Futbol Americas: USMNT Roster Drops Tomorrow + More Injuries For El Tri + Neymar Snubbed?!?! + Finalissima Cancelled + Cat Macario Deal

24:29Herc Gomez:Men's National Team can be a refresher. It can be different. And he's a player who's just different. He's distinct. He's a player that can create something out of nothing, which is why if I had 26 players that I was choosing, he would be on my roster. Because come World Cup time, I'm going to be defending a lot. There are going to be moments where I need something out of nothing, a moment of magic, some sort of brilliance. And I look at Giovanni Reina. That's a player, a lot of flaws, but can provide that. But that's why I'd have Gio Reyna in this squad for March, almost as last chance saloon for him.

25:06But Mauricio Pochettino has made every effort to say reputation does not fly with him. You're right. What you've done in the past doesn't matter. You've got to earn your pick. And Gio Reyna hasn't done that. He doesn't have a body of work to show to that. Certainly not of late. And so while I get your point, and I want to agree, just kind of given what I know of Gio Reyna, his ability on the ball, his ability to affect games, we've not seen that for an awfully long time. And maybe you will need it in the summer. And really, he's coming back from injury and hasn't seen much minutes and much in Gladbach.

25:47So I give him an opportunity in March. But he has got to blow the doors off the hinges in March. All right. So Shaka will put one of my dollars. Jeff's not putting down a single cent and Herc's going to, I suppose, risk it. He's shelling out. Vegas, baby. Vegas. Exactly. Let it ride. All right. Jeff Carlisle, thank you so much for joining us. I'm sure we will talk to you again this week once that roster has been named.

26:12All right, guys. Get ready because we are going to run it back. U.S. edition, of course, Joe Scali. He came up with his third assist in the Bundesliga this season in a Munchengladbach 2-0 win over St. Paul in the Bundesliga.

26:28Herc Gomez:Been playing everywhere. It's a good ball in, good ball across. Yeah, he fights for it. Look at that, positive. Maybe the goalkeeper. I'm glad to the goalie. Oh, he got deflected. He got deflected. Okay, he got deflected. I appreciate him the assist. The tenacity. The tenacity. I didn't see the deflection. I'll give the goalie some slack. See, always picking on the way. Yeah. Oh, man. All right. Well, guess what? Another day, another goal for Flo Balogun. This is his 14th in the league. He wanted to go down, huh, Shaq? He wanted to go down. Look at this. I do like this goal. It just kind of pops to it.

27:10Herc Gomez:Oh, he did. He wanted to go down. He wanted to go down, but he's like, uh-uh, I'm not giving this up. He just finished. He just had a loose ball. Takes it, takes it, the kick. Finishes it off nicely. If it were Ale Moreno, he would have gone down all day. All right, well, if you have a look at the race with that number nine spot on the US Men's National Team, Flo Balogun has been going very well, but it's actually Haji Wright that has more goals, three more than him this season.

27:42Herc Gomez:Different fashionistas amongst us, so it's the perfect panel to decide whether or not they like the new US Men's National Team kit. There we go. No. So that's the home one on the left, away on the right. I like it. I like the away one. The away one is really nice. Yeah. Yeah, I like it. Right. That's a beach top. A beach top? That's not a football strip. No, you don't like it, Stevie? So people might like the fact that you don't like it. You like them both, Shaq? It gives movement. It gives movement? Yes. It gives more to that, Shaq. You know, it's like a flag flittering in the wind. Oh, I see.

28:17Beautiful. So it gives movement. Like the American flag. That's correct. Beautiful. The other one's stylish, don't you think? The other one's very nice. The Awake one.

28:25Herc Gomez:No. It's a no from me. It feels, I don't know, I don't know if there's a bit of... It feels like it's, uh, Where's Wally? Bit Where's Wally. Where's Wally? Or Where's Waldo, as they call it here. I'm not feeling it. I'm not feeling it. The Awake Kid will be my number one for sure, because I like it slick and everything. Movement! I go for the movement like Shaka. Movement! Movement Shaka, I'm done with you. Oh, yes. Moving out the group stages and home. Oh, boy.

28:59All right, so we had our FC crew reacting to the U.S. Men's National Team's new jerseys for the World Cup. But let's be honest, the boys on FC don't really know the most about style. But we do have Shaq in here. I'm just being honest.

29:13Herc Gomez:Who's the most stylish man? Me. Well, there you go. You're wearing the same thing you were just wearing. That's why you're here. That's why you're here. I'm the most stylish in the building. Okay, Shaka claims he's the most stylish in the building. But now we're gonna give Shaka a second chance at drippin' or trippin'. So U.S. soccer and Nike have dropped these kits that we know the U.S. men's national team will be wearing at the FIFA World Cup this summer. There's one star and one stripe. Of course, very fitting. And we need to know if it's drippin' or trippin'. It's dripping. I mean, let's not pretend like these uniforms aren't hot.

29:50Herc Gomez:You know what I love besides the actual style? These look like the subtle stars there on that dark uniform are ridiculous. They're so nice. The stripes on the red one, it's an homage to 1994, but the players had input. Yeah. After 2022, the players said, hey, we want some input in this uniform. We should. They had some input, and these are sick. These are dripping. It's not often I agree with hood. And style. On style, period. But I do this time around. I was the only one on the FC crew who thought the home shirt was a nice shirt. I like it. The black, which I'm just telling you, the away shirt.

30:28I love a black hair. Absolutely stunning as well. So two drippings for me.

30:33Herc Gomez:Two drippings. They'll be iconic. Like the 1994 one was iconic. We still hold it in high regard. This will hold the test of time. The only thing that's a little tripping there is I looked them up. $250. $250. That one hit me hard. I got kids, y 'all. I got kids. He's got kids. All right. Well, so the U.S. got a straight drip in from the crew here. But what about Canada? What about the other co-hosts of this World Cup? Canada and Nike have also released their kits. And it is very much on the similar vein of the U.S. where there's a shirt with a black kit. I absolutely love me a black kit. And if you look closely, you can see the nice, you know, maple leaf, which is very Canadian, of course.

31:16And the away kit, as you can see right there, inspired by Canada's very many frozen landscapes. Now, boys, dripping or tripping? I think the all red is absolutely stunning. I am not at all so... Boo! I'm in black. I like the maple leaves, the silhouettes as it's coming out. Frozen landscape. I'm not sure about the frozen landscape thingy. It just seems like a reach for me.

31:47Herc Gomez:Can I tell you what I absolutely love about the Canadian uniform? Much like the U.S. uniform and the Mexico uniform, it screams identity. This is dripping, by the way, if you didn't know. This is a dripping. It screams identity. You have the maple leaf. You've got cold as ice on that black jersey. This is going to be sick. And that black one, all black? You know how intimidating it's going to be for Los Italianos if they make it in Toronto? Half a drip for me. Half a drip. Can we agree on this? A full drip? Because in 2022, the issues they had with their uniforms and into the World Cup, how abysmal that one was.

32:26Herc Gomez:This right here. I know I've got anything to do with whether this is dripping or tripping. Yes, it does. It's a great one. Two drips. Two drips. Ignore Shaka. Remember what I said? The FC crew, not really stylish, but we do know what we're talking about, about European football as well. ESPN FC is on seven days a week. Tune in on ESPN Plus for the analysis, not the fashion opinions. Do you know what the scariest sound to hear on a factory floor is? Silence. That means something somewhere broke. Production has stopped and now you're paying workers to wait while the team troubleshoots and fixes the problem.

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35:04Let's focus on Mexico now, shall we? Because, oh, it is bad news, Herc. Mexico has suffered yet another major injury ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Midfielder Marcel Ruiz has been ruled out of the tournament. Toluca confirmed this, that he has torn his ACL and he tore it in the first half of their CONCACAF Champions Cup match against San Diego FC.

35:28Herc Gomez:A non-contact injury. He felt something. There were people who were saying, well, it doesn't look too bad because he's walking on his own accord. Your ACL doesn't prevent you from walking straight. What your ACL does is the pivot, the cutting, the turning, the sharp angles. That's what you're prohibited in doing. As a midfielder, he's going to need that. So what are Mexico now losing? with his absence? One of the only players that is box to box, as good going forward as he is defending the ball, as good with the ball at his feet, as he is breaking up a play, as good as being a leader, as he is being the glue to the coaching staff, as respected as he is.

36:12Herc Gomez:As young as he is, he's already gained the respect of his club where he was a team captain, and he was doing so with the Mexican national team. People forget because he's been playing for so long and he's been so composed in the few moments we've seen him with the Mexican national team. They think he's been around forever. He just won his starting spot at Gold Cup. He just earned that at the Gold Cup. And in Marcel Ruiz, you thought you had a player who was locked down not only for this World Cup, who was already gaining interest abroad, who had said no to teams in the UK, teams in England, who said no to Palmeiras in Brazil.

36:48Herc Gomez:He was looking to capitalize and parlay a good World Cup into a bigger move. And you thought it would not only be his first World Cup that he would lead the midfield line with Mexico, but one of many World Cups because of the projection. And now you're not only missing a player that you desperately need, but you are asking yourself what kind of player will you get when he comes back for the future. So it's a massive loss. There's no two ways about it. Mexico does not have the pool to think this is a minimal loss on all fronts. And not just in the midfield. You lose quality. You lose quality on the ball.

37:26Herc Gomez:You lose quality in how you defend. You lose quality on the team. Shaka, you and I know exactly how for so many years Mexico has been the giant of CONCACAF. You've, of course, gone up against Mexico. You know it. And Herc has said time and time again that this is the worst group of Mexican players that he has seen in terms of performances right before you're about to host a World Cup. And I mean, just look at the injury list that they're having to deal with. Just take me inside that locker room right now. Is it panic stations right before the World Cup? Yes, it is. I don't see how it isn't for Javier Aguirre.

37:58Give them, as you mentioned, Alexis, the form that they've been showing throughout. And then add it to this. Question marks over who's your starting goalkeeper. You've now lost Marcel Ruiz, who was kind of the shining star of this team. And Huck's right. Ever since he broke up, I think, for the second game of the tournament, he has been a stalwart within that side. So where are you building from? You could have, in the same way I was talking about Tyler Adams and his importance to the U.S. national team, you feel the same about Marcel Ruiz. His contributions on both sides of the ball, as Huck was describing.

38:36And now you don't have that in a very small player's pool. Not that good a player's pool. I don't think this in particular. So you lose Matarouis, you lose Managon pretty much within days of each other. That is huge for Mexico at this point because there's not a lot of time to adjust. Okay, you've got the two games. You've got games to come this month, but there's not an awful lot of time outside of that to adjust for two important players. Well, thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom for Mexico. there was a bit of a bright spark this past weekend. This time as it relates to Oped Vargas because he got a big break this past weekend making his first start for Atletico de Madrid in their 1-0 win over Getafe in La Liga.

39:28He was subbed off in the 73rd minute but Cholo Simeone insisted it was more for a natural physical wear and him just managing the player rather than it being performance-based. And I mean, for someone so young to go on and make a start, to know that Acholo Simeone chooses you. Shaq, this is big. It is. It really is. And give Vargas his credit here because he hadn't seen any minutes since the first half of February comes in. Plays a significant amount of time against a very good Getafe team. Now, keep in mind, Getafe are sitting ninth, I think, in La Liga. They'd lost one game in their last seven.

40:07And while the game was kind of in the middle of those two Champions League games with Spurs, given how the first leg went, he kind of feels the second leg is taking care of itself. So there's no relief for Simioni to just kind of throw all caution, just kind of blow this Hitafle game off. So he comes in in a moment where Atletico Madrid, still well back of Real Madrid, in third place, can't afford to drop points. but is trusted with the staff and delivers. Yes, he's taken off the 73 minutes but getting that nod from somebody like Simeone who he's spoken about, I think is absolutely huge for Vargas.

40:51Yeah, well, let's hear from the man himself Obed Vargas as well as Cholo Simeone.

40:56Herc Gomez:I'm very happy for being able to contribute and for the team that won. It was a difficult game, but winning after winning and happy for the three points. The whole group helped me, helped me, we prepared the game in a good way. I think we were prepared for what the Getafe was going to bring. And I wanted to give the best of me in the game and generate that confidence in minutes.

41:35He did a great job collectively in what the team needed defensively and offensively. Then he got tired as the minutes went by, which is normal because he didn't have enough time in his body. And obviously we took him out to refresh that place with Marcos. So a big moment for the young 20-year-old born in Alaska, by the way. Isn't that wild? The pride of Anchorage, Alaska.

42:03Herc Gomez:Listen, as Shaq was saying, Getafe is no walk in the park. They're a very, very physical team. That's a team that's going to make you play, especially in that midfield. It's a team that's going to be physical. They're going to run with you. They're going to make you feel things. Obed Vargas had not played in a while. You would think, especially to start out the game, that he would be nervous, jittery. He'd be showing a little rust. That wasn't the case in the first half. If anything, I think as he got tired, because it's normal, you've not played that much, his game kind of went there. It went with that.

42:30Herc Gomez:But in terms of being in the game, in terms of, you know, showing that you belong, he belonged. Let's keep things in perspective. A heavily rotated squad. A heavily rotated squad with their eyes on the Champions League. That game is over. That series is over. But they still have to focus on the Champions League. He got his chance. Bunch of injuries. It doesn't matter how you get an opportunity. He got an opportunity. And he showed well. Now it's how can you parlay this into more opportunities? Because we saw Red Vargas the first three games. He started playing, and then he went about a month of no games, no minutes.

43:04Herc Gomez:So you need to continue to earn more time and parlay that into the Mexican national team because you may be on Atlético Madrid. You may be en La Liga. You may be in the orbit and brushing shoulders with some of the best players in the world, but to your Mexican pool, to your head coach, you're still a relative unknown and one that may not be for Javier Aguirre willing to take a chance on because his history has shown that he doesn't take much of a chance on young players. Well, I don't know what you're trying to say about Spurs. I think Spurs showed that they may be down, but they're not always out.

43:38I'm just kidding. I'll put a dollar of your money. Spurs ain't coming back. It's all atleti. It's all atleti. All right. Well, we just had pretty much the tale of two midfielders there in terms of Ruiz and now seeing what happens with Vargas. I don't want to say one man's loss is another man's game, but Shaq, with everything we were just talking about with Mexico and bigger picture now and feeling that heaviness of seeing so many names falling right before the World Cup. Which story do you think has more impact now after this weekend? Is it harping on the injury to Marcel Ruiz or do you kind of look at the story or the beginning of something new and probably something special for Obed Vargas?

44:16No, I think it has to be Ruiz because we're talking short-term here and the short-term impact of the Ruiz injury, what it means for Mexico, particularly during the course of this World Cup. Vargas is 20 years old. Vargas has joined Atletico Madrid just a couple of months ago. That's a long-term story. I think that's a long-term contribution you're looking at from Vargas. But right now, understandably, all the focus is on what's to come this summer. Ruiz is a far bigger miss for Mexico than I think anything else anything else that they've been bitterly saved over the last few weeks.

44:56Herc Gomez:Because it's like for like, you don't have many players like Marcel Ruiz. You don't. Even if you insert an Alvaro Fidalgo, who's very good with the bodice feet, he lacks the defensive intensity and tactic know-how that Marcel Ruiz has. But the emergence of Obed Vargas is very interesting because you have Edson Alvarez who is injured, and you don't know what he's going to be like when he comes back. And I would argue it's an Alvarez that when fit at the last two World Cups in a Copa America, the three biggest tournaments that he's played, he's never been the man. He's been a liability. His first World Cup, not his fault, but he plays and plays as a right back, 18 years old.

45:34Herc Gomez:Abysma World Cup even has an own goal. You go to 2022 World Cup. Tata Martino decides to bench him in the biggest game they have against Argentina. That's not his World Cup either. It's one that he wants back. You go to Copa America, the very first game against Jamaica, he tears his hamstring 11 minutes in. So he's not had his moment. And there's a like for like that's a little better on the ball. His name is Obed Vargas. That's just as good defensively. He just doesn't have the experience. There's only one way to gain international experience, and that's by playing. So the emergence of Obed Vargas for the Mexican national team, I think is very important.

46:11And call me crazy, but if the plan for the Mexican national team,

46:15Herc Gomez:if the plan all along was Javier Aguirre as a coach and Rafa Marquez as a assistant coach with eyes on Rafa Marquez taking over for 2030, would it not behoove them to add players who can be part of that project? Because I repeat, and I've said this many times, on this platform and many other platforms, Mexico will have zero players under 25 years of age with World Cup experience in this World Cup. Do you want that for the next World Cup as well? You know it's a great day when Herc uses behoove. What a time to be alive. That's a word, right? I was certainly behooved. I was behooved at his behooving.

46:52Who said former players are only dumb jocks, right? Nobody said that. All right, let's run it back, shall we? We have run it back. The U.S. focus. Now this is the Mexican focus. El Hormiga Gonzalez. He scored not one, but two goals, Herc, against Santos.

47:08Herc Gomez:Yeah, my Santos is not doing well. But this goal, for example, it's a rebound that just falls to him. He's ever active, he's moving, the ball comes to him. He has that, and I don't want to drink it, but like chicharito. I don't want to get people freaked out. He's got that sixth sense for the goal. He's got that sixth sense for the goal. This is the second goal. Richie Ledesma right there with the assist. There's a nice finish as well. Far post, look at the movement. Knowing where the defenders, knowing where the space is, and trusting Ledesma to find him. It's good times now for Elormio Gonzalez.

47:44Indeed, just have a look at the company that he is in right now in terms of players who are under 23, in terms of scoring in the top seven leagues in the world, and of course, Liga MX. Right? Look at who he's beside.

47:57Herc Gomez:This is like Yochores when he was leading goal scorer in the world. Stop it. Don't dumb it down. I'm not dumbing it down, but there's context to this. Come on. He's level on goals with Lampy. Don't do that to him. Let him be. All right, well, Shaka, we threw this one in for you because AJ, number number, K-Lord Navas is doing what K-Lord Navas does. I love me some K-Lord Navas. I really do. He's a cult hero, man. There's just no end to this man, it seems. That's a hell of a reaction. It really is. You know, Pumas has yet to re-sign him. He's going to be out of contract, and I've been hearing there's some MLS teams fishing around there, circling.

48:36Herc Gomez:I love him. I love him. You'll have him for Trinidad and Tobago. I will, yeah. All right. Well, there's more La Liga coming your way, and it is a big one. We will see if Obed Vargas gets the nod to start in this one. It's the Derby de Madrid, Real Madrid, hosting Atleti. That's Sunday, 4 p.m., but join us on ESPN Plus an hour earlier for the pre-show. Rich Eisen here. The tax deadline will be here before you know it, and you just want to know your taxes are actually being handled. But the old way? You hand everything off and then silence. Days pass. Weeks pass. You start wondering, should I send another follow-up email?

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50:06Herc Gomez:Harry Douglas here. Game day brings the excitement. Your stay should feel just as memorable. With Marriott Bonvoy, official hotel partner of the NCAA and U.S. soccer, you're connected to a portfolio of brands designed for how you travel. Some offer complimentary breakfasts, others give you room to spread out, space to stay productive, or extended stay comforts. So whether you're a traveling fan or part of the team, Marriott Bonvoy celebrates the moments that live on before and after the game. Marriott Bonvoy, where game day checks in. All right, let's talk Brazil, shall we? Because Carlo Ancelotti has named his roster for the friendlies in the March international window against France and Croatia.

50:48You can look at all the names and there is a return for the likes of Endric, but there is a glaring omission and that is right. No Neymar in Carlo Ancelotti's squad, at least for March. Now, of course, this is such a crucial March international break, because as we know, we're wondering what does this mean for Neymar's World Cup dreams? Well, this is what he said about his absence. He said Neymar could be at the World Cup if he can be 100 % fit by the time the World Cup comes around. He obviously can be there. He hasn't been called up now because he isn't 100%. As I said, it's a different matter for the final squad.

51:26He has to keep working to stay in good physical condition. All right. I mean, who are we to ever really question Carletto Ancelotti, right? But he went on to say it's a physical assessment, not a technical one. He's doing very well, but he needs to improve physically for the coaching staff. And for me, he's not at 100 % of his potential. He has to work to reach 100 % of his potential. That's my opinion and that of everyone on the coaching staff who watch his games and will watch the other games. There's a lot of 100%, 100 % being thrown around here. And like I said, I know he's Neymar. And I know sometimes we like to think that you make an exception for him.

52:13But we saw what Carlo Ancelotti said. What are we reading into it? That Neymar isn't fit, quite simply. But you believe there's still a chance that you're going to buy what Carlos says, that it's not. Listen, Neymar is such a talent. And I made the point during Commonwealth World Cup qualifying that I felt this Brazil team was screaming out for a big personality, like a Neymar. I just felt that for the talent that they were able to put out on the squad, Rafinha, Vinicius Jr., at the time Rodrigo, he won't be involved in the squad for come this summer because of his own injury. They just seem to be missing someone who could take the pressure, take the weight of that Brazil shirt in a way that certainly Vinicius and Rafinha were not doing.

53:02But Neymar has not been fit for some time for club or country. And again, we are talking about a workup where we might sit here and say Brazil are not going to win it. They're not expected to win it. what we could frame it however we want. Every single person in Brazil thinks this team has to win it. That's the expectation that comes with that shirt. And as a result, this is not a moment, this is not a tournament for sentiment. This is a tournament for contribution. And if Neymar cannot be 100 % fit, If he cannot contribute fully as you hope he can, there are other options. And I say other options in that it could just be, as Herc was alluding to, with the Mexico national team, bringing younger players into the squad, giving them that experience because that's where their future lies.

54:00There are so many other ways you can go about this, differently from taking someone because of what they have meant to the game and the national team over the last 20 years. Could this just be a sign that Brazil are already moving on from Neymar?

54:18Herc Gomez:Careful, Shaq. You're going to end up in another Neymar doc. Oh, we don't want that anymore. Listen, I agree with the sentiment that you're both bringing up, because I think the obvious is that they're moving on. They've moved on, which is why I don't understand Carlo Ancelotti. Why not just say, not in my plans? It's almost like Carlo Ancelotti is so scared of the backlash within Brazil that he just doesn't want to say, I'm not taking him. We have moved on as a program. You should move on. He keeps trying to bring this back to Neymar's fitness when that's not going to be the case. Even if Neymar shows that he's fit, at this point, it seems like more of a headache for Carlo Ancelotti to have him on the squad.

55:02Herc Gomez:And I agree with what you're saying. If this was six months ago, seven and a half months ago, I would say, look at the pool. You've got to take Neymar. But there's been an emergence of young talent, young Brazilian attacking talent, even as Rodrigo goes down. The Brazilians at Chelsea, you've got so many young players, Enric and Leon, Rafinha and the emergence of Rafinha. You know, Vinny Jr., if he can recapture that Ballon d 'Or magic. You've got some very good players, you know, who are doing good things, which makes you think maybe there isn't room for a Neymar. Do those players have the magic of Neymar?

55:43Herc Gomez:Can those players presume to be the all-time leading goal scorer of the Brazilian national team? To do what Neymar has done? No. No. But I will say, Carlo Ancelotti is wise beyond his years. And he has seen it and done it. And the truth is, I have no issue with what he says. He's just kind of saying, yeah, if Neymar's fit enough, he'll be there. Almost. But what if he is fit enough? Almost. You've got to take him then, right? Hold on. Throwing on a gauntlet to those young players, to the Esteváos, to the Hendricks. Listen. Keep them on their toes. Exactly. You've got this window to prove to me that you deserve to be going to the World Cup this summer.

56:31You've got this window. So I'm handing you this opportunity because Neymar's coming. He's been running up and down. And those are good teams you're going to play against. He's been running up and down the beach. See them getting fit. Well, that was carnival. But that's what you're saying to the young players. And at the same time, you kind of say to Neymar, listen, the doors are open. It's up to you. But show me. Right. The doors open. It's up to you. So I have absolutely no issue with what Carlo Anshalte has to say. All right. Well, we just saw the Brazil roster that Carlo Ancelotti has named.

57:05A couple of highlights from it. Of course, Endrick being back, he has found some form since he moved away from Real Madrid. A couple of Flamengo defenders in there. A couple of fresh names. Ryan getting called up. Igor Tiago, who's having a great time in the Premier League. Exactly.

57:19Herc Gomez:You didn't say Igor Tudor. I was going to say Tudor. I stopped myself. I'm like, that's not Tudor. No, no. Tiago. Don't worry. You need to get it mixed up. So looking at this squad, and especially going through it with the fine-tooth comb that we just went through, the U.S. Men's National Team squad. Because again, this is March. We're so close now to the World Cup. It's the last international break before it. We want to know exactly how much of this squad is going to be what we can expect at the World Cup. So what does this squad tell you, Herc? It tells me that Brazil is a lot deeper than I had thought.

57:49Okay.

57:49Herc Gomez:It tells me that... So you're impressed. I am. I am. And if you looked at the odds for the bookies, for the bookmakers in Las Vegas about a year ago, they still had Brazil as the fourth best team in terms of odds. And you'd ask yourself, what are you talking about here? How? Did you not see them in the World Cup qualifying? But now you fast forward eight months, nine months later, and you start seeing the emergence of Brazilian talent. You start seeing Club World Cup, how Brazilian clubs have fared. And regardless of this being defensively more stacked in terms of domestic talent, you start saying, wow, there's some very good players who have shown some very good players who already have national team experience, despite their age, who could maybe make it to the World Cup.

58:35Herc Gomez:And this team is a team that in any day, I don't think any national team would like to face. I wonder if the kind of excitement around Brazil is part Carlo Ancelotti and what he brings to the squad in terms of man management. Now, I don't think there's been any challenge to, in my opinion, the talent around this Brazilian national team. As I say, and I share her sentiments about Brazil in Combo or World Cup qualifying, I felt it was less about their talent than about leadership, than about somebody carrying the weight of expectation of that Brazil sheet. Now, keeping in mind two years ago, Brazil had two of the top three or top four Ballon d 'Or contenders in Vinicius Junior and Rafinha, yet you saw them during qualifying, and you would not have known.

59:27And which is why I just feel, again, playing for Brazil has an expectation, has a weight to it, that maybe they didn't understand, they didn't appreciate without Neymar on the park. And maybe that two years at 18 months since, they've kind of grown into that. They kind of understand that. And maybe that is the difference between a Brazil now and a Brazil 18 months ago. So maybe that's where the excitement is. I can't help but think it's a combination of both two of them kind of maturing and growing into the weight of the shirt and Carlo Ancelotti and his man management skills because this squad is talented enough.

1:00:08They just needed a couple of those pieces, one being a man like Carlo Ancelotti's. Is this squad among the favorites for you to win the World Cup? How far down are we going? Top three. Favorites are four, right? The semifinals. Top four, maybe. I think Spain are better. I think France are better. I think Argentina are better. And then we get into Portugal. I can't see Portugal winning. I think after those three, you're talking England, Brazil as four and five. And you can debate who. No. I think you debate between England and Brazil as to who's four and five. You reckon your favorite?

1:00:48Herc Gomez:No, they're not in the top five. Despite what you all just said about this squad looking deeper and more talented. Well, you've got to respect. Now, I'll talk about Argentina in a second, but you have to respect the World Cup champions. Who will be playing in the United States? Messi's home now. You have to respect France, arguably the best player pool on planet Earth. You have to respect the likes of Spain and how scary they can be going forward. Another player pool that's very scary is Portugal's. And in England, the eternal promise. The eternal. You can never count them out. them out. That's a good squad.

1:01:21Herc Gomez:So I don't see them. And if I'm being quite honest, within the Americas, there are a few teams that have proven just to be better teams. I do think in Ecuador is a better team. The identity they play. I do think in Colombia on their day is a better team. But certainly this player pool with the young emerging talent, if Carlo Ancelotti, who I agree, is a fabulous player manager, can get them sorted. It's a scary team. Of course, this is season four. some World Cup jerseys and Brazil dropped theirs as well. So we have to give it the old dripping or tripping treatment. But the beautiful thing about this Brazil jersey, and I always love me a Brazil jersey, let's be honest, but they now have the collab with the Jordan brand.

1:02:07I mean, come on. Yes, nice. Come on. I know I'm biased because I'm a Jordan baby all day, every day. No, that's nice. And so is our producer Beto, so stand by because he's watching.

1:02:18Herc Gomez:Now, I have a question. question away that's not the home one they'll be using no that's the way the home one will be traditional yellow yes you can't have they really see yellow have we seen the yellow no i'm not saying but then you can't change that you know you like you go to the world cup look at the jump man in the middle of brazil oh my days i am god give me love it give me 10 of them yeah that's a dripping dripping i don't even want to ask them i don't even want to ask them drip it Dripping. I'm the most fashionable person in this building. Chaka, you definitely would say this is dripping, right?

1:02:53It's dripping. Yes, yes. Jumpman as the A. Oh, my days. Absolutely dripping. Absolutely. This competition's over. Just give Brazil the cup for that. Oh, okay. Give Brazil the cup for that. All right, well, there's a big one coming up in Madrid for Barcelona. Also, we'll continue to see if they can put some more daylight in between them and their rivals. They go up against Rayo Vallecano Sunday, 9 a.m. Eastern time. Coverage starts, though, at 8.30 a.m. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back.

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1:04:24Well, there was a bit of bad news as well, because we will not see La Minha Mal versus Lionel Messi in the Finalissima anymore. Because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Finalissima has been canceled. The match was to be held in Qatar, But then there were some negotiations about whether they should hold it in Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu. Argentina's federation wanted them to host it in Argentina. Shock. But nobody could reach an agreement. So now it has been called off. Unfortunate.

1:04:59Herc Gomez:I mean, unfortunately, this all revolves around money. Qatar could no longer host for obvious reasons. And Qatar was the one fronting the money for both national teams. And this is a cash grab. Both national teams were in it for the money. Spain. Bigger blow to Argentina, though, in that sense. Bigger blow to Argentina in the money, yes. And also, I would say, in the competitive sand front. I understand Argentina has their reasons competitively for not wanting to play. There was a situation back in 2018 where they played and they were 6-1, humiliated. And Sampioli and his coaching staff thought that that affected the way they went into 2018 in that World Cup.

1:05:34Herc Gomez:So they don't want to go down that route, show their cards. But I would argue this Argentina team won a World Cup in 2022 and has been on tour ever since. You look at the World Cup qualifiers or Copa America, that's the only time they've played teams of worth. They don't go outside in the friendlies and fight teams of worth. I'll go through the friendlies. They went to Panama, Curaçao, and then they went Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Angola. Curaçao's a mighty opponent. Australia, Indonesia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala. It's not exactly Scream's top-level competition. They're still doing the celebration tour.

1:06:18Herc Gomez:Now, they're one of the favorites, absolutely, but they've not played anybody outside a comfortable that's a formidable opponent. Shaq, when you look at it from that perspective as well, barring Curaçao, of course, big of Curaçao every time, But has Argentina lost what would have been their last big test before defending their title this summer? Yeah, it would have been a big test. But I don't see it as a make and break in terms of their own ambitions, what you're learning from this squad going into the World Cup. It's a missed opportunity, Sydney, in terms of finances. but not one that I think derails their ambitions or anything of the sort come this summer.

1:07:03I think this is what you move on from rather quickly and you don't look back. Well, there have been reports now, too, because we know usually when Argentina's federation are making a decision, they have to consult the big man, Lionel Messi. But according to reports, Lionel Messi did not have any involvement in the cancellation of this finalissima. Do you believe that? Why would he? Yeah, listen, I do. Because if you told me I had to go play a game in Qatar, no. I wasn't good. Well, fair.

1:07:33Herc Gomez:That's fair. But why would it be Messi's choice? I don't know. That's what I'm saying. Like, I agree with you. I think the players should have a say. But, like, Messi, people think, I understand he's the GOAT. He's the best player that's ever played the game. But people think Messi has the authority and power saying, yes, no. I don't see him with that type of attitude. But that's not him. That's not him. I'm a hook on this. My point is, even if Leo Messi did say, yeah, we're going to play this game, I'd be like, all right. See you at the airport. What time is he flying? I was not making this trip.

1:08:12I was not making this trip. It's just too uncertain a situation. So whether Messi said yes, no, or didn't have any kind of input, I think the outcome would have been exactly the same.

1:08:28Herc Gomez:My feeling is Messi wants to play every single game and wants to test himself at all times. So, yes, but I don't think Messi has – it's not in him to put people's lives at risk or decide this yes, no here, yes here. That's not him. Who is the biggest loser in this one then? In terms of what they've lost out, Obviously, I guess you're not going to say Messi, but La Minha Mali would have been great to go up against this Argentina, especially in the form. We are the biggest losers. We are the biggest losers. Absolutely. Because I don't think for those of you, neither coach Scaloni didn't want to show his hand.

1:09:04Herc Gomez:Spain did not want to show their hands. But neither competitor on the field is going to take a playoff. And certainly not Argentina. If there's something that is really just, you know about the identity Argentines is, they compete. And when they're on the field, reason goes out the window. You can't tell them to take a playoff. You can't tell Messi to not want to compete. And that's infectious. You play against a team like that, Spain's not going to allow themselves to get humiliated. So we are the losers here. I totally agree. Absolutely. All right. Well, let's continue talking about Messi because could there be some cause for concern?

1:09:40Inter-Miami were due to face Charlotte in their fourth MLS game of the season, but Leo Messi was rested for this one, and they were held to a goalless draw. Now, I don't want to make too much out of nothing, because we know the MLS season is just beginning, but to see Messi rested, and considering his age and his recent history with injuries, we're going to try to read a little too much into this now. Come on, guys. We need something to talk about. Yeah, let's chill up some controversy here. Not controversy, but just because with the World Cup coming up now too, is this just smart man management or is there calm and alarm?

1:10:21Herc Gomez:I think it's calm here. You saw the first leg against Nashville and how difficult that was for not only Inter-Miami, but for Messi. They don't want to go exerting themselves in a regular league season game. There are 30 more to play. You can make up those points. You need Messi fit. You need Inter-Miami ready. Nashville is a very complicated team, especially in transition. And Inter-Miami have had their problems this season dealing with teams. This is more man management, minutes management. Messi wasn't the only one. So, by the way, that game was on turf. You don't want to go into a 90-minute game on turf, Messi already banged up, and then have to play a team like Nashville, who they've got a very good record against, but you want to continue that good record against.

1:11:04Herc Gomez:So this is calm. I agree. This is complete calm for me. I'm just being dramatic. Well, there's no real surprise there. To his point, you've got to manage Lionel Messi, especially kind of what's to come for the rest of this calendar year. I'm not talking just into Miami here. We've spoken about, okay, the finalist of mine has been called off, but you expect Lionel Messi to feature for Argentina in some capacity this month. You've then got to work up and all this during the course of the regular season where you're just trying to get yourselves into the playoffs. And if you want to look bigger picture in terms of Inter Miami, the better that Argentina do, and I know we're talking about Lionel Messi, current World Cup holder, everything that comes with it being Lionel Messi, the better Argentina do, the better it is for Inter Miami that second half of the season because they can build off of that or they can sell or they can profit off of that.

1:11:59So I think it just makes sense in every single regard But you're resting from time to time, no explanation needed, and certainly no panic needed.

1:12:09Herc Gomez:You've got to be smart with his minutes. I've read reports about Argentina looking for an opponent. They don't have an opponent for March 1. Trinidad are available. Trinidad are available. But they're going as far as maybe looking to plan against the U20 team. Once again, Trinidad are available. Trinidad are available too. If I am into Miami, if I am Messi, this is when you start saying, maybe we need to start being smart here. Trinidad and Tobago are available. Argentina, come on. Come on. Shaq can make it happen. I'll promote it. He'll promote it. He'll promote it. We'll call it, Shaq. Tell us.

1:12:48All right. Well, the new NWSL season has kicked off, and you can bet you can find the action on our networks. Chicago Stars FC up against Kansas City current. Remember, their unreal run last season. We'll see if they can start where they left off Sunday, 2 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN2.

1:13:10And in case you missed it, show me the money, because U.S. forward Katerina Macario has officially joined the San Diego Wave. She has signed with the Wave through to 2030, and it will be an NWSL season contract roughly worth$8 million. and that's believed to be the biggest total contract value in women's football history. Amazing stuff right there. I'm sure the whole crew will be talking about it on tomorrow's edition of Football W. Ali Krieger, Christine Alexander, Jeff Kasub, and Crystal Dunn. 3.30 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN+. All right, that's going to do it for us. Herc was just falling asleep.

1:13:54Herc Gomez:No, no, no. I was looking at the uniform. He was looking. We have monitors in here, so Herc was watching. He wasn't falling asleep. But that's pretty much it for this edition of Football Americas. Thank you so much for tuning in. Shaka, thank you so much for lending your lack of a fashion sense. We can't wait to... What do you think of the shirt, Shaka? We can't wait to see you back on Thursday. You're in a fashion. What do you think? Yeah? Shaka, what do you think of the shirt? Is that painted? I like that. He likes that shirt. He likes that shirt. Love me some more. We'll see you guys soon.

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