Real Madrid in the Market

24:58So they have to make sure they are on their mettle, they're on their toes. I do expect them to get out of the group stages, particularly with the third place team going through. But there's no room for any slackness. Being at home is the biggest chance you ever have of doing well in the World Cup. history will tell you the only tournament England have won was in 1966 on home soil and when they had the European Championships twice they got to the final and the semi-final and in France it was their first win in the World Cup it was on home soil lots of Argentina in 1978 on home soil so this is the best chance the United States will have of doing really well in the tournament sorry Shat but for me it's really a throwaway comment but I always wanted to play World Cups and France is obviously a near European neighbour for the UK and for Scotland but I always wanted to play World Cups in iconic places if I was an American player for the US Men's National Team I think I wanted to play a World Cup maybe in Brazil or Argentina or somewhere like that so it's probably a little different maybe there's a bit more of a home field advantage possibly but certainly from my point of view if you said to me oh there's going to be a World Cup in Scotland which there wouldn't be because it's not big enough Would you rather have that or would you rather go and play a World Cup in an iconic nation?

26:17I think I'd certainly rather have that. But what success, though? What is it? He didn't really specifically answer it. For me, I think if the US gets to the quarterfinal, that's a successful tournament for them. I think for a large percentage of the soccer-supporting public here in the United States, they're expecting a semi-final at the very least. Well, that's just... Let me also, to our previous point, I specifically say soccer supporting public, because I don't feel the parallel between the pressures of being a host nation for the U.S. or anything like they were for France in 98 or England in the Euros.

26:54We leave this compound, and we have no idea that a World Cup is about to kick off in a few days. The vast majority of this country... Well, we've got flags up at our house. Well, I'll have to drive by your house. Well, not me, but somebody else in there. Otherwise, my drive home, I do not see a single flag on a house. In your matter of fact, you're going so quick, you don't see any of them, do you? Anybody's car. There is just not the feel that you get anywhere else. Because it's such a large country, such an expansive country. But a huge majority of the population of this country have no idea that the work is going on.

27:38And which is why I will always say to the soccer support in public here in the US, because that's a minority and it means an awful lot to them. But outside of that, it's a little more than a nuisance to everybody else. Do you think there's a hope? To that point. Go on, Frank. Go on, Frank. Sorry, to that point, you know, to compare large countries with other large countries, Imagine you have a World Cup in Brazil. Everybody, every single people living in Brazil would have known that the World Cup would stand in their country. And that would be the same for Mexico. That's a different culture. I agree with Xhaka.

28:14Maybe there is a work to do about baseball, American football and basketball are ahead of soccer. And this is where they have to work on to make sure that soccer can reach a certain level. Well, that's the fight, though. That's the fight. It's always happening here in the United States. And we could sit here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and other networks could do the same, and we could tell everybody that the sun shines out at this US team's backside. We could. But it isn't going to change the narrative. The only thing that's going to change the narrative here and the exposure is by this US team busting a bubble and going to a place they've never been before with excitement and with guile and with entertainment.

29:01And that's what gets, you know, that drive home midway through the tournament. You'll see a change. And that's the only thing that you can, we can all talk. And people involved in US soccer, they can all talk. Most of us, we all talk a great game sometimes. The only way that narrative change in selling the game, this side of the pond in such a vast country, is to get the people from behind the sword, So the people that are not really, the TV's on in the background, but they're not really interested. They know there's a game of soccer going on, but it's by the by. They're looking forward to the start of the NFL season or the NBA, whatever it is, until this US team, and it is possible.

29:38I think it's unlikely, but it entertains, it's successful, and it shows that it has a real chance to get into the quarters, which I agree with. I think that would be a good tournament. But if it somehow, somehow goes beyond that, That's what changes people's interest and perception of this sport in this country. We'll get our first look at the United States in the World Cup on Friday against Paraguay and see what we might be expecting going forward. We will be with you every single day here on ESPN FC. We have a morning show for you throughout the World Cup as well and special YouTube shows. So make sure to stay up to date with everything you need World Cup related right here on ESPN FC.

30:19Gab 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. Gusto is online payroll and benefit software built for small businesses. It's all in one, remote friendly and incredibly easy to use. so you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere. Automatic payroll tax filing, simple direct deposits, health benefits, commuter benefits, workers' comp, 401k, you name it.

31:00Gusto makes it simple and has options for nearly every budget. And it's all built to save your time with built-in automated tools for offer letters, onboarding docs, direct deposit, and more. Plus, you get unlimited payroll runs for one monthly price. No hidden fees, no surprises. Try Gusto today at gusto.com slash FC and get three months free when you run your first payroll. That's three months of free payroll at gusto.com slash FC. One more time, gusto.com slash FC. 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.

31:42From 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. Netherlands rounded out their World Cup preparations with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan. Cody Gakpo scoring twice from the penalty spot. But we want to talk about them because we were telling you just the other day that there's a German analyst and strategist, many call him a mathematician, who's predicting that Netherlands are going to go all the way and win the World Cup.

32:28Why are we listening to him? Well, he correctly predicted that Germany would win 2014. also that France would win 2018 and that Argentina would win in 2022. Now he's saying Netherlands. It's nothing to do with what he's seen on the pitch or form though. It's all due to socioeconomic statistic view from him. GDP per capita, population size and talent pool, football's cultural importance and the current FIFA rankings. I've never heard so much crap in all my life. France I predict Germany and France and Argentina who did lose against Saudi Arabia but they have really good players and they've got Messi and they've won the World Cup before where do we dig these people up honestly let me just say I predicted Argentina to win France, Germany you are a mathematician halfway through the tournament or ahead of the tournament ahead of the tournament I picked Argentina so that must mean I'm a German mathematician too then that's my conclusion here Derek's we know someone else who loves the old algorithm though, the statistics there's that as well, however we do want to use it to talk about, okay yes how far can they go, this Netherlands side watching them today, I mean it was a friendly game they played some quite nice football, it was quite slow at times, Gatpo was on the left hand side, Marlon was planned as the centre forward De Jong we know is a good player in midfield but But you didn't see the goal.

34:02The goal was a massive blunder again by, I thought, by Van Dijk, who looks completely out of place at times. You know, he doesn't seem to be able to move. He's lost his concentration. And he was playing alongside Van Hecker. And the Tottenham defender was playing at left back. They're not good enough, I don't think, to win the World Cup. They're in the top six, maybe. They're in Group F with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia. To your question, Keir, I think if this Netherlands team gets to the quarterfinal, that's about fair. I mean, in the bookies, they're just there, they're eighth, which is just quarterfinal.

34:39I'd probably move nowhere ahead of them as well. So if they get to the quarterfinals, I think they've overachieved in a sense. Frank, you do love a prediction that stuns everybody. Have you got Netherlands in your bracket? Well, you know what? That was really crap in math. So I want to believe that the guy is quite serious, you know, having three and the right results, you know. And I want to believe that maybe he's quite right. You know, my first two World Cups that I remember, the Netherlands played the final. And I was a big fan of Kruijf and Isken's era. And that would be nice to see the Netherlands coming back to their best and maybe get that World Cup.

35:18But yes, I'm with the guys. I have doubts about some players, especially the leaders who had quite an average season, like Gravenberg, Virgil van Dijk, Gagpo at Liverpool, that we didn't see the best of them. So why suddenly in a World Cup tournament, they will change and be better? So it's possible for sure. But as the guys say, quarterfinal will be already good. Every now and again, somebody like this crawls out from under a rock with this kind of nonsense. You remember Paul Paul Paul, the octopus? Oh, yes, yes. And it's a bit worrying that we actually have people that believe it. We do? Well, apparently we do.

36:06I want a media time today. The octopus was also from Germany, and he did make quite a few of the correct picks. Well, I think to find out who the World Cup winners should be, Frank and I should have another bake-off like we did for the Champions League final. There's only been eight teams of countries that have ever won the World Cup and you could argue one of the Netherlands' best chances was 2010 in South Africa in one of the most horrible finals I think we've had to witness between Spain and Holland. It wasn't a particularly good game as well. I think it was Ian Robin had a very good chance, one and one, to give them the lead at the time or certainly get back in the game.

36:44The game has long gone from the memory. But that was a great opportunity for them. And also, when they were doing well in the 74 and 78, remember Ajax were one of the best teams in Europe at the time. And Cruyff was, in my view, the world's best player at that particular point. He was absolutely magnificent. He didn't play in the 78 World Cup for political reasons, so he said. But in 74, he was magnificent. Well, I played under a manager, as you know, in Wim Jansen, who was part of that group. He was the enforcer in the middle of the park. There were some amazing players the Dutch had. And they had some even when they won the Euros with Van Basten and Hull.

37:17It just doesn't feel... It feels they're a decent side, but it doesn't feel... I think club football now in Holland hasn't been quite as good, has it, in recent times. One of the big favourites is France. France had a warm-up game over Northern Ireland, and all three goals were scored by Michael Alise. One of them coming in the first half, two of them coming in the second as France continue their preparation for their opening game. Get him, Frank. Well, yes, Michael Alise, absolutely fantastic. But I want to add Douai, especially the first half, who was the only one, you know, trying to create something and being successful and also working hard, you know, tracking back and everything.

38:03But that was a good game from France. It was difficult because Northern Ireland played five at the back. They were quite defensive. So to find any spaces was tricky. But France managed to win that game. We saw, I think, in the first half, the team was going to start against Senegal. I don't see anybody else being substituted. I think it's going to be the first 11 that we should see against Senegal. as I said before. And yes, everything was good, except that for the last five games, France considered one goal. And they tried to keep the clean sheet for that game, but they couldn't do it. There was an unfortunate that Upamecano didn't get the ball because he made a great tackle, but he put the ball back to the winger.

38:52But otherwise, nothing much to say. Nobody was injured. They're going to go to America within two days. They're going to be prepared with, I guess, full of confidence. But I'm questioning Kylian Mbappe. Very clumsy today. Of course, never tried back. I jumped in my sofa sometimes, you know, saying, come on, run, get the ball back. No, he doesn't want to do that. And he will never do it. So it's not part of his tools. But he will have to score goals in order to be loved by all the French fans. but hopefully we'll do the job for France and we're going to win that World Cup because you never know I never told you like we did in 98 Yes, what is the feeling in France though overall, Frank is it a feeling of confidence or the concerns The French, of course they are Yes, we are, we are French we love to be very confident about ourselves but because of the forward line we are very confident but remember in 2002 where we had Trezegui, Thierry Henry, Nicolas, Anelka, all top scorers in their own league, Italy, France and England.

40:01They didn't score a goal in the three games that we had in the group stages and we'd been kicked out. And the first game was against Senegal. So we want to believe that something happened once cannot happen twice. But signs are not very good. We lost 2-1 the last game against Ivory Corsair. It was the same thing in 2002 when we lost 2-1 against Belgium. So there are signs where we are favourites. We are favourites as well. So it's never good with France when we are favourites. So we have to make sure we don't get carried away by the fact we are the second favourite of the World Cup. We have to do the job.

40:41And hopefully everything is going to work for the best. But people are confident, of course. If you beat France or Spain, you're not going to be far away. No. It's as simple as that. And, you know, Senegal to start isn't easy and certainly Norway are going to be a very interesting team, I think, at this World Cup. They've got a lot of power, a lot of goals, some really solid players. But these games are really difficult. You know, for people tuning in for these games a week, less than a week now before the World Cup, for some of them, it's extremely difficult for players because you really are on your tiptoes.

41:14You're wrapping yourself in cotton wool because the World Cup's just a couple of days away and your game might be whatever, four or five days a week maybe and for something to happen a hamstring or a twisted ankle and you're out for a month or two and you're going to miss the World Cup so you take these games with a pinch of salt because I think players are I say 10 % off maybe 20-30 % off because you just have it in your mind I just don't want to miss this tournament so I don't want to do anything daft so everybody's just playing on tender hoops What you can get from it you can see the shape they want to play the style of football they want to play but it's all as you say 10-20 % down on what it would normally be and it might be a little partnership between the centre-halves at the back or something small like that I thought Elisa and Koundé might form a partnership like he does with Jamal I was looking for that today he just doesn't have the juice of walking out for that World Cup in France I was there that juice of walking out is weird very fortunate to be able to do it in the first game against Brazil at the Stade de France it was the opening ceremony and let me tell you you are just ramped up for that because there's so much at stake.

42:21You're playing the world champions. I don't know how many are watching around the world. The whole of Scotland is shut down for the day, as I hope most countries will do. Did you put your teeth in for that one? Oh, no. I didn't put my teeth in for that. You know what, Kate? Sorry. If I can add something about France last game and what Craig said, you normally don't learn anything from those games. You just try to prevent an injury. But what we know, according to what Olize showed today, because everybody thought Olize would play as a number 10 and Dembele would play on the right side. I think if Deschamps had any idea of doing that, he's going to change his mind.

43:01And Olize is going to play on the right side like he does for Bayern Munich because he's so efficient. And Dembele will have to move as a number 10. And we didn't see the best of Dembele today, but Dembele has to play. and maybe something is going to move on, but Dewey was very good on the left side. And Dembélé is at risk in any positioning because the others, they already settled down in their position. That's crazy, but Ballon d 'Or doesn't have a spot, a real spot for himself. That's crazy. Is there any scenario, Frank, during this World Cup, if it isn't, and I don't expect this to happen, but if it isn't going well for France, particularly in the knockout stages and the game's going against them and the aforementioned Kylian Mbappe is not performing is there a scenario where Didier Deschamps will just take him out of the equation?

44:00I don't know because he named him as he named him the captain and everybody thought that what his name, Griezmann was named. He wanted to give him more responsibility, wanting him to be more involved. But I don't think he's going to move him. I don't think he's going to move him because, you know, with what happened the last 15 minutes of the final of the World Cup with Argentina, he's still in everybody's mind. Where Mbappe can suddenly wake up and score three goals in 15 minutes. So that's what it is. And it seems to be strange and maybe unfair towards the others, especially when you have maybe Chucky on the bench and you can put Dembele as a striker and Chucky as a number 10.

44:44Will he take that chance? Will he try to put Mbappe out? I don't know. Maybe, but I will say that I have doubts about that. Yeah, I'm not saying before the game. I'm saying if our game's not going, I can't see it. Because if it comes off, you're a genius. But if it doesn't come off, if you take Mbappe off and you lose the game. But he's walking. Deschamps is walking anyway. Yeah, true. But he goes with a lot of stick flying. I know, but as you said, if it comes off, and listen, this is all hypothetical, but sometimes you've got to look at a manager and say, and we're going to see this with Roberto Martinez, potentially with Cristiano Ronaldo.

45:28Absolutely. But has Didier Deschamps come that big moment, be it a final or a semi, whatever it is, and Mbappe's the guy's underperforming, bearing in mind the talent pool that France have which is immense in the forward areas, does he have the gumption to make that big call or is somebody else going to be like Olivier Giroud was in 2022 he's more likely to take him off when they're doing well I'm going to take him off for the last 20 minutes we're controlling the game, we're winning the game I'll take him off, so he can say well I've taken him off every so often, I don't always play him but when they're losing and they're down he'll keep him on the pitch.

46:05You don't see? No, not at all. I think Dersham will make every adjustment he possibly can in including Kylian Mbappe, whether it's taking other people around, whether it's changing the formation. I just do not see Kylian Mbappe being substituted. Not even if he is having a poor day at the office. Because all of a sudden, to Frank's point, 75th minute he wakes up, there aren't many people in this game today who will score a hat-trick in a World Cup final with playing 15 minutes in the way that Kylian Papi does. I do not think you risk that. Going back many years, when Gary Lineker played his last game for England and Graham Taylor, the England manager at the time, they were losing in the European Championships by a goal to nil, I think, and he took him off after 65 minutes.

46:52Graham Taylor was absolutely hammered for doing that. But Lineker hadn't done a thing in the game. Because he was the leading goal scorer and they said, who's going to score the goals? It's going to be Gary Lineker. he should have stayed on the field and that's what they say about Mbappe and that's what the manager's got in the back of his mind. Alright, let's get you some more friendly action, shall we, before we bring you our top goals. We've got to see Colombia taking on Jordan and San Diego. We've got to see a couple of goals from John Arias in this game. First of them coming in the 41st minute.

47:25He's done well to keep his feet and then a good finish. Looks like he was going down. Just had his awareness about him. It's a nice little ball played into his path. And a good finish. And he would strike again in the 55th minute, Shaq. Yeah. That's like Schindler passes down the right-hand side and then... Am I seeing James Rodriguez there? Yes, you are. Yes, you are. He comes out once every four years. In a Colombia shirt. Yes. Typically. That's amazing. Amazing. Yep. We've seen more of him. So, Colombia with a 2-0 win over Jordan. While the warm-ups continue. Now, we must get to this. Christian Eriksen collapsing on the pitch during a friendly game between Denmark and Ukraine on Sunday.

48:12The 34-year-old is okay. Yesterday, we heard from the camp. Today, we've heard from him. He said, I want to let everyone know that I am doing well and that I am home with my family. As you can probably imagine, receiving a shock from my ICD has had a major impact on both me and my family. But I want to reassure everyone that this was a different situation from what happened in 2021. I'm feeling good. My recovery's already started. In addition to being grateful for the sport and assistance of all the players in the medical team on the field, I'm also incredibly grateful to the doctors who've cared for me and my heart over the years.

48:45Thanks to their expertise, my ICD did exactly what it was designed to do, protect me when I needed it. For now, my focus is on recovering, spending time with my family, going on vacation and playing football with my children. We wish him well. Argentina against Iceland coming up tomorrow, 9 p.m. Eastern, a game you can catch on ESPN as the warm-ups continue.

49:10Avoiding 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. The Stanley Cup Final on ABC is more than a quest for the cup. It's 134 years of putting it all on the line and the heaviest 35 pounds ever lifted. It's broken curses and broken hearts.

49:52But for those chasing it, it's everything. The only question is, who will take it? You just have to watch the Stanley Cup Final presented by GEICO on ABC and the ESPN app.

50:09Jenny Infantino took a corner today in some friendly action. Ready? No, no, no, no, no, no. That looks like Steve in his kit. That was Wednesday. Oh, dear. Yeah, that just didn't look right at all. Oh dear, dear, dear. He looks like a right plum, doesn't he? Oh boy. Yeah, maybe he had some pressure. Maybe Platini was just behind the fence. Oh boy. Terrifying. Yeah, that was nice because Platini was behind the fence, you know, so maybe it's why he had some pressure. I mean most people that are interested in this sport can at least kick the ball can't they you know men and women, boys and girls he can't even he's the top Johnny he can't even kick a ball that's not even moving but I tell you what he can do oh my god here we go just leave it there goodnight everybody Good night, everybody.

51:17You know what? He's on the way next. And Frank's also going to pause for just a moment because he's going to get a chance to talk a little bit more over in extra time. Thanks so much for being with us at ESPN FC. Oh, boy. He just signed Price's career, I think. Saved all of us. No context, but we were talking about Gianni Infantino. Not being able to kick a ball. but I was going to mention ticket prices and I'm not going to talk about it Oh you are? No I'm not going to talk about it I'm not going to go in depth but I'm just going to say ticket prices is a sore point at this World Cup and that's not on the host nation that's on FIFA which that's where I was going to go with it I think we can give him that I left that open Frank which of these star players is most Go on.

52:14Oh. No, no, I just want to talk about, you know, people who think that they play football and they compare to us, you know, where we were playing. And sometimes when I get out of stage, you know, we have to have a drink with some people who came to see us during the show. And they say, ooh, I was a football player myself. I say, oh, Kim, which team did you play for? He said, no, in my village. I say, well, you know what? I was during, when I was young, I was during, you know, I was doing some houses, so now I'm an architect. I'm singing under the shower, so I'm a singer. That's insane. People are comparing their level with us.

52:52I think they don't realize what it takes to be a football player. And when you see that, it comforts me. That's what the actors say when you say you're an actor, Frank.

53:07That's okay. I quite handle it. I'm not Brad Pitt for many reasons, for different reasons, but I'm quite okay. Just to that point quickly, you know, people, particularly on social media, you know, you have these people who watch TV so they think they are an expert. You know, you watch a police show and you think all of a sudden you're a detective. The difference is stark from even in training. I remember when I was at Chelsea, we had a couple of players come on trial. professional players from two divisions or three divisions below who were doing particularly well in their divisions in England at the time, second or third tier.

53:53And as soon as you saw them in training against the rest of the team, you could, unfortunately for them, it was sticking out that who was playing in the third tier and who wasn't because the difference, and that's not even, that's just training never mind when you get on the field I can tell you a quick story so we had we were asked when we had a player called came from Halifax and he was the leading goalscorer at Halifax he came down for a week's trial and he was absolutely hopeless I mean he couldn't do anything right he went on to win a championship medal for Leeds his name was Bobby Davidson I remember he played in the Leeds team that won the last before the Premier League he was centre forward but in that week you'd have thought he'd never kicked the ball who was the lad the job the lad that played that came to Chelsea he actually did come to Chelsea he played for Hartlepool Joe I know what you mean I know exact blonde hair blonde hair big teeth yeah Joe I can't remember something at the moment Joe scored something I'm going to tell you something like 50 goals this year for Hartlepool something crazy Kenny Clive Allen-esque from Tottenham back in 87 Joe had been like if it moved Joe had it and he scored and so he signed for Chelsea and he was a brilliant brilliant lad, great trainer great attitude but even I think he would tell you that he could not make that step, it was just down here to here but yet for Hartlepool up in the North East he had scored an unbelievable amount of goals I'm going to say in the second or third division at the time, that step is I don't think people realise just how big that step is to get to as Frank said there's so many people that come up to you and say, yeah, well, you know, I played for Chelsea.

55:37Oh, what, you played for the first thing? No, I didn't. What, the reserves? No, I once was offered a trial there, you know, when I was seven. I mean, you haven't played for Chelsea. To be fair, goalies are different, though, aren't they, Stuart? I mean, anybody can do it. You pick our goalies out of this. All of a sudden. Well, anybody can, I mean, you can't see the difference between the goalies. I mean, I proved that. I mean, I was an outfield player and I went in goal twice and didn't let any goals in. It was an easy job. Easy. All right. First question. First question. Frank, which of these star players is most likely to have a disappointing World Cup campaign on an individual level by their own ridiculously high standards?

56:11Laminya Mal, Michael Elise or Harry Kane?

56:18Wow,

56:23that's so complicated. I think Laminya Mal and Michael Elise can create something on their own. I think Harry Kane maybe will need more of his teammates to create something, but all of them have different skills and can be absolutely

56:45influenced for their teams.

56:52I want to say Lamine Yamal is still very young, so maybe the pressure of the World Cup will disturb him. I think Michael Olesi and Harry Kane have already experienced the experience and there won't be that trouble. But I'm saying that, while I'm saying that, well, no, Lamia Mal is so exceptional that he doesn't care about the World Cup, the European Championship, or that he already won, and the Champions League. So can I say none of them will be disturbed? I will be disappointed. That's not a load. Well, Jamal, for the reason that Frank said I don't agree with, because he's nerveless and he'll play with confidence, he's been injured for three or four weeks.

57:39He hasn't even trained with the team yet, so he's under a lot of pressure to get fit in a week and a half's time. So maybe not able to produce his best. You know, just sitting on the fence like Frank, and then just sitting on that bill. Oh, man. I got a name for you, Robbo. came to me. Go on. Joe Allen. That's his name? Yep, Joe Allen. Just to give Joe Allen his teeth. I was right, blonde hair, big teeth. Sorry, Joe. Robbo said that. You are right. Nice teeth, but very big. He could eat an apple through a letterbox. Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Which ageing superstar is likely to have the more positive or negative influence on his team at the World Cup?

58:23Oh, we're not doing this whole Ronaldo thing again. I've been doing it for months. Yeah, we are. Yeah, we are. Messi is the short answer. So let's... Positive or negative? Positive. Let's have a quick historical look. No, let's not. Shall we do that? No, let's not. Messi. Recent history, Messi, World Cup winner, Argentina. Recent history, 2022 World Cup, 2024 Euros, 2018 or 2020, whatever it was, Cristiano Ronaldo was the talking point for all the wrong reasons. When Fernando Santos benched him at the time, and then I believe he scored a penalty in the last major tournament, but nothing else. So his performances, and we keep going over this, and Ronaldo fans just can't stop wetting the bed about it.

59:13But he, the recent history will tell you for Portugal, he has struggled at the major tournaments, not in the qualifiers. Ronaldo have the bigger influence on his team because he's the manager, as well as the player. So likely... That being said, Portugal are a supremely talented side. They are a little short, to be fair, they are a little short in that department for alternatives. The big question is, can a 40-something guy playing in Saudi Arabia, who's banging the goals in over there and all that, who cares, can he put behind him the previous struggles in the recent major tournaments and flourish again at his age?

59:53That's the big question. For all, start bench drop Sal in their prime. Zidane, Iniesta, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes. Why is there four now? That's not the same. That's not the same position. Why do you put Zidane with Paul Scholes? I mean, they don't play the same position. I'm not answering this question. I'm absolutely sick fed up now. It's just people want to compare and contrast. They're all great players, right? Okay. And I just thought... Yeah, and Portsco was doing stuff that Zidane was incapable of doing. And the other way around goes for Zidane. Well, let's just say you're picking a team then, Frank.

1:00:33And they're all in front of you in the prime.

1:00:38You'd pick Zidane, wouldn't you? I'd pick all of them. I want them. I want to play with them. I want to play all of them with all of them. I play all three midfielders and play Zidane as a number 10. You've got one pick left. Who are you picking first there? For what? If you're picking a team and there's only one of those names, who do you pick first? I'm picking Zidane. OK. And then who? Zidane's not in the list anymore. If you're picking a team with a Zoddy one player left, who would you pick? Iniesta. Iniesta. You just morphed into a pundit. I mean, a punter. Not a pundit. So, he's had Iniesta.

1:01:14A bit like Frank, a World Cup winner. Who went with Gerrard and Scholes? Who had more influence on his team? I'm going to go with Steven Gerrard. Okay. So, in the order that it is there. All right. Don't take the bait, Rob. I don't agree with that. I don't agree with that. If you take Zidane out. No. If you take Zidane out of the contest, Paul Scholes was a hard worker. You need a hard worker. And he was working more defensively Zidane, Iniesta and Steven Gerrard. And he was capable of giving good balls to Zidane. And because we all picked Zidane out of the contest as the number 10, Porco will give the ball to Zidane, who's going to score, and will be the best pairing in the world.

1:01:55That's why Frank's never been a character manager. Zidane after Porco. See, this is the type of conversation... This is the type of conversation that is absolutely perfect for Twitter or X, call it whatever you want, where a bunch of people can just go and get their knickers in a twist about who's the best. I think we need to rise above that kind of nonsense now, Jack. Very mature of you, Craig. No, it is. It's like, it's just silly really, isn't it? Nobody's ever accused me of being above anything. Okay, let's see what Frank thinks of this. Frank, what do you think of Nadam picking France as a likely surprise flop at the World Cup?

1:02:36Well, France is so much favorite with Spain that of course, that could be a flop and a big one.

1:02:47Why not? I know Nathan is quite smart. I think he has an idea behind that choice. And so I want to believe that yeah that could be a big surprise yeah and and of course that we expect so much from France so if they don't perform that would be of course a flop and I agree with Nedim. So let me play devil's advocate what's a flop? Going out in the groups? Oh that's definitely a flop. You can't wait you can't you tell them there's never been a world cup where there's more parachutes to pull to get out of the group than this one what if he went out in the quarters would that be a flop for this franchise well it goes from a flop to being disappointing and it would also depend who they go out to which team they were up against so there's many facets to this whatever it is are you trying to suggest that she's simplifying things flop or not I love this philosophical ending of that show when we try to understand and use words exactly using the right words flop, not flop disappointing, wow Is Needham over here already?

1:04:07We are at another level He'll be here soon He'll be here, I think, tomorrow The more of you guys that come over, the better Fantastic, the more days off for us It'd be great, wouldn't it? It would be great if we didn't have three shows a day yeah that would help well you could do three shows a day okay for shaka who does your algorithm have winning the world cards by contrast to nadam's picker yeah now i don't know about the scenario of brackets and stuff right because i've not really had the net i haven't had the energy can look can do we know who could meet who at the moment because they're seated i think france and spin on the same side so if they were now they'll meet in the semi-final i think i'm right and see correct answer you know everything that's a very important point well done check out all right we'll get the brackets soon no doubt that's right that's all we've got time for in the latest edition of extra time thank you so much for sending in your questions we'll be back tomorrow and the next day and the next day keep sending them in

1:05:18We'll see you next time.