Futbol Americas: USMNT Shorthanded For November Friendlies

27:41Look, ah! That's the rust right there, right? Is that what we're gonna blame it on? The rust? I like to think so. Before the injury, he was very productive. No, this is, this is infernal goal, you should score. Misses that one. I had a lot of, I had a lot of rust over the course That was too far for your range. All right, we're moving right here to France. Foller and Balogun scores his fourth goal of the season early in the 37th minute. Off a penalty kick, Foller and Balogun will be the man to take it. He's going to shoot it himself. I don't know what you think here. Kind of soft. All right. It's a penalty.

28:18USA, let's go, babe. Puts it in the back of the net. It doesn't stop there, Ale. 45th minute. our man's gonna catch a red card no no no stomping on the foot he gone yeah it is late leaves this team with one less Monaco loses one not surprising four to one after he has this game all right Brandon Aronson gets his first Premier League assist after he scored his first goal gets his first assist he's moving on up for Brendan Aronson. All right. Sure. Sure. It's an assist. Sure. That's a good ball. You would take that assist. Yeah, absolutely. I would take it. And so will it Brendan Aronson. But it's not like he puts a player through.

29:03The player still has to go around and defend her. It's a pass that you can't miss. And I'm just... Okay. And you know what else you can't miss, Ale? You can't miss Football America's Saturday post-game match against Paraguay. So now that you're the host, you take the center position in this picture. Is this what happens? No, I'm taking the nine position. Okay. All right.

29:28All right. Flamengo versus Santos. We're heading to Brazil. And it's going to get ugly for Santos. Opening goal right there. The courtesy dive of the goalkeeper. Carrascal. I mean, he's already on the ground. What can you do there? It's going to get worse. Bruno Enrique, he's gonna score lots of room. He's gonna take a 1v1 and slot it home, Ale. Oh, it's a good finish. Optional defending from Santos. Oh no, oh no. Assist, assist of the week. Well, it gets worse, it gets worse. Assist of the week. Neymar comes off after a very, very difficult game for him. He is booed by the fan base. They let him have it.

30:14Santos. Yeah, he's like, why me? What do you want me to do? It's not looking promising for Neymar. Oh, well. The team got better, didn't it? 89th minute. The team got better. It's a good finish right there from Bon Tempo. Right here. Eventually. That is my kind of range. That's your kind of range. And then the second one by Diaz. Assist by Rocheza. Also from my kind of range. And so you're telling me that Santos was two goals better without Neymar on the field? I am. This is where they stand. Relegation zone, 33 points. Teeter-tottering that, well, second division status right there. Not looking good for Neymar Jr.

30:57or Santos in the return for the Brazilian starlet. Is this the same Neymar that you wanted Carlo Ancelotti to put with the Brazilian national team that you were passionate about? I was. Now, I don't know if you saw this game, but there were moments in this game where Neymar was fighting with his teammates. He was so fed up with the defensive line of centerbacks playing long route one balls off the goal kicks. He goes down to the six himself and starts, restarts a goal kick only to see a center back launch the ball. They get into it. He comes off. He's booed. It's not going well. There are reports.

31:38OK, let's bring this back here. the CONCACAF. Let's bring it back to Major League Soccer. There are reports that link Neymar Jr. to a return with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. There are also reports that link Neymar Jr. to Major League Soccer teams, per our friends in Brasil, ESPN Brazil, where these Major League Soccer teams are now skeptical about signing Neymar Jr. And one, like Chicago, want nothing to do with him. Who was a target of his in Major League Soccer some time ago. Let's start with Inter Miami. If you're Messi and friends, do you do it? Well, I wouldn't do it, period. And the reason I wouldn't do it, period, is because I have seen enough.

32:27And there is no evidence that we're going to get anywhere near what Neymar used to be as a player. That seems to have gone, and there is no evidence that's coming back. And so then you have to ask yourself a question. If you're any team in Major League Soccer, even if that's Inter Miami, even if that's Messi and friends, even if Messi says, hey, I want Neymar here. What you have to present in terms of a case, if you're sitting in a boardroom with the rest of the front office of any of these clubs, you gotta say to yourself, okay, wait a minute. So on this hand, I got the possibility that perhaps, maybe he's gonna be lights out and he's gonna be a consistent performer and he's gonna be the guy that we think he can be and he's gonna have moments of brilliance that are gonna elevate the profile of our club.

33:15That's on this hand, right? On the other hand, you have what I think is a more likely scenario, which is this is gonna be a headache, things are gonna get derailed, he's gonna have a flash of brilliance here and a flash of brilliance over there, but in between it's going to be a whole lot of headaches. It's going to be a whole lot of problems. It's going to be a whole lot of derailment. It's going to be a whole lot of, oh my goodness, what are we going to do with Neymar? And it's going to create more problems than he's worth. Now, I said, this is a good Neymar and this is the real Neymar, right?

33:52And you have these possibilities. If you told me this was 50-50, I would take the chance. If you told me it was a coin toss, I would take the chance. You don't even believe it's 50-50? No, I think it's 80-20. I think it's 90-10. I think the evidence stacked against Neymar is so overwhelming and so powerful that it's not even close to 50-50. I, if I were a major league soccer team and I were part of that front office, I would say, please walk away from the glitter and the glam. This shiny toy is not new. There's a whole lot of rust. behind that polish. I understand exactly what you're saying. It's very hard to ignore the numbers.

34:39Three goals, zero assists right now in Brazil. A player who, since January this year, has already been injured five different times. You don't really know what you're getting. You're rolling the dice. I understand that. But Ali, if I'm Major League Soccer, I want to roll the dice. I want to roll the dice, Ali. If you're Major League Soccer. This is what I want to get to. Major League Soccer. Because think about this, Ale. Who is the nemesis right now to Messi? When Zlatan was here, at the height of Major League Soccer's popularity in terms of attraction with ESPN, with Fox, with Tudene, with the BBC, all around the world, who was Zlatan's nemesis?

35:21It was... Natum? No. It was Carlos Vela. Oh, I thought so. It was Carlos. He had somebody to rival him. And that was some of the best TV that Major League Soccer has ever had. It's Zlatan telling the camera, I am better than Vela. I want to beat Vela. Neymar does what he wants. Which he is, Vela. But he didn't beat him that year. And it was Carlos Vela who beat him that year. And it forced Carlos Vela to elevate his game. What I'm trying to say is nobody rivals Messi. And I'm not saying that anybody will rival Messi, but the narrative. Could you imagine, Ale, if he went to Orlando City? if Neymar in a Brazilian, a heavily populated Brazilian city like Orlando was there and they rolled the dice and he was more than 50 of that 50-50 that you're talking about.

36:07Could you imagine what it would be like for Major League Soccer? Yeah, but that's it. That's a problem. That's a slippery slope because you're believing that this is possible. No, I'm believing that it's worth taking a chance. I see. I am saying that case that you're making that may seem to be a major to make a whole lot of sense and some people will probably get behind it that is the same reasoning that is going to get people in trouble because they're going to believe we are the ones that are going to get the best out of this guy we are the ones that can create an environment for him and we're going to make it comfortable for him and we're going to do everything that we can in order for him to be the player that we think he can be and it's a huge mistake okay before i move on, I'll leave you with this last question.

36:57Before you ask me your last question, let me ask you my last question. Sure. You had the money. Yes. You are in a position where you're in a decision-making position in a club in Major League Soccer. And you have the option of Neymar with all that we have talked about, right? And for the same money, you can get two or three players that are not nearly as popular in Neymar, but will give you a better chance to win a title. What decision do you make? My Major League Soccer, I don't... No, no, no. If you're running a team. Yes. If I'm running a team, I don't take the chance. But I think if you're Major League Soccer, you hope somebody does.

37:32And because the payoff would be so great. Because the attention would be so grand. I firmly believe that that 50-50 you're talking about, think about if he's physically healthy, scoring goals, and rivaling Messi. And I'll leave you with this. I'll leave you with this. Is there a scenario where he goes and plays in Major League Soccer, okay, next season, and he's scoring goals with the attention that Messi has that Carlo Ancelotti says, nah, we're good. Nope. I just don't see it, Herc. You think Carlo Ancelotti leaves him off if he's scoring goals in the Major League Soccer team rivaling Messi?

38:08I think if Carlo Ancelotti's watching Neymar play right now, I don't think he's even in the radar right now. He's got to get on the radar. He's not right now, but would scoring goals in Major League Soccer put him on that radar is what I'm asking. But, Herc, when we had this discussion about Carlo Ancelotti, including Neymar and the Brazilian squad, this was months ago. Yeah. And you were telling me, come on, Neymar. Neymar. Here we go, Neymar. Oh, Neymar. I'm telling you, given the player pool. Yeah, but no, wait, wait. But that's what you were telling me. This conversation was months ago. Correct.

38:37Months ago. Correct. And we're months ahead now. We're months forward. Time has gone by. And has the situation gotten better? No. It's actually gotten worse. But you would agree that it's more difficult in Brazil than it is in Major League Soccer. So maybe a step down from in Major League Soccer would do him good. Look, I just told you 80, 20, 90, 10, I wouldn't touch him. You think any of your questions are going to change my mind right now? All right. All right. All right. Well, if he was in Major League Soccer, you're playing against Messi. And you know who Messi did last night? Did this weekend, I should say?

39:09I don't know. Tell me about the FC show that is coming. Oh, you would see it on FC if you knew. available daily on ESPN Plus, ESPN FC. Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start? Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint finish and satin? Or what that clunking sound from your dryer is? With Thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro. You just have to hire one. You can hire top-rated pros, see price estimates, and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app. Download today. In today's world, planning ahead isn't always top of mind, but not having life insurance can leave families facing difficult financial uncertainty during already emotional times.

39:54In many cases, loved ones are left managing expenses, debts, or long-term obligations without a clear plan in place. Life insurance is one of those ways to help provide financial security and support when it's needed most. That's where Ethos comes in. Ethos makes getting life insurance It's fast and easy, and it's 100 % online. You can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and even get same-day coverage. There's no medical exam. You just answer a few simple health questions online. And coverage options are flexible, with up to$3 million available and some policies starting at around$30 a month.

40:29Ethos has also earned strong customer feedback with a 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot, based on more than 3 ,000 reviews. Help protect your family with life insurance through Ethos. Get your instant free quote at ethos.com slash sports. That's E-T-H-O-S dot com slash sports. Application times and rates may vary.

40:56Okay. All right. Messi was playing on display with his bodyguard right there. I know full well why he did. You know what you don't want to do? you don't want to give the ball up to Messi in transition. And then Messi just turns him, and it's an excellent finish. Joe Willis has no chance, puts it away. And once he goes on this run, and you don't get the first tackle in, and he turns you around, and he starts going in and out and in and out, and finally back to his left foot, there's only one end result, and that's a goal. How about this player? Nice little layoff right from new signee from New Soul Boys.

41:35Leaves Messi alone, and he's not going to miss. What about Walker Zimmerman on this one? Ale tries to make a play at the ball, just leaves it to. You want me to tell you where Walker Zimmerman went to school? Where did he go to school? That would be Furman!

41:50Ay, Dios mio. Let's go G, baby! Let's go G! Jordi Alba to Allende! I mean, it was over once the give-and-go was done by Messi, and Jordi Alba, like, what are you going to do there? Well, it's, they make it when they're playing well and they are in full rhythm, they make it look so easy. Oh, man, beautiful. That is so gorgeous. Yeah, that was. And it's beautifully put away, but the space and time that he has to operate Messi has. You think that's too much? Too much. Well, what about the finish? Yeah. Talk to me about the finish. Oh, man. You, you. All right, what about this? Post-game, Luis Suarez, and he does a little waving goodbye to Andy Nahar and Nashville SC.

42:40If you recall, he was suspended. Because he gave him a donkey kick to a sensitive area. That was a donkey kick to a sensitive area. So Luis Suarez is waving goodbye to poor Andy Nahar? He's waving goodbye to poor Andy. What do you think? You okay with this? No. No, but then again, what? What else do you mean? Luis Suarez should be embarrassed that he wasn't available to play in this game, that he was suspended for something as silly as what he did. And he should be thankful that his team was good enough to dominate and win the game and that the team wasn't eliminated. Because otherwise, it would have been on him to some degree.

43:17So instead of taking it in and saying, hey, my bad guys. Thank you. Appreciate it. Let's go win this thing. He's now waving goodbye to Andy Nahar. And what is Andy Nahar in Luis Suarez's career or life? And somehow he's made it a personal thing where Andy Nahar did nothing. He got kicked in this area. Just because he's one of the best players of his generation doesn't excuse him for probably being the dirtiest player, one of the dirtiest players in the history of the game, and now this right here. I love Luis Suarez. He's a great player. They took care of business. Messi and friends took care of business.

43:53Now Messi and his bodyguard in Argentina are on their way to Angola for a game that they will have there. Their next game is going to be the 23rd of November, 15 days later from this game. And Ale, if we go take a look at Los Angeles FC, LAFC is the hottest team in Major League Soccer. They want to keep playing right now every three days, keep the playoffs going. They took care of business against Austin FC in two games. they're going to go plus 20 days without a competitive game. This playoff structure is insane. Yeah. It's unacceptable. It's like you're playing a different season altogether.

44:35And never mind the momentum of the playoffs. The playoffs tend to be the showpiece events of not just MLS, but American sports in general. And you build momentum through the playoffs because you are then building a story, a storyline, narrative, rhetoric. Like, it's all bending up. It's all a crescendo that leads to MLS Cup. You build up momentum and then you stop. And there is no talk of MLS or Major League Soccer playoff or none of that is going on while the international break is happening. And to your point, some of the best teams in this league are going to be punished by the fact that they have been as good as they have been.

45:17So in this case, LAFC, they're actually punished by being able to advance quicker than everybody else. How is that fair? How does that create an environment in which the best team actually wins this thing? And I know the sports in general are not fair. And that sometimes things happen in the playoffs and the best team doesn't always win. But you got to give the best opportunity available to the teams that deserve it. And the playoffs just do not allow that to happen in terms of the structure and never mind the coverage of the playoffs. Because how do you, how do you as a league build momentum and then stop right in the middle of the playoff?

46:01What other league in this country would do that? No, no league. And, and how, who, and who in the right mind would accept that? Imagine we just had the playoffs in baseball. Yeah. And you could feel the story building up around the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. And here comes the World Series. And now what are we going to do? We're going to take two and a half weeks off. That would never happen. That would never happen. And so if we want to be taken seriously, we talked about Pochettino not understanding the landscape of soccer in this country. This is an example. That in the showpiece event, in the moment in which you define a season, you're stopping play.

46:43That is unacceptable. Yeah. There's so much to get into when it comes to this actual postseason and the format. It's not just about the calendar, because I would argue that's Major League Soccer's fault. You fix your calendar, align yourself with the FIFA fixtures, and you won't have this happen. But the best of three series. Oh, wow. That's a different conversation. No, and what I think about is I'm thinking about I want to see Messi at his best. I want to see Messi go all the way. I don't want to see Messi play Nashville for, like, what, the fifth time in a row? Yeah. You know, with another game under his belt, and then he's got to go on a national team, and who knows what can happen, and what if he gets injured?

47:22Now that's it. Now nobody has any reason to watch Inter-Miami if Messi's injured. It just seems like— Actually, you can make the argument that nobody has a reason to watch MLS if Messi's injured. Even more. It's not my saying. No, but you're right. It's just the way that they have built this whole package. There was a moment on social media where I believe it was game one of the World Series, Dodgers versus Toronto Blue Jays. And it was game one of Inter-Miami's game against Nashville. And I believe they asked, what would you be watching? Will you be watching them play Inter-Miami? And it was Mike Wilbon who says, no part of my three TV screens will be watching Inter-Miami play.

48:06People aren't going to pay attention if they know, well, I got another two games to pay attention. I'll go with what's on right here. You know, they need to make it relevant within their own country. And things like this don't make it relevant. Well, no. I'm going to repeat what I just said just for clarity. And the only purpose is to make sure that we emphasize this point. You're stopping play in the middle of your defining moment of the season. That does not make any sense. All right. Well, I mentioned that Messi left with the Argentine national team. Bodyguard on hand. They didn't go straight to Angola.

48:47You know they made a pit stop? Yeah, yeah. In Barcelona, right? In Barcelona. Yeah. Do you know where? Come now. Spotify! Yeah. Come now. And Messi was seen taking a picture in what was once his home. And it caused quite a stir. It says, last night I returned to a place. Oh, you're going to have to forgive me because I cannot read that, producer. Well, get up, get up. Let's see. And actually read it, buddy. Last night I returned to a place I missed with my soul. A place where I was immensely happy. Where you guys made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world. I hope one day I can come back.

49:22and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to. The tea is hot. It is spicy. Okay, Alejandro Moreno, you cover La Liga a lot. You know Messi's story, how he left Barcelona. Is this something, nothing, or everything? Oh, it's something. Oh, it's something. It's something because he usually doesn't do this sort of stuff And doesn't post this sort of messages. And certainly within posting that message, he could have stopped it at, you know, I went back to a place that I love and I was beloved. And then on the relationship with the fans, he could have stopped it there. But then he took it a step further.

50:08And that's usually not Lionel Messi. He took it a step further and said, I never got to say goodbye in the manner that I wanted to say goodbye. And honestly, the way that he deserved to say goodbye. He was ushered out the back door. That is not the way that Lionel Messi should have said goodbye. And it's a shot. It's a shot. Whoever is listening, it's a shot. Can we put a name to it? Well, and while he is in the stadium, that, mind you, somehow still hasn't opened yet. It's been built. The bureaucracy and the red tape in Spain is something special. And the lack of planning for Barcelona is something special.

50:47And I think that in itself explains some of the challenges for Lionel Messi late in his career with Barcelona. This club is being run or has been run like a Sunday league team and is a multi-billion dollar brand. Yeah. John Laporta was the president at the time that Messi was ushered out. He used Messi in his political campaign to gain presidency and then stabbed Messi in the back. Let's call a spade for a spade. stabbed Messi in the back and ushered him out. So Messi's never going to work with Barcelona as long as John Laporta's there. He says, I hope to come back not only as a player. One could be led to believe, though, I've been affirmed that's not the case, that maybe there's some political agenda with Messi and this picture.

51:38And others can just think like, well, Messi wants his send-off game. Where are you on this campaign? I really don't think that Lionel Messi says what he says in this particular message without allowing us and forcing us and encouraging us to read between the lines. There is something more to this. And as I said before, it's not typical of Lionel Messi to get involved and to say these things or to actually have this sort of messaging. There is more to this story. There's certainly more to it than we know and more than what we can have access to. And I think eventually this is just a setup by Lionel Messi to then kind of bring the hammer down whenever the time is right for him.

52:24But you know the great thing about Lionel Messi and his situation? He can do this whenever he wants to, whenever he chooses, whatever he thinks is best in terms of the timing. He's going to make public whatever it is that he wants to make public. And I think we can all agree that he, Lionel Messi, deserves more than just having the press conference and, hey, exit stage right. Yeah. There's got to be more to it. There's a lot more. I'm 100 % with you. A very, I guess, humorous part of this story is it wasn't like he called Barcelona to schedule this. He shows up to the stadium and it's the people in the stadium, security people, which is a different company that actually there are a bunch of conflicting reports.

53:09One that they notified Barcelona and then they allowed the stadium to be open. Another that they just let him in. And Rodrigo de Paul took his picture. His bodyguard took that picture, which he posted. Imagine, imagine Lionel Messi showing up to the camp now and security saying, no. Who would be that person? That security guard that would say, no, you're not allowed. Do you believe Joan Laporta would be that petty if he was notified?

53:41Look, all I'm saying is Lionel Messi doesn't need an ID to get into the camp now. No, he doesn't need an ID to get into the camp now. We all need an ID to get into this building, but Lionel Messi, if Lionel Messi showed up in this building, let him in. Let him in. Put a sticker that says he's a guest, but let him in. He's going to need a key. I'll tell you when. In their next game in Major League Soccer, MLS Cup playoffs against MC Cincinnati, because they are rolling. Okay. I don't know if you saw the MC Cincinnati. Of course I did, because, you know, my Columbus crew were involved. Oh, that's right.

54:12It is your Columbus crew. Yeah, don't you worry about it. Well, there's an early chance. Jason Russell Rowe, he's going to score in this transition. It's a good finish, Ali. It's a good finish, indeed. Absolutely it is. and at this point you're thinking columbus are well on their way and they will be well on their way up until uh oh no evander on the corner kick brenner in the air oh optional defending at the back post weak side i would say very weak optional defending at the back post no bro it's gonna get a second bite at this as well that's either brenner right here and patrick schulte just can't reach it 87th minute.

54:55Cincy up in front. There's just not enough pressure on the ball. He creates space for himself. Finds that far post. My former teammate Pat Nunez, well, head coach of FC Cincinnati. Wilfred Nancy rumored to be leaving. Celtic. That's right. Let's go out west. San Diego, who sells out again. Looking to face Portland in the second game at home. And, well, Pelegrino. I'm sorry, Dreyer. This is Andres Drey. What a season for the Danish. It's a really good finish, and you were looking for Pellegrino. He's going to score eventually. He's right here. It's a good save to begin with, but he follows up, tapping from my kind of range, Amal Pellegrino, tuna.

55:36Oh, follows up his own shot. I mean, he's just a big boy, big body. He finds himself constantly in great positions and then gets bodied there, but he'll take it. But this volley from Amal Pellegrino. Huh? That's just making contact. He makes such good contact right here, Ali. It's so difficult, the timing. I mean, oh, dig it out. Dig it out. Well, and if you're looking for Chucky Lozano, he was on the bench. He comes on, and he's going to find Andres Treja. How's Chucky Lozano doing this day? Well, he got an assist. All right. Not so well. He wishes he was playing more. All right. He's going to get his chance in the next round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

56:14Oh, no. Oh, this one's going to be. Uh-oh. This is a good ball right here. and Rusnak off the Musovsky little layoff. What an excellent finish from Rusnak right here. It was a really good start of the game for the Seattle Sounders. They did really well to start off. I mentioned Danny Musovsky. He had himself an assist. About that defending. He's going to give himself a gift. Oh, yo, mio. Swing and a miss. No, it was just as bad as it gets, but there will be some redemption. Four. What a golazo. Yeah, Joaquin Pereira hits it so well. Devin Frye just can't get there. Works his way across, but it's beautifully taken.

57:03And everything was great for Seattle, including the fact that, oh, is there a red car coming? There will be right there. Oh, yeah. Rosales. Just, there's no need for this. You know they're going to call it. You're up a man. You're up a goal. You're Seattle. things are gonna work out yeah huh are they gonna work out Hercules yeah they're gonna work out I didn't say for who they're gonna work out but they're gonna work out Diaz of the redirect puts it in Jefferson Diaz just not enough pressure on the cross not enough pressure on the first glancing header and certainly not enough pressure at the back post all right but two two you still think Seattle I may not well yeah you put this one on Frye Markin itches is a Good ball in, Freight comes out, it's a lot of whip on that.

57:51I know, but he is wide open at the back post. He is. Okay, but Seattle's going to come back, right? Of course they are. And who else? Jordan Morris. All right, so you're thinking maybe 3-3 going into extra time. You're a man-up. You'll take advantage of that in Seattle. Okay, maybe not. We're going to penalties. We are going into penalties. And it's Dane St. Clair. Just eases it in. Andy Thomas, who broke his thumb or his finger in the very first penalty kick, he's going to step up with a chance to tie the game. And for the second straight match in Minnesota, Seattle falls in penalty kicks. He took it exactly like I would expect a goalkeeper to take a penalty, to be honest with you.

58:37Hey, Jabaro, you're not going to say Obed Vargas missed a penalty? He did. Obed Vargas missed a penalty kick. That could have won it? That could have won it. It was the game winner. I thought we were full of America. I thought we were full of America. Now in the West, we have San Diego versus Minnesota, LAFC versus Vancouver. What a matchup that is. And in the East Coast, Philly versus NYCFC. Good little rivalry brewing there. And Hintz of Miami versus FC Cincinnati in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back.

59:12From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, clickgrainger.com, or just stop by. Buster Olney here for La Quinta by Wyndham. When you're on the road this summer traveling for work, your routine can fall behind faster than a 3-0 count, especially if your hotel gym is non-existent.

59:46But at La Quinta by Wyndham, every location features a full-size, fully-equipped fitness center. So whether it's cardio, weights, or a quick workout before a long day, you can stay on top of your game. No excuses, no shortcuts, just your full routine, ready when you are. And when you book at LaQuinta.com, you can earn Wyndham Rewards points with every qualified stay. Tonight, La Quinta. Tomorrow you shine. Terms and conditions apply.

1:00:18We go down south. A little Liga MX action. Take a look at this. Paulinho gonna hit it and it's, oh no, he's already got a goal right now. This is Luis Angel Malagón. Watch this, Ale. comes out and just punches Paulinho right in the face. You mean you're not allowed to do that? No, you're not. This is going to be a penalty kick. But Paulinho, who right now is tied for the golden boot, he doesn't want to take the penalty kick because he doesn't quite feel himself. All right. It was his chance to win the golden boot in Mexico. This is what he had to say. I got hit hard on the nose and the head, felt a bit dizzy, and wasn't feeling right.

1:00:56My goal wasn't to be the top scorer at all. cost. I wasn't going to risk the team's 2-0 lead. Thank you for the pause there. I need my glass. 2-0 lead for myself. I felt it was best for another teammate to take it. It's far, man. Reading is a problem over here. I can barely read that in that distance. Excuse me. All right. Obviously, Paulinho ends up winning the Golden Boot, his third in a row. But he will share with Joao Pedro and young Mexican forward Armando La Hormiga Gonzalez of Chivas. It's an amazing feat. It's the third straight golden boot for the Portuguese player, the defending champion, Toluca.

1:01:41He has an opportunity. He's being attended to. They're going to give him more time to grab the ball, Ali. Step up from the spots and take the shot. His team's already winning 1-0. Ali Moreno, would you have taken that shot? if I felt dizzy, no. And I actually think he explained it very well himself. I wasn't right. I wasn't quite right myself. It's obviously not a lack of confidence from Paulinho. He's a goal scorer. He's not feeling right. He's the only way, he's the only one that can actually describe what he was feeling at the time. And if he's telling you, the man, I wasn't all there, then I honestly think it's the correct decision.

1:02:24It's the professional decision. is the unselfish decision to make, and is the right decision not only for him but for the team. I'm with Paulinho. Call me old school. I don't know. But here's a guy that is looking out for the team ahead of himself. I'm with you, Paulinho. I don't know what this guy is about to say, but I'm with you, Paulinho. I'm with Paulinho here. I just can't help to think if he needed the goal. He was already on 12 goals. If he needed that 12th goal to tie the other two, if he would go and step up. Not that it changes my perception of who Paulinho is, because I think him sitting on 12, it's very admirable.

1:03:02He says, you know what, I'm not 100%. I can't take this penalty kick. And the game's 1-0. It is Club America. You never know what can happen. What if I miss it? I don't want to be at fault for dropping points. But I can't help to think, like, what if he needed that goal, if he would have stepped up and taken it? Either way, you can't really say anything to the guy who just went three back-to-back, literally, repeat. Golden boot champion in Liga Amekis. Again, if the guy is Dissi, why would you expect him to take a penalty? Why would you want him to take a penalty? If he's Dissi and he's telling you he's Dissi, then why would you want him to take a penalty?

1:03:37I don't know. Paulinho, no issues with me whatsoever. All right, no issues with Paulinho. I want to see if you have an issue with the next play I'm going to show you. It was decision day, if you will, in Liga Amekis. And Pumas really needed to get a result against Cruz Azul. And here is Alberto Carrasquilla with a tackle at goalkeeper, Kevin Meir. Now, if you look closely, there's a yellow card. It goes to VAR. VAR looks at this and deems it not a red card. Kevin Meir was diagnosed with a broken fibula. He will miss now the remainder of the postseason and the intercontinental, which is like the pre-World Cup for Cruz Azul this winter.

1:04:20Alejandro Moreno, what say you about this tackle? It's an awful challenge from Alberto Carrasquilla, I must tell you. He's late. He knows he's not getting to this ball. And what I think is the damning evidence is this right here. When you're going like this, I already have a problem with that. I think there's an intent to injure. I think there's an intent to get stuck in on the goalkeeper. And some people will say, well, how would you know this? look at the slide itself and that is all the evidence you need he leaves his legs and he is now showing the bottom of his shoes both legs both feet full extension he's cocking his leg and he's giving it a full that is a inexcusable challenge that should be punished and should have been a red car I don't know how it wasn't to be honest I don't know how it wasn't either and there are those who are on the side of the camp of...

1:05:22Well, the one who makes contact is Kevin Mier. He's the one extending. He's the one who actually kicks Carrasquilla. Kevin Mier has possession of the ball. Carrasquilla's coming studs up from an angle that Kevin Mier can't see. You compromise the integrity of the opponent. I really, for the life of me, can't believe this went to VAR. And they were like, no, we're okay with it. And more proof to how damning it was, Carrasquilla himself knew exactly what he did post-game. He was interviewed to the end of the network that airs the games. And when they asked about Carrasquilla in the tackle, he immediately said, I want to apologize to Kevin Meir.

1:05:58That's not the type of player that I am. I was honestly trying to go for the ball. He accepted full accountability and responsibility because he knew the type of tackle that he just unleashed on Kevin Meir. And by the way, this changes the trajectory of now Cruz Azul's season. They were a top three team, a team that's looking to win this game. And if they would have won it, would have been first place in Liga Américas. now head into the postseason and beyond in this pre-club World Cup without their starting goalkeeper. And they're going to play the hottest team in the league in Chivas. Just one thing very quickly.

1:06:30And another evidence that this challenge was with intent to injure. If you're going to block a ball that is being clear from here, right, you don't come with this leg. You come with the other leg that is actually going to cover more ground. He came like that. You don't block a shot like that. That's not how you would make a sliding challenge if you're trying to block a ball. Now, there are reports that Cruz Azul is trying to get Carasquilla retroactively suspended for the remainder of the postseason. Okay. Well, and I would... I understand the position that they're taking. I really think that he should have been...

1:07:13I don't understand how you actually watch this video and not think it's a red car. And just for the record, see how I stretch there? Very bendy. I heard a rippy sound. Well, but, you know, bendy and flexible these days. You know who else is bendy and flexible when they perform? You ever heard of Dua Lipa? Dua Lipa? International pop star? I don't know why you're... Because Dua Lipa was in Argentina for Superclásico. Okay. She was actually unleashing some of the hits and some of the Spanish hits, too. I see she's sitting on the fence. She's obviously wearing the Argentina jersey. How about you wear a Boca Juniors or River?

1:07:55No. Well, she was at the Superclásico, and the Superclásico, it got hot. And that's just because Dua Lipa was there. It's a Superclásico, and Boca right now is feeling themselves, and River. Ay, Marcelo. El muñeco Gallardo on River. Well, they've had better times. Look at the scenes right there. All right. This is, uh, look at my shot shoot. Are you okay? Here you go, buddy. Here we go. Thank you, sir. No worries. I'll resaltate this for you. You know what? Honestly, don't be throwing the papers like Seb did. Well, as Ceballos gets his own rebound and puts it away, it's 1-0. And this was in the beginning or last minute of the first half, beginning of the second half.

1:08:40Ceballos would go down the left-hand side, and he would give it to Miguel Merentiel, who will put this away for 2-0 Boca Juniors. It's a good finish for him. Better run by Ceballos. Where's Dua Lipa? Oh, Dua Lipa's hanging out. All right, okay. Now, as you can see, Boca Juniors in first place, Grupo A. And in sixth place, Grupo B, is River Plate. River has seen better times. There are 30 teams now in the Argentine first division. Two groups. Everybody gets a chance. It's the East versus West. Everybody gets a chance. It's open mic night. It is open mic night.

1:09:25Oh, we got a parting shot. Are you surprised? You're the host. See, the producer Beto's been all over this goal, and it is a nasty goal. I can't believe the angle. I mean, the audacity to slide tackle, win the ball, and then from where he shoots it, it really is one of the most ridiculous goals I've seen this year, Ale. He's great dancing on the end line. While the defender's coming to press him, he's already made the decision that he's going to get around this defender. I mean... And then from here, you're thinking, well, he's going to find Harry Kane. Maybe he's going to find Michael Elise, and maybe he's just going to drop the ball off, and he decides to go with that finish.

1:09:58How about David Rodriguez's wild bicycle? It's the Canadian Premier League goal right here. Listen, I can't believe they played in this weather. I can't believe he finishes it off this way. Whoa! I can't believe the ball bounced that high of the snow. Well, it's hard. And the execution. Man, I tell you what, that is something special. Congratulations. What a volasso. That's beautiful. I remember you playing in the snow back in the day. Yeah, that's right. You were there at the game? No, I was not. Snow. You were already in Mexico City, right? That's right, baby. You were already in Mexico City for the U.S.

1:10:32versus Mexico. I was waiting for you in Mexico City. You were in Mexico City. You survived. Okay. You survived. And before we leave, which goal did you like better? Because actually, I know why Bruce Beto is doing this. Because I told him I like the Rodriguez goal better than the Diaz goal. Well, no surprise. I disagree with you. There are so many elements to the Luis Diaz goal that make it, in my mind, special. Stanisic kills him with the ball. Yes. It's not a good ball. He would have done a good job just saving it. and just keep in possession. But to take you through the thought process of Luis Diaz, he's already thinking, as he's doing the sort of sliding attempt to save the ball, in one motion, he's already thinking, I can get around this defender that is already coming.

1:11:19So imagine all the things that you have to be aware of in order to make sure that that happens. So end line, defender, no angle, pressure on the ball. I'm still going to get around this guy. And then, beyond that, taking the finish from that tight angle. If there were no goalkeeper there, if Frederick Reynolds wasn't there, it would be difficult for him to put it where he put it. Imagine with the goalkeeper there, hits it perfectly over his shoulder that anybody who knows and has played the striking position, when you hit the ball above the shoulder of the goalkeeper, it's hard to react. They can't do this because they're over here.

1:11:54They can't do that. The goalkeeper doesn't even see it. It's a beautiful goal. It's a special goal, and it's a goal that you don't see very often because not many people are willing to try it. And not only was he willing to try it, the execution was perfect. He's coming off a very difficult week in Champions where he scores a couple goals and gets red-carded for absolutely murdering Hakimi in a play, rightfully so there. But you said it yourself, the elements. And that's why I think that Rodriguez's goal is just so absurd. The elements he had to battle. You're asking yourself how that ball bounces that high in the snow.

1:12:26It's a final. It's a snowstorm. is such a memorable moment that I think you will soon forget. Luis Diaz' goal is a thing of beauty, but I think we will soon forget the Rodriguez goal in the CPL final. Well, it does. In all honesty, as great as that was, and I'm not going to take anything away from that, for him, it's the execution of one element, of one play, and that is the bicycle kick. Whereas for Luis Diaz, there were many things that were happening. You survived. You survived. We're back on Saturday if you want. No, that's okay. Let's go deep, baby! Let's go deep! Go beat Furman! Saturday postgame, Paraguay versus the US Men's National Team.

1:13:09We're gonna be here if you want to come. Oh no, that's all right. I'll be home. Comfortable. Why didn't... Why? Oh, hey. Relax, Seth. Relax, Seth.

1:13:31As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRANGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by.