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0:28This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. on Norway and the rest of the field as the Ballon d 'Or winner takes centre stage. And Spain win their group but with a performance that raises more questions than answers. We'll recap another historic day in the World Cup and look ahead to the big one in Miami, Colombia vs Portugal. Plus, the USA's path just got a little bit trickier. It's all ahead on ESPN FC next.

1:06Hello, good morning to all of you. Thank you for joining us on this morning show. ESPN FC is with you, with Alejandro Moreno, with Shaka Hislop and with myself, Kay Murray. We have lots to look back on and plenty to look ahead to as well. We'll have people joining the show, but we must start in Boston, where we saw Norway taking on France. And France winning Group I, now that all is said and done, Guzman Dembele with a first-half hat-trick and all three goals were of the finest quality. Now, the last time that France won all three in the World Cup group stages was 1998, and we know what happened there.

1:44Ali, I wonder if you could help me with the translation here. It's a little difficult. Oh, boy. That would be the artist. Yes, it is. Oh, my goodness. You know, I've been looking at it and wondering what it's said. But, yes, Usman Dembele with quite the showing against Norway. Norway with 10 changes, it has to be said. But Julian Durant doesn't care about that at all. He's got a great tan. Yeah, he does. Looking great. France are looking brilliant, Jules. How awesome was that? Yeah, that was really good. I mean, we can point out the fact that Norway, what, surprisingly and weirdly, I think, as well, changed 10 players and played very much the B team but when that front four played together like that the way Olyse Dembele and Mbappe then I think even the A team from Norway or many A teams in the world would have struggled to cope with all of that class if you want and it's good for Dembele to score because he's been struggling a little bit with the national team over the last 10 years not just recently not just since the Ballon d 'Or or not since the two Champions League but things have been a bit more difficult for him could not really reproduce what he does with PSG with the national team.

2:50So it was great to see him in that kind of form and score those goals that we've been used to seeing score for PSG. It feels weird to ask you this, Ale. Yeah. But this is a Ballon d 'Or winner. He's got back-to-back Champions League. He's a talisman in that PSG side. And now we saw this, a first-half hat-trick in the World Cup. Is this player still underrated, though? Well, I guess I'll answer that question by saying that he's not the best player in this team. And as good as he was against Norway, that's what makes France so very scary to play against. Yeah, he was outstanding. Yeah, he scored a hat trick.

3:28Yeah, he's become far more efficient and effective in front of goal. We used to think about Ousmane Dembele and all the near misses. Now we think about the quality of his finishing. All of that has improved. And yet, when I watch this team play, he's not better than Michael Elisa right now. and we haven't even talked about Kylian Mbappe and we haven't even gone deeper and talked about Barcola and Due and Cherki and this and that that's why this team you watch them play and you go, this is different sauce altogether this is a different conversation altogether and as for Ousmane Dembele what I think has been very clear to me is there's been a change in him individually in terms of his maturity and in terms how he sees himself in the game and the importance of the game to him.

4:18The game in general, not just France, not just PSG, but the game in general has become far more important to him. That added to the fact that obviously there has been an influence from Luis Enrique and that has impacted his level of play at club level. And now he has taken that to the national team level. So you can see the trajectory. It's trending for Ousmane Dembele and it's trending from France as well. So who is France's best attacker? because LA has just listed off a whole line of brilliant quality for France. Look at this, Dembele, Mbappe, Olisse. There you go, Shaq. Welcome to the show.

4:54Yeah, listen, if I'm building a team from scratch, I still go for Kylian Mbappe as my number one pick out of those three. But do not discount the contributions. Well, obviously, you saw Dembele yesterday. Michael Olisse continues to establish himself as one of the best attacking footballers in world football today. one of the things I think that kind of works against Dembele if you can say that is it almost feels as though he's filling what gaps are missing for Didier Deschamps we saw Olyssé start out on the right hand side in their first game against Senegal that wasn't working so they move Olyssé inside and stick Dembele out so it's almost as though everybody find what position is best for you and Dembele, because he's so good on either foot, because he can play almost anywhere in that three behind, behind Kylian Mbappe, he takes a position by default.

5:51Now, again, it's great to have that skill set, but then what you find is you don't really find your niche. And as Dembele progressed through this tournament, all of a sudden it clicked in that game against Norway, albeit an understrength Norway. Dembele in this kind of form, only in the form that we know he can produce, killing Mbappe similarly. Dewey on the outside. It's just absolutely frightening for everybody else. Which is your favourite Rolex, Jules? I mean, what I think is really interesting is, and we need to see it in bigger games and against better opposition, really, than what we've seen yesterday, for example.

6:29But how they will share the ball is always the same thing because after Mbappe, Dembélé, sorry, scored the third goal, there's another counter-attack, another transition for France. I don't know if you remember, but he has to shoot. He's in the best position to shoot. And yet he tried to square the ball for Mbappe because he probably felt, I've scored three now. I need to try to feed the others and especially Kylian, who, as we know, wants all those goals and wants to finish top goal scorer and catch Messi, etc, etc. So it's how you will move that ball, how you will share that ball between all those incredible attackers.

7:02That is, I think, the most important. And then we can look also at the defence and finding the right balance because yesterday against that, be Norway team. I think France conceded far too many chances too. So there's still a lot of work to be done, both with the ball going forward and also without the ball and without the ball defensively. Personally, that front four, I think like Stalys sold back and said after the game, I don't think any other team in this World Cup can match that. Jules is definitely keeping it real and keeping it grounded. Frank Leboeuf, however, is getting a little bit carried away with himself right now because after Douay's goal to make it four for France, we had the cameras on him.

7:38yeah another goal come on friends yeah desirate douay yeah we are so strong we are so strong i love it i mean i heard no lie yeah but see it's a it's a celebration but not as effusive as it could have been. Because you know what's happening? I think Frank realizes now that this team has the potential to not only win this World Cup, but be a dominant team in the World Cup. And therefore, the significance of Frank LeBeouf as a World Cup winner in France diminishes by the second. Diminishes. Well, not in his mind. Not in his mind. Not in his mind. Not in his mind. when there is an opportunity for appearance.

8:31Kylian come for the appearance. Ousmane come for the appearance. Oh, Michael Liss is coming for the appearance. Frank what? Frank LeBeouf? No, that's all right. The actor? Frank LeBeouf, the actor? Yeah, yeah. The guy who dresses in chocolate from his place? That guy? No. Should Frank ever be worried about that, Jules? They will always be the first ones anyway. So his generation, the 1998, even if Dembele and Mbappe win a second World Cup, this time around after 2018, it won't be the same. So I think the Zidane and LeBeouf and all the other generation will always be the first one to have brought that trophy home.

9:07So there will always be something special. But the boys are right. At some point, certainly the new generation of fans will identify themselves far more to this team and these players than the one from 1990. Which is why he's now known for car commercials. And very comfortable shoes. Very comfortable shoes as well. We will not mention those unless you'd like to send us any. The Norway fans have been lighting up the tournament off the pitch. We got to see the Viking row. Travelers, they've gone to see the golf. They've gone to support the Norwegian golfers, Christopher Wrighton and Victor Hovland.

9:39And here they are. Look at this. That's a powerful row. Love that. I wish their manager was rowing like this yesterday. He seemed to be rowing in the wrong direction yesterday. Well, there might have been 10 extra players there that got to have a rest yesterday. They were at the golf. Elsewhere in the group, it was Senegal against Iraq. That was the other game. Both teams needed a win to have a chance at qualifying, but it wasn't guaranteed. However, it was a massive 5-0 win for Senegal against Iraq. And what a performance we got to see from them, Jules. Senegal lighting up this game. Five goals to nil.

10:21Yeah, finally, we should say, because this is a very talented team. We said it from the beginning, and yet against France, despite the really good first half where they should have been ahead, then after that, the second half, they were completely dominated by the French, and then against Norway again, where the shadow of themselves, really outside of maybe the last half hour in that game or 20 minutes. So it was good to see them at that level. Iraq were down to 10 men very early. Senegal scored the first goal really early as well. So things went their way. Finally, it's great. They should still qualify now with the goal difference that they have, even with just the three points.

10:57But let's not forget that this is a team that had been really underwhelming so far with issues in the camp, with Pabcho, who didn't have a contract, with players' bonuses that hadn't been paid and things like that, that probably disturbed their squad a little bit. However, they're a very talented team, and that didn't go away. we can look at Hulibali or Mane and discuss the fact that should they start or should they not start now at their age and with the form that they have but it's still a very, very good squad that I don't think really nobody would want to play now in the round of 32. Lovely stuff.

11:31Jules, we're going to let you go and work on that tan here. I mean, how much work can he do? I mean, that thing is perfect right now. He's coming north, he's coming up to New York so we'll be seeing a lot more of Jules throughout the tournament and if you'd like to hear a lot more of Jules you can check out the Gab and Jules podcast. Not nearly a stand. Wherever you get your podcast. There he is. Look at him. Julian LeRun. We get to talk Belgium after the break because finally they too turned it on and in some style as well. That's coming up next.

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14:00Enjoy great taste and nutrition with Fairlife Ultra Filtered Milk. and Tempapede. Group G was up for grabs yesterday. All four teams coming into the final group game with a chance to progress. In the end, it finished Egypt 1, Iran 1, New Zealand 1, Belgium 5. The group concludes with Belgium and Egypt going through to the round of 32. As for Iran, they will await their fate when it comes to the third-place teams. But we need to talk about Belgium first because yesterday, Shaki, you said when we were doing the predictions, if Kevin De Bruyne and Lukaku can turn it on, this can change for Belgium.

14:39And they did it. They left it late, but they got it done. It can. I feel we have the same conversation about this version of Belgium that we've had so many years past. Incredibly talented. If it all takes it, it all comes together. They're a match for anyone. But we don't get to say that often enough. In this moment, in this tournament, when it was most needed, those players showed up. And Belgium looked at their best. Now, can they continue to repeat this form later on in the new tournament against better opposition? As the number of games starts to take a toll, and I'm kind of thinking of De Bruyne in particular here, I'm not so certain, but this is Belgium at their promising best, albeit against a New Zealand side that, in many respects, made it easy for them.

15:25Yeah, I think, look, we can talk about De Bruyne now, we can talk about Lukaku and what their roles are and how important the roles may be for Belgium going forward in this competition. I think their most important player is actually Thibaut Courtois and may just be the difference maker because I think we can all agree that Thibaut Courtois is the best goalkeeper in the world currently. If he gets hot, he may just keep Belgium in games that otherwise they wouldn't be. I don't see this team as a real threat in this competition. They may advance out of the round of 32 and then after that, I'm not quite certain as to what their ceiling is, But their ceiling may be higher given the fact that Thibaut Courtois may get hot.

16:04And he's going to need to get hot because this team is going to give up chances. Now, it's interesting you say that because as we take a look at the bracket as it stands, we've got United States taking on Bosnia. For Belgium, it's possibly South Korea. It could be Senegal. Then it takes us to the round of 16. So where you could have been talking for the U.S. about an Egypt or a South Korea, it could likely be Belgium here. We know there's history there, Ale. But it sounds as though you think that could be OK for Pochettino's men. Once you get into knockout competition in the World Cup, eventually, if you keep up advancing, you're going to meet some good teams.

16:39And Belgium, while they're not great, they're good enough to, I think, be a real challenge for the United States. However, if we go back 12 years to 2014, where there was some history in terms of knockout competition between the United States and Belgium, and Tim Howard had to make a thousand saves and this, that, and the other. This version of Belgium is nowhere near that version of Belgium. And I do think that there are certain things that the United States can exploit. And the pace with which the United States played their two initial games will affect Belgium. I don't think Belgium will like that at all.

17:15I don't think they will like the high press. I don't think they will like the counter press. I don't think that they're young enough through the midfield to keep up with that sort of energy and intensity. Now, the United States have to bring that attitude higher up the field. And if they do that, I think they're going to create turnovers and force issues against Belgium. Belgium is an OK team. They're not an explosive team. They're not dynamic enough. And some would say, well, but they beat New Zealand. Yeah. Did you watch them play the first couple of games? Have you seen Lukaku out on the field?

17:49Does that guy look like he's in shape? He's in a shape, but not the shape that you need to be. All I'm suggesting is that Belgium is not exactly the team that they once were. It's the leftovers of Belgium right now. Did that make it clear to you, Xhaka, that Ali's not quite as high on Belgium? He's not sold on Belgium. I got that. Listen, I'm with Ali on most of it. I'm not going to point at anybody's shape. I just said he was in A shape. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. Listen, as we said right now, and yes, okay, kind of have an idea who the third-place team against Belgium may be. If they negotiate that, as maybe you'd expect, and the U.S.

18:32does, as I expect against Bosnia, those to meet. And I'll be honest, in terms of kind of the European teams in the round of 16 that you may be able to meet, especially as a group leader, I'm taking Belgium here. I am, from the U.S. perspective, I am happy with that draw. I fancy who we are, our threat, up against a talented but aging Belgium, as I described. Of course, you have to get there. You have to earn that right. But still, as paths go, until you come up to the next round, I don't think it could look any easier for the U.S. right now. All right. Talking about the U.S., remember Pochettino speaking after the Turkey A results saying, oh gosh, everybody's talking as though Turkey were the ones who are going through here and that we're the ones that are going home.

19:22We actually won the group, he reminded everybody. Well, in case you missed it, we talked about it with Craig Burley on last night's show and this was his take on it all. I flicked on social media briefly. Don't do that. I told you to do that. No, but I flicked on briefly and all these people were going, why are the US not doing this? And I'm thinking, who are these people? And our colleagues, some of our colleagues. because he wasn't the only one. Some of our colleagues there talking about the game as if it was the biggest game on the planet. It was meaningless. No wonder Mauricio Pochettino, he probably went back to his hotel room and was headbutting the window thinking, I've got to deal with these people.

19:59The last 32 now is a winnable game. You want your best players. I want Balogun Sharp, I want Adam Sharp, I want Pulisic Fit. And people are getting their knickers in a twist over a game that means nothing. Pochettino must go back and think, this is what I'm dealing with. What was the point of staying here? I'm dealing with this. I've given them two great performances. I've got this campaign off to an absolute flyer with a brilliant game against Paraguay. Most of the country's up and going, this is great, this is great. And all of a sudden, the Debbie Downers are here because they made a few changes in a game that means nothing.

20:34Give your freaking head a wobble, will you? Can I tell you what's happened here? Craig's become a US citizen. Oh, is that what it is? Yeah, there's been a marked change in his attitude towards the U.S. men's national team. He's actually fighting for them and sticking up for them now. Was he talking to Hercules? It felt like he was talking to Hercules. People are drowning in a glass of water. Yeah. And maybe it's a lack of awareness and understanding that the position that the United States were in following their two matches is a position that everybody would have wanted to have been in. you think about the teams that went to their last match group state match not only qualified but having won the group already it's a position of strength it's of advantage it gives Mauricio Pochettino the choice to do whatever he wants to do with the team that is a good thing that is a good thing it's not a bad thing and somehow it's been sort of turned into this negative narrative that makes absolutely no sense.

21:39Make sure to tune in tonight at midnight on ESPN FC. We've got you covered. After all of the games, we'll be looking back on all of today's matches on ESPN 2, 12 a.m. Eastern. When we return, we'll talk Spain, Uruguay. There's a lot to get into. Make sure you stay right where you are.

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24:09Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 guay say Marca. Cool basically and having a little play on words because of Uruguay but it wasn't really that cool for either side and we are going to get into it. For Spain they'd already qualified and they topped the group now with that 1-0 win. It was Alex Baena with the goal, capitalizing on an error by Fernando Mosler, a howler, in fact, which led to Bielsa. Shaq is trophic. At halftime. I know Shaq is going to have something to say about that and we'll let him, but we do have to welcome him from Mexico, Mario Suarez and Alex Kirkland. And Mario, I know you are chomping at the bit and you want to talk about Uruguay.

24:45We are going to get there, my friend. Pass that microphone back to Alex Kirkland, because we need to talk first about Spain. Let's talk about Spain because, OK, they topped the group. It was a 1-0 win, Alex, but there's some questions to be asked of this Spain side. Yeah, big questions, I think, Kay. I think topping the group was really the only big positive from last night's game. Everything else felt to me like a step back. It felt much closer to what we saw in the opening game against Cabo Verde compared to what we saw against Saudi Arabia. I think this was a concerning performance, really, from Spain.

25:19The rhythm dropped. There was less urgency. All the gains they'd made in that second game, like I say, it felt like it was back to square one. It felt, again, they were waiting for Lamine to do something and make something happen. And when he didn't, there wasn't much else. The midfield looked almost pedestrian again. Rodri, I don't think, had a great game. Unai Simon in goal dropped a couple of crosses, didn't look confident. Oyathabal was very quiet in attack after a good game against the Saudis. It was fine. Look, they've topped the group. They're through to the next stage. That's the bottom line.

25:49They've avoided Argentina in the round of 32. But aside from that, this was a performance that makes me think when they come up against a really good team, you know, whatever that may be, in the round of 16 in the quarterfinals, if they don't improve significantly, I would be concerned. Mario, where's the Spain side that we were promised as favourites coming into this tournament?

26:11Well, I don't know, but the truth is that they are winning, they didn't concede any goals and they are growing. Lamine is growing every match. The worst thing I think is the injuries from Jeremy Pino and Nico Williams because you are going to play only with Lamine on that position. But I think it's better to continue winning matches and you can improve when you are winning. I mean, you are on the next round, you are gonna face a team that you are gonna be favourite in LA. You are going to have some days to recover some players, some key players, to keep improving, to correct the things that you are not doing in the right way.