Futbol Americas: Messi Says Goodbye + Barca Check in + Chucky Drama

26:32Sebastian Salazar:These are VIP problems, let me just tell you, when it comes to Argentina. because they still have a very talented national team. Now, of course, no Lionel Messi makes a huge difference. But I just mentioned there was a transition post-Maradona. And so Batistuta was hanging around and Ariel Ortega was hanging around. And then other players came about. And then Zanetti kind of took the leadership role. And you just kind of... Argentina will not have shortage of talented players. But we're not talking about talented players. We're talking about one of a kind. And so one of a kind is hard to find.

27:11Sebastian Salazar:So if they're looking for the new Messi, that ain't going to happen. That's not going to happen anytime soon. And this is not specific just to Argentina. This is happening with Brazil as well, if we're going to keep it into a South American conversation. they have no reference point right now in terms of who that guy is the guy yeah they have a bunch of talented players vinnie jr rafinha this guy that guy but do you have the generational talent doesn't seem to be the case and so argentina will continue to win games but a city will continue to win games but if we're looking for the new messi i don't think that's happened anytime soon and so So therefore, we might as well get over that because it's going to turn over a generation before we get to somebody who may, just may, could potentially be in the conversation.

28:05I'm very sure that one of the keys to the success of Argentina in the last five years, it's been that Messi's teammates would either kill or die for Messi. That was their mindset. That was their mentality. And that's irreplaceable. There's no other player, regardless how talented they are, There's no other player that can gather the rest of the players around him. Remember how they used to jump onto the field for warm-ups? They will be waiting for Messi to step out of the locker room and make his way to the field. And everybody would follow him like it was 300, the movie, right? That's not going to happen again.

28:45And to Ale's point, once Maradona, after the 1994 World Cup, Argentina had won the Copa America in 93. They didn't win any other major tournament until 2021, even though they had all those talented players you mentioned. I think Argentina might go through another phase like that. Yeah. It's going to be rough. It's not going to be easy. Yes, at the Conmebol level. That's my only worry. Conmebol level. Yeah. To your prediction, my only argument of that is that if you look at the field, Brazil isn't the Brazil of old. Uruguay isn't the Uruguay of old. Is that Ecuador? I don't think so. So if you look at the field, Argentina is still very talented.

29:25They're not going to run away. Argentina is not going to run away with qualifying. Well, they were not going to qualify in any case. But, yeah, it's the end of an era with Lionel Messi retiring from international competition, not from club competition. You still got it, ladies and gentlemen. Inter Miami playing Montreal, and it would be the Lionel Messi show. Now playing alongside Casemiro. And as always, with Rodrigo De Paul. And here, Herb, is Casemiro, the header after a corner kick. And it's Inter-Miami leading Montreal. Bringing it back to the Manchester United days off of a set piece. Fabian Herbst from outside the box.

30:02That ball makes all the way to the back of the net, Ale.

30:05Sebastian Salazar:It goes through at a lot of legs. No reaction from the goalkeeper. 1-1. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Well, this counts as a messy goal, Herb. First one of the night. I don't understand the argument here that it's an own goal. No, it's not. It's a direction of a goal. It should be Messi's goal. Give it to Messi. Second half, Messi is going to get on the ball. He's going to dribble one. He's going to dribble two. And he's going to finish like this with his right foot. Ale. It's all too easy. Let me just tell you, it's all too easy. He even slips. He's about to go down. I'll just keep going. Let me get around, people.

30:36Sebastian Salazar:Defenders can't quite move at the same pace. Good finish, 3-1. It's Inter in control. 80th minute. Now it's Messi who's going to finish this way. Luis Suarez with a finish after Messi's assist is 4-1. And then it's again Messi with a chip, Eric. Yeah, nice little dink. It's vintage Messi. Sees the goalkeeper comes out, gets his head up. Little dink right here with the left foot. And Messi in cruise control. It's 5-1. And it's the 90th minute. And we're not done. Look at all the time he's got to shoot. It's Alexander Shaw. And it's 6-1. Yeah, I get excited, Alexander Shaw. But let me just tell you, you're not the main story.

31:18No, no, thank you, because Messi now is a free kick over the wall. It's a poker for Messi. Yeah, it's for Messi over the wall. Goalkeeper's post. Goalkeeper just takes it, hesitates, takes a step to his right. And by then, it's too late. He's in the back of the net. Four goals at 39. And it's a 7-1 win for Inter Miami. a time, by the way, that he scores four or more goals at a club level. First time since 2020 with bars against ABOT. 21 goals in this calendar year. The most of any player on Major League Soccer and the six-goal margin of victory. Largest in Inter Miami's history.

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32:39Herculez Gomez:Bright red, marbling you can see from across the room. A fat cap that knows exactly what it's doing. While you're at it, ask for a cut that can single-handedly carry the cookout on its back. Something so tantalizing, even the neighbor you got beef with asks, What's the secret? Okay, so maybe you can't quite get that specific with shopper notes, but you get the idea. Want to get groceries just how you like? Download the Instacart app. Speaking of Barca Gabriel Jesus just landed in Barcelona New signing from Arsenal Barca playing Rayo in two games Barca had not conceded hurt until now Sergio Camello with a first time finish And it's Rayo leading in Barcelona Well, Escunde losing that mark Alvaro just blows by him And he's going to find Camello right there It's a beautiful finish First time finish, 1-0 Rayo Six minutes later, Ale, Barca will respond with the 1-2.

33:35Great move by Rafinha, who scores his fourth of the season.

33:39Sebastian Salazar:It's a great combination, Xavi Espar, with the ball to Rafinha, and then Rafinha in really tight space, able to split the defenders. A little dip of the shoulder, I'm going left, no, I'm coming back to the right. Gets a little fortunate with the deflection, but then once he's facing the goalkeeper, good finish, 1-1. Two minutes later, Lamin Yamal's 50th goal in all competitions. Youngest player to reach 50 goals. Yeah, this first touch eliminates the defender right there. And then last week he had the same finish, hits the crossbar. This week he opts near post and shells it. Barca seemed in control.

34:11One of the new signings, Anthony Gordon, with, well, this should count as an assist. It's an own goal by Lejeune. Good combination play from Barcelona.

34:21Sebastian Salazar:For whom? Oh, Lord, Lejeune. Oh, Lejeune. Game's not over. 3-1 Barca. But Rayo again, now with the header again. Cameo with the brace. Yeah, spot it right there. Not your typical defender. He doesn't even see him. It's a good finish. Cameo with the brace. No number nine for Barca. Julian Alvarez probably stays at Atlético de Madrid. No problem. First touch, not for Anthony Gordon. Now Fermin on the field. Now we go to the 70th minute. The long ball for Anthony Gordon, who will backheel it beautifully. to Rafinha Ale for Rafinha's brace. It's gorgeous. It really is long ball over the top. Then the pause from Anthony Gordon, hold up play recognition from Rafinha on the overlapping run and then more importantly, the finish to the far post.

35:09Sebastian Salazar:Beautiful. So we had the brace from Camello, the brace from Rafinha, and it was now her time for Lamina Mal to find from outside the box. His second goal of the night. Yeah, the enemy comes off the bench. It's a great layoff and he just gets really nervous and smashes it. No, he just puts in the side netting. La Mina's feeling very confident and puts it away. 3-3 for Barca to start the season. Beats Rayo Vallecano 5-2. The stats put it clearly. 26 shots for Barcelona. Nine of those on goals. Outpassing Rayo Vallecano to a crazy rate. So, Hansi Flick was asked in the press conference, are you surprised to see Rafinha scoring five goals so far in the league?

35:53This is his answer. Of course I expect this. Rafa is a fantastic player, he's a world class player and happy to have him in my team. I think also the captain's situation is also very positive for him and I think at the moment he shows exactly what we need from him. Okay, so that was the big question. When we're doing the previews of the season, who's going to fill that number nine role, Ale? What have you seen from Rafinha so far, scoring five goals in three games?

36:37Sebastian Salazar:The answer is very simple. Rafinha is going to fill that role. And if it's not Rafinha, this team has enough fluidity and plays interchange where others are going to score goals. But the performances of Rafinha, and in terms of how he's playing the position, I'll ask quite frankly. Today, in his first goal, the way he takes this chance, what center forward, what out-and-out striker, what number nine in the world could do this better than what he just did here? The movement without the ball to make himself available and then in a tight space, getting around the defender and once he is face-to-face with the goalkeeper, finding the calmness to then find the back of the net.

37:18Sebastian Salazar:again, what striker in the world, you pick it, whoever could do that better than when Rafinha did just there. I don't think you can find one. I can only think of one that has the similar movement and skill set to pull that off, but it goes to what you're saying that is so scarce. That one is Kylian Mbappe. He's the only one I could think of that would come close to that move, finish it off in the same way. But I agree with what Ale is saying. Rafinha has not shown you or given you any indication that he's not comfortable as playing in that number nine position. And the fluidity that Ale is talking about, Barcelona is going to do this.

37:50They're going to overwhelm the majority of the opponents they play in La Liga. So whoever that number nine is, is going to get opportunities. Even if you're not the number nine. Adeyemi comes on, he gets opportunities in or around the box. Gordon's in there, he gets opportunities in or around the box. Lamine, you don't even need to doubt Lamine's greatness. They're going to get those opportunities, and so will Gabriel Jesus when he comes in. That's not the issue here. Rafinha is not the doubt. not against Elche, not against the likes of Rayo Vallecano. It's when you get to the Champions League, when you get to the type of opponent who is going to sit back, going to pressure you a bit more, going to make it a bit more ugly, what type of forward are we going to see?

38:31That's where we were measuring Rafinha. But right now, Pachichi Reis being the leader, you can't ask Rafinha to do anything more. Anything you thought he would have been able to achieve, He surpassed that already in these three games. You saw that heat map. We were used to see Rafinha playing more on the left-hand side of Barcelona's attack. Now with this new task, he's finding spaces that he used to find when he would play in England. From the right-hand side, cutting in into the center of the attack of, in this case, Barcelona. Now, if you take a look at the second goal, you spoke about that connection with Anthony Gordon.

39:11What did you see from Rafinha in that second goal?

39:13Sebastian Salazar:That he is playing the number nine position in a non-traditional way. His movement in this goal is not a number nine movement. He drops to the top of the 18-yard box, and number nine usually will go either to the near post or the far post or split center back. But when he drops and then recognizes that there is a chance to be overlapping, you don't see number nines overlapping inside the 18-yard box. You can go far back as Ronaldo Phenomenon. Is he overlapping? No, he's not. You can go to Erling Haaland. Is he overlapping? No, he's not. Robert Lewandowski, who was part of this team, is he overlapping inside the 18-yard box?

39:51Sebastian Salazar:No, he's not. Because they're going to find central positions. Because their movement is, as soon as Anthony Gordon starts cutting with the ball inside, you try to find the space. And where is the space going to be? Usually for a number nine, it's somewhere in that central position. So you're going to go near post. You're going to go far post. You're going to take the defender away. and then come back, try to split the center backs. But when he drops off in the manner in which he did there, it's non-traditional play. Why is that difficult to defend as a center back? Because as a center back, you're used to that movement, near post, far post, or somewhere in between.

40:23Sebastian Salazar:When he drops off, you're kind of like, okay, I guess we've done our work because now he's not in our space. He would be in the trailing central midfielder. But the recognition then to do the overlapping run that is more of a wide player sort of move, guess what? Now the center back can't get there in time and the recovering central midfielder can't get there in time either. And again, more important than anything else, while he is playing the position in a non-traditional way, what is very traditional is that he's finding the final touch. He's finding the finish. And so it's difficult to defend because you can't quite expect the movement from him.

40:58Sebastian Salazar:It's not a traditional number nine movement. And yet he's finding the finish as a number nine would. He right now is playing at an extremely high level. And if defenders decide to follow him, then you create space in the middle for players like Anthony Gordon, for players like Lamine Jamal, Danny Olmore, even Fermin. If you see this play that Al is talking about, the moment that he overlaps and it's Gordon playing the ball back, you've got the weak side winger as well. I don't recall if that was Lamine or who else was there. But you have Rodri as well coming into the box. Yeah, there's so much fluidity.

41:30There's so many players and movement here that if you're a Rayo Vallecano defender, look, there's five of them in there. They don't know who to mark. And you have options here. Barcelona is just going to overwhelm you with their movement, overwhelm you with how much offensive volume they have. And smart players, players that can live with instinct inside this box, they're going to reap the benefits that Rafinha has been doing so.

41:52Sebastian Salazar:I cannot, again, I cannot stress enough that while it seems like the obvious play for Rafinha to go and overlap Anthony Gordon, you don't see number nines doing this. it's not a natural movement it's a wide player movement and it's the recognition of even when he drops off to the top of the 18-yard box it's not a number nine movement so it's non-traditional play but it's non-traditional play that works for him and then everybody else recognizes that if he's taking himself out of a central position that's why rodriguez appears there that's why Fermín López appears there, or whoever it is that is appearing on the other side.

42:31Sebastian Salazar:This takes some recognition from the team, and it takes some understanding as to what the player rotations are going to be. But more importantly, it takes, I think, instinct from Rafinha that he's playing a position that is not natural to him, but he's playing it to his level of understanding as to how he is going to find himself in an open position, and he's scoring goals. He is being very efficient, very effective with his chances and his movement. He is giving a clinic as to how to play the position. I'll just end with this. It's very infectious. Usually when we speak about how infectious Rafinha is, it's in how he presses, how he defends for the group.

43:08And if you see him doing that, you follow suit. The movement offensively is the same thing. When you see that movement, you have no choice if you're in that front line but say, I can't just stand still. I have to myself move and join.

43:19Sebastian Salazar:Twelve goals, this team, in three matches. So goals are not going to be a problem for Barcelona. First couple of seasons on their hands-in flick, Barca scored, in average, almost 100 goals per season in all comes. Maybe this makes them even more dangerous than what they were in the first couple of seasons on their hands-in flick. There's more help on the way. Barcelona agreed to a fee with Arsenal for Gabriel Jesus. Yes, he hasn't played a lot in the last two seasons, but he has landed now in Barcelona. He was in attendance at the game against Rayo Vallecano. He has to complete his medical. He's had some knee issues, although he said knee is fine.

44:01Here's Ansi. Ansi on Gabriel Jesus. Yes, of course he came from injury, but everything is good. And I spoke with him this afternoon, and I was also a little bit surprised that we can have the opportunity to get him. I really love him and I really like how he's playing football, the style of how he's playing football. I think it's fixed also with us, with our style. And yeah, I think he can help us a lot also in the games. And I think for us, important transfer and also thanks to Diko because, again, he made a fantastic job. All right, for the kind of fees that we've seen in the past years in Europe, $11.6 million seems like a bargain for any player.

45:00But for Gabriel Jesus, who's played less than 35 league games in the last two seasons, has scored less than 15 goals in the last two years, What would be his role, Ale, in this team?

45:14Sebastian Salazar:A very limited one, especially when you see what the other guys that are playing in the front line for Barcelona look like and the sort of job that they have done over the first three matches. Anthony Gordon has been outstanding. La Meña mal-scored a couple of goals today. Rafinha we already talked about. Fermín López. Look, it's just I look at Gabriel Jesus, and while he may be a nice piece to have, I don't think that he is going to have, I disagree with Hansi Flick, I don't think he's going to have a very important role for Barcelona. He'll have a role that has a lot of Copa del Rey written all over it, early days of Champions League written all over it.

45:58Sebastian Salazar:That's the sort of role that I see from Gabriel Jesus coming off the bench, maybe starting a game here or there, giving a break to one of these guys that plays in the front line. I don't think that if you're a Barcelona and a Barcelona fan, you're looking at Gabriel Jesus as a problem solver for you. Just a nice piece to have. If you're a Barcelona fan, you're probably thinking how this is a frustrating piece to add right now. You were talking about Julian Alvarez not too long ago. That's what you were promised. Now, he's 29 years of age. His best years of football are probably behind him. His best season was with City, 2021, where he scored double-digit goals, double-digit assists.

46:35He's closer to being the player that he was at Arsenal, where he was probably fourth in line in the last few years, where he's behind Jocheres, where he's behind players like Kai Havertz, who's behind Merino when Merino played striker. Gabriel Jesus is coming off an injury. Maybe he's not the guy that's going to lead the line. But Barcelona have been very savvy with their signings over the years. From Rafinha back when he came to Leeds to Marcus Rashford to Adeyemi and Gordon, who look like he's been doing very well. there's something that Deco has seen in this player.

47:05Sebastian Salazar:Oh, he's seen him play because he hasn't played much. That's what I'm saying. But think about this, Ale. Like, Ale, if I told you this season that he's going to score 10 goals and maybe give you 8 assists, would that be a successful season for him? And you're saying he's going to be that midweek player. It has to be. It has to be. He's going to be the Copa del Rey player. You say, you know what? I'll buy that. I'll take that. And it's only$11 million. When you're seeing players like Oli Watkins go for an extraordinary mind. You're seeing Bradley Barcola go to Liverpool for 140. You're seeing these crazy, just unreal transfer fees.

47:37And you're saying, okay, 29 years of age, maybe he's closer to the player that played two World Cups for Brazil and had zero goals in nine games. Could be. But at Barcelona, with the volume of football we play, he's going to get in the box. I thought you were making an argument for Gabriel Jesus. I am. With the type of football that Barcelona plays, he's going to get opportunities. Maybe he can have a resurgence, a second coming like Marcus Rashford did with Barcelona.

48:01Sebastian Salazar:I think he's a nice piece to have. And he's a guy that every so often makes core an important goal for you. Maybe coming off the bench. I don't think Barcelona are more likely to win Champions League right now because they have Gabriel Jesus. Let's just say that. He adds depth to the roster. And to your point of the fluidity of this game, that fits his style of play. He's not a set number nine. He's not a winger. And he presses and he fights. He's a forward. It's like Marcus Rashford, right, who played every single spot on the field in the attack. He might be able to do that if he's fit to play.

48:41That's been the massive question mark with Gabriel Jesus in the last couple of years. Those players are important. Marcus Rashford, double-digit goals in the assist for Barcelona. And if you go back to the Champions League game where they played against Newcastle, it's Marcus Rashford's goals that gave Barcelona the win there. So these type of players can be important.

48:56Sebastian Salazar:He's got Mirandes, Geida, Alcorcón, all those things. Nastic de Tarragona. I'll wrap this subject with this. On the ESPN Deportes broadcast, Moises Llorens reported that Barcelona will try again, not in a year, in the winter transfer window to make the move for Julian Alvarez. Maybe, just maybe, if this works, Hansi Flea can go to Deco and to Androan Laporte. I'm like, no, you know what? Is Gilmarine the director leaving in six months? He would still. Yeah, yeah. That's a very valid point. You can watch Barcelona this weekend at Mestalla playing Valencia. Game on Sunday at 10.15 a.m. Eastern time.

49:47Coverage begins at 9.45 Eastern on ESPN Laporte. You can also catch the game. Albacete, Salamanca. Guadalajara. Guadalajara.

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51:50All right, let's go to some Major League Soccer action. San Diego playing the Galaxy. You know what this means. It's the Chucky Lozano revenge game. Elias Achori with the miss. That's your kind of rage, moreno. Yes, it is. And then Achori again. And now he scores, Ale.

52:13Sebastian Salazar:Now it's all good. And just for clarification or confirmation, I should say, this is my kind of rank. That is, yeah. It's at a time in the first half. Marco Reus saved by Carlos Santos. Yeah, what the ball from Chucky Lozano, smart ball in. It ends up coming right here. And Reus is going to get a quality look and maybe just officer power. Tries finding that corner, can't get it. All right, second half. Andres Dreyer with the pass. And what about the finish by Kieran Sargent? Could the keeper have done more? It's a gorgeous ball. I'm not sure if it's meant for him, but if it is, it's a beautiful ball.

52:52Sebastian Salazar:I'm going to argue that, yes, the goalkeeper should have done more. Cherzakov, second yellow. That means red card, and he's out of the game. San Diego down to 10 men. Yeah. Right, Cole? Yeah, tactical foul. It's a second yellow. He gone. 55th minute, Chucky Lozano again. Let go in a way by San Diego, and he scores with the right foot. Oh, all right. And he celebrates. Oh, he's so passionate. He meant it. Oh, yeah. He's so angry and passionate. Only one problem. What is it? His team is no good. And now the turkey Lozano. He wins the ball back. Fans finds Furuhashi, and Furuhashi equalizes the game.

53:33Sebastian Salazar:Does he, though? Is that a foul? And we're going to check. V-A-R. It's a foul. Yeah, ruled out for a foul, right Cole? Yeah. Yeah. Amal Pelegrino, 70th minute to seal the match. And it's 3-1 for San Diego. Yeah, it's poor defending. Sliding attempt, didn't quite make the clearance. Doesn't count as a resist. Now, this is an interesting moment after the game. San Diego manager, Mike Ivaras. Mike Ivaras approached Chucky Lozano, who basically ignored him. Ever since last season, he had his flash. Chase has been an ongoing situation. There is the attempt by Vares to say hi to Chucky. Chucky wanted to know part of it and explain it after the game.

54:40Why you laugh? He laughed. You don't believe Chucky Lozano? He smirked. He laughed. He didn't see it. If he didn't see it, why is he going to acknowledge him? Listen, Chucky Lozano owes Mike Ivarus, nor Tyler Heaps, the sporting director, anything. A handshake, a smile, nothing. Doesn't owe him anything. It is not pertaining to them. He's still owned by San Diego FC. He's on loan to LA Galaxy, but he doesn't owe them anything. I'm not buying for one second that he didn't see him. There's a little smirk at the end. It looks like Mikey Varus is clearly saying Chucky, trying to talk to him. He didn't see him.

55:22Just own it. That's fine. I respect the fact that Chucky wants no part of this. If I'm Mikey Varus, what are you doing? What are you trying to achieve here? Regardless, because all we know are what's being reported and what San Diego has said. And all we know is an altercation, an incident, two games before the season, regular season ended, where he was taken out at halftime, Chucky Lozano, and it was an altercation with the coach. These type of things happen all the time. It wasn't a physical altercation that was reported. It was a verbal altercation. So for this player to be excommunicated and$30 million go out the window with him, what you paid in transfer fees, what you paid in$7.4 million that season, and what you're paying for$9.3 million this season is close to$30 million over a verbal disagreement.

56:06I don't know how the brass at San Diego FC allowed that to happen, but it could be Chucky's doing as well. But eight months of his time and a World Cup were out the window. And now you expect this player to be happy to see you, to give you a big hug? Go about your way. Now you can say it's sportsmanship. You can say it's petty. And it is petty. You can say whatever you want. But he owes them nothing. He served his time. He's on a different team now. This is more Mikey Varis in his conscious than it is Chucky Lozano in anything. You can say it's petty from Chucky Lozano. But he's well within his right.

56:43Sebastian Salazar:I think we've been around teams long enough to know that it wasn't just an altercation that made San Diego make the decisions that they made. There's obviously other things that have gone on. There's obviously a feeling about this player and about this manager that it just doesn't work. There is no trust. There is no connection. And it couldn't go forward. It was an untenable situation. And so, therefore, they handled it the way they did. As for Mikey Varas, if I happen to be saying good game, say hi to the family, hey, stay healthy, the rest of the season, hey, good game, take care, we'll see you next week.

57:17Sebastian Salazar:All right, good game, good game. And he happens to be in my path, I may, may say something to Chucky Lozano if I happen to run into him. But I'm not chasing him. If I'm the manager and I've made the decision that I made, I'm not chasing him. I am not going after Chucky Lozano. You know what it reminded me of? oh, it was Caleb Porter going after Pep Guardiola in an all-star game. No, no, no. Listen. Pep was coaching Bayern at the time, right? Yes, yes, yes. All right. So, look, there's no need for him to go and search out Chucky Lozano. And if Chucky Lozano doesn't want to acknowledge him, that's on him as well.

57:57Sebastian Salazar:But what I would say on a bigger picture, as I was reading up on this whole situation, in doing some preparation for this show. Good, good. Professional that I am. Professional, exactly. I read an article from MLS Soccer in which it says, the revenge of Chucky Lozano. Yeah, revenge game. And let me just say, they lost 3-1. They lost 3-1. Where is the revenge? Because he scored a goal? That's enough? They lost the game, 3-1. Where in the world, MLSSoccer.com, where is the revenge? Well, he scored. He's scored. They lost. So who cares? Fine. Fine. He doesn't care about the Galaxy. He's scored. Oh, okay.

58:43Even if they lost.

58:44Sebastian Salazar:That's the revenge? Take that. I think a lot of those articles are AI now. No, no, no. No, because I saw the name of the person. I'm not going to call him out. I saw the person. I'm like, are you kidding me right now? Listen, the Galaxy got a lot more to worry about. I know, but my point is, like, we're selling this as some sort of revenge because he scored. He may have scored, but they lost the game. Which, in the end, let me just tell you, in professional sports, is the only thing. The only thing that matters is whether you win or you lose. And they lost. And so, the fact that he's taking on the questions in the manner in which he is, I'm just going to celebrate with my fans.

59:22Sebastian Salazar:Celebrate what? You lost. And you're in the depths of the depths of the depths of the Western Conference. Mind you. I just don't get it. He just lost to a team who's also in those depths. I just don't get it. I don't know Mikey Varas. Never met him in my life. Never spoken to him. I wonder what his motivation was by chasing, approaching Chucky Lozano. Because it can be one. Listen, is it number one? I want to be the bigger man. Yeah, well. I want to show that I am the bigger man. And I'm going to go, because the cameras are rolling. He knows that if there was any true, honest feeling that he wanted to make amends or at least show some sportsmanship, you find Chucky Lozano inside the tunnel.

1:00:10You try to talk to him. If you want that. You have his contact. Exactly. You had eight months to try to make amends. Don't do it when the camera is rolling. He knows the cameras are rolling. He's trying to show that he's the bigger man. And to me, that's just petty. It's just petty. It's petty on both. It is petty on both. On both. But the one approaching is Mikey Burris. I am not excusing Chucky Lozano. He is no saint. He's got a track record for being a bit of a brat and things happening. A bit? Yes, yes. In this sort of manner. You know what? Yes, it's fine. But put yourself in the mindset for a second of Chucky Lozano.

1:00:47You threatened his livelihood. Oh, I agree. You cost him a World Cup. You said choose the money or the World Cup, and we're not making it easy on you. It's eight months of his career, and Chucky Lozano is supposed to be ecstatic to see you and give you his hand and say, what's up, coach? How's the family? If you wanted to say hi, make amends, or reach out, you had eight months to do so while he was in your own city. You have his contact, and you chose this moment. There are no bygones be bygones. It doesn't happen that way for athletes. So Chucky Lozano, as wrong as he was in many of the things he has done, in this particular moment, especially after losing the game, the last thing I want to see is the guy who cost me eight months of my career.

1:01:32Yeah. For whatever reason. It's a tough situation. You know what? I'm surprised that he hasn't, any reporter, insider, news outlet, we still don't know what exactly happened. I'm telling you, if I'm the San Diego FC owner, Ale, You can say there's more to it. There better be more to it because$30 million is out the window. $30 million. If it's Chucky Lozano insulting his manager, it's a lot of money to pay just for calling him out. All right, let's move on. Let's talk about someone who's having himself a moment. That's Union's Kevin Sullivan. He scored against Red Bull New York. That makes it four games in a row with a goal contribution.

1:02:18the first 16-year-old with such a streak in the history of the league. This is clearly all competition for Kevin Sullivan. 16 years of age, he's already signed for Manchester City, and it's delivering this season. So now there's the question, with this performance, with the minutes that he has seen playing in Major League Soccer with Philadelphia Hurts, is this now the time for Mauricio Pochettino to open the door for Kevin Sullivan to be a part of the national team? Well, this may be an unpopular opinion with a lot of fans and a lot of pundits, but the national team isn't for just inviting kids because they're kids and because there may be a ceiling.

1:03:02It's about calling up players because they've shown that they have what it takes to compete at the national team and integrating them in the right way with veterans, with an actual already national team presence. You can't go back down the road of 2018 where they threw the baby out with the bathwater and they gave the national team to a bunch of kids and they didn't earn these call-ups. It was their national team and that was it. You took out the old guard because they failed to qualify and there were players in that old guard. Many fans may not agree with this, but that could have helped and ushered the next generation in.

1:03:39It was a Lord of the Flies mentality situation with this team and the kids took over and they took their lumps. And maybe down the road that cost them a lot in terms of leadership, in terms of accountability, in terms of being ready for what actually it takes to play on the national team. Kevin Sullivan is interesting because he has that ceiling that I'm talking about, but he's also proving it right now at the domestic level. He'll have to prove it with the contemporaries. But being 16 years of age and doing some of the things that he's already doing against grown men. And the skill set that he offers is distinct.

1:04:16There are, I think, in my estimation, four or five young players that I would love for Mauricio Pochettino to call up in this next window. And Calvin Sullivan's one of them. He intrigues me because of what he can do with the ball, but more importantly, what he does without the ball. Sometimes, and Ali, you will know this, you see these young players with youth national team pedigree come into these professional setups, and they think they've already made it. So they're not players who work off the ball. This kid has a bit of nastiness to him, a bit of I want to prove myself when I don't have the ball.

1:04:49And that goes a long way. I would love to see four or five kids, Calvin Sullivan being one of them, with the Xavier Gosos, with the Memedis, with the Julian Halls, in this next call. But ushered in the right way. Ushered in with veteran presence. But I do think it's an intriguing option. If Mauricio Pochettino called him, I would be happy to see.

1:05:10Sebastian Salazar:if in the evaluation process for mariso pochettino and his staff they look at kevin sullivan as a guy who is very much part of the future the immediate future of the national team it would be more than useful in fact it would be the appropriate thing to bring him in not necessarily because you're just handing him a cap or handing him a call-up what you want him to do is to be part of the national team structure and the national team environment. Being part of a national team isn't just about what you see out on the field. It is about how you carry yourself among the group. And you have to prove that you're able to be part of that group, that you're able to, within the structure of the group, showcase what you are as a player.

1:05:56Sebastian Salazar:So having those experiences, even at 16, in fact, more importantly, at 16 years old, is invaluable. Invaluable. I wish I had had those opportunities because once I was called into the national team, and I must have been maybe 22 or 23 at the time, it took me a couple of call-ups and essentially about a year or two to really get used to what it meant to be part of the national team. Had I had those experiences from earlier on, maybe as I come into a 22, 23 year old and I come into camp, I come in with a different set of expectations of myself, of the team, knowing full well what that is like. So I think there is value to doing this and doing it to your point, doing it the right way and understanding.

1:06:43Sebastian Salazar:It's not that I'm just giving you and gifting you a cap. You've earned this, but now you're going to be part of this. And this is what the expectations are, not just of the older guys, but of the younger guys. And you, if you're going to be the future, this is your responsibility, and you need to carry yourself this way. I think it would be the appropriate thing to do for Mauricio Pochettino to call him in. He's with the coach in Bradley Carnell, who early on in the Philadelphia Union season didn't value or see maybe the potential to play him more early on, and he looked frustrated. He didn't look like he was the same player.

1:07:18Now those shackles are off and there's a player who is blossoming because of that confidence. The national team can showcase who you are and take you to the next level with confidence. I think nobody questions the talent that he has. He's a very talented player. Talent is not everything. It's also personality, growth, how mature he is for his age. Is there any risk that after if he's actually called up to the national team, is there going to be any pressure on him? Because we've been here before with young talents, mostly family. Freddie Adu also at 16 years of age. Is there any risk, Ali? Correct.

1:07:56Is there any risk that any extra added pressure could hurt his development as a player?

1:08:04Sebastian Salazar:Well, and it's not just a referendum on him as an individual. Exactly. But it's more about the system. The system itself, the media that cover this national team, the fan base of this national team, that they're so desperate to crown what the next big thing is going to be. And this is the next hope for the national team. And you tend to get ahead of yourself. It's something that has happened historically with soccer in this country in that you give the young players way too much, way too early. And the expectation of this guy is going to be something special. I come at it from the perspective of you do your evaluation as a manager, in this case, Mauricio Pochettino, and you look at him and look at his performances and look at what he brings you in the player profile and says, OK, this guy can help us, but we're going to help him first.

1:08:58Sebastian Salazar:And we're going to help him first so that when he's part of this, he's part of us. And he now knows what the expectations are within here. And if he goes back to his team in the Philadelphia Union and now he's taking shortcuts, let me just tell you something. You're not going to be back. As simple as that. This is not a gift. This is something that you earn. And it should be a privilege to be part of the national team. It's an exclusive club, not an inclusive club. It's not open mic night. It's not karaoke night. No, no. You have to earn it. And I think that would be my message if I'm Mauricio Pochettino.

1:09:38Sebastian Salazar:We're bringing you in so that you know what this is all about. Now take this experience back to your club and continue to play at the level that you have played, and you'll be back here. You don't do that, you have a Luna situation in which he was not part of the national team picture as the World Cup came around. Yeah, you have to be very delicate in how you manage him. You mentioned Freddy Adu. Freddy was 14 years old and thrust into the public limelight at all levels. from his management at the time to being in refreshment commercials with Pelé or being likened to one of the greatest footballers that's ever lived, to car commercials, you name it.

1:10:17He was thrown out there, and maybe that wasn't the most conducive environment for a young player. You've got a player, Kevin Sullivan, who at age 14 was already signed by Manchester City, and they're saying he's the best 14-year-old in the world. That doesn't mean anything. That doesn't mean anything. We've seen North American players signed by Manchester City before. Alex Alcala, who was with the LA Galaxy, who never debuted with the LA Galaxy. Who? Exactly. Signed. Signed. And where is he now? He's playing respectfully in Querétaro. And he debuted in first division in Querétaro. So you've got to be very delicate with these players.

1:10:57I'm not saying that's going to happen to Calvin Sullivan, but you've got to nurture and take him along the right way because these type of players with these skill sets, we've seen before at this age. It doesn't mean they're going to mature and be the players you hope they are in the future. You've got to really be careful.

1:11:12Sebastian Salazar:I cannot begin to tell you how important it is the veteran players around him on a daily basis at the Philadelphia Union. Players, and I could do this role very well, players who will keep him down. Now, when he's coming up, you bring him down. Carry that bag, dude. You're not above carrying that bag. You're not above doing this. You're not above doing that. Help out with the water bottles. Pick up some cones. You're not above it. You're still a young guy. And it may seem like it's demeaning. It may seem like it's not your job. It may seem... No, no. The message that you're sending is you have to earn it every day.

1:11:57Sebastian Salazar:Every single day. So if he has veteran players around him in the Philadelphia Union and a structure within the Philadelphia Union that demand from him every day, that can only help him and he can take that to the national team. And then you need the same sort of thing to happen at the national team. And now you're thinking, OK, this is how we're nurturing and maturing this player and this talent. We are approaching the first FIFA International break post-World Cup in about a month. in about a month. And remember, it's going to be an extended window of international games. That might be the shot for Kevin Sullivan to make the U.S.

1:12:33men's national team. Let's run it back. And we will start with Serginio Dez, both assisting her like here. And then we'll also see him scoring. But this is Serginio Dez doing what he maybe does best, assisting from the right wing. It's a smart little assist, draws it back. but it's the goal that we're going to see that really ties it all together and would have me arguing maybe he's outgrown the area divisi. I mean, it's a fullback doing this. It's a wingback, fullback, whatever you want. Look at him swallowing him through the defense like he ate Diego Maradona right here. Well, all right, calm down.

1:13:07Sebastian Salazar:Easy. All right. Calm. I mean, honestly. Come on, bro. What? Laura, have mercy. Barrilete comico. Come on. No? No? No? It's coming to be relieved. What about Cole Campbell? Recently promoted, Eversberg, beating by Leverkusen, and Cole Campbell scored like this. Is this Messi-like? No, I cannot even know. I don't even know. Messi this week. Good Lord. Weston McKinney not in the lineup due to allegedly her fatigue with Jubek? Yes. Who did the lower third? The producer Beto? Fatigue. He's not there because he is tired. Load management. Apparently, everybody's tired in that picture. All right. I'll just leave it alone.

1:14:04What? The lady seemed a little bored by the game that he has started. You can catch Football W on Tuesday with special guest Ashley Sanchez. Catch the show at 8.30 p.m. Eastern on the ESPN app and also on Disney+.

1:14:25Herculez Gomez:Golden boot leader. I like things my way, my coffee, my schedule, and my treatment. So I talked to my doctor about self-injecting with the Vivgard Hytrulo pre-filled syringe, which contains F-Gartigamide Alpha and Hyaluronidase QVFC. It's injected under your skin subcutaneously. It means I can inject in my space on my time. It's my treatment, my way. Visit vivgartmyway.com. That's V-Y-V-G-A-R-T myway.com. And talk to your doctor about Vivgart Hytrulo. Brought to you by Argenics. Buster Olney here for La Quinta by Wyndham. Cooler weather, changing leaves, and scenic road trips are even better when your best friend comes along.

1:15:06Herculez Gomez:At La Quinta by Wyndham, many locations are pet-friendly, so there's no need to leave your furry travel companion behind. Whether you're hiking a new trail, exploring a charming small town, or simply enjoying a relaxing fall weekend, everyone in the family is welcome. And earn win and rewards points with every qualified stay. Tonight La Quinta, tomorrow you shine. Book your next trip at LaQuinta.com. Terms and conditions apply. Time for El Terri. Summer transfer grades. I thought after the home World Cup for Mexico, it was going to be a great chance for some players to either make the jump from Liga MX to Europe or improve their team inside Europe.

1:15:48But I don't know if it was the case. So let's grade some of the moves. Let's start with Santi Jimenez. On loan, he makes the jump from AC Milan to Porto. What grade do you give to this move? Yeah, a week ago, there weren't many Mexican players making that jump. I don't know if this is a jump forward, maybe lateral, or maybe a step just slightly back to take two steps forward is what Santi Jimenez will hope this becomes. I gave this a B minus. Listen, let's be honest. AC Milan did not go in the way that Santi Jimenez would have hoped. Efeinor, he was a leading goal scorer. He won championships.

1:16:26He scored in Europa League. He scored in Champions League. He had the world at his feet. Big move to Milan. That didn't transpire his way. At Porto, he's hoping he can take that step and regain that confidence, regain that scoring touch. The coach is very familiar. Yes. The coach used to coach at Ajax, a rival in the Eredivisie, knows him very well. And he's stepping into a situation where Samu is the leading goal scorer there. He's 23 years old, the Spanish forward. But he's going to start off injured this season. So he's got a sliver of hope of coming in and proving his worth and maybe winning that spot.

1:17:00That's why I give it a B minus. It's not exactly a perfect situation. In terms of level, I believe he's taken a step back. In terms of the platform he's given, right now, at least in the immediate, he will get that opportunity. Another AC, and I mean no disrespect here, but another AC Milan flop is currently. At that nine position. Andres Silva is currently the number nine starting for Porto, who have started really well the Portuguese league. I'm going to give it a B, and I'm going to compare it again to what Raul Jimenez did. after trying with Atlético de Madrid to establish himself in Europe.

1:17:33He had to take a step back, and it worked really well for him at Benfica. He scored a lot of goals, and then he made the jump to the Premier League. I'm not saying it's going to be the same for Santi Jimenez, but I'm saying this is a league that might be beneficial to the style of play of Santi Jimenez. He will play European competitions. He will play domestic cups. he will have chances to prove himself that what happened in Italy with AC Milan, which is maybe bad luck, bad timing. I think he'll have a chance to bounce back and make a name for himself in Europe. He's got to get healthy. We found out from Chaco Jimenez that he was playing injured at AC Milan.

1:18:13Then we saw him at the World Cup and he gets injured again. He may still be lying in the Azteca if you go by the memes of what happened to him at the World Cup. He needs to come out. He needs to score goals. He needs to get back into who he was. All right, speaking of goal scorers, El Hormiga Gonzalez, he makes the move from Chivas to Greece. He's now an Olympiacos player. He already made his debut. Not very fortunate debut for El Hormiga Gonzalez. What grade do you give to the former Chivas player? I believe I gave this a B or is it B minus, producer? A B plus. There we go. I gave it a B plus.

1:18:48Simple, very, very simple. You need to get out of Liga Mexicans, which is the hardest thing for any Mexican player to do, is just make that jump, especially convincing a team like Chivas, when you were the leading goal scorer for two seasons, to part ways with goals. He wasn't scoring goals, and yet he convinced them, hey, right time to leave. It was good business on both ends. He gets to Olympiacos by no means maybe the platform that most Mexican fans or Chivas fans or Mexican national team fans would have wanted for La Armiga, but I think a necessary platform. A big team like Olympiacos, he's going to have plenty of opportunities.

1:19:22And this kid's movement alone, he's going to find those opportunities. That said, there is stiff competition. El Cabe right there, he's the leading goal scorer. He's had double-digit goals a few seasons ago. He's scoring tons of goals in the Champions League. He's a player who I think is going to eat up the majority of the minutes. But he's going to come on. He's going to get opportunities like we saw earlier this week. But he's got to take advantage of them. El Cabe is 33 years old. He played some minutes for Morocco at the past World Cup. But right now, he's in a drought. And Olympiacos, four games so far, two qualifying for Europe, two in the league, scoring only three goals.

1:19:56I give Ormiga Gonzalez an A - for this move. This is leaving his comfort zone. He was an idol at Chivas, and he got everything what it takes to make a long run, a long career, successful career with Chivas. He decided to make the jump to a situation that might not be the most favorable. This is his first contact with the Greek league. He comes on at the 68th minute. And then, Herc, he has this chance. Hits the crossbar. Unlucky. That was a clear chance. You got to score that goal, Herc. You have to put that one away. But this is what I'm talking about. You're playing on a team like Olympiacos, who's going to have the lion's share of possession, lion's share of the opportunities.

1:20:37He's going to get looks. He's that type of forward. He finds the play. He finds the ball. He finds the goal-scoring opportunity. But you have to put that away. It found his left foot, hit the crossbar. Hopefully he keeps his confidence up and he'll get his goals. Orbelin Pineda, another Mexican player, twice was the player of the season, playing for AEK. Under Pelado Almeida, by the way, who was his manager. All right. Cesar Huerta. So he comes back to Pumas. He was unlucky with underlash. He even admitted that it was part his own making, part unlucky with injuries. What grade do you give El Chino Huerta coming back to Pumas?

1:21:15I give him a C. And it's not so much because he's coming back to Pumas. I think Pumas is a team that's always under construction. They're not going to be a team that fights for titles, even the last season they played in the final. I don't think that's the typical makeup of UNAM. They're a team that every once in a while in a blue moon makes a run, but that's not who they are. Competing in a league that every year or every season is more of the haves and have-nots. Puma is more of the have-nots than they are the haves. Not every player is going to stick around when he makes the move to Europe for the better part of a decade.

1:21:47Like Javier Hernandez, like Héctor Moreno, like Andres Guardado. There are some players who go down and just have the experience. I believe that was in the cards for Cesar Huerta. If he would have done a little bit more, maybe stuck around a little bit more, the next team could have been, I don't know, a French team. Or maybe another team within Belgium. He couldn't find the right move. but there's no harm in going in and saying, you know what, I figured out, I found out what my level was, it wasn't for me, I come back, which is why I give it a C. Not every move that doesn't work out is a failed move.

1:22:20I give it a D. I thought it was bad news. It's just bad news. There's not many Mexican players right now having the chance to go on and play in Europe. He had that chance. And the fact that he's coming back, and to his own admission, he waited for another offer from another European club. Didn't come. Phone didn't ring. He never got that call. I think that tells you a lot. Even Anderlecht, his former club, was waiting on an offer to let him go. They told him they were not going to count on him for this season. Get another club. Find another club in Europe, and we'll let you go. I didn't think Chino Huerta, because of his style of play, because of who he is, because what he's shown us in Liga Mexicans was a player that was going to command big opportunities within Europe.

1:23:08But coming back from Europe, I would have expected one of the Regios, where the big money is. America, Cruz Azul, Toluca. They didn't come knocking. It was UNAM, and they're not a big spender. That, to me, was a surprise. Yeah. Unlucky for Chino Huerta. Now going back to Pumas. Eric Lira, finally. he's going to be able to make the jump and play for Monaco in league on one of the best players for Mexico during the World Cup. If Follarin Balagon's move to Everton is confirmed, that would open up that final foreign player spot that Eric Lira would fill at Monaco. What grade do you give to this move?

1:23:50I give it a B. Listen, I think he's a fantastic player. He reminds me a lot of Gerardo Torado, his story, that type of player he was. And as you know, we called it before the World Cup started. I said he would be that player for Javier Aguirre this World Cup. And he was. He had a fantastic World Cup. Lots of compliments. Jude Bellingham spoke lonely of this player after the England game. I do believe he's a very good player. But he's coming into a situation where the team captain, Danny Zaccaria, he is the team captain. He's 29 years of age. Plays his position. So will they play a double pivot?

1:24:21Will we be forced to play as an eight? What would that do to his time? It's not exactly an ideal scenario in terms of that. But you're going to a team like Monaco, which last year was in Champions League, which is a team that does tend to surprise and play against some big teams and big platforms. And I do think his game translates. He is physical for his size. He is a box-to-box player. I do think he's going to prove his worth and show it. I just don't know if it's going to be immediately. I gave it a B. So the fact that Felipe Luis is the manager, I think it's encouraging because of the style of play that Felipe Luis showed as a manager in Brazil and the one that he showed as a player, especially at Atlético de Madrid.

1:24:59So that's why I give this move an A. And here's why. Eric Lira has proven over and over again his doubts, every doubt that was clouded on him, he's been able to answer that. And when you say yes, Zaccaria is the starter at that number six position, The fact that Eric Lita can play as a center back, as a holding midfielder, as a box-to-box player, that gives him an advantage against other players that he's going to be competing against. I can play in different positions, maybe not as an immediate starter, but little by little convincing Felipe Luis that he can have a spot in the starting 11. At his age, 25, 26 years old, it was the right time to go.

1:25:43So if it didn't happen in this transfer window, I'm not sure he was going to have another chance at making the jump to Europe. But that's why I give it an A. Good situation, good manager, very valuable player, different spots on the field. I think it's a great move for him. I think the total was$11 million for Eric Lira. Cruz Azul could have gotten a lot more in the Mexican transfer window in that little inflated bubble. There was an offer from Saudi that he rejected. Right, correct. There was an offer from Saudi. It was not the Saudi pro. It was the other one. It was Qatar. Yeah, you're right.

1:26:17Qatar. Yes, but it was a significant offer. And even within Liga and Mekis, they could have gotten a lot more money. I'm happy that Cruz Azul allowed this to happen. And we are standing by what's going to happen with Edson Alvarez, currently at West Ham United, but also been linked to some moves, even maybe to join Ormiga Gonzalez at Olympiacos in the Greek League. Let's run it back. More action from Mexican national team players, including Raul Jimenez. That's a penalty, and if there's a penalty, you know who's going to take it. Yes. And you know what's going to happen. Death, taxes, and Raul Jimenez from the spot guarantees in life.

1:26:57You'd be hard-pressed to find a better spot taker in the world at any level. That is his bread and butter. Three times, stutter steps, and then takes a shot. Speaking of taking a shot, what about Mateo Chavez, El Tiloncito, with Atzit Alkmar versus the assist? And then take a look at the goal he's going to score from outside the box, Herc. Yeah, it just steals the ball. A little bit inside the box. Just barely inside, but look how he rifles it. And from there, there's a little bit of a knuckle. Goalkeeper can only see it hit the crossbar and go in. That's Mateo Chavez scoring. And remember, you can catch everything what happens during the transfer window last minutes on ESPN FC, available every single day on the ESPN app.

1:27:47All right, let's book it. League Cup coming to an end this week. First semifinals on Wednesday. Toluca playing León and America versus Monterrey. Herk, who's making the final? Elinio gone, or is that official? Is he gone already to Russia? It's not official. It's not official, so it'll still play. I'm going to go with Turco Mohamed and Toluca, which is very powerful. And you know what? I happen to think America hasn't really played against anybody. I kind of like Monterrey in this one, and I never picked Monterrey, so I think it's going to be Toluca-Monterrey in the final. Yeah, you hate America more than you hate Monterrey.

1:28:22Sebastian Salazar:Have I told you this tournament stinks? Yes, you have, Ali. I'm glad this tournament is over and it's coming to an end. I used to root for Monterrey when Tato Noriega was involved with the club, our former colleague here at ESPN. Given the fact that that's no longer the case, I don't care if Monterrey wins or loses. So I'll say America advances and why not? Toluca, they seem to always reach finals. I'm going to go with Toluca and Club America. I'm going to go with Leon. Leon's been a pleasant surprise this season. Undefeated with Gandolfi. And America's just playing lights out. Monterrey just lost to my Atlético de San Luis.

1:28:59with the reserves. That is still. There were resting players. Bad. All right. That is the show. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next Thursday right here on Football Americas.

1:29:29Herculez Gomez:This is Buster Olney for La Quinta by Wyndham. When work puts you on the road during baseball's postseason, mornings matter. At La Quinta by Wyndham, fuel up with a free breakfast featuring hot waffles and other favorites before your workday begins. Then, when the day's wrapped up, sit back and enjoy October baseball in your spacious suite. Earn Wyndham Rewards points with every qualified stay. Tonight, La Quinta. Tomorrow you shine. Book your next trip at LaQuinta.com. terms and conditions apply.