Futbol Americas: Messi vs Müller Yet Again

22:36I mean, I don't want to play my hand already, but I like Vancouver. I like Vancouver a lot in this game. This is a team that just went into a very difficult place to play, which is San Diego, a very good atmosphere. And they went three up by halftime. Well, we're going to preview both the matchup between them and Inter-Miami in a bit. But Ale, as Herc hinted at, you know, Vancouver have had a couple runs to a final already this year alone. So this is no fluke from what we're seeing from them.

23:04Alexis Nunes:Absolutely not. And we were using a word to describe Inter Miami and Javier Macerano and saying that that team has gotten this far because Javier Macerano and that group of players was able to find balance. Vancouver has had balance all the way through. They didn't need to find it. It's been there. And to Herk's point, the presence of Thomas Muller, once you already have balance, once you already have a platform built, then you have Thomas Muller who is willing, able and capable of stepping on that platform and being the lead singer. He is the one that willing, literally grabbed the mic and never stopped talking.

23:49Alexis Nunes:But what he does, figuratively, he does that on the field as well. While he is not the reference point of this league that Lionel Messi is, Thomas Muller is equally important to this team. While he may not be aesthetically pleasing in the way that he plays as compared to Lionel Messi, his movement is a nightmare against teams defensively. Because he doesn't move like a number 10. He doesn't move like a number 9. He plays this sort of in-between role that you don't know what he is. In fact, I don't think that his teammates know what he is. But what they do know is that if they find him, he's going to make the correct decision.

24:32Alexis Nunes:He's going to find the next pass. And I don't know what it is about some of these players. It's almost a miracle that the ball seems to find him in those key moments, in those key spaces, inside the 18-yard box. And usually he's able to provide a final touch or a final positive decision for this team. And he does it from a perspective. And I would wish that every big timer that is sort of on the back end of their career that comes to MLS would look at how Thomas Muller has approached his arrival to MLS and how he can influence a team. While he cannot run past people anymore, there are certain things that he can bring to a club like the Vancouver Whitecaps.

25:16Alexis Nunes:And part of that is experience. And we say experience and it feels like this intangible thing. But you can actually see it. that his leadership and his experience makes everybody else around him better without him having to run past people. Brian White has elevated his game. Ahmed on the left-hand side has elevated his game. Overall, Sebastian Berhalter has elevated his game to the point to where now he is a presence in the national team. And given his performance in the last international break, may be a presence in the national team for a long time to come. Now, when you have individuals elevating their performances, when you have a leadership presence and you have balance and you have a manager that knows how to use the pieces, that's why the Vancouver Whitecaps are where they are and that's why they're dangerous going into a MLS Cup.

26:07Well, I quickly want to look at the other side of the coin, and that's for San Diego. I mean, for an expansion team to make it to their conference finals, that is a good achievement in and of itself. But we've been talking about Lionel Messi, what he does to the team. We talked about Thomas Muller, what he does to the team. You look no further than your DP. If we're talking about the DP for San Diego, it's Chucky Lozano. And Ale, I think, summed it up when we looked at the highlights, saw his goal, and Ale said, where have you been? Where have you been? It's been an up-and-down ride hurt from injuries, suspensions, et cetera, et cetera, for Chucky Lozano.

26:37So how would you evaluate his first year? Disappointing. He's going to check the boxes at bare minimum when it comes to the goals and the assists. But the last game of the season where San Diego desperately needs to win against Portland to secure home field advantage, Mikey Varis looked down the barrel and he said, you know what? This guy didn't follow our team code. He broke the rules in front of the group. He needs to be punished and said, you know what, Chucky, in this must-win game, you're out. You didn't dress him. The next game, they win without him. When he comes back, he decides, Chucky, I'm going to run with the team that I have.

27:22And he's been doing so with Chucky off the bench since then. A very important piece to the team, but he decided the team was more important. And why Chucky Lozano is an important piece to the team in terms of marketing, important piece to the team in terms of name, important piece to the team in terms of what he could offer in going vertically beyond the opponent. He's no more important than Anders Dreyer. He's no more important than Mikey Varis here. and he's no more important than the team. And Chucky Lozano's attitude has once again cost him an opportunity. They didn't lose because Chucky Lozano didn't start this game.

27:58Vancouver was just a better team. It would have been the same scoreline. But the fact that Chucky Lozano wasn't on the field to help his team is on Chucky Lozano, and that is disappointing. Ale, is that how you see it as well? I just told you about Thomas Muller

28:14Alexis Nunes:And how I wish every big-timer on the back end of their career that comes to MLS would approach it in the manner in which Thomas Muller has with that sort of professionalism. I think it's clear to say and very fair to assess that Chucky Lozano has not been nearly as professional, nor as committed, nor has he actually approached it in the manner that, say, for example, Thomas Muller has done it. So you see the contrast right in front of you. It's not speculation. you see two guys on the back end of their careers that come to their clubs with big expectations and one buys in all the way. And I mean, elbow deep, knee deep into it.

28:54Alexis Nunes:And then Chucky Lozano is kind of like, I'll put my toe in maybe. If I feel like it, maybe I'll put my foot in. And that's just not conducive for success. As for the point about an expansion team and whether this is a moral victory for them, hell to the no. Hell no. To the no. We can say, oh, well, yes, let's give this... Little pat on the back. Yeah, hey, guys, a good effort, huh? They were at home. Yeah. Playing a conference final. And at this point of the season, you're no longer an expansion team. So spare me those that say, well, this is good for us, an expansion team. No, no, no. You were an expansion team back in February.

29:40Alexis Nunes:Now you're not an expansion team. You're running with the big boys. You are hosting a conference final at home, and to be outplayed in the manner in which they were, it's a learning experience, and it's a kick in the backside that this team better assimilate, and they better be able to process it come next season. Just two things very briefly. The first one is they're an expansion team, but sometimes you'd much rather be an expansion team and not have to deal with all the dead weight that our contracts and the new manager doesn't want to deal with or the team doesn't want to deal with, and it's easier to construct a team.

30:11But let's hope it doesn't go down right of St. Louis. We've seen this with St. Louis before. It's a success. It's a massive success year one for San Diego. But do not be St. Louis year two. Do not be St. Louis beyond. You have to keep this going. And you mentioned Thomas Mueller. I'm in that locker room. I would be furious at Chucky Lozano. He's one of the highest paid individuals, forget the team, in the league. And you have in Thomas Mueller somebody who's won the World Cup Champions League, who's played at the biggest clubs in the world, who has scored a ridiculous amount of Champions League goals, who's forever be etched in the history books of the World Cup in the Champions League.

30:47And he comes here and he embraces it. He comes here and he tries to be one of us, as they say. And on the other side, you have somebody who thinks he's bigger than the team, bigger than the club. Why? Because you won a Gold Cup? Because you scored one goal at the World Cup?

31:04Alexis Nunes:That would infuriate me. But may I just say, that's not a story of now from Chucky Lausanne. I could have told you, coming into MLS, I could have told you from very far away which player is actually going to embrace this and which is actually not so much. Thomas Muller, all the way. So this is not a surprise. This is just chronicles of a story foretold. And we knew that this was potential for Chucky Lozano for this to fall apart at one point or another because it has fallen apart for him in the past. Whereas Thomas Müller has been the picture of consistent professionalism at Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich.

31:50And he's been there.

31:53Alexis Nunes:Consistently so. beloved, one of the many players that you have had of historical significance at Bayern Munich, he's at the very top. He's in the top five of Bayern Munich all-time players. Think about that for a second. And yet he's here in Vancouver, and he's like, let's go team? Yeah, let's go do this thing, Vancouver Whitecaps. It tells you something about who's a winner and who's not. Not only that, he's definitely my top five favorite interviews that I have done. And I think that is what makes him sleep well at night. Well, speaking of Thomas Muller, let us talk about him a bit more. But this time, because he's going up against yet another legend in the MLS Cup final.

32:35And that is going to be old rivals, new challenges. Because if you have a look at the stats of these two legends going head to head, it's Thomas Muller that actually has the better stance over Leo Messi. So what are we expecting here, guys? Of course, they don't have to go in 1v1 based on their positions, but how do you see this going? Goals. I think we're going to see a game where it's going to be a high goal-scoring affair. But I look at these two teams and the way they play. I look at who they just played. And Vancouver's goal, Cuba's pressing and coughing up a turnover. and in the early goings of this game, there's already a goal.

33:14I've seen Inter-Miami commit the same mistakes and not be punished for it. If they play like that against Vancouver, this is going to go down like it did in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals versus Vancouver. They're going to go down. They're going to lose. They're not going to be able to fight. They're not going to be able to stay with them for 12 rounds, so to speak. There are going to be moments when they give up personal mistakes, and Vancouver is the team to make you pay for those mistakes. unless they can get ahead early and Inter-Miami can get ahead early but unless they can and do I think this is Vancouver's

33:48Alexis Nunes:Ale well beyond the tactics and the technical conversation and the formation and how they approach it beyond all of that this conversation about this MLS Cup will be about Lionel Messi and Inter-Miami Lionel Messi first dot dot dot then Inter-Miami I mean, and way, way, I mean, way, not even in the picture, the Vancouver Whitecaps. Does that almost work in their favor? As an afterthought. Well, that's the point I was going to address. Oh, wow. We are on the same. Look at that. Look at that. That's Ale and Alexis' connection. Wow. If you were on the same wavelength, you wouldn't have. I was going to go there.

34:32It's only natural for a team like Vancouver to use it to their advantage.

34:38Alexis Nunes:That's exactly what I was thinking. Nobody will be talking about Vancouver. Yes. And it's not like you go around in the locker room and it's like, they're not talking about us, so we're going to try harder today. No, it doesn't quite work that way. But what you can do is, you know, if you're a manager, if you're the assistant coaches in preparation for this match, it's like, they don't think we can do this. They don't think we can do this. They don't think we're good enough. We're not part of the story. They're only talking about them. They're only talking about them. And eventually, you get guys going, okay, all right, okay.

35:13Alexis Nunes:And it's like bulls about to get out and go, let's get after them. And you don't have the pressure of the expectation of all MLS, and I'm talking about all of MLS, looking at Inter Miami and going, come on, Leo, come on, Inter Miami, come on, baby. Because that has been the story, and that will be the story. And it is built upon Inter-Miami, Lionel Messi winning MLS Cup. That's the picture they want. That's the picture that MLS wants. Now, they can come back to us and say, no, no, no. We'd like Thomas Muller to be raising the trophy. You may, but not as much as Lionel Messi raising that trophy.

35:57Alexis Nunes:The worst thing that could have happened to MLS is that had this been a final Vancouver against NYC, FC, FC, FC, FC. Because let me just tell you, no disrespect, and I'm about to disrespect, but no disrespect, Maxi Morales doesn't quite have the same sort of pull as Lionel Messi. And so all of this is going to be built around Lionel Messi. And if you're Vancouver, you just kind of let them talk about them. Let them, yeah, let them talk about Inter Miami. We're here. We're ready. We're good enough. We know we can do this. We've done it before against this team. We've done it before against Lionel Messi.

36:31Alexis Nunes:You start building that storyline, and man, once that whistle blows, you get after it. And no fool will that you're ready to go. While they are expected to win, we're going to win. Kirk, are you on the same wavelength as me and Alec? Yes, I'm on your wavelength. I'm just very curious if at all the draw being on Friday and what comes out of the draw is maybe, I don't know, emotionally weighing on the minds and how that plays in and what the final looks like and what that final outcome may be what maybe the decisions factor of Lionel Messi going forward is so it's going to be an emotional 36 hours 48 hours how he deals with that because I know nobody here expects him not to play the next World Cup but he has left it up there and open about his availability he's always been what we're we'll see where we're at after the preseason or before And how does a draw affect that?

37:27I don't know. I want to see that. Maybe on the minds of some. I want to hear that logic.

37:31Alexis Nunes:Group of death, Morocco, Norway, Italy. I don't think Lionel Messi cares. I don't think Lionel Messi cares one bit about what's going on in the draw in terms of how that affects whether he plays or he doesn't. But if he wins the MLS Cup, what I would be thinking, even though. Just talking to the emotion. We're emotional beings. Well, I know you are. Oh, Sheila. Leo is as well. Lionel Messi, I think he has made it a point that he needs to win MLS Cup. He doesn't need to win anything ever again. But in his mind, he has made it a point. And the way he has approached the playoffs and the way he has sort of built the momentum of his own performances into the playoffs And the way that he has elevated, I would suggest that he has elevated his play.

38:28Alexis Nunes:And maybe the last game against NYCFC wasn't the best example of that. But before then, it just felt like he sort of understood from years before. The important thing about MLS is building up momentum going into the playoffs and that you are peaking at the right moment. I think it's important for Lionel Messi. And if it's important for Lionel Messi, we're getting the best version of Lionel Messi at this point in his career. And if that's the case, I don't care about all the momentum that Vancouver may think that they're coming into this match with or whatever rhetoric or storyline that I just put forth.

39:07Alexis Nunes:Inter-Miami win this thing. All right. Well, wow. It all goes down on Saturday. And if the guys have given you a little taste, it's going to be a good one. But it's also going to be a very busy week around Europe with a lot of games in the different leagues. So make sure you check out ESPN FC where we recap all that action. Gab Marcotti here for Gusto. Right now, everyone is trying to run leaner, tighter budgets, smaller teams, higher expectations. Now, the last thing you have time to waste on is manual payroll or chasing down an HR form. Gusto is how small business owners get time back when every hour counts.

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41:06Alexis Nunes:Call 1-800-GRAINGER, clickgrainger.com, or just stop by. All right, guys, shall we get to it? Let's get to it. Let's get to it, shall we? because remember I told you how if he had a bad day, it's not as bad as Chicharito's night that he had. All right, so Cruz Azul up against Chivas. Eight minutes in. Chivas take the lead, and it was all going well and good. Yeah, Roberto Alvarado, who came out? He made the bench once in the last four games. Gets a surprising start here, and his goal. 14th minute, Cruz Azul, find an equalizer. Beautiful service from the right-hand side. It's a nice finish as well from Gabriel Fernandez.

41:44Alexis Nunes:1-1. 35th minute. Chivas will retake the lead right here. Yeah, it's a very good play by Brian Gonzalez. Gets the rebound right there. It's a very good finish. A little toe poke into the corner. 2-1. Well, Chivas enjoyed that lead into the 72nd minute, where Cruz Azul find yet another equalizer. It's just a gorgeous first touch. and then the finish, massaging the ball off the post and in, Tutu. All right, 86th minute now. Sandoval getting fouled in the box. I don't know about that. Well, either way. Either way, it's a penalty kick. Yeah, the referee calls a penalty, and guess who steps up to take it?

42:28Oh, no. Chicharito. Chicharito. Look at the body language. Look at the body language. Oh, no, no, no. Hey, look at the hair.

42:38Alexis Nunes:That's what you need to look at. The hair is a bit. What a goal! Charlie! This is the big moment here. Cruz Azul win 3-2. Here's Gabriel Milito speaking on that penalty miss from Chicharito. Javier has a great trajectory behind. Nothing will open up. His tremendous trajectory, his tremendous journey. And what he has done over 20 years, there is no? he speaks for himself he took the the unfortunate action of the penalty of error but I feel the same I have been wrong I feel absolutely and if he had met the classification nothing will change his trajectory and my my thoughts towards him, both as a footballer and as a person.

43:41So, well, now, I'll diger this moment. Learn, grow, everything is useful for experience.

43:54All right, so see, I was right. If you're having a bad day, could be worse. Could be worse for a number of different reasons. That penalty, Herc, How bad of a miss was that? Enough to make it pretty much the nail in the coffin of us seeing Chicharito in the Liga Mekis. Well, I think it was the nail in the coffin at Chivas anyways. For sure. Regardless if the penalty kick winning. Liga Mekis? Is this it? Yeah, the reports are he's going to go somewhere in the lower pyramid, in the English pyramid, in the lower leagues, to be closer to his family, etc., etc. Let me paint the picture of what I was doing when this was going on.

44:27I'm watching this game. the leading goal scorer, Golden Boots, of Chivas. He's going to play. He's a little bit touched, injured, going to play. And during the warm-up, further aggravates the injury. Cade Cowell comes on and plays for him. And Chivas goes up. And then they're a 2-1. And then they're a 2-2. There shouldn't be in this game on paper, and yet they're the better team for long stretches of this game. And for my money, Ply deserved to win. And you can say what you want about that penalty kick, but they had it on the line right there. to go into a semifinal hours, hours after their bitter rival America gets booted from the postseason.

45:06They've got an opportunity to make it to the semifinal game. And up steps Chicharito Hernandez. And I'm thinking to myself, when he's on the field, the game's right now tied. What are the odds of him scoring a goal? I go on to my sports betting app, and I look at live odds, and it's plus 1 ,100. And I said, wow, that's pretty damn good odds. Click, I make the bet. A minute later, the penalty kick's there. And I'm thinking to myself, he's going to take the penalty kick. Luis Romo has the ball in his hand. I'm like, there's no way Romo's going to take the penalty kick. I'm looking around the field at who's on the field.

45:39Alan Polito's on the field. Alan Polito missed his last penalty kick. Efrain Alvarez is off the field now. He's the one who missed it before that. The only one who's made it is Laormiga Gonzalez, who's injured, not on the field. Javier Hernández is going to take this penalty kick. I kind of have this feeling. I tell my wife, Elsie, come here. Watch this. He steps up to go take it. Gabriel Milito and the coaching staff starts arguing with the other coaches. Somebody gets red carded. Another minute goes by. I'm thinking to myself, why are you doing this? He's going to shoot. He's got to end his career with Chivas in some positive form, in some just good manner.

46:09It's been, I don't even know how many seasons, three goals. For the all-time leading goal scorer in Mexican history, he steps up and he hits one of the worst penalty kicks I've ever seen. And the look on his face. He knew it. His soul left his body dejected. And I'm thinking to myself, this is the way that... You lost money. This is the way I lost money. How much did you lose? 50 bucks. But I'm thinking, I was going to make 600. But I'm thinking to myself, Javier Hernandez, who at one point in time was Mexico's sweetheart. Forget one of the biggest footballers, one of the biggest athletes, public figures in Mexico.

46:49Widely renowned. Widely renowned and loved. I've never seen I don't know about you two but I've never seen somebody go from being so loved to so hated and everybody dancing on this man's grave right now and it does have a lot to do with the narrative that he's also put out there and how it's added to his off-field persona and how unlikable he is for a majority of people but this is an abysmal ending to what was supposed to be a great story and it's one that Javier has dug his own hole, his own grave if you will Ale, did you put money on this too?

47:25Alexis Nunes:No, I was not nearly as emotionally, physically, or financially invested as some other people.

47:36Alexis Nunes:This is a story as old as time, to be honest with you. You run your mouth in the manner in which he has. And if you follow him on Instagram, then you would know what I'm talking about. He has made it a point to say things that you really don't need to say. And bring attention upon his personal life that you really don't need to do. And you run your mouth and you make these comments and it has nothing to do as to whether he misses a penalty or not. No bearing whatsoever. But everybody has been keeping score. And so everybody has taken what he has said in his personal time, and they made a note and say, okay, you just wait.

48:26Alexis Nunes:This guy is going to have a tough moment. And when that tough moment comes around, we're all going to dance, as you just mentioned, on his grave. We're all going to come out of everywhere, and we're going to denounce and renounce this guy, Chicharito Hernandez, that has apparently has become the worst person, public figure in Mexico. To your point, yes, he was once below. The story was always Chicharito. He was the front page. He was the back page. He was the middle page. It was all Chicharito. And now may just be all Chicharito, at least for the next news cycle, for all the wrong reasons. And again, you run your mouth.

49:11Alexis Nunes:people that have built you up now say, wait a minute. We don't agree with what he's saying. We can't quite get to him. But the moment he falls, everybody piles on. It happens all the time. Build up your heroes, they fall down and you bury them. Die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. Philosophical. Dark Knight. Herc is up in some bars today. Our producer, producer Beto, is a Chivas hermano, he's a diehard Chivas fan. And even the most diehard Chivas fan wants him gone. Yeah. He may be a Mexican legend, Mexican national team, all-time leading goal scorer, but he's not a Chivas legend.

49:57He's a cult hero. He left very early on and went to Manchester United, and he came back. He's never scored a postseason goal. He's not a Chivas legend. They want nothing to do with him. In fact, some of these fans, and producer Beto can correct me if I'm wrong, thinks he's contaminating the environment, if you will, bringing that toxicity. It's no longer an appropriate relationship for either. I think for his own sanity, it should have ended probably a long time ago. Listen.

50:25Alexis Nunes:Now, I would ask this question. Bueno. What happens if he scores a goal and they go through it? Is everything forgiven? That's what I was. You get your$50 plus more. You get$600. Plus$1 ,100. You would have got$600. I had a feeling he would be a narrative in this game. I was right. Well, with all this said, because as we've discussed, the universe does have a very strong way of humbling people, I would know. Should he think of retiring then? Just calling it once and for all. Maybe he can continue giving his advice columns, as he seems to love to do nowadays. But should he think of retiring, Herc?

51:00I know you mentioned that there have been links to the lower divisions in England. I don't know if there's any ties to MLS, but why would MLS want to take him back? Maybe MLS would at the right rate. Every report I've read is he wants to be closer to his kids who are in England. I don't know about you, Ali, but I thought about if I was in that situation, if that's how I would want to hang him up. If I physically was still able to go out there, I don't know if I could do that. And I don't know if Javier inside thinks that's the way he wants to go out. I'm sure it's a personal matter and physically you have to be in there, not only physically in the right state of mind, but mentally in the right state of mind.

51:38This is going to be something I think hangs around with him for a while.

51:41Alexis Nunes:The last thing that Javier Chicharito Hernandez should be doing is thinking. Because he gets in trouble when he's by himself and he's thinking too much and he gets all sorts of creative. Very philosophical. Yeah, nobody wants to finish their career doing exactly. that but then you also have to have the clarity and looking at your career in a totality and not in one moment and also understand that if you sign up to go and play another season whatever that may be you sign up because you're fully committed to doing it if you are one foot in one foot out and thinking about how this is going to be your last go around then I don't know that that serves a purpose for him.

52:33Alexis Nunes:If the only reason he's going to play is because he doesn't want his last or his lasting memory to be a missed penalty kick, I think he's missing the point. If he's going to go out on his own terms and play his way through a season in which he tries to find the enjoyment of the game away from the attention that he gets in Mexico that now seems to be negative attention much more so than positive attention, then yeah, so be it. Go out on your own terms and you fulfill the end of your career however you want to see fit. But don't do it just because you just missed a penalty. I have one word. Interesante.

53:07Alexis Nunes:Wow. All right, let's move on, shall we? As Mark alluded to, it was a rough night as well for Club America. And probably our good friend Mauricio Pedrosa. They were up against Monterrey in their quarterfinal 30 minutes in. America take the lead. U.S. Men's National League, Alex Sendejas. It's a very well-taken goal to near post. And they're up. 59th minute. 2-0 America. Oh, our amigo. Yeah. He raps now. Okay, all right. Thank you for that piece of information. That is my kind of range, by the way. Zuniga with the goal there, yes. 83rd minute now. Monterrey go down to 10 men. He's on the jog. He's like, I'm out.

53:52See you guys. Yeah, it's a rash challenge. Fidalgo takes the brunt of this. I mean, Monterrey had a couple of these challenges in the first game. Got lucky in the second game and oh no.

54:05Alexis Nunes:If you're a man off late in the match, you just need to keep that zero. And you're going through. And somehow optional defending at the back post. Good header from Berterame. You won. Monterrey goes through. Monterrey goes through 3-2 on aggregate. El Sur Tigres hosting Tijuana. 50 minutes in, it's all Tigres, 1-0. Ibanez the header and then a quick little taken quarter. And oh! A foul? I have a bit of an issue here. What comes first? The defender puts his leg out. I don't know about that one, but they called it. Oh, bro, that's a penalty. I don't know what issue you have here. 100 % a penalty.

54:47And that was 100 % finding the back of the net. Tigres 2-0. Nine minutes later, 3-0. It's a good play. Jonathan Herrera, Ibanez, and then the little header. And it's 3-0. They're tied and aggregate. 74th minute. Tigres make it 4-0.

55:13Alexis Nunes:And then you think the goalkeeper has done enough with the saves. Good work down the right-hand side. resourceful attempt initially, and then it's just about who's going to go get this ball. Yeah, Ocel Herrera, who initially missed a penalty kick right before that, and then it's Pampalo Vigón with the nail in the coffin. Oh. Alright, well a massive win there for Tigres as they go through 5-3 on aggregate. So here is how the semifinals are looking. Toluca to take on Monterrey, and Tigres will face Cruz Azul, and could we see a Clasico Regio if Tigres and Monterrey get through. We will find out this week.

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56:44All righty, let's talk about the Copa America, shall we? Could it return in 2028 to the USA? Reports are suggesting that advanced discussions are taking place between Conmebol and CONCACAF to hold the tournament here in the USA for a second consecutive time. Now, it would be the same summer as a little thing called the Olympics in Los Angeles, though. So now we want to know, are we really cool with it? And remember, at the top of the show, I said, this is why we are always just so blessed and never stressed. to have our Conmebol and our favorite Venezolano in the house, Ale Moreno. So let's start with you because this is your home tournament.

57:24I know you are here in the U.S. now, Ale, but think back to all your Sudamericanos. Would you be cool with this?

57:32Alexis Nunes:Well, the short answer is no, I would not. That's what I thought. No, no. Now, I know all the reasons as to why this is appealing to Conmebol. I know all the reasons as to why it is appealing to the organizing committee here in the United States and as to why people are attracted to that idea. If you want me to define that in one word, I will. It's very easy to do. Money! Probably not the security guards at Dolphin Stadium. Money. Right?

58:10However, call me old school.

58:13Alexis Nunes:call me a traditionalist. We love that. Call me a dinosaur, if you will, if you want to go down that path. As a former Venezuelan, international, South American player, I would want the South American tournament, Copa America, to be played in South America. How dare I think that that would be the case? Too much to ask. And I always, when this conversation comes up, it's impossible for me not to draw parallels and say, imagine just for a second the Euros being played outside of Europe. And so I would ask to those that say, well, yeah, Copa America and the U.S. make sense. I would say, well, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

58:59Alexis Nunes:So the Euros outside of Europe make sense? Is that OK? Would that be cool with people in England and Spain and France? Are you cool with it? Outside of Germany? I'll give you the German answer. Nine! You would not be cool with it. So, look. There are others that will say things like, well, the logistics of running the tournament here in the United States is much better than anywhere else in South America. Okay. Maybe, generally speaking. But if we go back to last Copa America, where the families of players, their kids and loved ones were threatened by fights that were breaking out in the stands.

59:44Alexis Nunes:Did that happen? Let me ask you, Hercules, because I can't quite remember. Did that happen in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia? No, no. Was it in Mendoza, Argentina? No. No, no. Was it in el desierto de Atacama in Chile? No. No. Charlotte, North Carolina. OK. All right, wait a minute. Wait a minute. So in the finals, where people are sneaking into the stadium through air-conditioning vents.

1:00:10Alexis Nunes:Because I can't. Was that in Lima, Peru? No. Asunción. No. Montevideo. No? No, no, it wasn't. Miami, Florida. Now, last I checked, I don't know my geography all that well, but I can tell you that last I checked, Miami, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina are within the continental United States of America. So for all the greatness of this country in organizing an event and putting together Copa America, and it would be a reason as to why they would say, listen, we'll do it here in the United States because they'll do a better job than what you can do in Argentina or you can do in Brazil or wherever else.

1:00:49The people running the tournament, whoever they may be, and in charge of security, failed

1:00:56Alexis Nunes:miserably last edition. And that was here in this country. Now, that is a side argument. The only argument to be made here is Copa America is a South American tournament and should be played in South America. Y punto. Just very briefly on what Ali said about that. He's 100 % right in his, I feel, responsibility of the host country to assure these luxuries, if you will. But I was assured last Copa America that it was the organizing committee of Comanibol who was dealing and organizing. Regardless, it's irrelevant because it happened on your soil. Al is right. This is just greed. It's another reason for Comerable to fatten those wallets, deepen those pockets.

1:01:40The same reason Alejandro Dominguez, the president of Comerable, wants to be, is going to be a host country in the 2030 World Cup when he has nothing to do with the centennial. Paraguay was not part of the original. He wasn't Argentino-Uruguay. There are going to be six countries because they latch themselves on for the money. So why I understand that if you rotated this, and I don't know, you put it in Bolivia or Paraguay, maybe not all the games will have proper attendance to their liking. Maybe they wouldn't have the marketing to their liking. And certainly they've seen what a tournament, any tournament, can do within the continental United States in North America.

1:02:18My worry for Comitable, my worry is they will be like the Mexican national team where they will only see the U.S. for the pocket. They will only see the U.S. for the dollar. And when that happens, yes, you can be catering to the people with ancestry in those countries here in the United States, but you are taking the game away from the people in those countries. You are saying that you don't have enough money to enjoy this game. So we're making this into a corporate event and you lose the soul of the game. That is my worry when it comes to this type of thing, because it's very easy to say one there, one here, one there.

1:03:01That's not what it's about. It's about keeping the game pure. And that's what if anything, that's what they've been lacking over the years is trying to keep it pure. So I feel for the people in these countries who actually want to see a Copa America in their own country, because it affects, honestly, how far you can go. If it was in Bolivia, well, the Bolivian national team may have a bit more say in how far they go. And that could be something very productive for their country. It could literally spring a generation of believers or footballers. So I hope they would continue to think of it that way and not as a paycheck.

1:03:33You know what the common denominator was at those two games where all hell broke loose was? I was at both. I think chaos just likes to follow me. All right, let's move on to another South American tournament that actually does take place in South America. Oh, isn't that amazing? It's the Copa Libertadores final. Palmeiras taking on Flamengo. Oh, lovely atmosphere. I bet 67th minute off a corner. Danilo heads it in, and Flamengo take the 1-0 lead. All right, it's a good ball in. Danilo rises up. Nobody on him. There's three people around him, but nobody on him. and it's an easy header goal for Danilo.

1:04:13Look how high he got. How would he jump? 89th minute, the ball falling to Vitor Roque here, who has a huge chance to get a goal, but he's going to sky it. I know. Roque, remember him?

1:04:28Alexis Nunes:I do. Otigrinho. Otigrinho. Gatinho. Gatinho. Gatinho. You got to put that on target. He rushes it because he knows that he's got to hurry and gets it all wrong. Flamengo going to win it. They go on to win it, just the 1-0, but that does get their hands on the trophy. And this is exactly how significant their latest victory is. They are the first Brazilian club to win four Copa Libertadores titles. And they are tied for the fourth most titles in history. I like things my way. My coffee, my schedule, and my treatment. So I talked to my doctor about self-injecting with the VivGuard Hytrulo Pre-Filled Syringe, which contains F-Gartigamide Alpha and Hyaluronidase QVFC.

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1:06:58All right, let's run it back, shall we, and have a look what the U.S. men's national team players have been doing. It's been going well for Ricardo Pepe. He had a great weekend, first start in over two months for PSV, and he got an assist and a goal as they got a win over Volendam. That's a type of assist that I would get. Wouldn't know nothing about it, just pass it back to somebody. Ada, don't want to chime in?

1:07:21Alexis Nunes:Get in here, Ali. Get in here, Ali. Nice goal. I'm waiting for his goal. That's Ale Moreno range and angle. I don't know. Would you have done this from that range? I probably would have brought it down and laid it back to the guy who was coming from behind. That's what I'm saying. It's like the angle and the range. I don't know how conducive it was. And also. He almost hurt himself. It's a shin to win. Wow. It was the shin special there. All right. Let's talk about Patrick Adermang. He scored his third league goal. But unfortunately, it was in a loss for Derby County to our K-Murray's Middlesbrough.

1:07:54Alexis Nunes:You want me to get excited about Cameras Middlesbrough or you want me to talk about Patrick Aggeman? No, Patrick Aggeman. Football Americans. Can I just say Patrick Aggeman, he better keep scoring goals because it feels like there's separation between Fowler and Balogun and just about everybody else. And if you want to get on that bus to the World Cup, scoring goals is the only way you're going to get there. Mark McKenzie, he was also in action. He got an assist in a draw against. Hold on. Are we doing a throw and assist here? We'll just... Yes! Guys, we're reaching. Look at that. I'm going to throw it.

1:08:29Alexis Nunes:I'm going to throw what he's at. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Look at that. Speaking of assists. Wait a minute. Charge Sergeant with a true assist. Honestly, honestly. That's an assist. That's an assist. Is it, though? I mean, yes. It'll be given us. I don't care what to throw it. That was an assist. It'll be given us an assist, but, you know. No, you give me that one. Yeah, it's fine. But it's not like he's putting them through. It's not like... It's more about forcing than it is about Sergeant. But all right. All right. Let's talk about a true thing of beauty here.

1:09:00Tyler Adams netting his second goal of the season for Bournemouth. What a goal it was. Unfortunately, it was in a loss against Sunderland, but still stunning. The great goal. Listen, in the elements, full of rain, a nice little chip. It crosses the goalkeeper. He's lost in his own net. It's a beautiful strike from 40 yards out. That's not a Tyler Adams goal. That's not a Tyler Adams. Keep it positive. It is positive. That's how ridiculous it was.

1:09:29Alexis Nunes:You know, but hey, the execution, the vision, being able to see where the goalkeeper was and the touch that he puts on it. Don't back end it with, that's not his kind of goal. That's a thing of beauty. I don't know if you remember. Do you remember Michael Bradley's goal in the Azteca, the 1-1 tie? Yes, yes. It was very reminiscent of that. The vision. I mean, nobody. I certainly didn't expect him to shoot from there. I didn't expect Tyler Adams because that's not really what Tyler Adams is about. He's just very clean. Get it in and out and be composed. Greg Gore, Tyler. I'm with you, man. I trust your game.

1:10:02Alexis Nunes:I saw it all the way just like you did, Tyler. I'm with you. Well, let's just go dig a little deeper here. And I know that Mauricio Pochettino, because, of course, I'm going to link this back to the U.S. Men's National Team. I know Mauricio Pochettino likes to stress that nobody is a guarantee in his World Cup squad. It doesn't matter if you do sexy goals like this one that we just saw from Tyler Adams. It doesn't matter if you're a big name. But now, do you feel like he's locked in as a starter for Pocz? Well, I never had a doubt. Maybe it's because of his profile. And while we've had discussions about the old guard of players who had trouble maybe getting along or cracking in the lineup with Marisa Poczino, staying in the lineup, that really hasn't been the issue with Tyler Adams when he's physically fit.

1:10:44When he's physically fit, he's always been there. In fact, he was one of the few who was there over the summer who got an opportunity to start and instill the culture that Mauricio Pochettino would constantly preach. And if I look at the type of profile player he is, you don't have anybody like him on the U.S. Men's National Team. A couple of the leadership abilities that he has and how serious he is on and off the field, it's a no-brainer for me. I know there's an emergence of Sebastian Berhalter, not a like for like. A Tanner Testament, not a like for like. Maybe an Aiden Morris, but he hasn't really proven himself under Mauricio Pochettino or with the U.S.

1:11:15Men's National Team. So as long as he separates himself from the pack with his profile, I don't think anybody's touching him. He's one of the few locks that I have under Mauricio Pochettino. Ale, is he a lock-in for you? He is in.

1:11:28Alexis Nunes:He is in on many different levels. Yeah. One, because I think he is the best in his position that this country can offer. So usually that'll secure a place in the national team going into the World Cup. So two, there is a leadership component that he is one of the few players for this team that when he actually addresses the media and talks after games, he makes sense. And while he may dress it up and keep it positive and what have you, at least he addresses the points and makes sense. And it almost feels like there is this kinetic connection with Mauricio Pochettino because Tyler Adams is saying some of the same things that Pochettino is about to say 10 minutes from now when he steps into the press conference.

1:12:15It's like us on the same wavelength. I love that.

1:12:18Alexis Nunes:Absolutely. And so whether he does it on purpose or not, whether he's just drinking the Kool-Aid, whether he's just appeasing the manager, whatever the case may be, he seems to be the one player that takes the position of the spokesperson for the rest of the group. That in itself secures your spot, because you're going to be at the forefront of the explanations whether things go well or not. There's a lot to like about Tyler Adams. The one concern that I would have, and this is a valid concern, I believe, is his level of fitness. Injuries are the only thing that has kept him from being a consistent presence with the national team.

1:13:02Alexis Nunes:And it's a long, long time from here till the start of the World Cup. And so focus number one, concentration and priority number one for me would be his fitness level in terms of his availability and how consistent he is with his availability, both with Bournemouth and the national team. If all of those things are all systems go, then he will be not only the World Cup, but a starter for this team and potentially, potentially the captain of this team if Christian Pulisic is not given that responsibility. The thing with Tyler being physically fit is his style of play is so physical. He's so physically demanding and aggressive in the way he plays that he puts his body out there.

1:13:50And oftentimes the injuries that he does suffer, a couple have been soft injuries, soft muscle injury, but a lot of them are because he's getting into those tackles. And they're not in the games. He trains the way he plays, so it's a very physical player. A physical player that doesn't have the physical makeup to be a physical player. Correct. Correct. which I think is kind of the appeal with Tyler Adams, at least from a fan's perspective. You see somebody, to Ali's point, that doesn't physically look like he should be physically imposing, and yet he is in his aggressiveness, in his leadership, in the way he tackles, in the way he runs players down.

1:14:26But he's also just a very smart footballer. That's why I was so surprised when I saw the goal, because he stays within his realm. So to see him go out of that realm and to see it work, like we did against Mexico in a Nations League, I believe a semifinal, or a final, excuse me, golazo against Memo Ochoa from like 30 deep, you start seeing layers to his game, which is good. All right. So maybe it is in his game, I'm just saying. It's always in your game when you show it.

1:14:51Alexis Nunes:There's layers. Maybe it's in his game. I'm with you, Tyler Adams. I don't know about this guy. I'm with you. There's layers. There's layers to his game. Well, there's also layers to Football Americas because this week we are so nice. We're giving it to you. Okay. The right. Okay, look at that group. Look at this lineup. We are clicking and checking almost all the CONCACAF boxes in this lineup. We are back for a special Football Americas reacting to the World Cup draw on Friday, 8.30 p.m. Eastern time. You do not want to miss it. A lack of hair on that left-hand side. We got it. Well, not anymore.

1:15:28Mauricio had a little trip. And it wasn't to Turkey. It went to Mo Salah's guy? Anyways, that's it for this edition of Football Americas. But we are back on Friday, but we're also back on Thursday. I'm telling you, so nice we're giving to you the rice. See you then.

1:15:52How are you, our South American correspondent? Because.

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