Barcelona are Champions!

12 May 2026 · 53 min · 23 chapters

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In short

Football America’s episode centers on Barcelona’s La Liga title win after beating Real Madrid 2-0 in El Clásico, with discussion of the 19-point swing (Barcelona finishing 14 points clear). Guests argue Hansi Flick’s high-line system works because the “front line” presses (Rafinha, Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Ferran Torres) and Barcelona still have the league’s best defensive record. They note Champions League concerns: Barcelona were knocked out by Inter Milan last season, but this year they face Atlético Madrid in high-scoring ties.

Guests

Alexis Nunes (host, Football America), Herkenes Gomez (co-host), Shaka Hislop (former goalkeeper/analyst), Dapo Shaka? (Dapo Shaka Hislop referenced as “Dapo, Shaka Hislop” in intro).

Key claims

Real Madrid’s failure is off-field/culture-driven (Florentino Perez, Xabi Alonso undermined, player discipline issues). James Rodriguez’s brief MLS stint with Minnesota was for World Cup readiness; Neymar’s inclusion in Brazil’s 55-man squad is debated due to leadership/fitness concerns.

Notable examples

Messi’s MLS record 100 goal contributions (59 goals, 41 assists) for Inter Miami; MLS/MLS Cup “messy magic” vs Toronto; U.S. World Cup roster talk (Sebastian Berhalter expected; Johnny Cardoso ankle surgery likely a major blow).

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

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Barcelona Triumphs in El Clásico

0:45 to 2:31

The hosts break down Barcelona's recent victory over Real Madrid and their La Liga title win.

“Plus, it would not be a Football Americas show if we did not have some messy magic, right?”

Analyzing Barcelona's Season

2:31 to 8:12

Discussion on the performance and evolution of Barcelona under Hansi Flick's coaching.

“Well, the party from the Camp Nou continued into the streets of Barcelona, specifically Las Ramblas, where Barcelona tend to celebrate, oh, my absolute days.”

Real Madrid's Struggles

8:12 to 14:01

Exploration of Real Madrid's disappointing season and the culture issues within the club.

“So he's still not the Lamine that we expect, yet he leads the league in goal production.”

Real Madrid's Current Identity Crisis

14:01 to 14:34

Discussing the transformation of Real Madrid's identity and its implications.

“But this version of Real Madrid, for whatever reason, And you can go back to seasons ago when they refused to go to the Ballon d 'Or ceremony because Vinny Jr.”

Previewing La Liga Action

14:35 to 14:49

An overview of upcoming La Liga matches, specifically focusing on Barcelona.

“Yes, the title is all but over as Barcelona have won it, but still plenty of action coming your way.”

James Rodriguez's MLS Stint

16:04 to 16:42

Analyzing James Rodriguez's brief time with Minnesota United and his contributions.

“But he was an MLS action from Minnesota United up against Austin, and he was amongst the goal contributions with not one but two assists.”

Evaluating Rodriguez's Impact and Fit

16:43 to 20:45

Discussions about whether James Rodriguez's stay at Minnesota can be deemed a success or failure.

“It is weird of a stint, but it's not a failed stint.”

Neymar's Role in Brazil's World Cup Squad

20:56 to 21:59

Debating Neymar's inclusion in Brazil's preliminary World Cup squad.

“we're all just trying to see James Rodriguez in one kit, and that is the Colombia kit because, you know, Colombia, James, is big.”

The Value of Experience in National Teams

22:00 to 24:47

Exploring the importance of veteran players like Neymar in national team dynamics.

“So my question is, Shaka, let me start with you.”

Neymar's Influence Beyond the Field

24:48 to 26:35

Considering Neymar's influence and potential distractions for the Brazilian squad.

“And we were all in Boston, Brazil versus France.”
Show all 23 chapters

Sebastian Berhalter's National Team Prospects

26:36 to 28:00

Discussing Sebastian Berhalter's potential inclusion in the U.S. men's national team roster.

“Well, let's switch focus now to the U.S.”

Pressure on Sebastian Berhalter

28:00 to 29:32

Discussion on the pressures faced by Sebastian Berhalter as a player.

“and I was just happy to kind of be along for the ride.”

Chaka's World Cup Experience

29:32 to 31:28

Chaka reflects on his World Cup journey and the pressure of being a captain.

“I love the statement from Bill for a number of reasons.”

Emotions of World Cup Qualification

31:28 to 32:41

An emotional recount of the moment of World Cup qualification.

“I was there to see Toronto Bigelow's first ever World Cup with a really good seat.”

Johnny Cardoso's Injury Impact

32:41 to 34:35

The impact of Johnny Cardoso's injury on his career and the national team.

“Men's National Team right now, But this is some not so good news.”

Gio Reyna's Form and Future

34:35 to 36:34

Discussion on Gio Reyna's recent performances and his importance to the team.

“Men's National Team as a whole it's a loss yeah big loss indeed Well, someone who's still expected to be a part of that final roster and going to the World Cup is Gio Reyna.”

Ricardo Pepe's Continued Success

36:34 to 38:23

Highlighting Ricardo Pepe's recent goal achievements and impact.

“Someone who has definitely been there in this year and has been producing goals is this man, Ricardo Pepe.”

Liga MX Playoffs Insights

39:20 to 42:04

Analysis of Liga MX playoffs action and key moments.

“Let's head on over to get some Liga MX playoffs action here in the quarterfinals.”

Alejandro Sendejas: A Rising Star

42:04 to 43:36

Learn about Alejandro Sendejas's standout performance and potential in soccer.

“I keep hearing and reading about the coaching crew going out to LAFC in Houston to see Jack McLean, going out to other MLS venues to see said player.”

Pachuca vs. Toluca Recap

43:36 to 45:38

Get insights on the recent Pachuca vs. Toluca match and its implications.

“Pachuca hosting Toluca in this second leg of their quarterfinal.”

Lionel Messi's Impact in MLS

45:38 to 50:41

Explore Lionel Messi's record-setting performances and influence in Major League Soccer.

“and a heavy possession-based team in Cruz Azul versus a very dynamic team like Chivas.”

NWSL Highlights: Seattle vs. Washington

50:41 to 52:28

Review the highlights from the NWSL match between Seattle Reign and Washington Spirit.

“Because to Higgs' point, Neil Messi really has zero reason to continue.”

Shaka's Goalkeeping Blunders

52:28 to 53:30

Discuss some comical goalkeeping errors in recent matches.

“All right, let's talk about some Shaka-strophic goals, shall we?”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:09Hello, hello everyone. Let's kick the week off right, shall we? With a fresh edition of Football America's Alexis Nunes here back with you alongside Herkenes Gomez and our ever Dapo, Shaka Hislop. I'm not rocking his jersey this time. I'm pulling for the boys at Rexham even though they did not get promotion, but it's okay. The Red Dragons will be back. Anyways, packed show today because today we are exactly one month out from the FIFA World Cup this summer. We're about a week out from the final rosters being announced. We'll tell you what this means for two big names in world football, James Rodriguez and Neymar.

0:44Hmm. Plus, it would not be a Football Americas show if we did not have some messy magic, right? We'll show you the latest record he has broken in MLS. But let's start things off with what is the biggest rivalry in club football. El Clásico took place this weekend in Barcelona. Slopped up Real Madrid 2-0 to not just win El Clásico, but win yet another La Liga title. You can bet they were all over the back pages and the sport pages in Spain. And let's show you exactly how they did it.

1:24I think it's a plus of motivation.

1:56Danielma with the layoff, Torres, 2-0! Brilliant for Barcelona. That's why they're on their way to the Spanish title. I didn't expect that Danny saw me, but when I was just there, I saw the ball and I knew it was a goal. May the 10th, 2026, will go down in history. The day they won the title in their own stadium against the biggest rivals. Barcelona, champions of Spain again.

2:31Well, the party from the Camp Nou continued into the streets of Barcelona, specifically Las Ramblas, where Barcelona tend to celebrate, oh, my absolute days. I thought there were going to be a couple of soreheads, but either way, they got up to celebrate with the Blaugrana faithful. And guys, this really was no surprise. No, it wasn't. I thought Barcelona were the best team in the league by far. I know there were some concerns, particularly early on, but then Real Madrid just found a way to capitulate. And while they capitulated, I thought Barcelona got better as the season went on. On FC last week, we were talking, Sidlow was pointing out that at the end of that first classical, which Real Madrid won, they were five points clear of Barcelona.

3:18Now Barcelona are crown champions at this point. 14 points clear of Real Madrid. That's a 19-point swing. That is a lot of football. A lot of difference between those two. Yeah, Herc, I say it's no surprise based on the Barcelona that we have seen in 2026 and the Real Madrid that we have seen. But as Shaka pointed out, there were moments that even we were saying this high line, the way Hansi Flick has them playing, is going to let them down. But they found a way through.

3:43Herc Gomez:Well, let's go back to when they hired Hansi Flick. You're hiring a coach that's coming off one of his worst personal moments, a failure with the German national team when there were a lot of doubts about, not his character, but who he was as a leader, who he was as a coach. And here he comes to a team that was littered with problems. Xavi Hernandez, I am leaving, I am staying. The problems of Gundogan and the younger players in that generation, It was not the way that Barcelona had historically played, yet they got results for one season, and then it all collapsed. Here comes Hansi Flix. Hansi Flix, excuse me, he says, we're going to play this way.

4:19Herc Gomez:We're going to play a high line. We're going to play a dynamic style of soccer, and we're going to bring back the joy to this team. They're fun to watch. But he's saying this at the height of Real Madrid. He's saying this off a league championship, and he's saying this off a Champions League, and they're getting Kylian Mbappe. They're getting stronger. And here comes Barcelona. We know we have problems. We know we want to sell players, but we want to keep Rafinha. We want to keep doing things the right way. And somewhere along the lines, he hit every single button. And they were running off of all cylinders.

4:52Herc Gomez:And you see Rafinha be the player tenfold that he was at Leeds. And you see Dani Omo come in. And you see Lewandowski scoring goals. And you see Ferran Torres, who's a Kili-Hills, Kili-Hills, excuse me, West to score goals, scoring goals. You see Pedri orchestrating. You see La Union Mall coming into his zone. you see a team that looks like it could be generational, and they win one, and then they win another. And now you're begging to see them at the biggest of platforms like a Champions League. Everything that you think they have in ceiling, they have done twofold besides the Champions League, which I think can come.

5:25Herc Gomez:And it's been the opposite for Real Madrid. And the only reason I bring Real Madrid is because that's been the motivational factor for Barcelona. And when it comes to the league, Madrid fans may have, sights set on the Champions League, but what the Barcelona fan, what the purist holds true, is the league, is the consistency, and that's what we've seen. Shaka, I mean, you and I have sat down on many La Liga coverages, especially with our Stevie Nichol, who is going out of his mind when he sees that Barcelona defending or lack of defending, but putting that aside, just for the neutral, it is such a fun team to watch.

5:58It absolutely is, because of that high line. And while we can't criticize Barcelona's high line, but with very good reason. It's fun to watch because you're not quite sure what's going to happen next. But at the same time, Barcelona have the best defensive record in La Liga. So for all the complaints around Barcelona defensively, certainly in the league, they have made this a part of their identity just as much as scoring goals is. And it has absolutely worked for them. the one thing that well we want to see is or we haven't seen I should say over the last couple of years is how that fared in the Champions League yeah last season they got knocked out at the semi-final stage by Inter Milan this time around it is Atletico Madrid in both those in both those games they were high scoring affairs yeah and now at the highest level certainly of European competition that high defensive line has let them down.

6:59But domestically, and that is the cake, if the Champions League is the icing on the cake, for the cake, it certainly has worked and worked wonderfully well for Hansi Flick.

7:09Herc Gomez:Most people see or hear about the high line and they think defensively. They think the back line. It's not the back line when it comes to Hansi Flick. It's the front line that's the most important part of that high line. It's Rafinha, it's Lamine, it's Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, how they press. That is the trigger. That is the cue, the signal to push up, to steal the ball higher up the field and to transition at pace. It's not on the defensive line. They're the ones who get burned. They're the ones who get the brunt of the problem. They're the ones who will come out on the papers or in the press or on the videos as the scapegoats.

7:45Herc Gomez:But that's not on them. It's the front line. And usually when they've had those problems, there's been a lack of Rafinha, who is absolutely important and vital to this team, not only offensively but defensively. and a lack of Lamine. And that's what's been most impressive about this team is you have an aging Lewandowski, in comes in Ferran. You have a Rafinha who's been injured twice this season and in comes somebody else like a Rashford. And then you have a Lamine who is a half-gast. Let's not forget how he started the season. He had Pobalgia. So he's still not the Lamine that we expect, yet he leads the league in goal production.

8:18Herc Gomez:So this team is nowhere near their ceiling. And if you're a fan, forget about Barcelona. If you're just a fan of football, So this is a scary thing. It's a scary good thing to think that this team has not yet hit its ceiling. All right. Well, let's look at the other side of the coin right now because I'm pretty sure the post-mortem for Real Madrid's failure of a season has already begun. But I want to bring it back to last summer now, specifically the Club World Cup. You'll remember that Real Madrid went out to PSG in the semifinal. Now, I only bring this back up, guys, because Real Madrid took this tournament seriously.

8:51You do remember Jude Bellingham was in need of surgery. They postponed the surgery so that he could take part in this. They made it all the way to the semifinals. We've talked about the issues that we have seen Chelsea have. We talked about some issues that PSG were showing at the beginning of the season, mainly in the Champions League. Of course, they were able to get it right. But now looking at Real Madrid and the fracaso of a season that we have seen by their standards, did the failure start from this tournament? Has it affected them negatively? It's difficult to see because on the one hand, you want to say, or you want to think, not having a club tournament, Sydney, of this stature in the summer, you wanted to see how it would impact not just Real Madrid, but every single club.

9:38Yeah. But you look at where PSG are right now. You look at where Bayern Munich will be agreeing on to PSG. But everyone says that the league is a bit more manageable than what Real Madrid have to. They say the same thing about the Bundesliga too. Well, to that point, in La Liga, certainly from a Real Madrid perspective, you're judged in comparison to Barcelona. So we can make any excuses we want and kind of try to paint Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga however we want. Regardless, Bayern Munich did not fail. Real Madrid did not fail well in comparison to PSG, to Bayern Munich or to Barcelona. However you want to cut it.

10:20Now, if Real Madrid take that summer's tournament as importantly as quite clearly they did and comes back to haunt them, that's on them. That is entirely on them. Let's also not forget that not just this season, but last season, they were also disappointing by their own relative standards. And there was no club, World Cup to blame season before this one. But did this just add to their problems? I think Real Madrid are kind of making some new problems for themselves over the last few weeks. It has been a disappointing season on the back of another. And that, I think, going two seasons back to back, has called for a lot of questions around everything to do with Real Madrid.

11:06Whether it's Farentino Perez and whether we want to put it on Xavi Alonso or Vinicius Jr. or Kylian Mbappé. whoever we decide to put it on, there are questions that need to be answered. Real Madrid have only given more questions over the last few weeks in terms of how they have unraveled, certainly in terms of the culture of the club, the discipline of the players as to how and why these last two seasons have been as disappointing as they have been. Rick, what do you think?

11:36Herc Gomez:Listen, using the Club World Cup as a bit of a reach. Chelsea have struggled. Manchester City have struggled. They struggled in these tournaments as well. There is a certain tax when it comes to the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. That's a reality. That's why Dembele can afford not to play league and could save himself for the Champions League. And Luis Enrique has the luxury of knowing that they could run away with the league and his best player, current Ballon d 'Or, can just concentrate on the Champions League. There's a certain tax that maybe La Liga teams can't afford. Look at Atletico, who were 20-some-odd points away from Barcelona, and they eliminated Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

12:13Herc Gomez:But that's not the problem for Real Madrid. Not the Club World Cup, not their form in La Liga. They've lost La Liga to Barcelona before, in the same breath as them winning in the same season a Champions League. This Real Madrid problem stems much further than on the field. It's like an ever-running episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. It really is. It's one after the other here. It's Xabi Alonso comes in, but he wasn't picked by Florentino. He wasn't his first choice. And then it's Xabi Alonso trying to impregnate his style, trying to impose his will and being undermined by Florentino. You substitute, whether it was right or wrong, a player like Vinny Jr., and he comes off bitching and moaning, and then he apologizes to everybody but the manager.

13:07Herc Gomez:And he is backed by Florentino and by the board. And then you see them pick the side of the footballers. And then you see a captain, team captain like Valverde, who refuses to play right back for Xabi Alonso, who refuses to go into a game, Champions League against the Silviacos, for Xabi Alonso. And then it's Jude Bellingham. And then it's Kylian Mbappé choosing which and when he plays and what type of game he plays. And he's more concentrated on the individual performances and the stats that go with the individual performances than being ready for the long stretch. And it's this player here and that player there and Danny Carvajal and the history he had with Arbel Loa.

13:42Herc Gomez:It's everybody before the club. And it was never like that. You had players who would bow down literally to the club that were the stature of Cristiano Ronaldo. Real Madrid waited for no player, whether Hugo Sanchez, Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, or whoever you may think deserved the respect a la Sergio Ramos. That is not who Real Madrid is. But this version of Real Madrid, for whatever reason, And you can go back to seasons ago when they refused to go to the Ballon d 'Or ceremony because Vinny Jr. did not win it. It is not the Real Madrid that we grew up with. And that, to me, is the reason.

14:16Herc Gomez:Not their poor form in the Club World Cup or what they've not done in La Liga. It's everything else that trickles onto the field. What was it that you said last week that they've officially overtaken Manchester United as the most toxic club in the world right now? Let's go United. We're getting out of that. Ah, look at that. United no longer toxic. We still are. All right, here's what's coming up in terms of La Liga. How will it differ to your expertise? Yes, the title is all but over as Barcelona have won it, but still plenty of action coming your way. And on Wednesday, that is when the champions will be playing up against Alaves, away from home, 3 p.m.

14:47kickoff time. Make sure to tune in.

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15:27Herc Gomez:Game day at my place is kind of a big deal. If I'm grilling, chilling, and watching hoops, My outdoor patio setup better be ready to play. That's where Wayfair wins. From patio seating and umbrellas to grills and grilling accessories, Wayfair has got it all, and it shows up fast. I'm talking championship-level fast and easy delivery. So level up your grill game and your outdoor chill game and head to Wayfair.com now to get your outdoor space ready for the season. All right, let's talk about James Rodriguez as he's getting ready for Colombia's World Cup. But he was an MLS action from Minnesota United up against Austin, and he was amongst the goal contributions with not one but two assists.

16:12James Rodriguez just doing what James Rodriguez does. But I suppose we can call it some sort of a parting gift because according to the headlines, James is not expected to return to Minnesota United. after he joins up with Colombia for the World Cup. Now, of course, as I said, that the rosters will be dropping in the next week, so he's expected to join his country next week, which means it was short and sweet at Minnesota United. Herc, only five games the Colombian managed to play, and this is a bit weird of a stint.

16:48Herc Gomez:It is weird of a stint, but it's not a failed stint. Now, bear with me. A failed stint would have been if they paid James Rodriguez millions and millions and millions of dollars to be their star DP player, to be here for the long run. That's not what happened here. We don't know the amount, but he wasn't a DP. We don't know the circumstances of how long he planned to stay for what he told Minnesota, but what we do know is only in preparation of getting himself ready. Doesn't it make it a little comical, though? This is what MLS doesn't want. No, MLS wants this. for a little bit, but use me for a little bit?

17:24He wouldn't try to set up Real Madrid.

17:27Herc Gomez:When I was single, I would tell him, model, use me as much as you want. Oh, hello, hello. It's, it's, it's, this is, this is, MLS needs players like James Rodriguez. And it's. To use them as a training ground? What training ground? This is, this is like any other club around the world where a player goes in for six months. We just saw Sergio, Sergio Ramos in Monterrey. We've seen these type of actions before. He's trying to get himself ready. And Minnesota, a club that desperately needs any type of fanfare, is using James Rodriguez to their advantage. And this is a player that, when healthy, can provide something for you.

18:02Herc Gomez:That's a reality. Here's another reality. He wasn't healthy. Yeah. You know? And things like this happen. But if you're asking me if it was a success, maybe not a success. But it also wasn't a failure. I don't see anything wrong, especially for what they paid out of him. He's not a DP. Well, our producer Mike would like us to know that James Rodriguez played less games than even Shaka did at FC Dallas. Well, I don't understand where that compares. Shaka, I feel like you are kind of understanding what I meant by saying this is almost comical. Yeah, I find it odd. I understand Hugg's point. And maybe Minnesota can do with a personality, a well-recognized personality such as James Rodriguez.

18:44But now, in April and May, in five games, kind of given how the MLS season is structured, with the start of the season being February, March, and then playoffs starting later in the year, you have him for, okay, he's injured for seven, but you have him for a dozen games or so in April and May. It just seems odd to me. And why? Why do you bring Hamid? What does Hamid Rodriguez give you in April and May? To us. No, I mean, to make this, to define their season, to change their season, to lift their season. Not now. If you're bringing them in the playoffs, I understand that point. But in April?

19:29Herc Gomez:See, we always criticize Major League Soccer because the first thing that came out of your mouth, Alexis, was isn't this bad for Major League Soccer? This looks comical. Each team has free reign to do what they want. But Major League Soccer shouldn't be taking the brunt of what Minnesota United does. That's fine. But what I'm trying to get at here is every club has free will to do what they want to try to win a championship. Right. So what Minnesota does with their finances and with their fanfare is very much different than what an Inter Miami would do or what an L.A. Galaxy would do or an L.A.

20:02Herc Gomez:FC or a Seattle Sounders. And that's a reality. The league has split into some teams that are haves and other teams that are have nots. Minnesota is in the middle. Minnesota navigates in the middle. And if you've ever been to Minnesota or ever seen this team play, there's a certain style that just was never appropriate for a player like James Rodriguez. This is a team that defends at all will, defends at all costs. And it's not a free-flowing football. And it's not even because Columbia has defended at all costs sometimes with a James. But they do that because they have a James. They do that because they can't afford to have another player take a playoff.

20:39Herc Gomez:I just don't think there's anything wrong here. I just didn't think it was a good fit. But Minnesota trying to change something, trying to sell tickets, trying to say maybe a creative player can spark us in a new direction. I'm okay with that, especially for the dollar amount. If this was a player they spent millions and millions of dollars on, things would change. All right, well, as sweet as that Minnesota kit is, let's be honest, we're all just trying to see James Rodriguez in one kit, and that is the Colombia kit because, you know, Colombia, James, is big. And speaking of big, Neymar, we know exactly what he means for Brazil.

21:07and Santos, he's in action right here up against Bragantino. And here he is helping Santos take the lead.

21:16Herc Gomez:It's a good finish, lets it roll across, left foot, slots it in. Easy finish for a player like Neymar. 76th minute now, Frias will score a right-footed shot to the bottom corner and Santos will double their lead. Yeah, it's a nice control by Frias. I'm not sure he was expecting this or it was intended for him, but he gets that under control, awkward ball really well, finds that bottom corner. Finds that bottom corner indeed and Neymar definitely getting on the right side of the stats for this game. We know how much of a rough season it has been for the Brazilian. We have all questioned whether or not he will be part of Carlo Ancelotti's plans for this World Cup.

21:54Well, speaking of Carlo Ancelotti, they have named a 55-man preliminary squad for Brazil for the World Cup And of course, Neymar is a part of it. So my question is, Shaka, let me start with you. Should he have been brought in based on what we've seen? On a 55-man squad? Everybody could. But for the World Cup squad, because of course we're going to narrow it down in probably a week's time. Yeah, I do not think that Neymar adds to Brazil at this point in his career. If I were picking this squad, I would not have Neymar in my final, was it, 26? Yeah. I would not have Neymar in my final 26. I am still unsure.

22:33I do not think he starts. I'm not sure what meaningful minutes he plays. And if Neymar isn't a regular starter, what is his personality in the dressing room? Is he disruptive? You know, those are questions that only Ancelotti and Neymar can truly answer. As a leader, would you have him? Because, of course, a lot of the players, of course, one of them being Rodrigo, who now will take no part in the World Cup, have spoken that just having his presence there kind of spurs them on. I'm not sure that Neymar is the leader that this Brazil team needs. Off the pitch. Maybe he at his best, absolutely. On the pitch, Neymar is that person.

Read the full transcript

23:14But off the pitch, I'm not sure that he's that guy. So I don't understand at this point, given how close we are to the workup, Given how close we are to you naming a final squad, why you have 55 players in there. And again, for me, well, okay, Neymar gets in 55. What's the fullest value to that?

23:41Herc Gomez:I just don't get it. That's the question, right? Back in our time, Shaq, 23 players would go. And player 20, 21, 22, 23 probably wouldn't see the field. So now you're adding 24, 25, 26. what value do you bring? If indeed he can bring that leadership value and Carlo Ancelotti thinks in Neymar he has somebody that players can lean on, I think it's a no-brainer. We see teams do this all the time. Now, Memo Ochoa is going to play in his sixth World Cup. He'll be in his sixth World Cup. Luka Modric, granted, these are players in the name with still very much a lot in the tank, but Luka Modric, four World Cups, I believe.

24:19Herc Gomez:Lionel Messi, six. Cristiano Ronaldo, six. There are players playing in World Cups. We've seen the Rafa Marquez of the world be involved in World Cups when they can add something else besides just the few minutes that they could play if they are thrown onto the field. It's what can Neymar bring that is of value for Carlo Ancelotti. And if he's not of value, if he thinks he will be a distraction, there's no way Neymar is going to be anywhere close to a 26. But if there is something there, 34 years of age, set piece specialist, all time leading goal scorer in Brazilian national team history, a player that this very young team looks up to.

25:00Herc Gomez:And we were all in Boston, Brazil versus France. France may have the best pool of players on this earth. But when I looked up into that stadium, I was reminded of how much of a juggernaut the Brazilian national team is. This national team in the United States following around this team with the Neymar there, playing or not, that's something that people can get behind. So much so that we've seen politicians sending letters to Carlo Ancelotti and the Brazilian FA of they need Neymar on the team because of the hope that he inspires. If he can't be on the field, I say it's a no. But if you know he's not going to be on the field, if he can add anything of value, and this isn't a he takes someone else's spot, this is what can he bring, as Shaka said, I don't see the harm.

25:50So here's the things for me, and with Neymar. And again, whether he is that leader off the field, I don't know. Neymar and Carlo Ansharotidi wants to answer that question. But whether he plays or not, he will almost become synonymous with this result team, whatever comes of it in this tournament. Now, if things don't go well, somehow, whether he plays or not, again, Neymar will be to blame. We are just a few weeks removed from Neymar going to the stands at the sides of Santos' game and having a shouting match with fans. If this Brazil team cannot afford that version of Neymar, and until he proves me otherwise, I will continue to be skeptical.

26:35All right. Well, let's switch focus now to the U.S. men's national team because it's an exciting time for Sebastian Berhalter as he's expected to be a part of the final U.S. roster. And this is what he had to say a year ago. I didn't even make my national team debut. And now to be in this position is awesome. So for me, it doesn't feel like pressure. I think they know what they can expect. They know what they're going to get out of me. All right. So this is now before a couple of weeks before we're expecting the U.S. Men's National Team final roster to be revealed on the 26th of Maine, a glitzy ceremony over in New York.

27:12But guys, as we say, as we heard from Sebastian Berhalter there, this is an exciting time. You know, of course, it's a high pressure time as well. I say he's expected to be a part of that final roster. It's still not a guarantee, but you two know exactly what this feels like. Herc, take me back to when you were waiting to be called up for your first World Cup roster. Or was it just the emotions? What was it like going through your head? Did you expect it as well?

27:37Herc Gomez:Yeah, this is probably a great contrast here because Shaka was team leader, captain, and, you know, probably the biggest, well, one of the highest profile players of that team. Was he? An oldest. For goalkeepers, you guys age differently. Who was expected to be there. I felt like I was gambling with house money, you know, and whatever would happen would happen, and I was just happy to kind of be along for the ride. Very much maybe in a worse off situation than Sebastian Berhalter, where he's already had time and equity put in with this current coaching staff. I was very much on the outside looking in.

28:15Herc Gomez:I paid, I was in zero camps leading up to the World Cup, made zero appearances in that World Cup cycle, zero minutes. And I was one of 30 players that came into the last camp and had to, you know, eliminate seven. And I made the team. So I felt like I was riding house money. As much as Sebastian Berhalter may want to brush this off as there is no pressure, he doesn't have that luxury. He's the ex-U.S. Men's Now team coach's son. He's been part of this build, this roster build with Mariso Pochettino, and he is one of the players that has played or been invited to the most camps under Mariso Pochettino.

28:53Herc Gomez:He may not be in Europe. He may play in Major League Soccer, And he may play in a franchise right now that is not as sexy as an LAFC or an Inter-Miami, but he is very much under pressure. And he's a player that's very much in the mix. So for me, for Sebastian, two different worlds. I felt like I had nothing to lose. I think Sebastian Berhalter has a lot to lose. Sebastian Berhalter has a career-defining moment at his hands. And one in a contract year that if it goes his way, everything opens for him. So it's not a reality or not the similar reality and very much so a lot to lose and a lot of pressure for him.

29:31I'm not so sure I agree. I love the statement from Bill for a number of reasons. To Herc's point, OK, ex-national team head coach's son, but you're fighting against accusations of nepotism all throughout your playing career to rising to where you are now. You finally get into a squad in, you know, last year. And in 12 months' time, you've performed well enough, despite those currents that come with being a bear halter in 2025 and 2026, to establish yourself as the player that you are. And now it looks more than likely you're going to be in a workup roster. I think that's a great position to be in, in that you have earned your spot.

30:23You have fought against some incredible currents in getting to where you are. And now whatever comes of it, I'm all right because I have charted my own path in this game despite who my dad is. And I think that's a great position to be in. I loved everything about that statement. Chaka, what was it like, though, before we move on, for you getting called up? Was it obviously expected as you were captain? It was. I mean, I had been playing with the national team for when we qualified in 2006. I made my debut back in 1999. I was one of a few players who were playing in the Premier League at the time.

31:02So I kind of expected to be a part of the squad. But you didn't feel 100 % because you weren't a spring chicken anymore. No, I definitely wasn't. I mean, going into the World Cup, Kelvin Jack was Leo Bernacca's number one. And rightly so. So I was, after our previous discussion around Neymar, I was one of the senior players who was there to kind of lend experience to the rest of the rest room. And if I'm called on. You were just there to have a good time. I was there to see Toronto Bigelow's first ever World Cup with a really good seat.

31:33Herc Gomez:Do you remember the day you guys clinched World Cup qualification? Yeah. Yeah. What did you think? I was crying like a baby. I'm not going to lie. So actually I was telling somebody a story the other day. I run on to the when we beat Bahrain in Bahrain 1-0 to qualify I run on to the pitch and the first two players are running to our Dwight York and Russell Latipi Who I played as a 10 year old with an under 12 national team I know here we are kind of given the careers that we had everybody knows what Dwight did Russell went to Portugal and then on to Scotland I know we're here as the first trying to be a national team to qualify for workup It just felt surreal in so many ways See, and that's, I remember the U.S.

32:17Herc Gomez:Men's National Team wrapping up qualification against Honduras, in Honduras, and there's a Connor Casey goal. And I remember thinking to myself, I still got a shot. Going to the World Cup, you know, like. Yeah. I'm in it with a show. They're in it, so I can be in it. And I was nowhere near the picture. So it's, Sebastian should feel the pressure of you're that close. All right. Well, continuing with the U.S. Men's National Team right now, But this is some not so good news. Last week, we read the headline of Johnny Cardoso, who had picked up an ankle injury whilst in training for Atletico de Madrid.

32:52Now, Atleti then did not give a timeline. But now we understand that he is going to undergo ankle surgery, which has put his World Cup in doubt. So much so that, Herc, a lot of the headlines are saying that he's expected to miss the World Cup. How big of a blow is this?

33:06Herc Gomez:For Johnny Cardoso, this is everything. This is a player that has had an upward trajectory at the club situation, whether it's Internacional or whether it was Real Betis, and now for Atlético Madrid, where he was just starting to play some obsessed football. And he was doing it at the Champions League. It was starting to come together. So it's everything for a player like Johnny Cardoso that at his 22, 23 years of age, he will miss out on what is the pinnacle for every footballer. That is every footballer's dream. How big of a loss is it for the U.S. men's national team? Well, if we go by his previous performances, as a whole, his body of work, it's not that much of a loss.

33:47Herc Gomez:We still haven't had a vintage Johnny Cardoso performance that leaves you saying this man is going to have a lockdown spot, position, or even a guarantee within this roster. But given how he was playing at the club level, given how he played the first half against Belgium and how that team just immediately crumbled once he left the field, and given Tanner Tessman, who is injured right now, season ending injury and given the health history of a Tyler Adams who U.S. Men's National Team fans should be praying is wrapped in bubble wrap it is a massive loss because you're one injury away of not knowing what your center midfield is going to look like not knowing what the structure will be like and not knowing who the leaders in this locker room would be so Johnny Cardoso not only on the personal but for the U.S.

34:35Herc Gomez:Men's National Team as a whole it's a loss yeah big loss indeed Well, someone who's still expected to be a part of that final roster and going to the World Cup is Gio Reyna. And things seem to be looking up Shaq for him at Borussia Mönchengladbach because here he is getting a much needed goal. And since you are a Bundesliga, Shaq, this is big. It is big. Coming at the right time. It's really big for Gio Reyna. Listen, the goal in effect was meaningless, a little more than a consolation. But given the year that Gio Reyna has had, given the role that many are asking of him in this workup, it's good to get this golden deer belt.

35:11It's a little reminder. Exactly. It's good for your confidence. And again, not only Gio Reyna's form, but given the form of others around him, the expectation or the hope for Gio Reyna and his contributions, because we know how talented a player he can be. He's had injuries. He's had loss of form. To find this goal, hopefully give some momentum that he can take into December months. This is great for Gio Reyna. Herc, a nice little reminder that he can still be that guy, that X factor we keep talking about.

35:45Herc Gomez:You know, I like the word you just said, reminder, because we were just talking about Sebastian Berhalter. And Sebastian Berhalter, one of his comments were, they know who I am. Yeah. I don't think Gio Reyna can say the same thing about the U.S. Men's National Team. He's been involved very little. and why his last few appearances have been positive. This national team, these coaches, haven't seen enough of Gio Reyna. So it's a good reminder that, hey, I'm still here. And confidence-wise, Gio Reyna, in the last couple years, it's either been his body betraying him or it's been him for whatever reason, and he's had to do some internal focus here, not being able to see the field.

36:18Herc Gomez:And if you can't be on the field, you can't prove how good you are. I don't think anybody here is going to argue his ceiling or going to argue his talent. It's everything else. It's how can you stay healthy, stay consistent on the field and be of use to your team even when you're not producing the goals or the assists. So it's a good reminder to Pochettino and the crew that, hey, I'm still here. Someone who has definitely been there in this year and has been producing goals is this man, Ricardo Pepe. Best believe he is amongst the goal scorers yet again for PSV. We kept talking about do they put him on ice and hang on to him for the World Cup?

36:53Well, he's out there still with his mangled arm, as Ale Moreno likes to say. but he's netting them in.

36:57Herc Gomez:That's a good ball by Serginio Dest with the left foot. I don't know, Shaq, it's giving me ideas if Anthony Robinson isn't ready. This is a more impressive header. It's a very impressive header. It's an outstanding guy by Ricardo Pepe. Yes. All right, well, just a reminder that ESPN FC is on seven days a week. A fresh episode dropped today. If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify. You know that purple ShopPay button you see at checkout? The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify. And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it.

37:34Herc Gomez:Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10 % of all e-commerce in the U.S. From household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful, ready-to-go templates to express your brand style and forget about the code. Tackle all those important tasks in one place, from inventory to payments to analytics and more. Spread your brand's word with built-in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers. And did I mention that iconic purple ShopPay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world?

38:12It's why Shopify has the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your$1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash network. Go to shopify.com slash network, shopify.com slash network. Ian Fitzsimmons here. If you're looking to upgrade your yard this spring, fast growing trees is America's largest online nursery offering everything you can imagine. My wife has ordered lemon trees, lime trees, houseplants, you name it. And the best part, every order is backed by their alive and thrive guarantee.

38:54And right now, Fast Growing Trees has great deals on spring planting essentials with up to half off select plants. And as a listener to this show, you'll get an additional 20 % off your first purchase when you use the code SPORTS at checkout. That's 20 % off better plants and better growing at fastgrowingtrees.com with the code SPORTS. Offer is valid for a limited time. Terms and conditions may apply. Let's head on over to get some Liga MX playoffs action here in the quarterfinals. 3-3 on aggregate here between Pumas and Club America. And three minutes in, Pumas would add to their tally.

39:31Herc Gomez:Yeah, Alberto Duarte, asumacarasquia with the header of the post. Duarte in. And then this one right here is going to be Nathan Silva who heads it in 2-0. 2-0 indeed. And then in the 23rd minute, Carrillo beats a couple of defenders, slots it away, and it's 3-0 Pumas. This is outstanding from Carillo. Nice little drop of the shoulder between two, finding the bottom corner. Now, surely it would only be all Pumas after this, right? But, hey, Club America managed to get one back. Yeah. Got one back. It's Zendejas off the corner, and it was Pato Salas with the header. And then Zendejas, another set piece, and there's going to be a shout for a handball here.

40:06Herc Gomez:I think it's definitely a handball. We're going to the spot. Keylor Navas versus the U.S. men's national team, Alejandro Zendejas. Will he make you proud, Shaka? Oh, I'm lucky killer. You know I love me some killer. Oh, I love me some killer nervous as well. Come on. I'm not sure where the market is for this one, Juarez. Yeah, you tell me, Shaka. Is this offsides? No. Nope, it's not. It's called offsides. Oh, my. You got a toe. It's a fingernail or toenail. Ridiculous. You can't. This is pure technology. All right, 61st minute now. America would equalize. 3-3 on the night. This is a ridiculous ball by Ryan Rodriguez.

40:54Herc Gomez:A better finish by Alejandro Sendejas. And guess what? With six minutes left, there will be shouts of a handball. And here we go to the spot. Oh, no, a handball, sorry. High foot. High foot, thank you, sir. And we're going to the spot. Another penalty. Henry Martin steps up. And he is.

41:18Herc Gomez:Yeah, everybody's asking. Yeah, yeah, yep. Yep. Thank him. Thank him. Thank him. Everybody's asking, why didn't Sendekas take it? Because the match would end 3-3, 6-6 on aggregate. But Pumas would advance because they finished higher than America in the regular season. All right. Well, we got to see a nice little feature there from Alejandro Sendekas. This is someone who we always speak so well about. Should he be featuring more for the U.S. men's national team? I don't know if we should be featuring more for the U.S. Men's National League. What I do know is 159 minutes under Mauricio Pochettino's tenure is not enough to evaluate Alejandro Sendejas.

41:56Herc Gomez:And the lasting impression we have of Alejandro Sendejas is a ridiculous mid-air volley against Japan, a goal that he scores. And that was it. Radio silence. I keep hearing and reading about the coaching crew going out to LAFC in Houston to see Jack McLean, going out to other MLS venues to see said player. If you have any doubts about Alejandro Sendejas, why not go and watch him in a rivalry match, in a series? One of the most highly contested games you can ever find. a true pressure-filled atmosphere and see a player that has been performing and at a high level for not one of the best teams in Mexico, one of the most storied clubs in the Americas, and see what Alejandro Sendejas is about in person.

42:47Herc Gomez:Because if you send somebody to this game, the best player on the field is Alejandro Sendejas. An assist, two goals, one of the penalty kicks caused. He provoked. It's his ball in. The second penalty kick he had caused, he also provoked. He could have taken it. He gave the penalty kick to his friend, team captain, Henry Martin, who's coming off an injury. Henry misses. But it was the Alejandro Sendejas show. And I ask myself, what more does this kid need to do? Forget to play with the U.S. Men's National Team. For them to just have a look, 159 minutes under Mauricio Pochettino. That's what we've seen.

43:23Sometimes we just want to look in, you know. Just want to look in. Hey, listen, Herc says back in the days he loved being used by models. So let's move on now because there was another big game on that. Go ahead and use me. I didn't say I loved being.

43:36Herc Gomez:I said go ahead and use you. Go ahead and use you. Oh, boy. Pachuca hosting Toluca in this second leg of their quarterfinal. Pachuca entered 1-0 ahead on aggregate. Eight minutes in, though, and the ref gives a penalty. This is such a BS. I have no idea what he called here. Yeah. I've got zero idea what he called a Marcel Ruiz, but called it. Well, Ener Valencia steps up and he scores 1-0 Pachuca. 34th minute now. There'll be a chance here by Perez, but it hits the post. Tell you what, awful clear, attempted clearance, I guess you have to call it. But that's an incredible first touch and even better second.

44:17My word, how close can you come? Just before the halftime, whistle Perez involved yet again, but he hits the post again.

44:25Herc Gomez:In post too. Again, it's a good... Well, I don't even know if it was Perez, to be honest. There was like two players hit the ball at the same time. Into the second half we go. Kennedy in on goal. And he would score. And that would seal it for Pachuca. They win 2-0 on the night. And 3-0 on aggregate to advance. All right, let's have a look at the bracket now. Semifinals, Cruz Azul up against Chivas de Guadalajara. and then in the other semifinal, Pachuca, up against Pumas. Herc, what do you expect? I expected a lot more, to be honest, from Toluca and from Tigres. But as you can clearly see, both those teams are in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.

45:09Herc Gomez:And playing a double tournament, playing three days, does a number on these teams, and it wasn't enough. But Cruz Azul, Chivas, Pachuca, Pumas. Pumas may be the best team in the regular season, but they showed some real deficiencies against Club America. And I think if you're Pachuca, you're chomping at the bit. And Chivas performed a miracle, but I just think five starters out versus Cruz Azul is maybe still a lot to ask. That said, these matchups are enticing because of the style fights, transition teams in Pachuca Pumas, and a heavy possession-based team in Cruz Azul versus a very dynamic team like Chivas.

45:42Herc Gomez:We're in for a good show. In for a good show, indeed. Shaka really wanted to weigh in, but we just don't have any time to hear you, Shaka, because I have to remind you... You're removing from the graphics so quick. We will be back for more Football Americas on Thursday, 8.30 p.m. Eastern Time. Shaka's abandoning us as per usual. I'm being forgotten. Harry Douglas here. Let me ask you something. What if you can enjoy the taste of a cocktail, the warmth of a spirit, and still stay fully in control? That's RK Zero Proof, a pioneer in the alcohol-free spirits category. RK delivers bold flavor and a real warm and sensation with zero alcohol, zero sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories.

46:21Herc Gomez:Perfect for nights out, social gatherings, or any time you want the experience of a drink without sacrificing tomorrow. Check it out at RKBeverages.com. That's A-R-K-A-Y, Beverages.com, RK. All the flavor, none of the alcohol. My trips covering baseball are helped by the opportunities to work out. When you're on a business trip, you know what goes completely off the rails? Your workout routine. especially when you book a hotel that doesn't have a gym. Then you have to squeeze in between the desk and your bed, eke out two push-ups, and call it a day. If you stay at La Quinta by Wyndham, you'll discover there's a fully equipped fitness center at every location.

46:59Herc Gomez:Now you can wake up and do some weightlifting to prepare you to carry your team on your back all day. Tonight, La Quinta. Tomorrow you shine. Book your next work trip at LaQuinta.com. All right, guys. Well, I promised you some messy magic, and here it is. It came from Toronto FC going up against Inter-Miami. 44th minute Inter-Miami free kick. Rodrigo De Paul, his first shot would hit the wall, but he scores a nice little volley for the rebound, and Inter-Miami take the lead. Oh, keeper. Why are you going to pop? Listen, I'm going over. No, not yet. 56 minutes. Wait for the messy magic, Shaka. The ball played into Messi.

47:39He finds Luis Suarez and Suarez puts it in the back of the net. Suarez is still such a good finisher. We just seem to say the same thing over and over. Kept on side by the player who's injured on the far side. Suarez is like, look at me. I'm out running everybody. Oh, my gosh. Sergio Reguillon, remember him? Oh, my days. Yes. Well, he gets his first MLS goal and Inter-Miami are up 3-0.

48:02Herc Gomez:It's a good finish with the opposite foot right there. And they are flying Inter-Miami. Absolutely flying indeed. Well, this is the moment we waited for. 75th minute. Messi had some space. He gives it to De Paul, who gives it back to his bestie. And of course, Messi was scoring from there. Yeah. Don't worry, he's a track out in number 10's run. He'll be all right. Yeah, he'll be. I think he'll be all right. Ah, boy. Oh. Oh. Oh, that's David Ayala, who definitely probably wants to have a cold one after. Yeah. Let me tell you something. They'll be replaying that and laughing for eternity. Oh, no.

48:39He knows it. It's all right. The damage was already done indeed there. All right. So here's yet another record for Lionel Messi. He set the MLS record for most goal contributions. He has 100 goal contributions with 59 goals and 41 assists in 64 regular season games. that shattered the previous record that was held by Sebastian Jovinko. He had 95 when he was playing for Toronto. Herc, I mean, we expect this, but this is just silly at this point.

49:18Herc Gomez:Jovinko was very much in his prime coming off of playing with Juventus, and I played with him in Toronto, and he was a cheat code. He was a machine. It was like PlayStation watching it live, watching it unfold. Here comes Lionel Messi, who's almost 40 years of age, a bigger cheat code, more known to the rest of the world. And you would think if there was one thing that would really cost him, where he would really find it difficult in this league, would not be the technical or the tactical. It would be the physical. And he's not slowing down. I ask myself, how good does this make Major League Soccer look when Messi is constantly making players look ridiculous, making them look foolish.

49:59Herc Gomez:But this is what Messi's been doing his whole life. whether it's La Liga, whether it's Champions League, whatever case international football you may want to see, he's been doing this to defenders for as long as I can remember. So it's pretty much right now, enjoy Messi while you can. There is no part of me that thinks that Messi is going to continue playing football post-World Cup, continue playing football for us to enjoy when this summer tournament is over. There's a part of me that thinks he's got zero reason, and he'll probably finish out the season with Inter Miami, and that'll be it. So enjoy him while you can because you are watching the greatest to ever play the game in real time.

50:37Herc Gomez:And he's here in your league. So just enjoy him. I hope he continues. Because to Higgs' point, Neil Messi really has zero reason to continue. But he's never really needed a reason. No. And that's one of the things I think we've enjoyed most about Neil Messi over the years is he just plays this game with a sense of fun like he's still a kid. He's not a kid anymore. doesn't need to play anymore but it just seems as part of his nature that as long as he can keep going he'll keep doing that and as long as you're able to build a team around Lionel Messi as he ages as he isn't able to cover the ground that he once did, you know that once you get the ball to his feet, he is still able to perform an incredible amount of magic but for those years in PSG, a very dysfunctional PSG Lionel Messi just continues to amaze in ways that nobody has done before.

51:35Absolutely enjoy him while we can indeed. All right, let's move on now to some NWSL action. Seattle Reign hosting Washington Spirit. Four minutes in, Mario Mercado has a shot. It takes a deflection and hits the crossbar. Seattle's so close to an opener there. Then we go all the way to the second half, the 83rd minute. and Claudio Martinez would score and Washington would get the much-needed win.

52:01Herc Gomez:Yeah, it's a very good finish. Off the bounce, one-timer, goalkeeper cannot even move. Good goal, Martinez. Good goal, Martinez, indeed. But what we didn't see in that highlight is that Trinity Rodman was actually substituted earlier on in the second half after she was receiving treatment on the field from the team's medical staff. We'll be talking about what this could mean for the Washington Spirit superstar on tomorrow's edition of Football W. I'll be back with Ali Krieger. and Jeff Kasuf, 1 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN+. All right, let's talk about some Shaka-strophic goals, shall we? He's behind you.

52:38Shaka, explain this. I can't. Hold on.

52:41Herc Gomez:It gets worse. It gets worse. Don't bail him out. Don't bail him out. Oh, boy. This is the least of the issues. Wait. This is suspicious. Oh, boy. This is suspicious. Oh, boy. I love how the keeper's like yelling at his defenders too after he just made the worst error of them all. But still, I love how Shaq has said, they'll bail him out. You ever had one of those, Shaq? No. No. I look around. I check my rearview mirror. When I'm rolling, don't worry about that. You're playing out from the back a lot? What? You weren't good with your feet, Shaq? I was. Oh, no. I know. All right. Well, that's good for this edition of Football America.

53:24because make sure to catch us again on Thursday. I'll be back with her. Shaka's off on some holiday, I guess. Again.

53:38Herc Gomez:As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by.

From the publisher

Alexis Nunes, Herc Gomez, and Shaka Hislop start this edition of Futbol Americas by reacting to Barcelona's convincing La Liga triumph. Next, James Rodríguez's time in Minnesota looks like it is coming to an end. Is he the biggest MLS bust ever? LIGA MX semifinals are set, and the crew discusses them. Is Alex Zendejas playing his way into the USMNT World Cup picture? Finally, the panel reacts to Messi breaking another MLS record.

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