker
Argentina couldn't handle them and they get two goals, but the second Holland goal was absolute genius. It was reminiscent of that Javier Zanetti goal against England in the 1998 World Cup. I thought it was just an absolutely brilliant work.
01:03:39
Speaker
free kick for him to score. But Argentina managed to get it together and win the game on penalties. So what did you make of this game? So much to talk about in this game.
01:03:54
Speaker
Well, the same thing there. Scallone almost cost Argentina a game that they'd already won. It drove me insane when he brings off Rodrigo de Paul and puts out Leandro Paredes. That substitution is the worst substitution I think I've seen, not just in this World Cup, but I think it's right up there in the top 10 of worst substitutions in World Cup history. What was he doing?
01:04:18
Speaker
Um, it was, it was just, it was so stupid. And, and to top it off, I mean, it was, it was like Pekirman taking off Rikelme in the World Cup 2006 all over again. And if that wasn't bad enough, he takes off Kuti Romero, who, because he's already on a yellow card and he puts on pet cell lights, like, well, you know, Pekirman, remember that's really stupid infamous thing you did in 2006? Well, hold my mate because I'm going to do that twice as much, twice as bad.
01:04:43
Speaker
It was so stupid and completely gave away the game and initiative to the Netherlands who were, again, Louis van Gaal is a sly old fox. I have nothing but the utmost respect for that man in his ability to get the most out of the quality of the players that he's got and the squad available to him.
01:05:00
Speaker
And the way that they work their game in, and of course, Weghorst, and to just play this kind of simple football, which is so anti-Dutch, I know that Marco van Basten has been throwing hissy fits on the sidelines, this World Cup, saying that, you know,
01:05:16
Speaker
this is not fun football, you know football should be fun and what you'll do what he's doing is killing and sucking the fun out of football on Dutch TV and I guess it's not exactly the kind of football he was playing or or total football at all you know just lob it up to the young and and and big horse the two the two towering strikers but I mean why not it's football is about winning so I've got no problems with that whatsoever
01:05:39
Speaker
And again, this is how good of a coach he is tactically. If you give him the slightest inch, he will take the mile. And Argentina are lucky they didn't get knocked out, because penalty shootout is a lot, you know, there's a lot of luck involved.
01:05:55
Speaker
But having said that, Argentina did get through. And above all, Lautaro Martinez won it for them. That penalty showed to me it was as safe as you get. It was none of the Lautaro we've seen so far in this World Cup that were nervous, kind of annoyed, not in harmony kind of player. But no, that was a resolute penalty. And not just that, his entire substitution, his performance since he came on.
01:06:23
Speaker
He was great, he was outstanding. He was working himself into being the lautaro that we've seen at Inter when he comes back from these dry spell patches, when he's not.
01:06:36
Speaker
when things aren't working for him. And I think the game against Croatia, I think he will start. And I think he will score. The question is, how do Croatia react? And does Scaloni not repeat, does he learn from his mistakes and kill the game off before making stupid substitutions and putting Paredes on? And then giving the initiative to Croatia, which we know is very dangerous to do.
01:07:02
Speaker
So it's an open game for me. But yeah, there's this this I do think it's advantage Argentina for sure. But don't count out Croatia because they never, ever give up. You have to kill them off. If you don't, they will come back and and kill and kill you off instead.
01:07:19
Speaker
Yeah, they certainly will. I just have to give a shout out just before we finish a bad gym play and face the week on just the whole shit house area of Argentina. And I'm not saying that as well. But Argentina are the greatest shit house, they shit house nation in football history, not just this, this, this, they are the best every agent, the shit house champions, it goes back, it goes back, it goes back decades, it goes back to
01:07:46
Speaker
go back to the 1960s, the late 1960s when they used to have the intercontinental cup final between the winners of the European Cup, now the Champions League, and the winner of the Copa Libertadores, and you know, like this still is now, and those two used to play. Now that tournament actually got suspended for a number of years in the 70s because European teams refused
01:08:07
Speaker
refused to play the games because the matches used to end up in so many fist fights and punch ups. And it was always the Argentine teams that were the ones causing the trouble. And there was some real brutal games. But the thing is, it's South America and Milan.
01:08:31
Speaker
as well, those three teams, Man United, Celtic and Milan, they all played games against Argentina teams where they got beaten the shit out of, basically, by the Argentines. South American shit-hausery is a guilty pleasure of mine. I absolutely love it. It's so entertaining. And yes, it's a photo finish between Argentina and Uruguay when it comes to shit-hausery.
01:08:57
Speaker
it really is but those two are are really at a in a league of their own because it's and and the trash talking afterwards and emmy martinez running shirtless around and and you know tiny little little messy going off squaring off against i guess big horse i mean it's it's entertainment i don't think anyone crossed the line i i find the pearl clutching around that's so silly then the dutch players were provoking them they were trash talking them and and argentina when they won they retorted and and it's
01:09:26
Speaker
I remember in 2006 when everybody clutched their proverbial pearls over, whoa, what did Materazzi say to Zidane? It doesn't matter what Materazzi said to Zidane, because he didn't say anything racist, he didn't say anything like that. They were both saying they were mouthing off, squaring each other off, and one of them lost, and it's part and parcel of the game.
01:09:47
Speaker
It's nonsense. I thought it was incredibly entertaining. It gives us something to talk about. I think it was a classic World Cup game, like you said, one of the all-time greatest games of the World Cup, and I absolutely enjoyed. I lapped up every last second of it. Yeah, so did I. I thought it was fantastic.
Closing Thoughts on Media and Football
01:10:05
Speaker
Okay, so just to finish off then, Badjo and Prem Face of the Week.
01:10:10
Speaker
OK, well, the winner for Bad Joe is pretty obvious, isn't it? It's Morocco. Yeah, I mean, yes, Morocco, everything. There's a storyline of Morocco and and also Peter Drury for his commentary. I think it's just so beautiful. I really, really need me.
01:10:25
Speaker
You and Peter Drury. OK, and Prem Face of the Week. I don't know how many you've got. OK, I've got a couple. Yeah, I've got two. I've got two. Gone and you go first. One we've already mentioned. What we've already mentioned, Lee Hendry. Lee Hendry saying, I look at Giroux and he doesn't worry me, which I thought was absolutely fantastic.
01:10:48
Speaker
Yeah, there's also a comedian. There was also a comedian. I call him a comedian, but he's not funny at all. Something Whitehall, a really posh middle class. Jack Whitehall. Jack Whitehall. What an absolute unbearable. So he tweeted out really angry, blaming the referee for being the loser. But he also said that Giroud was a donkey that was a complete flop in the Premier League or something like that. And yeah, that just reminds me of that.
01:11:18
Speaker
Yeah, come with the second one. The second one is Dana White, the mixed MMA guy, UFC guy. I can't stand soccer. I think it's the least talented sport on earth. There's a reason three-year-olds can play soccer, okay? You run around and kick a ball. Do you know how untalented you have to be to score three points when the net is this big? What? Yeah.
01:11:48
Speaker
That is so dumb. Tell me you haven't watched the game of football without telling me you haven't watched the game of football. That to me is hilariously brilliant. The three I've got are two I've already mentioned. So first Martin Keown doing his England, France best 11 before the game and he only picked three France players in it. Second one was
01:12:19
Speaker
And this is actually from a few, actually it's from a couple of years ago apparently, but I only saw it for the first time. It did the rounds again, you know, in the lead-ups this game, which was Jason Cundee from Talk Sports saying that Rahim Sterling is better than Pele. And the final one is... Oh my God, please send that to me. I need to recreate that every morning.
01:12:44
Speaker
Yeah, no, you have to send that to me. I need to retweet that every morning because it puts a smile on my face.
01:12:50
Speaker
Yeah, he basically said that Pele was unproven. He said Pele was unproven because he only played in, he goes, he only played in Brazil and then, and then, no, he barely even mentioned Brazil. He basically said he only played in the MLS. That's what he, that's basically what he wasn't even called the MLS. He wasn't even in the MLS then. No, no. Oh yeah, it isn't, it is art. And the final one was landfill. But the thing is, I have to ask you,
01:13:20
Speaker
Yeah, sorry, go, go, go. Yeah, Lad Bible or Sport Bible, one of the two, saying that Phil Foden has more potential than Messi. Some guy wrote, I saw Jerry Mancini. Yeah, that was that. Yeah, today. So yeah, that was my that was my third one. No, I saw that the Messi Foden thing. And yeah, there's so much fun. But I have to say, though, I'm seriously starting to question and I've had the idea online with you.
01:13:48
Speaker
I don't think they believe some of the stuff they say. I think they know that they get interactions and so they decide amongst themselves what is the most outrageously stupid crazy thing we can say that gets us much resonates the most and gets the most interactions on social media. I honestly think they do it on purpose now because you can't tell me that you think Mason Mount is more valuable than Neymar. I don't think Mason Mount thinks he's more valuable than Neymar.
01:14:12
Speaker
First of all, second of all, this notion that Raheem Sterling and Pele, I think Raheem Sterling would laugh in your face if you were to say that to him. I think the players themselves that they hype up like that would find these comparisons ridiculous. So I wonder if they really mean what they say or if it's just to get interactions on social media.
01:14:37
Speaker
Well, you know what I think of that. I think it is genuine. But anyway, that's what we have time for. That's what we have time for for today. We will be back on Thursday. We'll do reviews of the World Cup semi-finals. And then we will look ahead to the World Cup final. Plus, I'm sure there'll be some other Serie A stuff kicking about, which we can talk about then as well. We'll also on Tuesday have our Q&A episode where we'll answer our questions from our listeners.
01:15:06
Speaker
Absolutely. And make sure to sign up on Patreon.com slash DIFB for $2.99 per month, excluding VAT to get to send us questions and listen to that and all the extra stuff that we push out as well.
01:15:17
Speaker
Yeah, and that includes our interview that we did last week with Udenez's striker Beto, which we pushed out on, I think, Thursday, so you can check that out as well. Yeah, Thursday. Yeah, on Thursday, so you can check that out as well. But as I said, yeah, we'll be back tomorrow for the Q&A episode. Until then, ciao ciao.