In short
The episode of ESPN FC discusses multiple World Cup matches and storylines. Topic 1: England vs Ghana ended nil-nil, with England criticized for a slow, predictable tempo and inability to break down Ghana’s deep defense.
Key claims
England’s lack of speed and 1v1 threat hurt them; Jude Bellingham’s “sliding challenge” was a rare highlight, and his “man of the match” was questioned as sponsor-influenced.
Notable examples
Harry Kane’s chance from six yards that went over; England’s pace change after substitutions (Saka and Rashford); a possible Ghana penalty after a thigh-high tackle that VAR/referees seemingly ignored. Topic 2: Croatia beat Panama 1-0 via a single attacking moment—Joseph Stanisic’s service and Ante Budimir’s finish—while Panama were eliminated despite effort. Topic 3: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo debate after scoring two vs Uzbekistan; guests argue Ronaldo should not start but will now be central. Topic 4: Colombia’s 1-0 vs DR Congo (Daniel Munoz late goal) puts them top; they dominated early but struggled to convert.
Guests
Dan Thomas, Ali Moreno, Stevie Nichol (ESPN FC analysts).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOEngland vs. Ghana Overview
1:26 to 2:14
Discussion on England's underwhelming performance against Ghana in the World Cup.
“Later on the show, we'll be reflecting on Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Individual Player Analysis: Harry Kane
2:14 to 3:00
Evaluation of Harry Kane's missed opportunities and overall performance.
“But at the end of the day, we expect players of the quality that England had to do something different and produce something special when it was needed at a World Cup.”
Jude Bellingham's Game Comparison
3:00 to 4:17
Contrasting Jude Bellingham's performances in the first and second matches.
“So, yeah, individually nobody performed to the expectations that they were supposed to.”
Slow Play and Tactics of England
4:17 to 6:05
Analysis of England's slow-paced gameplay and its impact against Ghana.
“They said, all right, well, you guys are not going to break us down.”
Expectations vs. Reality for England
6:05 to 8:01
Discussion on England's expectations and the pressure of performing in the World Cup.
“I think one of the biggest problems England have is with the centre-back position.”
Building Momentum for Knockout Stages
8:01 to 10:39
The importance of finding rhythm and momentum in upcoming matches for England.
“Well, you've got to look at the big picture.”
Thomas Tuchel's Tactical Approach
10:39 to 11:49
Exploration of what Thomas Tuchel might do differently in facing teams like Ghana.
“You'd imagine they'll set up as we saw Ghana.”
Ghana's Defensive Strategy and Future
11:49 to 14:00
Insight into Ghana's defensive strategy and their challenges in scoring.
“He doesn't have any of those because he doesn't want to play like that.”
Assessing Ghana's Performance
14:00 to 14:36
Discussing Ghana's struggles to score and create chances.
“But having said that, we just got done with a conversation in that a counterattack may have been a penalty kick for them.”
Croatia vs Panama Match Analysis
14:36 to 17:08
Analyzing Croatia's narrow win over Panama and their chances moving forward.
“And Croatia very much with a fighter's chance of advancing to the next round.”
Show all 28 chapters
Panama's Moral Victories
17:08 to 17:50
Evaluating Panama's performance despite their elimination from the tournament.
“You're going to look on paper and you're going to see Modric and you're going to see Kovacic and you're going to see Perisic.”
Ronaldo's Future with Portugal
19:44 to 28:00
Discussing Ronaldo's performance and future role in the Portugal team.
“Portugal very underwhelming in that draw against DR Congo.”
Analyzing England vs. Portugal
28:00 to 30:11
The discussion centers on a potential matchup between England and Portugal, weighing strengths and weaknesses.
“that I think they're capable of achieving.”
Colombia's World Cup Standing
30:11 to 30:29
Reflections on Colombia's current position in the World Cup and their previous match against DR Congo.
“What, of course, could really affect the bracket going forward from this group is who finishes top.”
Colombia's Victory Over DR Congo
31:58 to 32:22
A detailed breakdown of Colombia's victory over DR Congo and what it means for their tournament prospects.
“If I'm grilling, chilling, and watching hoops, My outdoor patio setup better be ready to play.”
Colombia's Victory Over DR Congo
32:28 to 35:58
A detailed breakdown of Colombia's victory over DR Congo and what it means for their tournament prospects.
“Before we look ahead to that game, overall, Ali, they deserve the victory, but boy, they really labored to it.”
Colombia vs. Portugal Preview
35:58 to 37:58
Examining the upcoming clash between Colombia and Portugal and the implications for both teams.
“He's a workhorse, he's a good player, but he's a worker bee.”
Colombia vs. Portugal Preview
39:03 to 39:24
Examining the upcoming clash between Colombia and Portugal and the implications for both teams.
“So I talked to my doctor about self-injecting with the Vivgard Hytrulo Pre-Filled Syringe, which contains F-Gartigamide Alpha and Hyaluronidase QVFC.”
Colombia vs. Portugal Preview
39:38 to 40:43
Examining the upcoming clash between Colombia and Portugal and the implications for both teams.
“You know that purple ShopPay button you see at checkout?”
Balogun's World Cup Journey
40:54 to 42:00
Discussion around Balogun's performance in the World Cup and rumors of his transfer.
“any goal in the World Cup is something that's going to be cherished forever.”
Balogun's Value and Performance
42:00 to 44:45
Discussing Balogun's market value and performance in the World Cup.
“But all you need is two teams to say, that's what we're willing to pay.”
Memo Ochoa's World Cup Journey
44:45 to 46:52
Analyzing whether Memo Ochoa will start in his sixth World Cup.
“maybe because of the physical nature of the league.”
The Decision Behind Ochoa's Play
46:52 to 49:26
Evaluating the implications of Ochoa's potential playing time on team morale.
“He's here sharing advice and experience, but he's also competing.”
Scotland's World Cup Prospects
49:26 to 52:38
Predicting Scotland's chances against Brazil in the World Cup.
“Let's hold hands together and clap for Memo Joa.”
Late Night Extra Time Discussions
52:40 to 56:01
Hosts share lighthearted banter and personal anecdotes related to World Cup experiences.
“One in the morning, local time as we're recording this.”
Evaluating Gordon's World Cup Performance
56:01 to 57:09
Discussion on the performance of Gordon during the World Cup and comparisons to other players.
“If football transfers came with a 30-day return policy, Düring Barcelona would be sending back Gordon for a refund after his performance so far in the World Cup.”
The Need for Creative Players
57:10 to 58:20
Debate on which England players were missed and the importance of creative talents like Foden and Palmer.
“Which forgotten England player did they miss today, Stevie?”
Casual Conversation on Personal Habits
58:21 to 59:25
Lighthearted exchange about eating habits during the World Cup and personal anecdotes.
“You looked at it and then you took it far away and it kind of blurred into something.”
Transcript
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1:20Welcome in to the latest edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Ali Moreno and Stevie Nichol. Lots going on today in the World Cup. Later on the show, we'll be reflecting on Cristiano Ronaldo. Man in the match performance, bagging two goals and shutting up his critics. But we kick things off with England in action against Ghana. Sometimes a nil-nil game can be exciting. This was not one of those. Really poor performance from England. Great stuff from Gama. They set up their stall and England had no answers to it. Couldn't break down that Ghana defence. In the end, it finishes nil-nil. This is what the English papers had to say.
2:00England frustrated by Ghana. Not particularly complimentary towards a team, of course, that won against Croatia and got so many plaudits as a result. Not the same performance we saw today, Stevie. Why not?
2:16Gab Marcotti:because I guess individually nobody could produce what they were expected to including Harry Kane who had a great chance from what six yards out and somehow managed for him to balloon it over the crossbar so as a unit they obviously dominated the game but you've got to give credit to Ghana they defended well they did what they had to do England had a couple of opportunities hitting the bar goalkeeper made a couple with saves. But at the end of the day, we expect players of the quality that England had to do something different and produce something special when it was needed at a World Cup. Because England want to win this.
2:58Gab Marcotti:They don't want to get through the group. That's not good enough. Or be in the quarters. Listen, they're looking to win this. So, yeah, individually nobody performed to the expectations that they were supposed to. How can they be so exciting and electric against Croatia and so flat today. Yeah, and the contrast, and Steve is talking about individual players. Let's focus on one of those individual players in terms of the level of performance and how exciting that player was in game one as compared to game two, Jude Bellingham, who scores a great goal in the first game against Croatia, and he's all over the field.
3:34He's there. He's everywhere. He's tackling the ball here. He's winning challenges there. He's scoring a goal over there. and you're thinking, all right, he's going to carry this momentum onto the second match. And we really didn't see anything from Jude Bellingham up until the 48th minute, and it's because he has a great sliding challenge on Semenyo, on a counterattack. And that seemed to be the highlight for him in the match. And I'm thinking, if that's what we can remember from his performance, yeah, it's a good sliding challenge, don't get me wrong, it's a good defensive play, don't get me wrong.
4:07but you expect them to be a highlight on the other side of the field. And there just wasn't enough of that from England. It's not just one player. It's across the board. The speed of play of England up until about the 80th minute was so slow and so predictable, and it played right into the hands of what Ghana wanted to do, and they just kind of sat behind the ball, and unless England were able to break them down, they were not going to get out of that shell. They said, all right, well, you guys are not going to break us down. We're fine here. We're comfortable here. About the 80th minute until the end of the match, you saw a different pace and a different desperation from England.
4:41I'm thinking, where has that been? Yeah. Where has it been for the... Why? Why? Why? Yes. Well, maybe the changes. Right. Saka coming on. Saka coming on, I think, made a difference. There was a different personality to the team. Marcus Rashford, even though he didn't get all that involved, his element of speed, I think, creates something. And I believe the minutes of Anthony Gordon are going to be diminished following this performance. And indeed the first performance from him. And this team lacks speed on that side, or at least somebody who can take somebody on. And Anthony Gordon has been unwilling to do that.
5:20And so much so that instead of taking Madueke off when they're bringing on Bukayo Saka, they brought Madueke over to the left-hand side and took Anthony Gordon off and said, you know what, we just go with two left-footed guys, sack on that side, might look like on this side. I just think England were so slow to get this game going and to put the rhythm of the game and really the tempo of the game to their liking. They played it right into the path of what Ghana wanted to do, and they were too late to react to that, too late to be able to see it, to feel it, to pick out passes, to pick out opportunities.
6:01It felt that they reacted to Lane. By the time that they reacted, the game was gone.
6:05Gab Marcotti:I think one of the biggest problems England have is with the centre-back position. When John Stones doesn't play, Kansa and Gehi are not confident enough to, as soon as they get it, have a look forward. Right. So everything's sideways. It starts right at the base. And when it starts slow, it gives the opposition time to get into position. and so when they're disappearing to their own halfway line or even further then it's too late, you can't really play forward, certainly through the middle of the park quickly because they've all gotten back in position, so that is one of the big problems, when John Stones doesn't play, those early looks, looking forward early doesn't happen and so that just makes it harder when you play against a team like Ghana who's sitting.
6:53To Ali's point, Jude Benningham was man of the match, that just shows exactly where England were in that time. By the way, he said he didn't deserve it. And I agree with him.
7:02Gab Marcotti:Hold on a second. That is the sponsor. I don't know whether it happens in the World Cup. Generally, whoever sponsors it gets the player to appear, get a four or get something. That's why you end up with situations like this where somebody like Bellingham, who's not had a great game, gets man of the match because the sponsor wants to see him. I think it's a beverage company that you enjoy. I may be wrong with that. That doesn't really narrow it down. Well, it's not water. It's not there, shall we? Going forward, how much does this take the wind out of England's sails after that? Are you shaking your head?
7:39No.
7:40Gab Marcotti:No. A little disappointed. They never scored. Disappointed. They'll all be disappointed individually that they didn't do better. But at the end of the day, this point gets them through to the next round. 100%. Right. Phase one complete. Yes. do you want to do better? But yeah, this is not going to put a dent in the confidence around. This is just a nice little kick up the backside early doors to push them on. You're very positive about this theory. Well, you've got to look at the big picture. You don't win the World Cup at this stage of the tournament. Right. You know, and if you're not fantastic at this stage of the tournament, it's not the worst thing as long as you pick up points or get your three points or results.
8:21Gab Marcotti:So, yeah, it's a little blip, a little kick up the backside. I suppose the concern is we've seen this from England quite a lot in big tournaments. You know, how many times they get you on the edge of the seat, get you excited, which they did in the first game, and you feel like this match, they just kind of regress back to the mean. So then I think you mentioned thinking forward and what England is going to be in the knockout stage. I do think it is important for you to build some momentum in the match against Panama. in that you start seeing some of the patterns of play or the rhythm or the tempo or the passing quality or the individual play, that you see all those things come together against Panama so that then when you go into the knockout stage, you're not hoping that that rhythm of play is going to be there, that that level of play is going to be there.
9:09It's knowing that we just did this against Panama. We're going to be able to do it against whomever we play in the knockout stage. I think it's important for England to find a level of confidence, the same sort of level of confidence that they had against Croatia, and that they're going to say and have said after this game against Ghana, said, you know, things are going to be okay. It's one thing to say it, but then you've got to show it. And the only way that you can show it is by playing well against Panama and building that momentum. I think England's going to be all right. As they go into the knockout stage and they start playing against better opposition, They're going to benefit from the fact that teams are going to get out and try to attack England.
9:50They're not just going to sit back. I think they benefit from teams that come and attack them so that then they can go and attack these teams with spaces in behind, which were not available today. And what that showed us is that England has difficulties in having players in 1v1 situations in tight spaces, but from central areas, players who can actually pick a penetrating pass. Where is that penetrating pass coming from in those central areas if it's crowded? You have guys that are very good passers of the ball, but they're not exactly penetrating passers sort of guys. Like Declan Rice or Elliot Anderson, yes, they're good connectors, and yeah, they can switch the point of attack.
10:29But when it comes to finding that pass that eliminates lines of defending, England don't seem to have that guy. So that was shown today. So I do think that as we get into the knockout stage, England will benefit of, I know it sounds kind of productive, but playing against better opposition that will challenge England and they'll be able to then challenge back those teams that are coming and attacking them. Panama won't challenge them. You'd imagine they'll set up as we saw Ghana. What do you do differently if you're Thomas Tuchel approaching this game given what we saw today?
11:01Gab Marcotti:Well, to be honest, I don't think Panama are capable of doing what Ghana did and Panama as well, when they can, we'll try and get people forward. You know, the two games they've done, they've done that. That's exactly what they've done. I don't see them changing. So I think there will be more space. And actually, I thought that graph was fantastic. There's not one pass that goes right through the middle. Yeah, it's kind of that C shape, isn't it? It is absolutely on the wide area. So anybody playing against England knows that. But listen, that's the way Thomas Tuchel's built his squad. The squad's about pace and about strength.
11:37Gab Marcotti:And so it's built to play against teams that want to play football. Right. You know, it's not built to play against teams that want to sit at the edge of the box, because otherwise he would have taken Palmer or Phil Foden or a player like that. He doesn't have any of those because he doesn't want to play like that. That's by design. By design. So, yeah. And I know we may move on from this conversation soon, but they're tackled by Conza. Is that not? Well, of course. Yeah, you look at it and the more you see it, the more you think, well, that could be a penalty. Oh, it is a penalty. It could be.
12:10He tries to play the ball, but doesn't get anywhere near the ball. And is thigh high at the player. There is contact there as well as he's going towards goal. I don't know why. I think there's been, and I don't know this for certain, but it feels like there's been an effort by the referees to just kind of play, let things go. which I can understand that that's one way to do it. And believe me, big picture, I said that that's a good thing to have in the game. Just play on and let's get on with it. But this seemed like a very big play both for Ghana and England. And what an opportunity that might have been for Ghana.
12:48And it felt like we moved so quickly, we moved on so quickly from it. I'm thinking, wait a minute, why are we not showing more replays of this? And why are we not taking our time to make sure that we're making the correct decision? It felt like a penalty to me, but apparently not. Imagine the fuss if it was at the other end.
13:03Gab Marcotti:The whole thing was a little strange because the commentators never really mentioned much about it. Obviously, VAR didn't mention anything about it. The referee wanted nothing to do. It's almost like everybody would just forget it. It's like the messy red card. Yeah, nobody saw it. Don't worry about that. Oh, bring that up again. Word on Garner, this is how they set out their store going throughout this tournament, you imagine now, isn't it? They just want to frustrate their opponents as much as they can. Well, and Stevie and I were doing this show that night. Ghana were fortunate to beat Panama.
13:35It was Panama that was pushing for the winner. In that effort to try to go and get the winner, they got themselves exposed in a counter and gave credit to Ghana that they were able to get out on that counter, take advantage of it, create a chance, score a goal, they get their three points. And today, they did nothing to suggest that they're going to do anything different going forward. This is who they are. They're going to defend. And I don't know that they pose enough of a threat in the attack to really trouble teams. But having said that, we just got done with a conversation in that a counterattack may have been a penalty kick for them.
14:08And maybe they go on to win this game 1-0. It seems like it's an uncomfortable team to play against, especially when you are the team that has to carry the possession, has the expectations. You have to create the chances. And Gannard are more than happy to say, yeah, we'll sit right here. Good luck.
14:25Gab Marcotti:You worry for them though, if they go behind. Well, yes. Because you don't see how they're going to score a goal. They've created next to nothing in these two games. Let's focus on the other game in this group, shall we? Croatia with a 1-0 victory over Panama. Panama then out of the competition. And Croatia very much with a fighter's chance of advancing to the next round. First half, it looked like this game could be played forever and no one was going to score, Raleigh. substitutions made the difference for Croatia after the break. Ante Budimir comes on the field and has an immediate impact in scoring from my kind of range, and it's a tap in a little knee bash action from him.
15:04But I think what we have to say and highlight in that particular play is the quality of the service in Joseph Stannis, which Bayern Munich player, who in a quick combination down the right-hand side gets his head up and provides a moment of quality. And when I say a single moment of quality, I really mean that this game had a single moment of quality in the attack, and it was that service from Stanisic and then the finish from Ante Budimir. Croatia gets three points, and they're still very much with a chance to advance out of this group. But there's nothing about that performance from Croatia that fills you with any sort of confidence and hope that this team is going to go much further in the competition because we just haven't seen any evidence that this team is about to do something.
15:52They don't have enough in terms of quality of possession. They're getting beaten to the ball in the midfield. The energy and intensity of Panama was essentially bullying Kovacic and Modric in particular. Pasalic has to cover a whole lot of space. And you look at them and you go, in the attack, do they have enough? I don't think they do. Defensively, are they solid enough? Maybe. The one highlight that I think you can sort of pick out from Croatia is Livakovic, the goalkeeper, that when he's been called upon to make saves, he's made the saves. As for Panama, I suppose some people would say, be proud of the effort that you've put forth in the first couple of games and give you moral victories.
16:36But moral victories do nothing for you at this point. You're eliminated from the competition, even though that you can make a very convincing argument that they really deserve something from this game today against Croatia, probably to win the game. And they definitely deserve to beat Ghana. They didn't do any of those things, and now they're gone. If Croatia do advance, obviously a win against Ghana would guarantee that, a draw as well. You look at it, you don't fancy them going deep in this competition.
17:02Gab Marcotti:Croatia are going to be one of the teams that people are not going to be worried about. Right. Basically. You're going to look on paper and you're going to see Modric and you're going to see Kovacic and you're going to see Perisic. Now, unfortunately for Croatia, those three in particular are three players that they rely on heavily. But unfortunately, they're all past their best. and Ali already said it, in the middle of the park there was no control against Panama who are 100 % us, they've got loads of desire, they just don't have any quality but yet they didn't really totally dominate Panama in the middle of the park, so I don't see how you play against any of the so-called big boys or the so-called proper teams and you do it with any real conviction or any any real authority, I don't.
17:55So, Panama out of the World Cup. Top spot in the group. Still very much so up for grabs between England and Ghana. Head-to-head, even, so it'll be down to goal difference if both of those teams win their final matches. After all the criticism and all the memes and all the AI videos, Cristiano Ronaldo is back, baby.
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19:44Portugal very underwhelming in that draw against DR Congo. Fernando Santos left Ronaldo out at the latter stages of the 2020 world. Four years on, I don't know how Ronaldo is expected to be better. I don't think he should start, and I wouldn't have started him at the beginning of the tournament either.
20:00Gab Marcotti:Players, they know they can't say anything against him. They know that he's a real star, he's the peak of the national team. France is one game, it's not one game. And that's the problem here. That is the problem. Ronaldo was poor two years ago at the Euros, didn't score a single goal, missed penalties, didn't even... It's not just that he was not good, he didn't look good. Take that, haters. Cristiano Ronaldo with a brace as Portugal thrashed. Uzbekistan by five goals, turn nil. Stevie, you one of the critics of Roberto Martinez and Ronaldo? though? Yeah. How could you get it so wrong? Yeah. I'm afraid I'm still the glass is half empty.
20:43Gab Marcotti:What do you mean? He scored two goals, two good goals, took them very well. Well, let me tell you why I say that, right? So you're playing in Uzbekistan, you win 5-0, it probably should have been 10 and it could have been 10. And so, Ronaldo is not going to get the opportunities in a real game against a proper team that he got against Uzbekistan. And he had an opportunity at 0-0, and the only reason he never took it, I don't know whether you remember it. I remember he was doing this. Yes, running in at the far post. The reason he missed it is because he didn't have the legs to get to the cross.
21:21Gab Marcotti:That's the sum and size of it. That's the real bare bones of it. Now, the problem is, if he's playing against France or England or Norway or a bona fide proper football team, he's not going to get three, four, five chances. He may get one. He may get two. And so if he's in the same situation again he's not going to be able to take it because he can't get there. When Messi scored his hat-trick against Jordan we weren't saying yeah but what happens when he comes up against a proper team? The hat-trick was against Algeria. Algeria, sorry. It's funny you should say that. How many times have we ever said that about Messi whether he's playing France or Uzbekistan or any minute.
Read the full transcript
22:04Gab Marcotti:Jordan. We've never said that. We've never sat here and gone, oh, well, he only scores against Jordan, but when he comes up against France or England, he never scores. We've never said that. You know why? Because he's never been in that situation. Ronaldo is in that situation. Has been in that situation. So you give him no credit for today whatsoever? That's not what I'm saying. Well, I feel like it's just been negative. There has been nothing positive. What I'm saying... You have not said one positive word about Ronaldo so far. What I'm saying is, is that it's all very well when you get three, four and five chances in a game and you take two.
22:41Gab Marcotti:But when you play in a big game and you get one opportunity, you need to be at your best. You need to be ready for it. Can you say anything positive? I'm not so sure that he's going to be able to take it. About today's performance from Ronaldo. Yeah, I thought he took both goals. I mean, it was great. He took them really well. There you are. That's nice, isn't it? Yeah. Say something positive. Well, I did. Well, I took your time. I'm looking at the whole picture here. If we just want to analyse this game against Uzbekistan, then obviously you're going to say, well, he took his goals well, blah, blah, blah.
23:16Gab Marcotti:But we have to look at the big picture. The big picture is, unfortunately for him, he's not going to be playing against Uzbekistan for the rest of this World Cup. So for the next game against Colombia, which is a must-win game if they're going to top the group, you don't play Ronaldo?
23:34Gab Marcotti:I honestly don't think he should be starting for Portugal. But there is absolutely no question he's going to start. But you wouldn't start him? I wouldn't have started him. At the start of this tournament, I would have had him coming off the bench. And because he scores two goals, all of a sudden, he's now the Ronaldo of five, six years ago. If that's what you want to talk about, then I disagree with you. But in isolation, he played well today. Ali, your thoughts. Yeah. So Roberto Martinez has put himself in a corner where now there is no choice to be made other than he has to play Cristiano Ronaldo.
24:17There was a choice to be made at the beginning of the tournament. He did not make that choice. The team struggled in that first game. It was going to be a big decision for him to bench Ronaldo. He was never going to do it. And when Stevie and I were talking post-match in the DR Congo conversation, we mentioned that, look, he probably should have been taken off the field, wasn't taken off the field. And then as we projected forward, the more likely scenario was that he was going to get chances to score against Uzbekistan. And I quote, we said he's going to score a couple of goals. and now we're here and where the monster of Cristiano Ronaldo and everything that Cristiano Ronaldo means and signifies in the game has put Roberto Martinez in a position in which there is no other decision to be made other than starting Cristiano Ronaldo.
25:12Now, there is no discussion to be had and you have allowed this to happen and to Stevie's points now, Now, the picture or the whole picture of potential success in this tournament for Portugal goes through Cristiano Ronaldo. There is no other choice. There's no other decision. We cannot take a right. We cannot take a left. We got to go through Cristiano Ronaldo. And that now has become the topic of conversation about Portugal because they're going to have to build everything around him. and they're going to have to create chances for him. And in order to do that, you have to commit Nuno Mendes down the left-hand side.
25:54You have to commit Joao Concello down the right-hand side. You have to, your two wingers also committed to serving the ball to him. To Stevie's point, as we get further into this competition and you're having to commit these numbers forward because you want to service and provide service for Cristiano Ronaldo and he cannot create for himself, then think about other teams, high-quality, elite-level teams, attacking those spaces that you're leaving open. You're sacrificing a lot with having Ronaldo on the field, but now any other option is now off the table, and Roberto Martinez is riding with Cristiano Ronaldo.
26:35Obviously, this is his ride-or-die situation. He's going to go with Ronaldo, whatever happens.
26:42Gab Marcotti:I'm going big-time on charts tonight. Did you see the chart that came up before? Yes, I did, yes. Goals, two. Big chances, five. Right. Two and five, that's not Ronaldo. Right. Two and five is not Ronaldo. Having said all of this, where do we stand on Portugal as a whole? Well, again, the conversation goes through Cristiano. Right. And so, look, I think Portugal is a really good team that has a lot of talented players and is going to go very far in this competition. Today, Cristiano Ronaldo was the story. But to me, the bigger story is not so much that he scored the goals as much as it was how effective Bruno Fernandes was as compared to the DR Congo game.
27:31He becomes critical to them if Ronaldo is going to be your guy. Because he is a history-making player with assists in the Premier League, right? From this past season. He needs to provide service to Cristiano Ronaldo. And he has to be the link between the transition of this thing going forward, playing the balls out wide, or playing through passes that eliminates lines of defending. He has to be at his best if, indeed, Portugal is going to achieve things that I think they're capable of achieving. But now the conversation has taken a whole life of its own because it's all about Cristiano Ronaldo and we forget about the totality of Portugal.
28:09I'm intrigued by the odds there. I don't think it's a match, but argument France and Spain are a better team. Argentina as well. I think if England played Portugal tomorrow, Portugal would win.
28:28Gab Marcotti:I think if both teams are flowing I think Portugal are the better side But England have got pace and strength That I think would upset Portugal's rhythm Teams are not going to stand off If you get in the face of Portugal if England get in the face of Portugal I think England's got more pace and more strength to outdo or nullify Portugal and then of course you turn over to Mr Harry Kane up front if Harry Kane was playing up front for Portugal Portugal might be the favourite but you would have England be in Portugal
29:09Gab Marcotti:with your money I would say just about yes what were you thinking Ali? I think I would take England. Really? Yeah. There is an athleticism to England in the midfield with a guy like Declan Rice that I think would upset the possession of Portugal. And you think about a Vitinha-Declan Rice sort of matchup. Vitinha is a guy that likes to set the tempo for Portugal. And you have a guy like Declan Rice that can just run you ragged. That can disturb, as he did in the Champions League final. as Arsenal did to PSG in the Champions League final, that they disrupted some of the things that PSG wanted to do through the midfield.
29:51I think they can do some of those same things in the midfield. They can affect Portugal's possession and the quality of possession, and therefore they're going to challenge Portugal in the attacking half, and they can challenge Portugal defensively, where I think if Nuno Mendes is pushed forward and Joao Cancelo is pushed forward, you can get in behind those spaces, and I think that's where England can be very strong. What, of course, could really affect the bracket going forward from this group is who finishes top. And at the moment, it is Colombia. We'll be discussing after the break, Colombia against DR Congo.
30:22That was our late game in the World Cup. And it's a game that sees Colombia now top of the table. We'll be reflecting on that and looking ahead to that final game against Portugal.
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32:30It was a frustrating night for the Colombia fans but in the end Daniel Munoz's late goal would be enough to see them get a 1-0 victory over DR Congo and what that means as they are through to the knockout stages they often puff their way through the first half frustrating DR Congo but in the end they got the breakthrough which gives them the three points and actually puts them top of the table in a winner-takes-all tie in the final round of matches where they take on Portugal. Before we look ahead to that game, overall, Ali, they deserve the victory, but boy, they really labored to it. The first 20, 25 minutes that Colombia played today were outstanding.
33:16Outstanding. Their ability to go and press the ball together, the two centre-backs pushing up high, so even when Dier Conga were trying to come out, They would go and anticipate, win the ball right back. They have possession of the ball. They're building momentum. They're creating chances. Here comes the goal. And it never really did come. And what happens is now these hydration breaks have become part of the story in this World Cup. And what was clear to me anyways was that the hydration break comes, and that momentum that Colombia had early on just kind of disappeared, just kind of diluted, just kind of, well, now they're creating chances, but not nearly with the same intensity of energy that they did earlier on in the match.
33:58And as the second half went on, all of that energy and intensity became stress for Colombia. And the fans in the stadium, you can sense that it's like, oh, no, oh, no. Could it be that we're not going to be able to score? And for all the saves that were made, for all the chances that were missed, the one chance that seemed to be like, ah, this is kind of a half chance kind of thing. the ball just kind of breaks out to Munoz and hits it not particularly well, it's going straight at the goalkeeper, takes a deflection 1-0, Colombia will take it because now they control everything in this group, and so I do think there are a lot of things that are positives about Colombia but they have to put games like this away Luis Diaz was active should have scored a couple goals, did not, goalkeeper came up with saves, you take the three points if you're Colombia.
34:51I just feel like if they're going to go further in this competition, they are very dependent on James Rodriguez giving them something special. Didn't do that in the first game. Less so in this game. It seems like the direction is going the wrong way. It doesn't feel as if he's providing those moments, so they become really heavily dependent on Luis Diaz. You know, for all they were dominating, creating chances,
35:25Gab Marcotti:they almost threw two points away because Vargas made a save in the 90th minute. And so when you're on top the way they are and you don't take the opportunities, that's what's going to hold you back. For all the good play they had, for all the opportunities, you actually weren't sure they were going to score. And the truth is, the guy that got the goal, Munoz, had the three best chances in the game. He had two in the first half. One he put wide, the other one he was offside, he scored. And of course he gets the deflection. But you can't rely on your... He's basically just... He's a workhorse, he's a good player, but he's a worker bee.
36:04Gab Marcotti:That's what he is. And you can't be relying on him to win your games. So if you take Luis away, I don't know where the goals are coming from other than Munoz. What a useful graphic. Right then. Colombia-Portugal. Yeah. And it's something that I think we have talked about in the past, but it's worth repeating. The Colombian fans, they'll take over a stadium. They will, as they have in the first couple of games for Colombia. And they will do the same thing in Miami. And the weather in Miami is with Colombia. And the table is with Colombia. A draw or will it be enough to see them top? They would be first in the group if there is a draw.
36:51And so it really is on Portugal to be able to bring a different level of play. I think the best of Portugal is better than Colombia. But have we seen the best of Portugal just yet? And that includes today's performance against Uzbekistan. I don't believe that they would leave the same spaces available to Luis Diaz as they did to whoever was playing up top for Uzbekistan. They're not concerned about the attack of Uzbekistan. They have to be concerned about Luiz Diaz because he is an elite player and a world-class player. I can see a scenario where Colombia pulled this off. And so Portugal will look back at drawing against DR Congo as something that puts them down a path in which they're second in the group and who knows where that takes them.
37:39It really, I think it's in the hands of Colombia and Portugal is going to have to go and get it from them in Miami in front of all those Colombian fans. They are going to outnumber the Portuguese fans. It's going to be all Colombia all the time. It's really dependent upon Portugal whether they can withstand that pressure and go get the game. Do you think they will, Stevie?
38:00Gab Marcotti:I'm going to sit on the fence. You think it's a draw? A draw is good enough, obviously, for Colombia. Yeah, because this is the first real test for Portugal big time. Right. This will be a real game. and as Ali already stated I'm looking to see what happens with Canceler and Mendes going forward and the holes they leave because Colombia get at you quick so yeah this is a real test for Portugal so right now can't separate them Let's remind you then how the group stands after the second round of matches today Colombia 100 % two wins out of two Portugal how much will they rue that draw against Congo DR who could advance themselves with a victory against Uzbekistan.
38:47Balion has been the star of the show for the US, hasn't he, in those opening two matches. He's caught the eyes of some big teams in Europe. Stay with us.
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40:53My first World Cup, you know, I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying the states. I'm enjoying the pressure. I want to continue to school goals. any goal in the World Cup is something that's going to be cherished forever. I think there's definitely belief. When you have that sort of mentality, I feel like you're always going to give yourself the best chance. For me to go out there in the first game, you know, and score two goals and win, you know, for me, it's beyond explainable how special and unique, you know, my story is to be in here. Balogun, absolutely loving life and interesting some rumours that have materialised over the last 24 hours about his future.
41:28Florian Balogun expected to leave Monaco this summer. Contract till 2028 but no talks over New Deal and Stryker favors a move. Interest from the Premier League and Europe building amid the World Cup form. Anticipated Monaco will seek 50 million euros to sell. 50 million. Why did you make that noise, Ali? I think, well, it's not my money. So if somebody is willing to pay it, then so be it. If that's the market, then so be it. I think teams have to be very careful that you don't fall in the trap of thinking what we have seen against Paraguay and Australia now sets the market for Balogun. But all you need is two teams to say, that's what we're willing to pay.
42:15And now you have a bidding war and Balogun benefits from it. I don't think that's quite the value, but that's not for me to set. The market will set that. I've got to put my old scouting head on. Stevie was a scout, of course, when he was the coach of the Revs. Dib, dib. The scouts is an organization.
42:35Gab Marcotti:In the UK. Anyway, don't worry. So, yeah, if you're just going to go off two performances against Paraguay and Australia Yes And going to throw out 50 mil, then you're not going to be in a job for long You know, so the things he's done in this World Cup, he's really shown well He's scored some great goals, and that's things that you can't take away but it really matters how he performs against better sides and he doesn't have to be scoring loads of goals it's just does he get himself in a position does he do anything else other than score goals does he bring the whole team into play, is he the first line of defence so there's a whole load of things that you're looking at from Balogun and I think it's dead easy to get carried away and look at the goals he scored but the important thing is yes it's against Paraguay in Australia.
43:30Gab Marcotti:It's not against France and Spain, but that is why the eyes are on him, because when somebody does something like that, then all of a sudden you, as a scout, have to keep your eye on somebody who looks as though maybe this is the start of something else. I mean, he did well in Champions League. He did well this past season with Monaco. He's been scoring goals. There was, at one point, a conversation in this studio about who's going to be the number nine. Josh Sargent. Is this guy going to be that? Is that guy going to be Ricardo Pepi? More than one conversation. Imagine Ali on fucking Americans.
44:05Well, yes. A lot of Puerto Americas were based on that conversation. And let me just say that Balogun took care of that conversation because of the quality of his performances and the consistency of his performances, where there were no questions coming into the World Cup that he would be the starter. And his performances during the World Cup have continued to create that separation. It's just now people get excited as anybody would. World Cup fever, I guess. And now we just start throwing money around. It's a great place to be if you're Balogun. I can't really associate him too much with La Liga, but Premier League maybe because of the physical nature of the league.
44:49Is he a Premier League quality player? When Ricardo Pepe is going for 40 million to full and you kind of go, wait. Yeah. But this guy's a starter, and we consider him to be better than Pepe, so it's not a major leap to go from 40 to 50. Again, money is silly nowadays, and 40 million and 50 million are thrown around like it's nothing. I don't see it, right? But it doesn't mean that somebody else is not going to think, that's our guy. And the more he continues to play well in the World Cup, the more that stock that we're talking about is going to continue to rise, and people are going to compete.
45:29And when you have teams competing, then that's when that number goes nuts. And it's now a situation in which he's going to go away. If he doesn't want to stay, he's not going to be in Monaco any longer. Do you see it?
45:41Gab Marcotti:Not yet. but he would not be the first player to all of a sudden hit a streak and then all of a sudden the difference between stepping on a field hoping you're going to score as a forward and knowing you're going to score is what separates guys at the top in the Premier League. And when you continue to score, the more you score, the more you become that guy that every time you step on the field you're going to score. And so he could turn into that guy. He's shown that he has the ability when he's in certain positions that he can score the easy goal and he's shown us that he can score a spectacular goal.
46:22Gab Marcotti:So now can he take the next step? That's the tough question. He's in action on Thursday as the US play their final group game. They'll be looking ahead to that match on the next edition of ESPN FC. Just a reminder, early start, 9am Eastern here on ESPN2.
46:41Wednesday then sees the first final round of matches and we've got one two three four six games in total as we will see three groups are confirmed where should we start well let's talk about Mexico shall we against Czech here Mexico are good obviously they are through but will Ochoa play in his record-breaking sixth World Cup this is what Aguirre had to say if the players said that about Memo they said it that he should play they mean it okay Being at five World Cups fills us with pride. He's here sharing advice and experience, but he's also competing. He's fit and he's doing well, just like Tala and Carlos.
47:21Whoever plays, I'm sure they'll support each other. He's going to play in the alley. Javier Aguirre usually makes decisions that are not necessarily the most popular. But he knows full well that his group of players are rallying around this whole idea of Memo Ochoa playing in his final World Cup. It would be the fourth World Cup that he actually plays. It's actually the sixth World Cup that he's part of the squad. And if the players seem to find this as a bonding agent, if you will, then I think Javier Aguirre is going to think about long and hard the possibility of putting Memo Ochoa out on the field.
48:09Here's where I think Javier Aguirre is going to have a difficult time. Even at his best, whenever you think Memo Ochoa was at his best, In the prime of his career, prime Memo Ochoa, he struggled to come out for crosses and struggle with set pieces. It's not something that he does well with corner kicks or set pieces from wide areas. And what is the one thing that Chequia relies upon in order to score goals? Set pieces. It doesn't matter. Well, I know. Mexico have proved. They've qualified. I know, but my point here is Javier Aguirre, knowing full well that they are top of the table, that they will finish first in the group, and apparently it doesn't matter, it's going to be hard for him to just let go of that.
48:56So I anticipate that he will play. I'm not sure that he will start. He may be given the sort of lifetime achievement award kind of appearance. I don't know that he will start. He may very well start, but I'm not sure that Javier Aguirre is all that comfortable with just kind of like, all right, let's just have him out there because it's a nice story. I think in Javier Aguirre's mind, the fact that he's here, that he's part of the squad, is already a good story. I don't know that he wants to play a part in the whole, guys, this is amazing. Let's hold hands together and clap for Memo Joa. Stevie, I imagine you loved it as a coach, journalist going, your players think you should do this.
49:38Oh, yes. Whatever you like, lads. Yeah, we'll have a vote.
49:43Gab Marcotti:Yeah, aye. It really comes, for me, it comes down to if a chore plays or doesn't play, what's the effect on the morale? And if it's not affected, then you may as well play them. Because you don't want to take the chance that players are unhappy about the decision. And it doesn't matter. Because I'm pretty sure he's going to play players that he wouldn't normally play anyway. So why would you not play a chore? Now, if there was something on this game, however, that's a different ball game. This is a straightforward, no, you're not playing, he's playing. So, yeah, it depends on how it affects the rest of the squad, but the fact that he will play players that wouldn't normally play, it seems a bit of a no-brainer.
50:31Meanwhile, we've got to ask you about Scotland, Stevie. A win against Brazil, and they are definitely through. A draw, and they should be through. a loss we could be in the world of goal difference oh if scotland lose 1-0 to brazil they still have
50:46Gab Marcotti:a chance of going big chance definitely any more than that then i would probably think that they won't do that and losing 1-0 to brazil would be a good result right you know it's in miami six o 'clock kickoff the heat's gonna hit scotland way worse than brazil and the fact is that brazil in terms of talent are miles ahead of the Scotland team. I mean, we couldn't get a shot on goal the other night on target against Morocco. So it's going to be tough. But if they get... They're not going to win this game. I wouldn't put a penny of your money on Scotland winning this game. Thanks for that really hot take, Stevie.
51:25Gab Marcotti:However, they could do a Ghana. They could do what Ghana did today against England. Have they got the ability to do that? Yes, they've got the ability to... Didn't they try that against Morocco and it didn't work? Not particularly, no. I wouldn't say they went out to sit at the top of the box, but they're capable of doing that. They're also capable of getting beat, but as I said, if it's 1-0, I'll take it because it gives us a chance. I must say, Stevie, I'm listening to you and I was hoping that you would give me a sense of belief and confidence that this was going to happen. I'd love to say that.
52:01Gab Marcotti:I just can't bring myself to do it. because you've got to look at the facts and the facts are we're up against it right but obviously with eight teams going through there really is an opportunity for you to scrape through into the knockout state well you can put it that way you could also say if you don't you must be really bad alright okay well there are some really bad teams ever the optimist that is it thank you very much we'll be back do you think they'll do it by the way do you think it's Scotland yeah no see it's you sorry I really hope so. It'd be lovely for your boys to make it through.
52:36Wouldn't it be sweet? We'll be back tomorrow. Goodbye.
52:49Welcome in to Late Night Extra Time. One in the morning, local time as we're recording this. Stevie had some lovely fries at the caf. We watched you eat that.
52:58Gab Marcotti:It was good. Yeah, lovely. Ali can't eat late. No. Gives him nightmares. Yes, can't sleep. I thought that was cheese. No, no, can't sleep. I thought cheese gave you a little bit. Ali, in your prime, it's a good question. If Venezuela qualified for the World Cup, would you rather that they played well and got to knockout stages, scoring multiple goals, but you barely played? Or that they got destroyed, but you scored Venezuela's first and only World Cup goal? No, the first option. What a team. What a team player. First option is not even a question. I wouldn't even have to play, to be honest with you.
53:37If that means we're playing well, we're winning, and we're in the World Cup, I just want to be in the World Cup. Honestly. Beautiful. I just want to be in the World Cup. 64 teams, maybe next time? I mean, yes. I mean, if we continue to go in this direction, you know, I'll just tell a story about that. My son was at the game today. At the England game? England-Ghana game. and he was wearing a Venezuelan national team jersey. And people from Venezuela run to him. He was telling me the story that hugging him and telling him, don't worry, we'll be hugging four years from now and we'll be celebrating.
54:13You'll remember us and we'll remember you and we'll be there together. And this is where my son, who speaks Spanish, but you can tell that he's not from Venezuela, then answers back in English. Oh, that was it. It was like, oh wait, you're not from Venezuela? ESPN FC was well represented at that game today, the England game. Your son was there. Kay was there with her fam. Shaka was there with his family as well. And they brought a 0-0 draw. Well done. I'm sure that was worth it. Well worth a deal. Right, Stevie, question for you. Sophie's choice. Would you rather have Scotland making it out of the group or a portrait of Dan's face when England get knocked out of the competition?
54:59Gab Marcotti:I'd rather score and go through. Yes. Well, because I know I'm going to see a portrait of your moosh anyway. Wow. I'm going to get knocked out. What if England win? I can't tell you how gutted I would be.
55:17Oh, right. This is a tough one for this time of day. Yeah. But we're going to do it, Ali. Okay. Because every game kind of seems like one. After two rounds of matches, which team has been most disappointing?
55:33Turkey. Yes, they're done. Yeah. I would say Uruguay has been disappointed from a Commonwealth perspective. Yes. Ecuador has been disappointed from a Commonwealth perspective. Seneca haven't done much either. You looked at the group and you thought maybe they could push Norway, but Norway pushed them out of the way yesterday. Belgium? Oh, Belgium. Good one. Well done, Stevie. They've been stinky. Yeah, they have been stinky. Terrible, terrible. If football transfers... Lukaku! If football transfers came with a 30-day return policy, Düring Barcelona would be sending back Gordon for a refund after his performance so far in the World Cup.
56:15He's been pretty anonymous, hasn't he?
56:16Gab Marcotti:Didn't do much in the Croatia game. He had a couple of runs in the Croatia game, Luke Lovato. There was a couple of times he got in good positions at the back post and the ball never came. And don't get me wrong, I'm no huge fan of Gordon. It's a bit harsh. It's a bit harsh question on two games in this World Cup. Right. But it's a possibility. Let me put it that way. The math just never worked. Considering the money, aren't you? The Barcelona math just did not work. They already had a guy in play. Must be something. In Marcus Rashford. Must be something we don't know. Yes, absolutely. That was going to be much cheaper than bringing in Gordon.
56:57And based upon what we have seen, if you go stock up, stock down, his stock has gone down since the World Cup started. But Barcelona already committed, and so, yeah, they got it right with him. Did you want to add something? No, I was just agreeing with Alex. Final question. Which forgotten England player did they miss today, Stevie? Foden or Palmer?
57:20Gab Marcotti:Either one. Might have done something.
57:25Gab Marcotti:I mean I know people are talking about Gibbs-White but they've already got, in my opinion, players like Gibbs-White. They do not have a player like Foden or Palmer. Right, they can just... They can just thread a pass or see something or do something that's just out of the ordinary. They've certainly got talent but they don't have that X factor with anybody. You kind of know what they're trying to do and what they're going to do. so I think you could take your pick I would have preferred and I think Eze is a really good player but I would have preferred to have Foden or Palmer in the squad because in games like today you don't have space for speed you need somebody with an eye that sees something that most people can't see and even when you can see it some players can't play the pass but both of them can you need a magic eye could you ever do those back in the day?
58:22do they still exist? Do you remember those? What? The magic eyes? No. You looked at it and then you took it far away and it kind of blurred into something. Did you have those, Ali? No. I'm sure. El ojo mágico. Oh, yes! Could you do them? I guess so, Dan. Oh, I don't think I could. That is Ali. You've got a deserved day off tomorrow. Oh, yes! What are you doing yourself? Well, just taking all the action, Dan. Oh, no. Well, I gotta take some clothes to the dry cleaners as well because there's been a lot of suits being worn and a lot of appearances here and there and everywhere.
58:58Gab Marcotti:I think he's been eating the same as us. You think he's been eating the same as us? Well, Dan had a conversation earlier. I said to Dan, I asked you something, I said, you know since the World Cup started have you been eating more? Yeah. And he said straight away, he said yeah. He's just a bit bored watching games, I mean interesting. And it's just like something else to do, isn't it? I've been eating more, 100%. What about you? How much is more? In your stand? Well, I was on a roll. Okay. I was on a roll of being sensible. Eating fruit, which is... Just not eating tarties and not eating loads of crisps and cutting down on beer.
59:36Gab Marcotti:I mean, just all the... But since the World Cup started, I've just started... I went to Stevie's house and he had spicy pistachios. They've now made their way into the Thomas household. They're a good sign. But you can't have just one of those, Stevie. This is a fascinating conversation. I'm sure everybody is enjoying it. But pistachios are pretty good, health-wise. Depends on how many you eat.
59:57In moderation. Everything in moderation. I'm watching Scotland with you tomorrow. You and Craig tomorrow. That'll be nice. That'll be fun for you. That will be fun for me. ESPN FC then returns tomorrow as we reflect on six World Cup matches tomorrow with plenty of pistachios. Spicy ones.
1:00:30Turn it up. Storm has zero sugar and 200 milligrams of caffeine. So you can turn that workout up a notch. Good energy in, good energy out. Energy for life.
From the publisher
ESPN FC is up late to talk about England's toothless performance vs. Ghana. After such an exciting win on the first match day, what's happened to this team? Does Tuchel need to make drastic changes? Next, Ronaldo silenced his haters with a brace vs. Uzbekistan. Is he back? Should we overreact? Colombia beat Congo DR in the late window. Is Daniel Muñoz, at left back, Colombia's best attacker? Later we have some discussions about Folarin Balogun's rise, a potential Memo Ochoa start, and Scotland vs. Brazil.
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