In short
Spain win the World Cup for the second time, beating Argentina 1-0 in a “worst-ever” final; Ferran Torres scores the decisive goal after Nico Williams’ assist. The panel also debates Argentina’s negative, foul-heavy “dark arts” approach, FIFA/venue/pitch factors, Spain’s tactics and substitutions, and the tournament’s awards and format.
Guests (ESPN FC panel)
Dan Thomas (host). Craig Burley (former player/analyst). Steve McManaman (former player/analyst). Frank Leboeuf (former player/analyst). Gemma Soler (reporter in Spain, speaking from Lamine Yamal’s hometown celebration in Mataró).
Key claims
Argentina had only two shots in regular time and were “disgraceful” and “embarrassing”; Enzo Fernández’s behavior and the referee are criticized. Spain were deserving, defensively dominant (clean sheet in the final; one goal conceded in the tournament to Belgium), and benefited from coach De la Fuente’s jigsaw-like squad management and impactful subs (Torres, Moreno, Nico Williams, Pedri). Lamine Yamal’s injury affected sharpness but he’s still inspirational.
Notable examples
Zaragoza match scenes; Ferran Torres’ substitute impact; Unai Simón as sweeper-keeper; Rodri winning Golden Ball; Unai Simón Golden Glove; Lamine Yamal Young Player; Kubarsí Young Player; FIFA “Americanised” hydration breaks and format complaints.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOSpain's Victory Over Argentina
0:00 to 0:26
Discussion about Spain's win against Argentina in the World Cup final.
“As soccer takes center stage this summer, Comcast helps bring the experience home to America.”
Spain's Victory Over Argentina
0:44 to 1:18
Discussion about Spain's win against Argentina in the World Cup final.
“Hello and welcome in to the latest edition of ESPN FC.”
Analyzing Argentina's Performance
1:18 to 2:16
Analysis of Argentina's disappointing performance in the final.
“Two shots from Argentina, none in regular time.”
Reflections on World Cup Finals
2:16 to 3:34
Reflections on the nature of World Cup finals and expectations.
“but before Spain scored, that it was going to go to penalties or they were going to get a scruffy goal, Argentina, and win this.”
Cultural Aspects of Argentine Football
3:34 to 5:26
Discussion about the cultural identity and playstyle of Argentine football.
“So it was completely negative, and that's unbearable for me.”
FIFA's Role and Game Conditions
5:26 to 6:18
Debate about FIFA's influence and the conditions affecting the match.
“No, it's New York or New Jersey in this instance.”
Critique of Individual Performances
6:18 to 12:00
Critique of individual players' performances during the final.
“He wanted Messi to go back to back and people have been doing stuff on social media and all that and sort of laughing about it.”
Celebration in Spain
12:00 to 13:44
Description of the celebration in Spain following their victory.
“We're talking about Argentina in a really, really bad light.”
Fan Reactions and Emotions
13:44 to 14:00
Exploring the emotions and reactions from fans during the match.
“The best, Lamin Jamal is the best football player in the world.”
Celebrating Spain's World Cup Victory
14:00 to 16:40
Explore the emotions and excitement surrounding Spain's World Cup celebration in Mataró.
“Most of them, they have seen, they were explaining me that they have seen Lamin Jamal in the neighborhood.”
Show all 30 chapters
Lamin Jamal: From Humble Beginnings
16:40 to 19:00
Discuss Lamin Jamal's inspirational journey and impact on his community.
“Whether it was Moreno who missed the header, but he came on in games and scored.”
Spain's Tactical Substitutions
19:00 to 21:40
Analyze the strategic impact of Spain's substitutions during the tournament.
“Look, these other two guys are brilliant keepers, but what I'm getting is a total package here.”
Ferran Torres: The Game Changer
21:40 to 24:20
Examine Ferran Torres’ crucial role in the final and his development as a player.
“18-plus only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply.”
De La Fuente's Coaching Philosophy
24:20 to 27:00
Delve into De La Fuente's coaching style and his ability to build a cohesive team.
“I thought initially he sort of put his laces through it, but he side-footed it.”
The Future of Spanish Football
27:00 to 28:00
Reflect on the strengths of the current Spanish squad and the evolution of their play.
“So it's why I think that the big star of that Spanish national team is the coach like Eme Jacquet.”
Spanish Football Philosophy
28:00 to 28:40
Explore how Spanish players approach the game with bravery and confidence.
“A lot of other people won't want the ball if they're marked.”
Player Generations and Depth
28:40 to 29:50
Discussion on the depth of Spanish players and comparisons with past generations.
“again, I go back to 98, Patrick Vieira on the bench, captain of Arsenal straight after.”
Defensive Strategies and Risks
29:50 to 31:00
Analysis of defensive strategies and the risks involved in different teams’ tactics.
“The national team doesn't play like Barcelona.”
European vs. South American Teams
31:00 to 32:30
Comparison of performance between European and South American football teams in the tournament.
“But the European teams flexed their muscles.”
European vs. South American Teams
33:00 to 33:27
Comparison of performance between European and South American football teams in the tournament.
“And let me tell you, game day is serious business at my house.”
European vs. South American Teams
33:39 to 34:44
Comparison of performance between European and South American football teams in the tournament.
“The one that makes buying so incredibly easy?”
World Cup Awards Overview
34:50 to 42:00
Review of World Cup awards and significant performances by players.
“They'll see the sunrise, won't they, Macca?”
Kylian Mbappé and the Golden Boot Debate
42:00 to 44:32
Discussing the significance of Kylian Mbappé's golden boot win and its context.
“like De La Fuentes was with the Pedri decision.”
Kylian Mbappé and the Golden Boot Debate
44:43 to 45:40
Discussing the significance of Kylian Mbappé's golden boot win and its context.
“Always consult your doctor to determine if this product is right for you.”
Tournament Review and Improvement Suggestions
45:40 to 49:05
Reviewing the recent tournament's structure and suggesting potential improvements.
“Application times may vary, rates may vary.”
Controversies and the Integrity of FIFA
49:05 to 51:17
Discussing the controversies surrounding FIFA and its leadership, particularly Infantino.
“He needs to have a good look at himself, Infantino.”
Argentina's Game Plan Examination
51:17 to 53:56
Analyzing Argentina's performance and strategy during the final.
“Spain deserved to win, and they won, and it's good for the football.”
Final Thoughts on the Tournament
53:56 to 56:01
Concluding thoughts on the World Cup and discussing key players' performances.
“Was Rodri the best player at the World Cup, Craig?”
Tensions and Tactics in the Final
56:01 to 56:53
Explore the tactical nuances and contentious moments of the World Cup final.
“And I saw Simeone as well coming on and doing the same thing and they say, what do they try to do?”
Venue Controversies and Atmosphere
56:54 to 57:51
Discussing the merits of different stadiums and the atmosphere at the World Cup final.
“The final should have been at the Azteca.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00As soccer takes center stage this summer, Comcast helps bring the experience home to America. As the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the U.S., Telemundo is set to present its most expansive coverage ever. 700 hours of programming, live on-site presence at all 104 matches, and with multi-view and real-time 4K, Xfinity will deliver the most innovative and immersive sports viewing experience for fans watching on Telemundo, Peacock, Fox, and FS1. Learn more at ComcastCorporation.com.
0:35ESPN FC is presented by Movole.
0:44These were the scenes in Zaragoza as Spain defeat Argentina by one goal to nil to claim their second ever World Cup title. Hello and welcome in to the latest edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Craig Burley, Steve McManaman and Frank Leboeuf in one of the worst World Cup finals we have ever seen. Spain, in the end, deservedly get the victory and defeat Argentina. It was Ferran Torres' well-taken goal that proved to be the difference between the two sides. Look at that right-hand column. Two shots from Argentina, none in regular time. Both of those came in extra time. Enzo Fernandes sent off Spain with the victory as they lift the title and get a second star on their shirt.
1:32We're supposed to be objective on this show, but I don't think anyone, unless you're an Argentina supporter, will be more pleased than what we saw, Spain lifting the World Cup, because, goodness me, that was embarrassing from the defending champions, wasn't it? I'd go as far as to say Argentina were a complete and utter disgrace today. both with their performance and their antics. We expected the antics. We expected the thuggery. We expected the off-the-ball stuff. But we also expected a lot more on the ball, a lot more purpose, a lot more about their play. They were in utter shambles. They were disgusting, disgraceful.
2:11And, yeah, I mean, I'm so pleased Spain won. And I could just see a scenario at the end there, but before Spain scored, that it was going to go to penalties or they were going to get a scruffy goal, Argentina, and win this. And Spain tried. They tried to make it a good game. They tried to get over the line. Their finishing wasn't quite great. Martinez made a lot of saves, but they were comfortable saves. But we know Argentina are not the greatest side they've ever been. But to put that kind of performance in a World Cup final, that negative, it was a disgusting performance. We were talking before the game that we won't, that the final of the World Cup was the biggest game ever.
2:54And we have been presented. We saw that game. And in fact, it was a bad image of football. It was everything that's bad with the game, really. Yes, exactly. We showed the worst of the worst. Well, they showed the worst of the worst. Congratulations to Spain. And there is nothing to say about Spain because they tried. But it's impossible to play. And I have to include the referee at some point. You know, Paredes came on half-time. After 15 minutes, he should have been sent off because he came just to put the mess in the middle of the park. And they didn't try to play. As Craig said, we were ready for that, the dirty part of their football.
3:30But we were expecting something else, and we didn't have that. So it was completely negative, and that's unbearable for me. And the football is different. The way I see the football, and I was a defender, is absolutely different to what I saw today. It was a shame. It was a bad image of football. And I thought the 1990 final, Argentina against Germany was the worst of the worst. No, no, we found the worst. This one. Yeah, I concur with everybody. I hated the Argentina performance. There's this thing where they'll do anything to get a victory. And, you know, they'll try tricks and the dark arts, etc., etc.
4:11We've heard it and heard it and heard it. but it's a really bad image for them, isn't it? You know, it doesn't look great. You're talking about arguably the greatest player in the world. Yet his teammates act as if they're not interested in football. They just want to do anything else apart from win a football match. They'll just do it by fair means or foul. They'll kick, they'll punch, they'll drag, they'll dive, they'll do anything. I mean, we went crazy over Paraguay's performance against France. That was worse. That was awful today. and as you said, in the biggest game in the world, the eyes of the nation, the eyes of the whole universe looking at this game and you're subjected to that where, as you said, if you're a neutral, all you're praying for is, you know what, I hope Spain score.
4:54I hope Spain score and then let's finish this game and get over with it. And then after the end of the game, we're all sitting there going, I bet you Argentina caused chaos after the game. I bet you they're going to be pushing and pulling and fighting and of course that happens as well off camera. And it's just, I mean, I'm glad the result's gone. Argentina were awful, awful. And I thought their performances today was terrible. And they helped the lambasted for it. In Argentina, they'll probably go down as warriors, as heroes, etc., etc. But that type of performance is not becoming of a team like that.
5:26No, it's New York or New Jersey in this instance. New York, New Jersey. New York, New Jersey. New Jersey, New York. Yeah. But I think it typified FIFA wanted the game here. They played in the worst stadium, probably out the lot, on the worst pitch, at a terrible time, really, for the US here, but it was maybe better for around the world at three o 'clock. But there was much better arenas during this World Cup that they should have known beforehand that would have been most conducive to a better atmosphere and a better game of football. Now, Argentina might have spoiled that. still, but the pitch as well didn't help the Spanish who tried to play.
6:07So they got that wrong, albeit it's, you know, it's New York. So I get that. But I think there's a lot of people out there that do think FIFA wanted Argentina to win this thing. Infantino wanted a story. He wanted Messi to go back to back and people have been doing stuff on social media and all that and sort of laughing about it. Half joking and half serious and that's kind of how it felt at times but I liked what they did in terms of not the way they played I liked and I said this in the show before the final I liked the guts and coming back in the fighting and yeah a lot of it was on England and other teams I liked how they had that spirit and that quality in the last 20 minutes of games and that's why I felt that we were going to see some of a similar elk today but but we just saw the complete opposite if you thought England were negative for 35 minutes and Thomas Tuchel got battered for them going out.
7:03They were negative for until, what, the last 10 minutes of extra time. 90 odd minutes of normal time plus injury time of complete negativity. 100th minute was the first shot. How can you not with players that have won World Cups and won Champions Leagues and playing all over Europe, most of them, on huge salaries because they're playing at the top teams, not muster one effort in, what did you say, 100 minutes? 100 minutes. Not one effort in a World Cup final. Not even from 25 yards. Not even speculative. Nothing. Crossing the box ahead. Nothing. Nothing. And those players, and Enzo Fernandez, he's another disgrace.
7:42He's not got a brain in his head. He's on a yellow card and he jumps in. Then he complains, the usual. It's everybody else's fault. No, it's your fault. And on top of it, he wanted to see the review when he doesn't even know the rules. Review for a second yellow card. Yeah, it's stupid. But that typified the mindset. every Argentinian player, probably Messi apart, two people that come out, two Argentinians that have got a bit of class, Messi for the most part, and Scaloni. The manager, who's on the sidelines for the most part, is calm, and at the end he came on, he hugged De La Fuentes, congratulated him, and he was trying to keep his players away, and the Spanish players away, because he knew it was a bit of a powder keg situation.
8:23They're the only two, really, that have carried themselves with any class. The rest of those Argentinian players today tried every trick under the sun to get Spanish players sent off. And this, that and the next thing. They did everything but what they should have done, which was play the game. How do you feel if you're an Argentinian player in the dressing room after this? Oh, they'll be fine. Because we've seen them do that all the time. That's part of their culture. You know what? It doesn't make it right, though. I get this part of the culture to fight and scrap and do everything you can to win a game.
8:56But that's not football, is it? Yeah, but they will think that they've been robbed, maybe. They won't take full responsibility. They'll blame somebody. They'll blame somebody. The thing is, since I saw the France-Paraguay game where Paraguay supposedly didn't have any other tools, but playing like that, then people are saying, well, that's combi ball. Yeah, but there is a time where you have to change the way of playing the football. I mean, that's so sad that you have so many talented players in South America, that Comey Ball is supposedly only games like that. So can you be wrong at a certain time?
9:35Can you maybe try to change something? Is it possible? Because that's awful. That's simply awful. That's not the way you should play the football. That shouldn't be the way you think the football and you respect the football. And you can be strong. sometimes a little bit tricky because it's part of the game. But only have that system in your mind. That's really appalling. For instance, Brazil don't have the same thought pattern as Argentina, do they? Maybe Uruguay, I'm not entirely sure. Or some games in Copa America you see a really bad, lots of fouls and stuff. But Brazil are not acting like that.
10:17So they want to win games the correct way. They'll fight and they'll get tackled in. It's a different style of Brazil now. because they haven't got the players of yesteryear. But still, nobody really resorts to what Argentina have done or Paraguay have done. We get that there's a gulfing class between France and Paraguay and you have to level it to a certain extent. But you can run and you can be aggressive without going over the top all the time, without effectively cheating constantly, because that's effectively what it is. Little touch, dive on the floor. Even the disallowed goal, stand on Otamendi's foot.
10:51It was as if somebody shot him from the crowd. It was an accidental stand on his toe. There's more. Contact goes on at every single corner, which nobody bats an eyelid about. Everybody's pulling and pushing and not watching the ball and shoving. Yeah, a little touch on his foot, an accidental stand, and it goes flying in the air. And it's just that's effectively cheating. Well, we see that a lot. You know, I'm always complaining when I see Mbappe doing it. And it's not. No, but it's true. That's the reality of it. And we see that a lot. with most of the forward players, I would say. But it's like that.
11:27It's all individuals for Argentina. You can be a defender. You can be even a goalkeeper, even Martinez. On that goal, he stayed on the floor when nobody touched him. And you say, why? Why do you do that? And that's insane. It's part of their mind. They have to do that. It's in their blood. And I'm sorry, you have to change the way of thinking. Because when you have geniuses like Alvarez, Messi, The players who can play football and being so talented, they cannot be part of that. They cannot witness that. That's the problem, isn't it, now? We're talking about Argentina in a really, really bad light.
12:04When up until this game, it was about how great they've been and how Messi's been amazing and the fight and they stay in games and the last-minute winners and their camaraderie is amazing. Yet they have one bad game like this and it's spoiled. I won't agree on that because before the game many, many people were already cheering for Spain because of the way Argentina were thinking the football I'm sorry They didn't play like that against Egypt or England No, of course not We know what they do Let's not forget Spain won And very much Deservedly Let's go to Gemma Soler now who is in La Minha Mall's neighbourhood where he grew up, a neighbourhood now of a World Cup champion, Gemma.
12:56Yes, Dan, and this is amazing. 19-year-old, he's world champion, European champion. He won everything, La Liga, Copa del Rey with Barcelona. And there are 10 ,000 people here, and this is because they closed this park. It's called the Central Park in Mataró. More people wanted to get here, but they closed it. We have a big screen. All these people are waiting, they want to see La Minya Mal with the trophy. And we suffer a lot. It's been a lot of suffering despite everything you said about Argentina, not trying. Yes, the last five minutes we suffered but we celebrated a lot. These guys here, my new friends, all of them are from Rocafonda.
13:35It's the neighborhood of La Minya Mal. They want to say something short in English. How good is La Minya Mal?
13:45The best, Lamin Jamal is the best football player in the world. The best football player in the world. They also want to show you very proud the postal code of Matarojo. The celebration. Most of them, they have seen, they were explaining me that they have seen Lamin Jamal in the neighborhood. He's a proud kid. He goes back to his hometown. And all these people here, all these guys, my new friends, are so happy, so excited. They weren't here when Spain were grown world champions 16 years ago in Johannesburg. So they are so excited to celebrate them. And I have the feeling that tonight is going to be long here in Mataró, in Rocafonda, where La Minya Mal was born.
14:29Gemma, the emotions, even where we were watching, were quite strong in a sense that, oh no, are Argentina going to take this to penalties and win? I imagine that was similar, wasn't it, with the fans around you? Yeah, it's true that with everything that happened during the hundred and thirteen minutes, you could say the goal is going to come. The set-off of Argentina was celebrated as a goal almost here because they kind of imagined that the goal will be happening. But then the time was happening, the commentators were remembering that Argentina have won five of the last six penalty kicks. Spain have only won one of five and I could feel the tension, the nerves of the people.
15:13They have been here two hours before kickoff. It was really hot, suffering. Some of the kids sitting on the ground, they couldn't stand this anymore. But eventually that Ferran Torres, also player from Barcelona, a substitute, a player that suffered so much, the Shark. So the celebration was big. I have a lot of beer in my hair, I have to say. No, these kids, they were great. but some in the back. Fireworks. You know how it was, but it was really fun to leave it here. Very authentic to leave it. You know, Laminia Malcoms from a very humble neighbourhood with a lot of immigration, with a lot of travel.
15:47He always said that he doesn't fear playing football, playing a World Cup final, because he feared a lot during his early years. And I think he's such an inspiration for these kids. All of them play football. And celebrating this, experiencing this is really amazing. It's funny because you think Spain have won the World Cup. And he's been six out of ten, probably, throughout. And I don't think that's first being harsh. It's been fantastic to see the atmosphere there and the inspiration that he has for the neighbourhood. But he didn't have his best tournament. And it's not a surprise when he had two months out with a hamstring injury coming into the tournament.
16:20It's not like he came in... Well, he was fresh in terms of he didn't play many games at the end for Barcelona. So he got a rest, but he wasn't sharp. You could see that in his passing and his crossing, some of his finishing. So that's not a surprise, but it's about everything else for Spain, isn't it? And I tell you what was really big for Spain, and he got this almost perfect in most of the games, substitutions. The subs for Spain made a difference. Whether it was Moreno who missed the header, but he came on in games and scored. It was Torres to Moreno. Nico Williams, header. It was Ferran Torres to Moreno in the Portugal game, I believe, or the Croatia game.
16:54Nico Williams came in, did a little bit. Pedri's come off the bench, and he dropped Pedri. He dropped Pedri, It was a big call during this tournament to drop one of Barcelona's star men, but he made that decision because he felt that was for the betterment of the team. And then he was able to bring these guys on. And Torres and Moreno and Pedri in particular all came on at difficult times in games and made a difference. Those subs were huge. Let me just say goodbye. Gemma, we'll say goodbye to you because I know you've got busy. I know you've got other shows to do. Much appreciated. Gemma, Gemma, of course, will be with us throughout our La Liga coverage, which starts next month.
17:31Just a word on Laminia, Mac. How much was it, the injury? How much was it, the occasion? No, it was probably the injury. It was just probably match fitness, match sharpness. I didn't think he was particularly bad. He contributed, but he certainly wasn't the star man or the star boy we were expecting him to be. If anything, defensively, they were magnificent, weren't they? The fact that they've kept Argentina another clean sheet, they've conceded one in the whole tournament to Belgium. One. defensively when there was question marks about whether it's Porro or Llorente started the tournament then Porro and Kubarsi and Laporte who has had a couple of years in Saudi Arabia back in Spain are they going to be comfortable enough?
18:10are they going to be good enough? and it's shown that they've been excellent Rodri again in front of them he's made a big call on the goalkeeper as well because Unai did not have a good season at Athletic Club but he trusted him because he's done the job for them before. This is why international football is not always for a coach, but picking who some people perceive as the best player. Ryan was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. Jean Garcia was the best in La Liga. He and Thibaut Courtois. Jean Garcia was tremendous for Barcelona. But we got a little glimpse in the psyche of the relationship between the manager and Unai Simon.
18:46And the one time Argentina actually got up the field in the first half was Unai Simon being the sweeper-keeper. A bit like Manuel Neuer. He was out there so quick to get that ball because Messi was going to run onto it. So I think the decision was made. Look, these other two guys are brilliant keepers, but what I'm getting is a total package here. He's good with the ball at his feet. He plays a high line, so he sweeps up behind. And, you know, he's not a bad goalkeeper. But certainly you wouldn't say he's the best goalkeeper out of the three. You could argue he's actually the worst of the three.
19:16I just want to go back to Lamine Amal. 19 years old, European champion, World Cup champion, two times in a row champion of La Liga and 19 years old. I don't know if he realizes what he's doing right now. I don't know what's going to be the rest of his career, but it can be kind of boring. But that's insane. And congratulations to him. And it's true. We have to stop on putting the pressure on him. Now he's not a real star right now because he's been injured and he's been hard. And comparing to what Messi achieved, what Mbappe is doing and Kane. Did you say we need to stop putting the pressure on him?
19:53Yeah. You've just ruled off his resume. Yeah, but because of his resume, let him go. Let him go. The funny thing is, Frank, is Koubarsi is the same. Yeah. And he's virtually the same age. Yeah, but he's a defender, so nobody cares. That is very true, though. Koubarsi no one talks about that. Exactly, Koubarsi. And Koubarsi had a great World Cup. Yeah, he had a really great World Cup. And he's won all of Sophie Lamine's won. He's a little bit older. We know how the media is. But he's still a teenager, isn't he, Koubarsi? I mean, it's incredible. what they're trying to do. Yeah, journalist, you have to stop that.
20:22Oh, yeah, what are you? Oh, I'm a pendid. I'm media personality. You're a what? I'm a pendid. I'm not a journalist. A pendid. We'll cut one of that, is it? Just a reminder, ESPN FC will continue. We're going to have a break. We're going to have a few days off, but there will be a couple more shows before we go on holiday, including, of course, tomorrow, live on ESPN2, 4pm Eastern. So much reaction to what we've seen, not only today, but across the whole World Cup.
20:52more world cup reaction coming up these are the scenes in madrid ah we know those streets well maca yes we do
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22:44Ferran Torres, who comes on and scores the winning goal. And Gassini had a couple of chances before, didn't he, Macri? He had the header, but then he took this one so well. Yeah, he's a great foil, isn't he, for Ayathebal. Ayathebal has been starting the games, chips in with goals. And then De La Fuente always brings them on, and he always gets in the right area at the right times, isn't he? He always gets chances. It's like Mourinho, as Craig said before, he had a great chance. People he brings on are always in the right positions. and it was Ferran Torres' day-to-day, you know, like it was in 2010 with Andres Iniesta getting the winner, it's Ferran Torres who will go down in history and he deserves it.
23:20You know, when he came on as sub, sometimes you're upset because you're not starting the game, but when you come on, as Craig rightly said, the one thing you have to do is make an impact, make an impact of sorts, and he's done that every single time, and I'm thrilled to bits for him. And he was a bit of a scapegoat after the first game against Kate Verde. They were looking at the chances that he had, and they would criticise him, obviously. Then Erasabel comes on and you look at it and it's kind of gone full circle. Well, he had a bit of a lull towards the end of the season at Barcelona because he kept Robert Lewandowski out of the team.
23:50And then he went on, I think, eight or ten game streak where he never scored. And then he came back again a little bit at the end. One of the things, and Hansi Flick really likes him because he can play, his movement along the front line for Barcelona is excellent. He can play on the left, he can play on the right, he can play through the middle. the one thing he's really improved from going back from Man City to Barcelona, and it's been a gradual process, is his finishing. His finishing was always very rushed and raw and a bit rash in the final third. And that sort of typified him today. That composure.
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24:26I thought initially he sort of put his laces through it, but he side-footed it. Could easily have put that ten feet over the bar. That's what I really appreciate. Well, first, the assist from Nico Williams and the cleverness that he made, heading the ball to Ferran Torres. But as you said, it's kind of semi-volley. And you put the side foot in, and he's really strong, precise, accurate. That's really hard to do. And when you play a World Cup final, it's even harder, I guess. And his composure was absolutely spot on. That was a good goal, a very nice goal. I think you've got to give Hansi Flick a lot of credit.
25:09He's improved a lot of those players at Barcelona. They go into the Spanish side with a mentality of attack. Their mentality at club level is to get forward and be creative. Play forward as well. When you receive, play forward. That's all they do at Barcelona. We sort of criticise it a little bit during the La Liga season because of the way they defend at times. it's not as chaotic in the Spanish side. They play a high line, but they don't play that crazy high line. But all the players, from the defenders to the midfielders to the attackers that come from the Barcelona side of things to the Spanish squad, they're forward-thinking, positive players who want to get on the front foot.
25:51So what he's doing at Barcelona, in a sense, has helped Dele Fuentes. And he's tinkered with it and he's put his own little stamp on it. But they're all... He's improved a lot of them and Ferran Torres would certainly be in that car. I think there is only one star in that team. It's De La Fuente. Talk to me about him a little more, Frank. Because I really think that what he was capable of realising with his team, it's a club team. It's like I saw that with Emile Jacquet, where it took him like four years to build that. We had Cantona, we had Ginola. He didn't pick him from 96 in England. And everybody said, come on, the two best players in England, they don't play for France.
26:31but they didn't fit into what Eme Jacquet wanted to create. And that's what it is. And you don't necessarily pick the best player. You make sure it's like a jigsaw puzzle. You make sure it fits. And it goes well. And everywhere. And you could see all the substitution. Marino never complained. Went. Scored. Again. Scored. Ferran Torres. Nico Williams. Pedri. That was insanely composed together. And well thought. So it's why I think that the big star of that Spanish national team is the coach like Eme Jacquet. I call him God. I call him God because the guy thought through everything. And I think De La Fuente did.
27:14Obviously, what's helped De La Fuente, he's grown up with these kids. He knows them and they know him. Why is that a template that we don't see other countries use more? We've talked about England. We've talked about Tuchel. You look at Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil failed. Yeah, but you need the players and you need the players to be confident on the ball. The fact that you've got eight Barcelona players who, as Craig said, play football the way we all think football should be played. You get it, you move forward with the ball, you play on the floor, you move. You know, you're always looking forward for a creative pass.
27:43The fact that he's got those type of players in the team and he's got people like Rodri and things like that, it helps when you have those type of ball playing midfielders. You just want to get the ball all the time and then want to turn and move forward. that helps a lot of teams have got really good players but they're a little tiny bit negative or not confident enough so their first thought is backwards or sideways so they don't lose the ball the Spanish think differently their first thing is to turn turn face forward and where are we going now and they take chances they're very brave with the ball and that's why they're getting the rewards that's what people need to be you need to trust yourself a bit more Spanish players do Spanish players will take the ball under pressure and just fancy themselves to turn out into space.
28:26A lot of other people won't want the ball if they're marked. And I think that's a really nice sign for the... 38 matches they haven't lost again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not bad, is it? That's crazy. We would have thought that the Pedro would be on the bench. I know. Pedro on the bench. It's like, again, I go back to 98, Patrick Vieira on the bench, captain of Arsenal straight after. Fantastic player in the middle of the park. But you had Deschamps, you had Emmanuel Petit, Alain Boghossian, and you had Patrick Vieira. and that's the same. Rodri, Fabian Ruiz and Pedri. And you say, what a generation.
29:01And you need that. You need, of course, you need to be helped. The coach cannot, if he hasn't got good players, he won't achieve anything. But it's when you have a lot of good players that you have to mix match your talent. So that was perfect. You take Lomino Mala away and they're still a good side. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're still a great side. You take Messi away and Argentina are not. Yeah. We go back to Cuba, I say struggles, they won La Liga, but one of the struggles they have defensively is he lost Inigo Martinez to Saudi Arabia and he was an experienced partner for him. He had various partners this year and in some sense Laporte's a good foil for him.
29:41He's a bit like Inigo Martinez. He's experienced. And he's got a good size on him as well, yes. And he's got Eric Garcia and as you said, he's had different people for Barca, hasn't he? Arojo. La Porte. The national team doesn't play like Barcelona. You say the high line that they play for Barcelona. And they don't run out crazily. It's risky. It's so risky. And it put him in danger and a very weak situation at some point. But with the national team, they're secure. They know what to do. And they have Pedro Puro on the right side, Corrella on the left side. They were excellent. They're very good.
30:12And very good defensively. But you know, if you said today, for Spain, for example, in any games, today the midfields, Rodri Pedri and Mikel Moreno, you'd be like, yeah, yeah. Or today it's Fabian Ruiz, Rodri and Dani Omo. You'd be like, oh yeah, yeah, no problem. You could get probably four or five combinations in that Spanish midfield and you wouldn't sit here and say, what the hell is he doing? You'd say, well, yeah, I can see that. And even Zubimendi only come on right at the last minute, didn't he? Well, he'd come on in extra time. And again, he won the league with Arsenal, big money signing for Arsenal, and he couldn't even get on the pitch.
30:46And you're talking about Fabian Ruiz, you're talking about Dani Omo, you're talking about Pedri, you're talking about Rodri. And of course, they've got Zubi Menzi as well. So any of those three are the fun. European teams have flexed their muscles. France should have been a lot better. Yeah. And they disappointed in the end. But the European teams flexed their muscles. Yeah. Six out of eight. The South American teams, for the most part, Uruguay were terrible. Yeah. Brazil were pretty bad. I mean, Brazil got outplayed by this up-and-coming Norway side. Deserved to lose. Yeah. And Argentina had these moments that were exciting.
31:18But you look at Colombia, Switzerland. When you go to Ecuador. Exactly. When you peel back the games that were desperation for Argentina, which they were. England was desperate, 85 minutes. Egypt was desperation. Cape Verde looked like they were never going to be able to go back to Argentina again if they'd lost there. Switzerland was a gigantic bore. But when you peel back the comebacks that they've made and take a real hard look at what they are, they're a skeleton, aren't they? Yeah. They're really not, apart from the bruises and bumps and the kicks. When it comes to playing football. When it comes to playing football, neither the Brazilians, and it's unfortunate because, you know, I suppose it's cyclical, but you look at Brazil and Argentina as the two juggernauts of South American football, and I don't know what they're going to be bringing through in four years.
32:07They're a long way away from looking like they're going to... If you compare the middle of the park, all the midfield players from Brazil and Spain, you understand why it's easier for Spain to play football. I'm sorry, Paqueta, Casemiro... Norway dominated Brazil. Norway dominated Brazil in the middle of the park. It's normal. Gab and Jules will be at this desk a little later on to bring us their World Cup podcast to reflect on their thoughts. I imagine there are plenty on what we saw in the final. Here are the fans in New York. We saw a lot of Argentinians about, didn't we, today? Obviously, Spanish well-represented there as they celebrate the World Cup.
32:50After the break, we'll discuss the award winners.
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34:55They'll see the sunrise, won't they, Macca? Don't you reckon in Spain? That party is going to go on all night. night. The second time they've won the World Cup for first back in 2010. Let's take a look at some awards, shall we then? Golden Boot. Golden Ball, sorry. Goes to Rodri. Wow. Kylian Mbappe, Golden Boot. Unai Simon, Golden Glove. Young player Kubar C. I'm surprised they didn't go Messi for Golden Ball. For young player. It's Rodri who wins it. It's very difficult, isn't it? Obviously, you can't argue with Mbappe. Isn't that great for the young cub? I mean, I'm sure he's more interested in winning the World Cup and the medal and all that.
35:37But I think that is recognition for everything we've talked about. And how we forget, as the boys were saying, in all the Laminya-Mal discussion, that he's been in that Barca team since 16, 17. In a really important position, in a position where centre-fours will look to be physical and mess you around. So he's got two league championships, and a World Cup. I mean, he's been so under the radar, but he's been incredible. He wasn't in the year squad for the European Championship. Two years ago. I don't know, actually. He's too young. Let's go with that. Two years ago. Let me know how I was very young.
36:18We don't need any curveballs. I mean... Goal's interested. Yeah, but that's fine. I thought he's been brilliant. Yeah? I thought he was brilliant, Rodri. I think he... Forgive me if I'm wrong. I think I should have gotten a message. I think he was the best player at the tournament. I think he had moments. Did he not win the golden ball two years ago? Well, not golden ball. Have you had anything to play the tournament? No, I haven't. But I think, I don't know. I think if you look at this tournament overall. But has he been the best player? No. Oh, he's had the best moments. Yeah, but isn't being the best player having the best moments?
36:46Well, Rodri's was consistency. Yeah. Just because you don't have moments. He doesn't understand the differences between best player and most valuable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He doesn't understand the nuances. Yeah, exactly. That's the problem. What are you winking at me? People, they pay tickets because they want to see Messi. But people who love football, they want to pay tickets to see Rodri. That's the thing. That's the thing that people have to understand. Yes, it's nicer. It's more entertaining to see Messi. But if you want to see a proper, fantastic, useful, very important player, you have to go for Rodri.
37:28You're the reason, one of the reasons, that the Ballon d 'Ors go to the type of player that they do. Yeah, right. For the most part. My argument would be, I think Spain would still be in the final without Rodri. Argentina wouldn't be in the final. So do you think their defensive record is down solely to the back four? Not at all, but I think we've talked about the depth and the quality they have within that team, that I think Rodri, someone can come in. I think Messi had an amazing World Cup for a 39-year-old. Yeah. But it was generally late in games when teams were tired and he had nothing. He was out.
37:58which is probably his last World Cup and he knew it. And so he just found something that Rodri's... The quality of his play all through the tournament was of the highest... He's a key. He was a key of the team. I feel we could be sitting here all night. You're not going to convince me. No, no, no. I think it's interesting. I'm sure he got play of the tournament in the Euros. 2024 he did, yes. Yeah, two years ago as well. So there's something about him. He's had a terrible... I'll tell you, he's a terrible... You have to get to your final. We saw him come back from the injury and we thought... He wasn't that good.
38:27He's not the same player, but he was here. And when push comes to shove against France, I thought he was magnificent. And he didn't put a foot wrong today. Yes, you can't think about things that he did, like, oh, that pass to him, or that shot here, or this or that. But it's like a metronome in there. He just gives it and goes and moves forward. There's an argument to say, Jude, I mean, it's brilliant. Do you know what was the nickname of the people in this position, like, 20 years ago? Water carrier. The water carrier, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that was the guy. Did you think the show was called water carrier?
38:57so people would get the ball back and give it to the stars. That was so pejorative, you say? Patronising? No, pejorative. Pejorative. Pejorative, thank you. Because it's so important in the game. And I'm so pleased that we finally recognised the work of those players. We played with fantastic players and we saw that. At the time, Guardiola was a kind of player like that. Even if he got... You had McAlealy. He was the best. He was the most important player in our team. We had Zidane, we had Fulano. And Golokante. That was insane. You see Neves and you see Vitinha this season with Paris Saint-Germain.
39:36Those players finally have recognition to the world. Of course, they're not entertaining like Messi or somebody else, but it's so crucial in the game. I think if they got to the final, not robbing it in, but I think if they got to the final, you could have chucked Jude Berlingham in that mix. Yeah, but they didn't, so there's no point. It doesn't mean he didn't have an absolutely amazing tournament. It's not his fault that England... No, but you can't put an argument out of he should get the golden ball. No, I'm just saying... You brought it up. No, you could argue... You're arguing about Messi.
40:05You could argue Bellingham even though he didn't get to the final. Yeah, but Messi did get to the final. Yeah, but you're very insular in the way you... I don't know why we've so good... You're very insular in the way you're analysing it. I'm just throwing... What about him? We give Jude Bellingham enough stick when he's not playing well for Real Madrid. And when somebody pitches up and has that type of tournament for the country, I think you should recognise it. I think we have recognised it. Well, you're just rubbish in it. I'm not rubbish in it. I'm just saying he's not in the conversation for a golden ball, is he?
40:32Because otherwise you've got to talk about Mbappe. Yeah. He's got 10 balls. Yeah, I'm all right with that. What you would say is that I think me, Craig and Frank, who have all played football, we all agree with that decision. Yeah. He should get it, Rodri over Messi. Apart from one guy. Well, he doesn't count. No. He doesn't count. You didn't see me for St. Michael's under 11. He didn't mention him when he was talking about... You've put me off. Where are we going now? We've done Golden... Bellingham. Jude Bellingham. Messi finished second. Jude Bellingham finished third. What's wrong with that?
41:08Kylian Mbappe was crucial. No, no. I meant he's won the Golden Boots. Yeah, but that's very individual. I don't like that. I don't care. I mean, he played the last game because he wanted to be Golden Boots. Good for him. But that's personal, that's individual. It doesn't give anything to the football for me. Again, we joke about the collective sport. Do you think that's why Dechamps played him in the last game? Of course. Wouldn't I give Mateta a run? Or somebody else a runner. People are pretty upset in France. We say, why didn't he put the beach in? Even for Mbappé, we don't care about the golden boot.
41:41He played for Real Madrid in the, what do you call it, the Copa del Rey against a third-tier team this year because he was chasing some sort of record. And he was carrying a knee injury, which ultimately put him out for three or four weeks. And it's almost like, you know, it's hard to criticise a guy who's scoring that amount of goals. That's a bad statistic. That's a problem with him. But I think sometimes a coach has to just be stronger, like De La Fuentes was with the Pedri decision. That's a big decision. Lugtual didn't put Kane to score more goals, maybe, against France. And he scored four goals, six goals.
42:14He could have scored three. Saka scored three. and he would have ended up finishing best golden boot. Well, that doesn't make any sense to me. I'm happy for Kylian, but that's very personal. And I don't care about that. I'm the same as Frank. I'm not really bothered about the golden boot. When it happens in those type of circumstances, when you've got like a third or fourth place playoff, I'm not bothered. It's great for Kylian, his personal pride. And on top of it, 48 teams, more games, eight games. You know, when Pelé was scoring gold, they had like maybe four games or five games. closer when he became...
42:46It was like six games, maybe. I don't know. And that's what it is. So, we're comparing players with generation and say, oh, he has the best record. Because, of course, they play eight games now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Against inferior opposition as well. Exactly. I didn't want to mention that. And if you go to 64 teams, I mean, Kylian's going to get about 50 goals over the next two years. So, it doesn't mean anything anymore. It doesn't mean anything, yeah. Party continues in Madrid. These are the scenes that we're seeing filtering. What a fiesta. It will be in the Spanish capital. Where is that? Is that what you celebrated?
43:23No. No, it's not Sabeles. That's the top, isn't it? Oh, come on, lads. You left here.
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45:49NWSL action then continues July 26th. Angel City taking on Louisville. That game on ESPN at 9 p.m. Eastern. We've got five minutes left. Everything's perfect to review what we've seen over the last month and a half. I think it's fair to say overall, it's been a great tournament, hasn't it? Oh, no. I think maybe you forgot. Are we? Maybe I forgot some of the games that were not as good early on. No, but I don't think there were that many. No. I think Haiti, Scotland. Scotland, Morocco. Yeah, exactly. Anything involving Scotland would forget. I actually think it's been a lot of good stories. I don't like all the way the shoehorn the third place teams.
46:28Yeah, right. And I think the head-to-head took away some of the excitement in the final games. For example, the US against Turkey would still have meant something. It did not. So there's tweaks that can be made. But I think Infantino's got away with it to an extent that the players and the teams, for the most part, made it more exciting than I thought most of us thought it was going to be. And there was a lot of great storylines there. But I'm not sure 48 worked with the third-place teams. And the move to 64 will mean it's only the top two going through, so they won't have that. But there's going to be a lot of guff.
47:06Remember, Spain drew the first game against Cape Verde. Cape Verde. Cape Verde. With all due respect, we have to Cape Verde. But the champion of the world drew against Cape Verde because they weren't into the game. Because they knew that, well, at least they will draw a game. I mean, it's not a problem because you would be qualified with three points. So it didn't mean anything. So we had an average overall, even if it was nice for the small team or so-called small team, we had an average group stage, right? And then after, it got interesting. Yeah, the knockout stages, it gets better, doesn't it?
47:42I mean, they were fortunate, I think, because the so-called lesser teams, the smaller sides, weren't humbled. You know, they were all quite close. So, you know, the Haiti's, the Curaçao's, the Cape Verde, they were nice stories. You know, a lot of those players have played in a World Cup. They're instantly famous, et cetera, et cetera. The keepers who made all these saves. You know, they are nice stories. Well, thankfully, they weren't beaten 10-0 by somebody, you know, early on in the competition. You know, like Germany won sevens in the early and you thought, oh, is it going to be one of those?
48:09So nobody was embarrassed, which was great. But I think, Craig's right, there's lots of tweaks to be made. They won't make any tweaks. No, but it was a very Americanised FIFA World Cup for the Europeans. and a lot of things drove me crazy. Today, you know, the hydration breaks. It's effectively four quarters and a half an hour halftime show. That's what it was. They're giving out commandments of rings for winning a trophy. I mean, it's so Americanised, it's gone crazy. So I hope that the next World Cup when we go back to Europe, even though it's going to be hot, I get the hydration breaks because it's hot.
48:41But this was more than hydration breaks. This was like another halftime. They have to tweak that. Hydration breaks should be on the other side of the pitch away from the manager with some water. 30 seconds later, so we're back on. You can't have three-minute meetings together. So there were certain things I didn't like, but it was the first one. It's tried. We'll wait and see if they make recommendations or they change anything for the next World Cup because certain things drove me crazy. He won't do this. He needs to have a good look at himself, Infantino. We should not forget the Balogun situation, right?
49:12Oh, yeah, of course. It was an utter disgrace. The political intervention, and then he, Infantino, the head of FIFA, bowed to a sporting decision that was just immoral. It never affected the tournament in the end, but it could have done. It was the Wild West. It was lawlessness of the head of FIFA basically doing whatever he wanted for a player to be able to play in a match. And all this excitement and entertainment, we should not forget there is a huge question mark even more so now Dan about the integrity of this organisation because that showed the world that Infantino is capable of making a singular decision on his own and then just brushing it aside and saying get on with it the rest of the world and all this World Cup that we've seen we should not forget that he tried to...
50:18He curried favour with the whole nation to try and get them through to the quarterfinals and beat Belgium. And that backfired amazingly badly. Good things we've seen that maybe carry forward. Time-wasting. You know, we saw it in the Champions League final. We'd lambasted that. That was something they approached, wasn't it? Not taking your time over throw-ins. I feel that worked. You want to see that taken into the domestic football? Most definitely. And there's no reason why... Oh, no, that was interesting, especially for people who are cheating staying on the floor for nothing, getting times.
50:48And that was a good idea. And it has to carry on, as you said. I like the corner thing as well, where if it wasn't a corner and they got it wrong... Because it was quick, wasn't it? If they were quick to have a look at it, they would just go back and say, right, actually, it's a goal kick. So you weren't getting a goal from something. But you didn't like that? No, the only thing... I just think that they're just... They're getting involved when they don't need to get involved. Because I think in four years' time, they'll start changing throw-ins. now they've done the corners and saying people are happy because now you can get a throw-in and you can throw it into the penalty area so that's it's almost like you're saying where's it going to stop where's it going to stop I just thought they intervened so many times when they didn't need to and I just think the re-refer in the game and it'll be corners it was a big success the corners well let's do it for throw-ins because a throw-in outside the penalty area is like a corner you can just chuck it right into the danger area well if that's not a corner we'll get involved in that and I just think it's too much ending on a positive I think the best thing about this tournament is that the best team won.
51:46The best team won, yeah. Yeah, exactly. That's the morale of that World Cup. Spain deserved to win, and they won, and it's good for the football. Yeah, it's great for football, isn't it? As in, all the cheating, all the diving, all this. No, the best team won. Yeah, that's it. All the teams that try to defend the way to it. Yeah. That is it, then. Our last day in New York. Thank you to everyone behind the scenes. You've been very patient with Frank. That's much appreciated. to hit ESPN FC, they're back tomorrow.
52:21Welcome in to the final Extra Time of the World War. Frank is here, Frank. I'm still here. Yeah, but the thing is, I don't know why you are pointing me just at the end of the show, saying that... Well, no, I said thank you very much to the people behind the scenes for putting up with you. Yeah, but I want to talk with that guy there, you know, always complaining about everything. And what have I complained about? You've been complaining about everything. The only thing I've complained about is you. No, me and Joe. You have been a gigantic pain in the rear end. No, I was very nice to people. Yeah.
52:53I was very nice to people. Yeah, I love it. I love, I love. Maka. Even when you've been nice to people. Let's us two exercise. Come on, they can show us. I want to talk to you. I'll be honest with you. If I had a tranquilizer, I would have tranquilized you during this three weeks. Really? Maka. Was this terrible final Thomas Tuchel's fault? Yes! Yes! Well, I mean, I don't want to... I'll come. I'll come. I don't want to harp back onto the England debacle. But when you see Argentina perform as badly as they did today, you second guess what on earth England were doing, don't you? Yeah. I mean, Argentina were terrible if you said that.
53:32No shots on target. It would have been a nice one. No nothing. Didn't do anything progressive. Didn't do anything creative. And England were winning 1-0 and had it in their grasp. and effectively threw it away, which we've gone over many, many times. So, yeah. Yes, it is Thomas Duckel's fault. It would have been a nice final. It would have been a great final. We'd have lost anyway. We'd have lost, but at least we'd have gone down fighting. At least we might have had a shot in the first 100 minutes. Yeah, exactly. Was Rodri the best player at the World Cup, Craig? Yeah. Yeah. He won the golden ball.
54:04He won the golden ball. Yeah, we discussed this quite a lot. Consistent, quality. I said Messi, but you ought to poo-ed me. Don't remember him in too many games giving the ball away.
54:17As we said before, you could say Koubarsi was great, or Laporte was great, or Pedro Poro or Cucurello. We have to give it to somebody, and nobody's got any problems that Rodri had. Can you translate Ballon d 'Or for me in English? Ballon d 'Or, Golden Ball. Oh, right. Is that what it is? Exactly. Yes. Golden Ball, Ballon d 'Or, the same thing. I know. Stealing ideas off. Thank you. Two different trophies, same meaning. So what's the point? Different things. Golden Ball is the best World Cup, isn't it? It's the best of the season. Explain. Frank, can you remember, did they have the Golden Ball in the 98?
54:53Oh, yeah, yeah. Did they? No, no, no, no, no, no. We had the Ballon d 'Or. The Ballon d 'Or was a different trophy, though. I don't remember. No, no. I wasn't looking for it. No, no, no. I'm just thinking when did this... I can't remember when this all started. Best player of the tournament. We had the best scorer. 1982 it was introduced. 1982. So what? Let's talk about the 82 World Cup. What a World Cup that was. Oh, that was... Don't be calling me tonight saying I miss you. Don't be calling me. Frank, call me up to you. Come back. What was Argentina's game plan tonight? What was their game plan?
55:29Did you understand what Argentina's game plan was? I don't really know because I'm so... I can be very negative about what they thought. And we say that the coach is a good coach, but it's like impossible to change the mentality of the players. And some players are here not to try to create something, but to try to destroy something. And that kills me. I was a defender, but still, I don't understand the way of pushing. And we saw Paredes coming on. And when he got the yellow card, I think he pushed the guy. He wasn't even playing. and that's insane. And I saw Simeone as well coming on and doing the same thing and they say, what do they try to do?
56:12Okay, we know they try to upset Spanish players in order for the Spanish players to respond and to get a yellow card and maybe a red card. Is that football? That's not football. That doesn't work like that. You have to show something else. And I really believe that Argentina and the all Argentinian players have other things to offer to the world. That's what he said. Craig, was there a foul by Mika Marino on Otamendi? Couldn't see much contact. He stepped on his foot. It's when he stepped on the foot for the goal that was rolled out. So if you want to argue technically, then yes. But he was given because if Otamendi doesn't feel it and throw himself to the ground, there's not going to be a free kick there.
56:53Final question, Maka. The final should have been at the Azteca.
56:58To be very honest, I've never been to the Azteca, so I don't know. It was never going to be there. what Craig said earlier on if anybody remember I would have preferred it to being in one of the indoor arenas I think the atmosphere would have been better the state of the pitch would have been better the climate controlled arena would have been better for it as a spectacle so I can't say much about the Aztec I mean the atmosphere would have been amazing but I don't know exactly you could have had it in Atlanta Kevin Egan the Irish Exit in Atlanta how much are you getting paid to say Kev The Irish The Atalanta one would have been I think a fitting Yeah, or Sophie Everybody said that was amazing You couldn't even see when the ball was in the corner And of course with the shadows today as well It didn't look particularly great But we know why it's We know why it's in New York Dallas Stadium That was the wrong choice But we know why it was here That is it We are done That brings us to the end of our World Cup coverage.
58:03Thank you very much for watching. Thank you very much for behind the scenes. ESPN FC will continue this week for a few more days before we go on a little break. We'll be with you tomorrow, 4 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.
58:27Good energy in. Ah, good energy out.
58:35Storm, zero sugar, 200 milligrams of caffeine and immunity support. Storm, energy for life.
From the publisher
The FC Crew react to the Final of the 2026 World Cup where Spain deservedly win to become the champions of the world. They discuss Argentina's performance that lacked attacking threat, and break down the best moments of the World Cup looking back, as well as the award winners.
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