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Road to World Cup 26 - Ep 25 - France
2 Plays9 days ago
Join your hosts Nick Britten Ken Davies as we take the deepest of deep dives into everything related to the FIFA World Cup 2026 held in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
All the news, analysis and comment from every team, every qualification process and of course the tournament itself. The biggest festival of soccer in the world.
This week we look at the European heavyweights France; how will they get on, who are the key players, and a look at manager Dider Deschamps. Plus all your World Cup news, Kenny’s Quiz and lots more.
Your weekly guide to the pinnacle of world soccer brought to you by Global Sports Podcast Network
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Transcript
Introduction and Hosts
00:00:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, ciao, ni hao, private, ola, good day, and today, bonjour, you're listening to Road to the World Cup 26 podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place to find regular soccer, indeed daily, daily soccer content, daily podcasts going out on the top English Premier League teams, also including a new revamped and super brilliant daily Premier League roundup that Ken and I are heavily involved with, and seeing as you're here now, you know this already, Road to the World Cup 2026.
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm host Nick Britton. I'm joined as always by my esteemed colleague, the Beaver himself. He's back. Yes, it's Mr. Ken Davis. How are you, Kenny?
00:00:54
Ken Davies
I'm good, actually, and very much enjoying the daily Premier League that we're doing.
00:00:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:00:57
Ken Davies
If anybody's listening to this and wants to have a piece of that, it's brilliant. um I mean, I'm not neutral, but in my and my opinion, it's Pulitzer Prize winning.
00:01:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's good. I'm enjoying it. It's good fun. And there's always loads and loads to talk about in the Premier League. So do look it up on Spotify, Daily Premier League, and you will find it.
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Spotify and YouTube and all those sorts of places. Right. OK, but back
Focus on France in World Cup
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
to the World Cup. We are continuing continuing our deep dive into teams who we think are going to feature very heavily.
00:01:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
in the World Cup next year in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Last week we did Spain. We're not going too far this week. We are simply crossing the border. Not into Portugal, anywhere else at, but of course heading north to France.
00:01:59
Ken Davies
Contenu de tyrannie, les tendards sont lent et levés. Les tendards sont lent et levés.
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:02:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, folks, that was the National Anthem of France.
00:02:17
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:02:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if you heard some kind of cat or rat crawling all over the microphone, making some hideous sounds, that was Ken singing along to the French National Anthem. Because, of course, if you listened last week, you will know that he said, oh the French National Anthem, I mean, not his own, like the English one and the Welsh one, ah the French National Anthem is the only one he knows the all the words to.
00:02:45
Ken Davies
yeah
00:02:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, that didn't seem to me like you knew any of the words because you were just going, da but la da but da and all of that.
00:02:51
Ken Davies
No, that's just because you don't understand French.
00:02:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't but do.
00:02:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I i speak French. To
00:02:55
Ken Davies
Allons enfin de la patrie.
00:02:58
Ken Davies
Le jour de gloire est arrivé. Contre nous de la tyrannie, l'étendard sanglant est arrivé.
00:03:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
be fair, mate, it sounds better than you say it than when you sing it. I'll give you that.
00:03:08
Ken Davies
There you Every day
00:03:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very
Exploring French Football History
00:03:12
Ken Davies
is a school day.
00:03:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
good. Every day's a school day.
00:03:13
Ken Davies
Every day is a jour de l'école.
00:03:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when we come and do the, I think I know what you're going to say to this but when you come and, when we come and do the World Cup of National Anthems, right, where do you think that's going to feature?
00:03:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Highly, I reckon.
00:03:28
Ken Davies
ah Yeah, un premier de Alphème Nationale.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:03:36
Ken Davies
It's right up there, isn't it At the top, at the very, very, very top. It's catchy. It's punchy. It makes you want to get up there and grab a banner like they do in kind of, what's that? Les Miserables.
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
In Miserable, yeah, when they're on the barricades.
00:03:52
Ken Davies
You'd be right in the front of it, waving it like this. um i'd be I'm all for it. That's a winner as far as I'm concerned.
00:03:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it? Right, okay, fair enough. Well, good. Well, we'll see you next year when we do the ah when we do the World Cup of National Anthems.
00:04:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right, every day is a school day because I've learned something already and we're only a couple of minutes in, and that is your French is better than your English. We're going to have a look... as we always do, at the history of French and French football, and they've been a very successful team down the years.
00:04:06
Ken Davies
Can't wait for that.
00:04:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to pick out five key players who I think will feature strongly in next year's team and star at the World Cup. Ken will tell us how they're going play. ah Our postbag this week is going to talk about um extra time and penalties.
00:04:22
Ken Davies
Thank you.
World Cup Predictions and Updates
00:04:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you might go, oh, no, not again. Stop talking about extra time and penalties.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it is very prevalent to something that happened in the week. here in England. so we're going to be talking about that a little bit later on. We've got, of course, everybody's favourite time of the week, which is Kenny's quiz.
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's see how he's doing. Let's see what you... I've got a great theme for you, by the way.
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Listeners at home and Kenny, I have got a great theme for you for this week's Ken's quiz. It's all about France, obviously.
00:04:53
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you're quite clear you know loads about French because you can speak French.
00:05:00
Ken Davies
can't.
00:05:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So loads about France because you can speak French. Okay. ah We'll do a little bit on Didier Deschamps. And to close the podcast, as we always do, Ken and I will predict where we think France is going to come in next year's World Cup.
00:05:04
Ken Davies
I just don't actually want to it.
00:05:19
Ken Davies
Can I just add something at that point before you move on?
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can.
00:05:23
Ken Davies
Something you need to know in terms of your predictions. You've already got three teams in the semifinals. Just want let you know that. I went through it this morning.
00:05:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
took this Who are they?
00:05:35
Ken Davies
Currently, you've got Argentina, the winners, Spain and Brazil in the semis.
00:05:44
Ken Davies
So you haven't thought this through, have you? You haven't thought this through. You're going to have nine teams in the semis.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, that's fine because we did say that we would make our predictions where we thought at this stage teams were going to finish and then when we knew all the teams because we don't even know whether France are going or Spain are going to qualify.
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
We know Argentina and Brazil
00:06:00
Ken Davies
No, that's not.
World Cup Qualification News
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
are going to We don't know, you do we? We don't know.
00:06:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what we did say is that once we had, we would make these early predictions, but then nearer the time of the competition when we knew who's fit, who's going to be playing, the form of the teams, who is actually going to be at the World Cup, we will then do a kind of final version before it all kicks off.
00:06:03
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if I've got nine teams playing in the semi-final, if I've got nine teams in the semi-final, then
00:06:17
Ken Davies
You're going to term it off later.
00:06:22
Ken Davies
which it looks like you're going to have 17 in the quarters.
00:06:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
one of it it'll be a good semi-final once.
00:06:26
Ken Davies
And then you're going out in the group stages. I'm just saying, I'm just offering this public service.
00:06:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
but i've got and and and and and no no No, no, no, no, don't but behave yourself. i've got I've actually got teams going out in a group of stages already. I don't think you have. You reckon 64 teams are going to get through to the round of 32? Right.
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, and let's have a ah look at this week's breaking news.
00:06:43
Ken Davies
right okay move on
00:07:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It World Cup qualification time again, which is always an exciting time.
00:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got lots going on. UEFA is way behind the curve in terms of most of them. So good to good to get some UEFA games up and running. In South America, now Brazil have already qualified. But the interesting thing about the squads that are all being announced at the moment, that's the the point of all this, is that lots of squads are being announced at the moment or indeed lots of speculation is going on.
00:07:05
Ken Davies
Pray.
00:07:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the Brazil squad... which has got a couple of games coming up. Neither of them really matter because Brazil have already qualified, but Carlo Ancelotti, as the new manager, will be, of course, looking at players.
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Players will want to impress him. So they are very important games. Interestingly, Neymar isn't in the squad yet again.
Young Talent and Strategic Decisions
00:07:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Now, he hasn't played the Brazil for nearly two years now. Carlo Ancelotti cited a leg muscle injury that he's just very, very recently picked up. But that don't have many games left before the World Cup.
00:08:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if Neymar doesn't play in any of the games ahead of the World Cup, my question to you can is, can he possibly be picked for the World Cup, even if he is fit?
00:08:11
Ken Davies
I've got a feeling he'll be in the squad. i think they'll take him to America and Mexico and Canada. um I just don't think he's going to feature. I think it'll be almost a kind of, a thanks for everything you've done for us, Neymar.
00:08:25
Ken Davies
Here's your plane ticket. ah Make yourself comfortable. But I can't i can't imagine he's going to feature much in the games. I thought it's interesting. I thought, you Ancelotti's his last chance, really. I thought if Ancelotti started using him,
00:08:37
Ken Davies
he's got a chance. Antioch doesn't seem to be, and know he's injured, but Antioch doesn't seem to be, you know, promoting Neymos. So, no, I think at the end of his career from a World Cup perspective, I think he'll go, but I don't think he'll feature.
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I
00:08:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah think that's a very sensible point of view. I mean, he's 33 now. He hasn't played for two years. going be very difficult to find a place for him in your team. I mean, he may come off the bench.
00:09:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
with 10 minutes to go in a game.
00:09:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it was kind of symbolic appearance, if you like.
00:09:06
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:09:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
But as we did say, by the way, as we did say when we did a feature on Brazil the other day, and do if you haven't listened to that, please go and go and look it up. you'll find it on Spotify. You'll find it on YouTube. When we did a deep dive into Brazil not long ago, we did talk about the fact that his role off the pitch is going to be just as important as his role on it. Because the younger players...
00:09:09
Ken Davies
I think
00:09:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
who are coming through the ranks, cite Neymar as one of their great inspirations. And for him to be around the World Cup when they're playing will be an inspiration to them.
Speculation on English Squad
00:09:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think he's he's definitely got a role.
00:09:42
Ken Davies
He's icon.
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's definitely got a role there.
00:09:44
Ken Davies
Yeah, i would I would agree with that.
00:09:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:46
Ken Davies
And wouldn't it be amazing if Antioch Lachey does do something remarkable with Brazil ah to have him trotting on for the last five minutes of the World Cup final when they're tuning up against Andorra, of course, if they're going to qualify.
00:10:00
Ken Davies
we'll look forward to that. But yeah, he is an icon. I want to see him there. Just don't think he's going to be a significant part of of their effort.
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, fair enough. Everybody in the Premier League is talking about Hugo Eketiki. He moved to Liverpool. He started his Liverpool career extremely well, scored ah three goals already, ah including one on Monday night against Newcastle, of a very highly charged game that we saw in the Premier League.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So a little bit of a surprise that he's been left out of the France squad for the next couple of games. Now, Didier Deschamps have been talking about this and essentially the door is very much open. And he said, look, he's still young, he's still making his way, there's still plenty of time.
00:10:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But there's a little bit of a subtext to this, which is, as things stand, Eketike could still play for Cameroon.
00:10:39
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if he wants to further his international career at this stage and feels like he's not going to get a look in in France, then Cameroon opens the door for him. And now, interestingly, Cameroon are very well placed in their qualification group to qualify for the World Cup. They're one point behind ah Cape Verde with four to play.
00:11:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And indeed, they play Cape Verde next month. So that's a real that's a real kind of winner-takes-all kind of game because, of course, it's only the top team in the group that qualifies automatically for the World Cup in the french in the yes sorry in the African...
00:11:12
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:11:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
qualification process. The four the best place second places out of the nine groups then go into ah playoff. So they've got to win the group to qualify but they're one point behind Cape Verde. They play Cape Verde next month. Both teams have got four to play. So Cameroon have got a real chance. So i I imagine XTK is looking at that very closely and going, well, I might be in a chance here. I might be a chance of playing in the World Cup next summer but it won't be with France.
00:11:48
Ken Davies
I think he'd be well advised to keep that option open. If he's going to play for France, he's going to have to get past Mbappe. I just can't see him getting past Mbappe.
00:11:59
Ken Davies
ah Yeah, if he's going to be playing as that...
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Dembele as well.
00:12:02
Ken Davies
And Dembele and, you know, and Elyse and people like this. I just can't see that happening very easily. ah They play, will come to the formation, but I think his options, the chances he's got to break into that team are really limited. So if I was him, I would keep an eye on the Cape Verde Cameroon game.
00:12:20
Ken Davies
I'm rooting for
Cameroon's Qualification Journey
00:12:21
Ken Davies
Cape Verde in that one. Wouldn't it great to have Cape Verde at the World Cup?
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, not through Cameroon, it won't be.
00:12:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Lastly... No, no, we know. We've realised that already today. You're you're half French, half English. quarter A quarter Welsh, half Scouse, three quarters, whatever you choose to be when you get up in the morning. Finally, speculation is growing for England squad ahead their next two qualifiers. And the only reason I'm i'm mentioning this is because I'm going, Ken.
00:12:28
Ken Davies
I'm not, though.
00:12:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to a World Cup qualifier on September 5th.
00:12:47
Ken Davies
yea
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to watch England versus Andorra at Villa Park in Birmingham. And i don't think there's going to be any great surprise. We've got a few injuries. so Cole Palmer's injured. Saka's injured. Bellingham's injured.
00:13:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
But other than that, I think it'll be a fairly bog-standard kind of squad. Lots of talk about Elliot Anderson, the Nottingham Forest midfielder, being called up. Talk about Jack Grealish perhaps being called up after his one good game for Everton.
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
pretty simple
00:13:18
Ken Davies
No, thank you.
00:13:19
Ken Davies
It's an important game for Tuchel, this one.
00:13:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, we'll see. But Jack Grealish...
00:13:23
Ken Davies
Important game for Tuchel because, i mean, even in the yeah in in the couple of games they have played, they've they've not been impressive. And, you know, Andorra is the get ready, it's the get right game, isn't it? I mean, you've got to go and beat them 5-0. Everyone has a fun time.
00:13:39
Ken Davies
mean, if they're 0-0 at half time, people are going to be going crazy.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that one. Yeah, no, you're right. You're absolutely right. I mean, they got heavily beaten in the last game, didn't they?
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
In June against Senegal.
00:13:48
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:13:51
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:13:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that was a bit like, oh, OK, a bit of a wake-up call. So this is the response to that wake-up call.
00:13:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll see what the response is. It's not a wake-up call, man.
00:13:58
Ken Davies
And Tuchel is very, very critical of the players.
00:14:01
Ken Davies
He's a very critical manager yeah of the players. So it'll be interesting to see what whether we they do wake up a little bit in this game.
00:14:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good. So that's your that's your news for this week, bringing you to speed with all things World
France's World Cup History
00:14:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cup. Ken, a brief history of France in the World Cup, if you would.
00:14:18
Ken Davies
Yeah, and we do this in three bits always. We do bit history, a bit form, and their ranking. History of France World Cup is good, but it's actually, the way to really think about it is to separate France's participation into two halves, if you like.
00:14:33
Ken Davies
ah Pre-1978, kind of nineteen seventy eight Generally, it was kind group stages if they qualified. mean, they didn't qualify at all in 1962, 1970 or 1974. They didn't even qualify in 1990 or 1994. So it's been patched in terms of qualification. And up to 1978, it was generally ordinary performance. They did get third place in 1958.
00:14:53
Ken Davies
and up to ninety seventy eight it was generally um cheley ordinary performance though they did get third place in nineteen fifty eight After 1998, it all changes, all changes completely.
00:15:06
Ken Davies
And they've theyve they've won two World Cups, 1998, when they beat Brazil 3-0, where France was the host nation. And in 2018, they beat Croatia 4-2 in Russia.
00:15:19
Ken Davies
Now, interesting little factoid, Nick. In the 1930 original World Cup, which we often refer to, there were four European teams.
00:15:31
Ken Davies
Belgium, France, who are the other two? Or just give me one of the other two and you earn yourself a point. And you know what points mean?
00:15:46
Ken Davies
Yeah, Belgium, France, and two other European nations, either one of the other European nations.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It'll be Eastern Europe then.
00:15:52
Ken Davies
happen
00:15:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
it'll be It'll be Eastern Europe somewhere. Oh, God.
00:16:00
Ken Davies
I'm liking thinking, Sherlock.
00:16:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Am I heading the the right way? Okay, so...
00:16:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
who Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia be one of those Yugoslavia were quite good in those days Czechoslovakia played football in those days ah Yugoslavia like on the only because I can't think because this was way prior to the breakup of of the Balkan region and Russia or like so I can't think of any other kind of ah where where where now we might say Slovakia and Croatia and all those kind of places that they weren't footballing nations in those in those days so yeah I'm going to go for Yugoslavia
00:16:18
Ken Davies
Yugoslavia is the next answer.
00:16:24
Ken Davies
It's next answer. It's the next answer.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
as one of the other two.
00:16:38
Ken Davies
And Yugoslavia is correct.
00:16:39
Ken Davies
Yugoslavia and Romania are the other two.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, yeah, so they're both going to Eastern Europe.
00:16:41
Ken Davies
So, yeah, right attitude to focus on.
00:16:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
not Yeah.
00:16:45
Ken Davies
They're all in independent nations before Russia dies off. Now, when I was doing my research into the 1930 World Cup, which is an interesting little thing, Africa also had one team, Egypt.
00:16:59
Ken Davies
entered. Unfortunately, Egypt never made it. Why? What was the reason that Egypt never participated in the 1930 World Cup when they both qualified and were invited?
Sponsor Advertisement and Show's Approach
00:17:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
will i light yeah were yeah we'll do it next week come on
00:17:11
Ken Davies
We should do this next week.
00:17:13
Ken Davies
We should Egypt next week. But I've asked the question, so I need an answer.
00:17:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
on did they miss their plane because they got stuck inside a pyramid
00:17:25
Ken Davies
Don't be ridiculous. ah They missed their ship. You didn't go by plane in those days. You went by ship. They missed their ship. Now, I want to know more, and I'm going to find out more because we're doing Egypt next
00:17:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was right then. I mean, oh I got the mode of transport wrong, but I was right. Okay, so they missed their shit because they got stuck inside a pyramid.
00:17:42
Ken Davies
week. Yeah. There's no pyramids involved. but But I want to know more about that story.
00:17:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
You didn't know that.
00:17:50
Ken Davies
So when we do Egypt next week, I'm going to have a special report, correspondent report, on why Egypt missed their ship to go to the World Cup.
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can barely wait.
00:18:00
Ken Davies
Anyway.
00:18:02
Ken Davies
So anyway, so that's kind of France's participation. They've won it twice. Clearly great credentials. They're formed, though, at the last... 20-24, 20-25, it's been pretty mixed.
00:18:17
Ken Davies
Ten games, won six, drawn one, lost three. They've lost three. All of these games, by the way, would have been in the Nations League. They lost 3-1 to Italy at home. They lost two not to Croatia away in the quarterfinal.
00:18:30
Ken Davies
They turned that round in the second leg of the quarterfinal. And then they lost in the semifinal to Spain in an amazing 5-4 game in the Nations League. But they beat Germany tune in the playoff.
00:18:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that was so great.
00:18:42
Ken Davies
So it's not fantastic performance. I mean, they lose. They've lost three out the last 10. Ranking-wise, third in the world, first in 2002. And they were, for a short period, first in 2008. But as recently as France were ranked I couldn't believe that when I saw it. I thought they'd always been in the top four or five.
00:19:06
Ken Davies
But in 2016, they were 24th. But since 2018, they've been consistently in the top five. They're currently third. That's pretty much what pretty much their natural natural place.
00:19:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good. Is that your phone going off?
00:19:22
Ken Davies
What's my phone going off? Yeah. don't know why phone's going off. have to decline it. that's the ah That's the Egypt that's egypt transportation authority.
00:19:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is. They're phoning to say, look, is there any chance you can get us out this pyramid? We've been stuck in here since 1930.
00:19:38
Ken Davies
When's this shit coming?
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
but right
00:19:40
Ken Davies
Oh, he's missed it, mate.
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, they can't get... How you get this ship to the desert?
00:19:43
Ken Davies
He's just 100 years late.
00:19:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Right, Ken, ah bring us word for our sponsor and then we're going get stuck into some players.
00:19:52
Ken Davies
I will. As we know, in football, it pays to get your team right. and Didier Deschamps knows all about that. And here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner and we chose Zencaster because Zencaster makes it easy to bring your first vision to life, share it with your audience, wherever they may be.
00:20:09
Ken Davies
With 4K video recording, very easy AI editing and amazing distribution tools. And it's all in one place, I should add. you've got
Key French Players for World Cup
00:20:19
Ken Davies
If you've got a story to tell, tell it with Zencastr.
00:20:21
Ken Davies
Check the show notes for more details. Nick.
00:20:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, that was my playing music.
00:20:32
Ken Davies
Oh, we still have.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Come on.
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's my player entrance music. That's my walk-on music for my players.
00:20:55
Ken Davies
You look a bit you know a sting, don't you, like that?
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, we're going to look at five key players for Le Bleu, Le France.
00:21:03
Ken Davies
Blah, blah.
00:21:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we always start with the goalkeeper, so let's start with the goalkeeper. And the goalkeeper for France, pretty much settled in between the sticks, is Magic Mike himself, as he is known. I haven't christened him that. Mike Mignon.
00:21:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
30-year-old, plays for AC Milan, currently the first choice and very much expected to start at the World Cup. He made his debut in 2020, but he's been the first choice since 2023 when Hugo Lloris retired.
00:21:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's considered to be... Well, he's he was named last year in a poll, Ken, within the top 10 goalkeepers in the world.
00:21:30
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:21:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think... Saying he's top 10 is fine. I think he's probably a bit better than that. I think he's probably top five.
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Five or six. Yeah, he's a very, very good goalkeeper. and And we've talked about this in previous podcasts. He's a very, very good penalty saver. His record of penalty saves is pretty impressive. I'm going to that in a minute. He's a big lad. He's six foot three.
00:21:40
Ken Davies
wild
00:21:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's physical, he's good with his feet, and he's he's on the on yeah he's he's he's an excellent goalkeeper. He's an excellent goalkeeper. He'll do very, very well, I think, in the World Cup for France and indeed in the games for Florida.
00:22:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, talking about his penalties then, he's got a 31% save rate across all the penalties he's ever faced, which is high.
00:22:12
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:22:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is high. Yeah,
00:22:15
Ken Davies
It is high because average average penalties is about 79% of scored.
00:22:19
Ken Davies
So if you're doing it, it's essentially allowing 69% in.
00:22:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:22:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:21
Ken Davies
That's very impressive.
00:22:22
Ken Davies
that that's that's a very impressive
00:22:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep. And that puts him top amongst all the cro top five leagues in Europe. That puts him joint top. So that's very,
France's Offensive Strengths
00:22:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
very impressive. And so if you watch him save penalties or indeed watch him try and save penalties, what he tends to do is stand and stand and stand and wait, wait for the penalty taker. Now, in modern day penalty taking, normally the the striker does that, doesn't he? I say the striker, but the striker of the ball, the penalty taker.
00:22:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
He'll normally wait for the goalie to move. and then decide where he's going put it, you'll see. And goalies go, they? They go early. that You can always, can you can see him going.
00:22:57
Ken Davies
yeah
00:22:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Manuel extremely good at just standing there, standing there forcing and putting the pressure on the penalty taker.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And his reflexes moving.
00:23:04
Ken Davies
That could make for a very long penalty shootout if both one is waiting for the other one.
00:23:09
Ken Davies
And we could be there for hours, couldn't we? Just kick the thing.
00:23:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:13
Ken Davies
Imagine.
00:23:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he could. He could. like ah So, yeah, so Mignon is the goalie. Alphonse Arreola, who plays for... plays for West Ham, doesn't he? I think Arreola.
00:23:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does he play for West Ham? think he does. ah He's the kind of number two. He's going to be the backup. But so very much, Mike Mignon is France's goalkeeper. I'm going to pick out one defender, and that is William Saliba, 24-year-old Arsenal player.
00:23:38
Ken Davies
What? What? What?
00:23:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, terrific player in the Arsenal centre-half. He's rock solid at the back. One of the best centre-halves in the world. He's strong in the air. He's quick in the ground. He's great in the tackle. Really, really good player. He's been playing regularly for France for three years now.
00:23:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's 22 caps under his belt. Real wanted him this summer. They proposed ah a swap deal with a couple of players. Arsenal said no, and quite rightly too. He's crucial to their hopes of winning the Premier League this season. He was recently named in the Professional Footballers Association's Team of the Year for last season.
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the best thing about him, without shadow a shadow of doubt, is he's got one of the greatest chants in English football. I love the Saliba charm.
00:24:18
Ken Davies
And what which is?
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know do it?
00:24:20
Ken Davies
no
00:24:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
it it it it did do du it do do did it do
00:24:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
da a do do did Saliba!
00:24:25
Ken Davies
All right.
00:24:34
Ken Davies
and you not That is good.
00:24:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a great card. And everybody has adopted it their own...
00:24:39
Ken Davies
That is good.
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
If anybody's got, by the way, if anybody's got a player which has got three syllables in in their last name, that that then became the chant for their player. We did it at Derby when Will Asula, who now plays for Newcastle United, when Will Asula was playing for Derby a couple of years ago when he was on loan here.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
and That's what we did for Asula instead of Saliba, I believe.
00:24:59
Ken Davies
France are full of three-syllable plays. You've got Canarte, Dembele, Mbappe. I mean, they're all three syllables. You should be doing it all day.
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but I think it's going into it's got to end in ah, because that's kind of like, that's kind of got the original song, isn't it?
00:25:12
Ken Davies
Oh, does it?
00:25:15
Ken Davies
Yeah, okay. Fair enough.
00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, so that's it.
00:25:18
Ken Davies
That's the most rare of it.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's move up the pitch into midfield. And yeah, my main midfielder, I really like this guy. And that's Aurelien Chouamene. And he's 25 years old. He plays for Real Madrid. He's a DM.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Holds the show together for France. He really does.
00:25:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's an absolute keeper for them. ah Expected to be the absolute anchor of their midfield in the World Cup next year, just as he has been up until now. Very well known for his ability as a DM.
00:25:36
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:25:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
just to control games. I think he's, we think back a few years, although he's still on the scene, but think back a few years to when N'Golo Kante was the kind of linchpin of that Chelsea team and France team.
00:25:56
Ken Davies
Yeah. but
00:25:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he just controlled the games from a deep lying position. That's what Chiamene does really, really well. Wins the ball, he's good in the air, his passing stats are really impressive, he can really pass the ball well.
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
um He started in the 2022 World Cup final. Indeed, he was one of two French players to miss a penalty in that shootout against Argentina that handed Argentina the title. ah But he's got a lot of pedigree, very, very good player, and I expect to see him anchoring the France midfield.
00:26:28
Ken Davies
Yep, wouldn't disagree with that.
00:26:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then to finish with, we're going up top because we kind of have to, because the most exciting thing about the French team is their strike force. And we've got two players to look at. Osambe Dembele, who's had a great season with PSG, by the way, won the Champions League. He's considered one of the best players in the world in 2025.
00:26:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
27 gold contributions this year for PSG. And he's already won the World Cup. He won it in 2018 when France won it last. And certainly at club level, he's become an even more impactful player at PSG since Neymar and Mbappe left. So he's one of their absolutely key players.
00:27:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's in contention. put himself in contention for the Ballon d'Or this year. He's had a fantastic year. Long may it continue because he's a very, very, very good player. Very good player.
00:27:14
Ken Davies
Yeah, I mean, they are absolutely chock-a-block with talent. I mean, did the thing is about the French, we'll kind of come to this later on, I think, is that they always had a bit of a reputation of not delivering the full sum of their parts, if you like.
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%, yeah. and yeah
00:27:30
Ken Davies
They always had bit reputation for that.
00:27:33
Ken Davies
They seem to have got past that. And to be honest, if they get anything like realising the talent that they've got at their disposal, they're going to be there at their events.
00:27:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
They also had a reputation, going back, of being very, very stroppy, of falling out with each other, of threatening to go on strike, and all of those things.
00:27:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's always been yeah It's always been something that's afflicted the French team. They've always had this underlying air that it's about to fall apart at any given moment. Now, Didier Deschamps was sort a of that out.
00:27:54
Ken Davies
French.
00:28:02
Ken Davies
I think but that's a French country, isn't it? i unless That's France.
00:28:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, they this is true. Yeah, that is France, generally.
00:28:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and the microcosm of which is the French national football team.
00:28:10
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:28:14
Ken Davies
That's probably true.
00:28:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
But all streams well. And they've got another lad up front who I'm not sure about him, to be honest with you. I don't know whether he's going to feature or not. I'm not quite sure whether he's going to make it at professional level, but he's quite an exciting talent.
00:28:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's a young kid ah called Kylian Mbappe.
00:28:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
who is... I don't rate him.
00:28:30
Ken Davies
No, no, no, it's overrated.
00:28:32
Ken Davies
Overrated.
00:28:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a player. Where do you start? I mean, where do you start with with players like this? 26 years old, 90 caps for France, 50 goals. So his goal-scoring record at international level is brilliant.
00:28:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
His goal-scoring level at club level yeah is absolutely nuts. He's played 441 games, right, for Monaco, PSG and Real. He scored 334 goals.
00:28:45
Ken Davies
Insane.
00:28:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that's just insane.
00:29:00
Ken Davies
line?
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, look, could he do it in the Premier League? Who knows? Who knows? Probably.
00:29:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's insane.
00:29:07
Ken Davies
Yes, I would imagine.
00:29:08
Ken Davies
I think the answer to that question is yes.
00:29:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Of course it is. Of course is. I'd love to see him play in the Premier League. He's the only other player, other than Sir Geoff Hurst, to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. And he's a World Cup winner.
00:29:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a Nations League winger is it winner. rather He's got loads and loads of domestic titles. He's got loads of personal titles. He's won the Champions League. Oh, no, he's never won the Champions League. Sorry, that was my one thing he hasn't won. He's never won the Champions League.
00:29:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he can't be that good, let's face it. That will come to him, I'm sure, with Rao. So, look, now that the Messi and Ronaldo thing has died down a bit,
00:29:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is he the best player in the world, Ken?
00:29:55
Ken Davies
Hmm. It's gotta be right there.
00:29:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you're not allowed any Wrexham players in this conversation, by the way.
00:29:59
Ken Davies
No, honestly, I've seen him twice this this season. they aren't They're not going to make it this year into the best players in the world category. ah Yeah, I think he probably is Mbappe. I'm trying just trying to think about who who might be you might be the equivalent.
00:30:14
Ken Davies
ah No, I'd go with Mbappe. I 100% agree with you on that one. I can't think of anybody anybody else any more close.
00:30:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's difficult to
Tactical Setup and Coaching Style
00:30:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
see, isn't it? It's difficult to see anybody else.
00:30:23
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:30:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And what I like about it is that if you remember back a few years ago when Neymar was coming through the ranks and as a young man, again, touted as the next Messi, next Ronaldo, never really hit his potential, did he?
00:30:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You never really felt that actually he was that good and the hype always, always and was more than the the player, if that makes sense, in terms of his what happened on the football pitch.
00:30:45
Ken Davies
yeah
00:30:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Although he's got, he's had a glittering career, et cetera, cetera. Never felt like he really, really reached that that um potential.
00:30:56
Ken Davies
Potential.
00:30:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the word I'm looking for, potential. Mbappe has. Mbappe, he is.
00:31:02
Ken Davies
And exceeded it, didn't it? Yeah.
00:31:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's got another five, six years, if he can stay injury-free, of winning whatever he wants to win. He's brilliant.
00:31:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I love watching him play.
00:31:10
Ken Davies
One player I am looking forward to to to seeing if he breaks into the team is is Ray M.
00:31:16
Ken Davies
Cherky, the guy that's gone to Man City, ah who looks a very exciting prospect.
00:31:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:31:20
Ken Davies
I mean, look, they're very excited about Emmett City. So, you know, you're adding people like that into the mix, I mean, you've got some talent.
00:31:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:31:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know. I might have to kick out one of my teams of the semifinals at this rate. Right. How do they set up, Ken?
00:31:35
Ken Davies
Very consistent, actually. 4-2-3-1. Didier Deschamps has been consistently for a 4-2-3-1 man for for a long time. That's quite a fluid 4-2-3-1. You do see a lot of movement. It's not it's not a rigid 4-2-3-1.
00:31:50
Ken Davies
But essentially, their best team seems to be this. It seems to be Banyan at the back. ah through the middle, the two main central defenders. Saliba, generally Canate, though there's been some change in that.
00:32:02
Ken Davies
Canate, I should say, has had a slightly shaky the season at Liverpool so far.
00:32:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um but has not scott
00:32:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
so I don't think Slightly Shaky even covers it. He's been wretched.
00:32:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was terrible in the game against Newcastle last week.
00:32:12
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:32:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh He was all over the place.
00:32:14
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:32:15
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:32:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:17
Ken Davies
So we don't know what what is going on there, but but certainly at the moment, he looks to be the the partner of Saliba.
00:32:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah.
00:32:23
Ken Davies
As you mentioned, you've got Chouamene from Real Madrid, and you've got Kone, if you like, as those
00:32:33
Ken Davies
those midfielders, if you like, that are holding the line. And then you've got this amazing array of talent in front of that. So Dembele, Alize, Barcola, Mbappe as the three, and then Mbappe as the... yeah as the lone striker. But there's a lot of movement at that. So it can be a 43-1. It can be a 4-3-1-2.
00:32:53
Ken Davies
But generally, that's how he sets up. It's worked extremely well for him. Everybody knows the system. And yeah the way Deshaun kind of works these things is, you know, he's a real tactician. He's very calm. Everybody knows their place.
00:33:09
Ken Davies
And he allows them just go and express themselves, allows allows them to kind of develop their own personality within the team. So, yeah, that's what we're going to be looking at. 4-2-3-1. don't think there'll be any any changes in that in the World Cup. That seems to be the favourite set-up, I think, for most managers these days.
00:33:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, fair enough. Very
Debating Extra Time in World Cup Matches
00:33:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
good. are We like a 4231 anyway, don't we? We've talked about that formation a lot in the last few weeks. Now, before we move on to the next part of the show, where we're going to have a discussion on an email that we've had in in the last 48 hours, and also we've got everybody's favourite time in the week, that is, of course, Kenny's Quiz. Kenny, you've got to mention from our sponsors.
00:33:50
Ken Davies
yeah because global sports podcast network is partnered with bionique the world's most personalized supplements because your body is unique and without knowing what deficiencies you have taken off the shelf supplements can mean you're not getting enough of the nutrients you do need and maybe too many of the ones you don't
00:34:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
need and maybe too many.
00:34:08
Ken Davies
Bionique provide 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs at exactly the right levels. So there's no guessing involved. Click the show notes for details.
00:34:19
Ken Davies
Use the code GSPN2025. You'll get a 40% discount off your first order. Nick.
00:34:39
Ken Davies
Oh, we've got another one of them then.
00:34:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Another one of what?
00:34:44
Ken Davies
Another one, another little, little.
00:34:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It might not be long for this life, that sting. We might change it we as well play it whilst think we're going see
00:34:50
Ken Davies
Half of it. Yeah, love it.
00:34:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Right. OK, we had an email in this. so You can put your pipe down for minute because it's not quiz time yet. Put your pipe You're getting ahead of yourself. We had an email in in the last 24 hours from Leo in Warrington. Thank you for that, Leo. And Leo says to us, thanks for a great podcast. We love Road to Walk Up, so thank you very much.
00:35:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is real. I'm not making this up. ah Thanks for a great podcast. um He says he's a Manchester United supporter. And he noticed, obviously, well, if you are a Manchester United supporter, you're probably still hiding under a duvet.
00:35:20
Ken Davies
It was a game this week, wasn't it?
00:35:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
after there was a game this week and Manchester United went out of the English League Cup on penalties to fourth tier.
00:35:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
does that mean? It means in the fourth league of English football, Grimsby Town. So when you're listening around the world to all of this and we go, yeah, man, you lost to Grimsby and you go, what? What's a Grimsby?
00:35:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah they're They're a small club. They're based up in the northeast of England-ish and they play in the English League Division 2, which is the fourth tier.
00:35:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nobody expected Manchester United, the mighty, in brackets, not so anymore, close brackets, Manchester United to go and do anything other than beat Grimsby. But no, no, Grimsby were 2-0 up.
00:35:55
Ken Davies
right.
00:36:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Man United rallied late in the game, but only after they sent on loads of players and all their kind of what I'll call their big guns, pulled back to 2-2, and the game then ended. And there was no extra time. It went straight to penalties, and Grimsby, after an absolutely mammoth, scintillating,
00:36:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
penalty shootout, Grimsby won. I can't even, what was the final score? Was about 12-11?
00:36:28
Ken Davies
12-11. 12-11. Oh, yeah.
00:36:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was, yeah.
00:36:30
Ken Davies
over
00:36:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great penalty shootout. Goalkeepers took penalties and all that. I love it when the keepers take the penalties
Listener Email and World Cup Format
00:36:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
and all of that.
00:36:35
Ken Davies
oh
00:36:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But anyway, Leo writes to us and says, look, We saw in that game, as we've seen in the English League Cup rounds, that there is no extra time. Games go straight to penalties. Given the heat and conditions at the World Cup next year, should FIFA be thinking about games going straight to penalties and missing out on extra time altogether? Ken, discuss.
00:36:56
Ken Davies
Yeah, 100%. im I'm all in favour of that. I think we talked about it a few episodes ago. Actually, extra time isn't isn't that exciting.
00:37:07
Ken Davies
ah When we look at World Cup of the past or World Cups of the past, It's not many goals scored in extra time. I'd dispense with extra time. I think it's dangerous. I think in those conditions, it's particularly dangerous.
00:37:18
Ken Davies
The other thing to bear in mind, and maybe we haven't got a ah lot of data to compare this to, but certainly in that game, the quality the penalties after 90 minutes was excellent. 12-11 speaks for itself.
00:37:30
Ken Davies
So I think it makes actually makes the penalty shootout a little bit more interesting. It's certainly better in terms of player care, I think, because... What we know at World Cups, you get a lot of extra times. You get a lot of games going to extra time or penalties.
00:37:47
Ken Davies
So i would I would be all in favour of it. I would say, yeah, count extra time. Let's go straight to penalties after 90 minutes. Everybody will be better for it.
00:37:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
um we pay for
00:37:56
Ken Davies
No one will be worse off.
00:37:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I would disagree on the basis that the paying public and the viewing public will be worse off because they're missing out on an extra half hour of football. Now, I get it in the English League Cup because, I mean, I watched my own team play on Tuesday night in the League Cup Derby. They played away at Burnley.
00:38:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it got to 90 minutes and and it was one all and i could and and it was going to penalties. And let's face it, nobody wants to watch half an hour more of that. I kind of get that.
00:38:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Most of the...
00:38:28
Ken Davies
I was about to say that, yeah.
00:38:30
Ken Davies
People go out of their own accord after 90 minutes and say, enough's enough.
00:38:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Most of the...
00:38:33
Ken Davies
you know
00:38:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, as it turned out, Burnley scored in the 93rd minute, so we didn't need to get penalties. but But by the by, most of the games, you're quite happy to end. But this is the World Cup, for goodness sake.
00:38:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is the greatest showcase of football in the world. We want to see more of these players. We want to see more of these teams. We want to see as much football as we possibly can. And I mean, I know you looked at the stats, Ken.
00:38:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I still think that extra time has a lot of value to the game. I think it adds a lot of jeopardy. I think it can be very exciting. It's interesting tactically to see what teams do. And or if we scrap if you scrap extra time and just go straight to penalties, all that will happen is that teams from 70 minutes to 90 minutes will just start playing for penalties.
00:39:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's all that will happen. Those teams that are perhaps under the caution, those teams who are settled for a draw, those teams are happy and fancy the chances of they think they've got no chance of winning this game in normal time. The best chance we've got is taking the team to penalties.
00:39:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
we'll just do that. So the last 20 minutes of games could be...
00:39:33
Ken Davies
But that's what happens now, Nick. I pay for extra time now from 17 minutes.
00:39:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not nearly as much because they know they've still got to play half an hour football. I think it would be really extreme. If you're going straight to penalties, I think within 15, 20 minutes of the game, if it's a kind of one-sided game or if it's a small team versus big team, we'll just see the game being killed for the last 15, 20 minutes. That's the risk.
00:39:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
But more importantly, i want to see...
00:39:54
Ken Davies
Just bear in mind, just bear in mind that this World Cup, knockout stages is from round 32. you could have knockout stages and extra time, therefore, in round 32. So round of 32, round of 16, round of eight, round of four, and the final.
00:40:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:40:10
Ken Davies
You could have five extra times, one after another. think I think when you've got that,
00:40:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
That'd great. More football.
00:40:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
More football.
00:40:18
Ken Davies
that's slavery.
00:40:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
They should increase extra time to an hour. More football.
00:40:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I get your point. I get your point. But no, good point, Leo. Good point. And what suggest to you my friend, once you've once you so can bear to show your face in public wearing a Manchester United shirt again, ah why don't you write to FIFA and tell them?
00:40:26
Ken Davies
Right, okay.
00:40:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when you write to FIFA and tell them, tell them that you have the backing of everybody at Road to World Cup 26 podcast and the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:40:47
Ken Davies
Very good.
00:40:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good.
00:40:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've done it again. That's twice today.
00:40:55
Ken Davies
That's okay.
00:41:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've been doing wrong.
00:41:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
the button what you yeah yeah turning yeah the The button on this is not responsive enough. And therefore I press it and and turn it on, but it's not responding.
00:41:08
Ken Davies
Yeah, outcast.
00:41:17
Ken Davies
Oh, look.
00:41:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So i don't think that it's come on. So I press it again to turn it on. But when it actually, what all I'm doing is turning it on and off again in the space of about millisecond.
00:41:27
Ken Davies
Right. Nick's button's not responsive enough.
00:41:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:41:30
Ken Davies
That's fine.
00:41:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not, no. ah Right. Everybody's favourite time of week. It's time for Kenny's quiz, ladies and gentlemen. Play at home. Shout out the answers to all of the questions. and I like to do a theme, as you know, for these quizzes. And my theme for this week, obviously all the answers relate to France. That's the theme we're looking at this year.
00:41:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
My theme for this week is my trips to France. Okay, so all three questions kept yeah all three questions are based around my trips to France in my lifetime.
00:41:55
Ken Davies
You're right.
00:42:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, yeah yeah they're not like, what did I have for breakfast type of question.
00:42:03
Ken Davies
Great.
00:42:03
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:42:08
Ken Davies
Great. Right.
00:42:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, damn. Right, it's one out one. Well done, Ken.
00:42:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they're all based around what what my trips was. So question number one, when I was young, Ken,
00:42:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
When I was young, I went on a French exchange. Do you remember those things when schools exchanged? and You went to go and live with the French family for a week or two?
00:42:20
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:42:25
Ken Davies
I do. i do I do. Hello. Yeah, we.
00:42:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
and i think yeah and And you always hoped they had like a really good looking sister, but they never, ever did.
00:42:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:42:34
Ken Davies
Yeah, remember this going out to the general public, Nick.
00:42:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. and then And then the French kid would come and live in your house and would be generally miserable and surly for about a week and a half.
00:42:42
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah. Where is sun here?
00:42:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what happened.
00:42:45
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:42:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So when I was young, I went to a French exchange and I went to Marseille or a little village just outside of Marseille. And one of the one of the things that we did is as my activities was ah drinking coffee out of a bowl in the morning and dipping French bread in it.
00:43:03
Ken Davies
yeah
00:43:05
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:43:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And that was like a real French. That's got nothing to do with the question. I just remember that.
00:43:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah That's what I used to do.
00:43:10
Ken Davies
Oh, yeah, you distress it's lovely.
00:43:12
Ken Davies
Lovely, lovely, yeah.
00:43:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's very nice.
00:43:13
Ken Davies
That's how the French do it.
00:43:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like a cafe. Yeah. It was like a cafe au lait. It was really, really nice.
00:43:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, one of the things we did was um they took me to a football game at Olympique Marseille. And it was i really I remember to this day, and we're talking a long time ago now, but I remember to day.
00:43:19
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:43:24
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm.
00:43:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
it' was amazing. So my question number one, Ken, is it's the second largest stadium in France with a capacity of 67,394. It's also used by the French rugby side a lot to play their games in.
00:43:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is the name of Olympique Marseille's home ground?
00:43:47
Ken Davies
Les Marseillaise.
00:43:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's not a name for a football ground, is it?
00:43:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Les Marseillais.
00:43:53
Ken Davies
It could be.
00:43:54
Ken Davies
It's the name of the national anthem.
00:43:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it isn't. It doesn't even sound... Yeah, that's why it's the national anthem. I'm not going to say...
00:44:02
Ken Davies
The Stade.
00:44:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh i'm ah um ah i'm watching I'm off to watch...
00:44:03
Ken Davies
Okay, okay.
00:44:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, no. I'm off to watch Derby this week on our new ground, God Save the King. doesn't... You can't tell me what
00:44:10
Ken Davies
Okay, um it's it's called Stade du Soleil.
00:44:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. Well, you got the first bit right. It's called STAD because most of them are, because it that's what they are.
00:44:20
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:44:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah They are STADs. No, ah sadly not. I thought you might get this one, but you didn't. The answer is the STAD velodrome. It's a very famous ground, mate.
00:44:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you need to brush up on your football grounds. um
00:44:31
Ken Davies
No chance.
00:44:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
To fair, I am a little bit of a football ground geek.
00:44:34
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:44:35
Ken Davies
Right.
00:44:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm a bit nerdy when it comes to grounds. and Anyway, right, very good. ah Right, when our kids were young... We took them to Disneyland Paris. Ooh, remember that.
00:44:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
In what year Disneyland Paris open?
00:44:48
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, 1990 something. I'm going to go for.
00:44:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll give you, I'll tell you what, since you look a little bit browbeaten, as you always do at this stage of the podcast, and and the pipe is the pipe is being chewed, I'll give you one year either way.
00:45:04
Ken Davies
Oh, thanks a lot. I would say It's either 80s or 90s. I think it's 90s. I'm going to go 1992.
00:45:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's more, I didn't even need to give you ah didn't even need to give you a year either way.
00:45:19
Ken Davies
What year was
00:45:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was 1992. 12th of April, 1990.
00:45:23
Ken Davies
who Oh, la la.
00:45:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
nineteen ninety
00:45:27
Ken Davies
Très bien.
00:45:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good. Very good. Right. I didn't think you'd get that. ah So I've thrown in a kind of easy bonus question just to kind of
00:45:36
Ken Davies
Good. Bon.
00:45:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
just to but ah make you feel better, because i didn't want you nought hour too, like most weeks. So last year, as you know, I went to Paris. I went to see the Olympic Games. so And I was supporting, oh, I've got my tracksuit on.
00:45:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was supporting Team GB.
00:45:49
Ken Davies
Oh yeah, I can see
00:45:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got my Team GB tracksuit on. And had a great, great weekend over in Paris. It's fantastic. ah One of the places I went to was the Place de la Concorde, which marks the end of one of Paris's most famous streets, which is, of course, Champs-Élysées.
00:46:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
What marks other end of it?
00:46:07
Ken Davies
that. I would imagine it would be the Arc of Triomphe.
00:46:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
What marks the other end of the show?
00:46:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well done. is it yeah yeah You the what?
00:46:22
Ken Davies
I am dans un rôle.
00:46:28
Ken Davies
Sur un rôle. On a role.
00:46:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Okay. Sir, a roll. That's not right.
00:46:34
Ken Davies
Un rôle.
00:46:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
That sounds like you're French when you were 10.
00:46:37
Ken Davies
Musculine.
00:46:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Je suis sur a roll.
00:46:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Well done, mate. That's right. Two out three.
00:46:41
Ken Davies
yeah i think
00:46:45
Ken Davies
that's probably the best, isn't it, so far?
00:46:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
is i think that's going to be right. I think that's the joint top score you've ever had.
00:46:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So many, many congratulations. Right. Good man. Right. Well done. Well done. Kenny's quiz is a success this week. And I hope you got all three out of three at home. If you did, you're better than Ken. Well done. Let us know.
00:46:51
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:47:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
How do they let us know? and How do they let us know?
00:47:02
Ken Davies
Just one thing to add, you've got a paddle lesson in 15 minutes.
00:47:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, no, it's two o'clock.
00:47:10
Ken Davies
Okay. FYI, everyone, he's got a paddle lesson in 15 minutes.
00:47:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got leave the house. I've got to leave the house. Yeah, i've got I've got to leave the house.
00:47:15
Ken Davies
Fair enough.
00:47:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's OK. ah That's OK. Ken, I would like people to get in touch
Reflection on Didier Deschamps
00:47:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
with us. How do they get in touch with us?
00:47:22
Ken Davies
Well, the way to do that is if you're enjoying the Road to World Cup 26, I hope you are, we're having a lot of fun doing it. You can subscribe, you can leave a review, you can share the podcast with people you know. And also, just like Leo from Warrington, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
00:47:36
Ken Davies
The best way to do that is to email us at roadtoworldcup26 at gmail.com. That's roadtoworldcup26 at gmail.com. We look at all the emails. We enjoy going through them.
00:47:47
Ken Davies
And as with Leo, we'll feature them on the show.
00:47:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good stuff. Right, before we get on to our predictions on how we think France were going to do, a very quick look at the coach, Didier Deschamps. Now, Ken, you and I will remember Didier Deschamps as a very, very good football player. He was the heartbeat of the French national team during the 90s. He was a really, really good player.
00:48:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Won the World Cup in 1998. Won the European Championships in 2000 as a player. and Yeah, i took over as manager of France in 2012. His record's really, really good out of 169 games.
00:48:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a long time, isn't it?
00:48:21
Ken Davies
play. 2012. He's got to be the longest serving manager, hasn't he?
00:48:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got a quiz question for you.
00:48:28
Ken Davies
Oh, yeah.
00:48:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is unique about Didier Deschamps? as as the front as the France manager?
00:48:39
Ken Davies
ah He's got a wooden leg.
00:48:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:48:44
Ken Davies
I don't know that.
00:48:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
no Yeah. He's the only, only living manager in the world who has won the World Cup as a manager and a player.
00:48:53
Ken Davies
Good hands. Wow.
00:48:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good start. There have been three of them in the history of football. Mario Zagallo from Brazil and Franz Bakkenberg for Germany, ah West Germany as it was then.
00:49:03
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:49:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But they are both sadly deceased. So Didier Deschamps is the only human being in the world who has won the World Cup as a player and a manager.
00:49:12
Ken Davies
Very good. With a wooden leg as well. He's doing well.
00:49:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, not bad with a wooden leg, yeah. So, yeah, as I was saying, took over in 2012. Out of 169 games, he's won 107. he's 63% rate.
00:49:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
so he's got a sixty three percent win rate ah drawn 34, lost only 28. He's a very, very, as as you would expect, having played at such a high level, he's an incredibly astute tactician.
00:49:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think what he's done really well with the France team is that he has he's bonded them. And we mentioned this a little bit earlier on. They're a unit now and there was always there's always these undercurrents of problems. and remember when Mario Balotelli was playing for him and players like that.
00:49:49
Ken Davies
Oh.
00:49:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
just people were falling out with people and fighting and threatening to not to play and
00:49:53
Ken Davies
Hold pot.
00:49:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Pogba, yeah, players like that. You just think, God, just go you know just go away and grow up a little bit. ah and But now they've got a very united team yeah and tactically he's very astute. Of course, ah was the runner up in the World Cup in 2022, but won it as a coach in 2018.
00:50:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he won it as a player in 1998.
00:50:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
20 years later, won it as a manager. Very, very impressive. Won the UEFA Nations League with France in twenty twenty twenty one Only came third this season. you You mentioned that game earlier on, didn't you? That brilliant 5-4 game against Spain.
00:50:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
When they were down and out, they were like five one down or something, 5-2 down, and they scored loads goals.
00:50:27
Ken Davies
Amazing.
00:50:30
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:50:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was a great game. So he's a very, very good manager. He's known to forge very close bonds with his players. He's got the system that he likes. He's quite fluid, very sharp tactically.
00:50:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's the kind of manager, he must be. i should have looked at this to be fair. Is he the longest serving manager in international football? Maybe. I don't know, maybe.
00:50:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
13 years?
00:50:50
Ken Davies
I think you can't be far off.
00:50:52
Ken Davies
Can't be far off.
00:50:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a long time.
00:50:54
Ken Davies
We should report back on that one.
00:50:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And...
00:50:56
Ken Davies
But yeah, he's a
00:50:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great manager, great manager. And if anybody's going to lead him to World Cup glory next year, will be Didier Deshaun.
00:51:03
Ken Davies
Everyone gives him a kind of a full marks for his being a calm and conciliatory kind of influence. You know, he takes a lot of the pressure off the players.
00:51:13
Ken Davies
very well Very popular, think, with players. Midfielder. I've got a theory that midfielders make the best managers. I'm going to need need to look at this because ah if defensive or managers who are defensively,
00:51:25
Ken Davies
who are defenders as players, tend to be great defensively, but not great going forward. Same with attackers. But fielders make the best managers. ah Values work rate, encourages player participation, encourages people to develop their own personality on the pitch, doesn't over-interfere. He's just a top manager.
00:51:45
Ken Davies
He's just a top manager.
00:51:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
is' Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, he's right up there. I like the way that you make the assertion, by the way, that midfielders make the best managers with no statistics or data or or anything like that to to to back up your argument.
00:51:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can't just say stuff like that and then, yeah, then put your pipe in.
00:51:58
Ken Davies
Thank you very much.
00:52:01
Ken Davies
Oh, I thought that was a genuine compliment.
00:52:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:52:02
Ken Davies
I thought that was a genuine compliment.
00:52:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is, but you can't just say, can't state things as fact without any kind of
Predictions for France in 2026 World Cup
00:52:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
anything to back it up to.
00:52:10
Ken Davies
I'm going to give you, I'm going to go through everybody who's won the World Cup by this time next next next edition and I'll tell you which one, which defender, attacker and midfielder is the most successful.
00:52:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I genuinely look forward to that.
00:52:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, to finish the podcast.
00:52:27
Ken Davies
LAUGHTER
00:52:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Genuinely. To finish the podcast, Ken, how are France going to get on?
00:52:35
Ken Davies
They're not winning it. It's the first place to start.
00:52:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:52:42
Ken Davies
I don't think the the great travels.
00:52:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay,
00:52:43
Ken Davies
um It's a debate whether they're quarter-finalists or semi-finalists. I am going to go with quarter-finalists.
00:52:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
right okay why don't you think they're going to win it?
00:52:57
Ken Davies
I just think, honestly, this is going to be a team from South America are going to win this. I just fancy the South American teams. I think they look extremely strong. don't think they look amazing.
00:53:10
Ken Davies
But so do a few of the others down there. Mexico look very good. France, obviously when France have won it, they've won it in Russia, they've won it in France.
00:53:21
Ken Davies
ah I just can't see them going all the way over to America and and and making happen. I just think they're better teams. They're great team, but they're not the greatest team.
00:53:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's fair. I'm glad I had to tease that out of you. You could have said all of that before you announced what you're going to do rather than just go, yeah, court final.
00:53:39
Ken Davies
So Nick, what do you reckon and what's your reasoning Can we have it in duplicate as well? Can we have a podcast just on your reasoning?
00:53:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, you know I like to you know i'll but to do my research.
00:53:48
Ken Davies
Are there going to be another winner? are theyre going to Because you can you can have two winners. Are they going win it twice? Are they going to share it with Argentina?
00:53:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:54:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that they're they're they're a great side. They're a great side. ah I might now just to annoy you having them as winners, just so I could hear you.
00:54:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Throw your piece of paper that you're writing all this down up in the air in despair. and No, they're a great side. they They perform well in in Europe and European competitions. I think like you, mate, I think we agree on this.
00:54:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I fancy next year in America ah a South American team.
00:54:28
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm.
00:54:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think they're going to be the strongest performers or Central America because quite fancy Mexico. ah So you've got your Argentinians. I think Brazil will be much better than they are now. I think you're... Ecuador's and Mexico type teams are going to be very strong.
00:54:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
the The geography works for them. They're used to playing in the ridiculous heat that they're going to have to play in. And that might be the undoing of some of the European teams. France don't really travel that well.
00:54:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have them down for being knocked out also in the quarterfinals.
00:55:02
Ken Davies
Very good. We agree, we're never far off.
00:55:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was before you were speaking to We're never far off. That was before you were incredibly rude to me at the start of this podcast and said that I'd already had three semi-finalists.
00:55:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think one so I've only got one finalist.
00:55:12
Ken Davies
I was just marking card, Nick.
00:55:14
Ken Davies
I would make his...
00:55:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've only got one finalist.
00:55:16
Ken Davies
Huh?
00:55:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we've both got Argentina down in the final. But neither of us know who we can do against you there.
00:55:21
Ken Davies
a
00:55:24
Ken Davies
No, we have, just to give you that information, we have got one winner, And no other final. We don't know they're playing yet.
00:55:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, we're running out a good teams. We might have to go for Cape Verde in the final. Or...
00:55:38
Ken Davies
Well, we've Egypt next week. We've got Egypt next week.
00:55:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's easier, Tom.
00:55:41
Ken Davies
They might get to the final.
00:55:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're not going to win. They're not going to make it to the final. ah Right, OK. So that brings an end to this episode. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. We hope you've enjoyed that. And we hope you know far more about the French national team and their chances of doing well in the World Cup next year than you did 56 minutes ago.
00:56:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
A go. Next week, we are crossing into the land of pharaohs and pyramids, and we might still find the Egyptian team locked in a pyramid, waiting for its ship to go to the 1930 World Cup.
00:56:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We'll find that out next week. Until then, hope you have a great week. Thank you very much indeed for your time from Ken and I. Look after yourselves. Look after each other. Goodbye.
00:56:25
Ken Davies
Goodbye.