Danny Murphy's long lost cat | 2026 FIFA World Cup

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2:44Pete Donaldson: It's all about the game and how you play it, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble. France and Mexico were magnificent and Norway sail on. It's Wednesday, 1st of July. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm Pete Donaldson.

3:08Pete Donaldson: Hello, everybody. Good to have you with us on a wonderful Wednesday. Thanks to friend of the Ramble, Scott Milne, for giving us that intro line. Scott Milne? Not him. Not working. Not working right now. Could have been him. It's definitely Scott Milne. Right. Okay, good. he'll be through with this as well won't he? Milne this has gone well this has probably been happening for ages now and on it continues we value you Scott Milne and we thank you for that intro line if you want to submit an intro line for a future episode and get an extended edition of today's show then become a friend of the Ramble on our Patreon and today there is even more reason to sign up we are running a special competition for all of our friends of the Football Ramble thanks to our friends at icons.com We are giving away a World Cup 1990 England shirt signed by Paul Gascoigne himself.

4:00Pete Donaldson: It's beautifully framed and it's available for worldwide shipping. Mr. Worldwide Shipping, if you want a chance to win, sign up as a paid member on the Football Ramble Patreon or YouTube and then comment on our post. It's really important that you do that final step because only people who comment will be entered into this special draw for our friends of the Ramble. Entries close at midnight on Thursday, so you better be quick. Better be as quick As a French forward You can You can technically Just kind of Write what you want As long as you comment Give us Absolute dog's abuse Yes As long as you comment And you sign up For the Patreon Or the YouTube That's true Yeah You can get a dig in it And you can have a chance To win a signed Gazzer shirt We will not take that Into consideration It's completely random Indeed Just head to Patreon.com Forward slash Football Ramble To get involved Or click join If you're watching on YouTube Thank you For your support Gentlemen France 3 Graham Potter's Sweden 0 an Englishman has gone out of the World Cup and at the hands of France Kylian Mbappe is now the all time top goal scorer in World Cup knockout games you see lots of little different bits and pieces Leonidas and Ronaldo Nazario are both on 8 so Kylian Mbappe yes with 10 of those goals he is firmly in the lead it also means he's now equal with Lionel Messi in the tournament, both of them on six goals.

5:25Pete Donaldson: Can you make an argument, Jim Campbell, for France not winning this World Cup? I can make an argument, given how many games there are in modern football, that we just pack it up and go home, just give them the trophy now. That might be the most practical thing to do. Or we shift the final to Mexico, and Mexico needs to be in that final. Yes, absolutely. That's the only sort of thing. Yeah, even then, you know it's masterclass after masterclass isn't it and they are so fresh this is part of the terrifying nature of it isn't it I'm sure we're all familiar with the excellent Adam Cleary who did a video about this the other day and we're looking at the amount of minutes a lot of these outfield players have played because obviously a lot of them play for PSG I think it's only William Saliba of that starting line up that plays in the Premier League and they're just as I said they're very very fresh and you can see it in the way they play they've not really been tested yet they look like they're on a big group holiday yes where they're all very competitive sporty people the vibes are good aren't they they're really good it's very very good i mean i i was inflatable unicorn levels of hubris yeah i i was hoping for more sort of france euro 2024 france which was a bit disappointing in terms of the style and how they went about it even though they got to what did they get to the semi-final, I think, and they were beaten by Spain.

6:48Pete Donaldson: And I thought, yeah, I wonder, you know, Deschamps, there's still debates over whether Deschamps should be in charge. They've been in charge for a long time, and that more sort of practical and pragmatic style that won them the World Cup, of course, in 2018, and got them to a final last time around. You know, did we see that come to an end at the Euros? Well, they've turned up at this tournament. Okay, you can argue that they've not played a top-quality side, but, I mean, Senegal are no mugs. You know, okay, Norway were largely changed, But it's not, you know, with England, Ghana, it was a bit of a, you know, it was a bore fest, wasn't it?

7:22Pete Donaldson: Okay, Ghana defended well, and then the same against Panama and England got the job done. There's no got the job done here with France, is there, Peter? There's a, they got the job done by expressing themselves greatly, playing some wonderful football and scoring some marvellous goals. Yeah, I bet Paraguay are really pleased with how this was going. You know, they defeat Germany. play for penalties boys and then they get fed to Kylian Mbappe yeah I mean when the sort of put upon sort of panicking toxic male podcaster gets asked about their opinion about like a really good football team or a really good footballer they invariably go for the oh there's a sexy man dancing with your partner sort of like analogy but France are dancing with every woman you've ever loved right now and your mum and everyone's having a lovely time doing it as well it is absolutely cracking stuff and it's just I am happy that if we somehow stumble our way to the final, we won't meet them until then.

8:19Mid-July might be a very different world then, but they do look absolutely scintillating. Like you say, Jim, the camp just looks really, really full of fun. Just having a great time. It's not a particularly complicated game they play. This is what's so scary about it. The World Cup is a little bit of a leveler like that, or international football is in general. But it's just the quality of those forward players. And I really mean any combination which you arrange them in. Although, with all due respect to him, it is quite funny when Jean-Philippe Mateta comes on and gets involved at the end. Given that we've got some absolute all-time greats in that line-up.

8:59He's the Aventoni. Yeah, very much. Again, he's still a very good player. But it does feel like Deschamps has kind of eased some of the pressure on both himself and them, like let up on some of the pragmatism because actually, this is a generationally good set of players. Like, they'd be a favourite for any World Cup if you look at the quality that they have. And they're really experienced now. We've just been talking about the amount of goals that Mbappe has scored. He really turns up in these games. Michael Alisse has got five assists now, which is... And they're proper assists. Yeah, proper goals he has crafted.

9:35I picked him as my top scorer. I don't think he's going to score a single goal. He's going to come close three times a game and then set up two goals a game. But it feels personal at this point.

9:44Pete Donaldson: That bicycle kick that hit the post, I mean, that again would have been a goal for the ages. Just retire. It's not going to happen. But the way they play, I mean, again, this idea of, you know, team sitting deep, picking locks and so on. I just don't know how you set up against France. They're so, so good. I mean, again, if you're trying to really kind of squeeze something out of it, because if you are Spain or Portugal who are in that side of the draw, who may well end up playing them at some point, even Morocco as well, Paraguay definitely will, but you're thinking of teams who would be able to ask a few more questions of them, say Morocco, Spain, Portugal, and whoever it is that gets to the final from the other side of the draw, whether it be England, Argentina, Brazil, Norway, how are those teams going to, how are they going to do it against France?

10:34Pete Donaldson: the only thing you might say is that whenever they've played France the opposition have had one or two chances maybe one or two chances is more than you would think they're a very top heavy side and you've got to remember Sweden didn't play with a defensive midfielder and that is going to cost you at the end of the match isn't it? Yeah and I suppose yeah you might think defensively but the problem is if you try and sit deep and then hit them on the break I feel if you just sit deep then Lelisa is just going to find you're going to thread the ball through the arvon needle if you try and push up, the pace they have is just unbelievable.

11:07Pete Donaldson: Mbappe, I know it's such a painfully obvious thing, but it does look like he's playing on fast forward half the time. He does. And then when you try and attack them, you turn it into a basketball game, they're going to beat you 5-3 or 6-3. They're due an off day, Marcus. Yes, indeed. They are due an off day. And at some point, maybe they'll do it. But look, they are, you know, superlative after superlative, they are brilliant. And as you say, they're not going through the motions at all. they're playing with some verve. And I think it goes into that idea that they are fresh. You know, that is the frightening thing.

11:38Pete Donaldson: You know, they can play in this manner. But of course, when you are making sprints and so on and so forth, they're actually resting a lot of the time. As you mentioned, Adam Clear, when he was highlighting the minutes and the sprints made, in terms of sprints and how much they're exerting themselves, they're way down the list of teams. You know, again, if you look at, say, Argentina, you know, a lot of them, you know, running for Messi and so on. You know, England are really having to sort of bust a gut to try and break down the fences and so on and so forth. France, they look like they're strolling and then they go, right, now it's time to sprint.

12:08Pete Donaldson: And off they go. Also, they don't mind a long pass. No. And it's just like, it doesn't look like Route 1 football because it's off the outside of someone's boot and it's like cushioning the grass as it goes along it. Yeah. But they are happy to play that simple game as well and having the pace that they have enables that. And I mean, Elisa is so good at opening up space and just kind of making a little swivel here or a pivot or a turn there where suddenly there's acres in front of him and he unlocks defences so, so well. And I think it's really hard to make an argument that they're anything other than the heavy favourites at this point.

12:45Yeah, you'd say so. With Spain not convincing just yet, they would be the side, you think. Every World Cup ever has had teams grow into it, right? We have to sort of factor that in. But from where we are and based on what we've seen, France are by far and away the best team here.

12:58Pete Donaldson: Yeah, I can't remember a side who was this so obviously dominant. in some of their games. You know, you've always had sides where, you know, you've seen, I mean, even Spain in 2010, but they're never this dominant. Again, a different tournament, opposition, you can get into the weeds of it, but, you know, my prediction of them underachieving does seem rather silly. Is it okay to be jealous of the French in a World Cup year? I think it is. Yeah, big talk. Big talk before the start of this. Jim, if you're not feeling that right now, then you're just denying yourself, I think. It is incredible. and the understanding that Alise and Mbappe have when he just playing those threaded balls as well I mean Mbappe he's playing up top but obviously he's by no means you know your archetypal sort of centre forward never has been never will be and yet the way he gets on to everything you know it's just scintillating stuff I felt sorry for Sweden if I'm honest with you I was amazed they got to 45 minutes before the first goal went in I mean the keeper was very busy and had a good game you know the first goal as well there were so many people in that box and Mbappe skips through.

14:01So even if teams do do the whole kind of low block thing, as you've alluded to there, they're going to find a way through. Certainly in this form they are.

14:09Pete Donaldson: Yeah, you would think so. Incredible stuff from there. We've had an email from John in France. We put the call out to hear our ramble correspondence from countries who are still in the World Cup. And John starts, Cher Conchon, greetings from France. The mood here is serious. I like that. It sounds like he's black and white right now. Smoking a little cigarette. Yes, exactly. Tactics are discussed over bottles of Chablis. Deschamps is argued over, dissected, but largely has the support of the French public for the first time in his or literally any other public figure's career. Which is an incredibly believable sentence.

14:49Pete Donaldson: Because again, he's always divided opinion, even when they won the World Cup in 2018. Was it too pragmatic and so on and so forth. John goes on. The few moments of relief came in the brasseries during the matches when the sheer beauty of the goals precipitates widespread public euphoria. There will be many babies named Michael or Ousmana next year. We pour into the streets and the children are playing football in public squares every 100 metres. They are already preparing for the next World Cup. Good luck in Mexico. Well, let's hope England get there, John. Good on you if you can take down Argentina for a see you in the final.

15:22Pete Donaldson: Alela Blur. Who let that, John, on this show? this is the last thing we needed after that display we had to sit through yesterday they love it don't they they should do and so they bloody should I mean this is sin full stop yeah exactly indeed I have spoken this they are playing the football and the way they're going about it this is what peak Brazil would have been like and obviously it strived to be like that it's almost like the highest compliment I can play I wouldn't agree that it's sort of typically Brazilian I know that's not exactly what he's saying but it's more about kind of these moments of finesse rather than the kind of you know the step overs and the flicks and the tricks did you not see the first goal yeah but it felt to me he done your Arsenal guy didn't he he did that forward line had the back heel didn't he as well that forward line does feel a bit Rivaldo Ronaldo it does Ronaldinho yeah it does I mean Ryan Shirky is always an ace card as well he's coming on late in every game it's like Shirky Shaggy as well.

16:26I know.

16:26Pete Donaldson: What are you talking about? Yeah. Well, indeed. Well, they, of course, will be playing Paraguay in the next round. I mean, what's the hope? Shithousing? What do we need for out of this? Well, Peter. How do we fermi la bouche? How do we do it? Well, let's hear from Paraguay. We've got an email. We've got an email from Paraguay. From Clay in Paraguay. Saludos, hermanos. Now, I don't know if Clay is a Paraguayan himself. Right. But I don't care at this point. He's certainly a guy. Exactly. and I'm delighted to hear from Clay. He says, I'm so glad you and the rest of the world got to experience the beauty of Germany getting thrown into a Copa Libertadores match.

17:04Pete Donaldson: Love it. Drag him down there. Forget your pressing, possession, movement patterns and analytics. Enter a defensive partnership of players at Palmyra's and Lanus. Miguel Amarón on the break. Brackets now that he's learned the new rules. And 120 minutes of aggression. The German slugs weren't prepared. will the French front line be as unprepared probably not will Michael Alise carve us open once or twice probably but will we surrender never yeah come on I mean to be fair Miggie Elmiron was at his best at Newcastle when he was playing the kind of like blood and thunder kind of like pressing games scored against PSG scored against PSG there we are there we go let's put that in the back pocket I mean are they can you realistically make a case for anyone else being a surprise package already at this point yeah Yeah, to be honest with you, the team that lost 4-1 to the States and drew conveniently with Australia 0-0.

17:58Pete Donaldson: I didn't have them putting out Germany. I was on a great Germany side. England are a bit like the surprise in the film Seven in the box. Oh, yeah. It's a surprise package in a way, isn't it? What's in the box? Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Well, anyway. Yeah. France v Paraguay. Same as 1998. will the French need a goal an extra time to win it? We can only hope so. They're due a bad performance. Everyone gets one. Yeah. Everyone gets one. Paraguay picks it up. Con me ball the fuck out of them. Lovely. Yeah, you're right. You've got to do it in the middle game of the group. Exactly. Where it can hurt you the least.

18:36Yeah. And we'll old Gil, we'll tall Gil in goal.

18:39Pete Donaldson: We'll have an apple tall Gil. He's a monster, a man, isn't he? Yeah. Oh, blimey. Yeah. Right. Okay. Now, let's go for a break. Coming up after this, Mexico make an almighty racket.

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20:21You used to have a cat called Bob.

20:24Pete Donaldson: The game's not that bad. Yeah, he jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van and we lost him. Sad, really. Anyway. Long battle of the football rattle, everybody. That is sad. It is a sad story. Danny Murphy's cat jumping onto the back of a Royal Mail van. But if you know the van he jumped into. Yeah. and you know that it's from the Royal Mail surely it's not that hard to get Bob back is that how Parson Pagod got? yes thief was it an escape job? yeah just trying to get away from Danny Murphy deliver me to anyone this is the point where the rubber hits the road for like tired you know core commentators you know what I mean you know you start to get proper like unhinged stuff especially the ones who really like a glass of red after a match as well it's like you know they've not slept properly in days they haven't bothered taking their toiletries out of their bag they're moving from hotel to hotel they're stuck on like mini buses and stuff to get them where they need to be Ian Wright's doing you nothing because he's doing an American accent, all you're doing is eating meat and you're not shatting ages it's just good stuff, there'll be more of this as we get into the tournament and I live for it.

21:32Pete Donaldson: It's when they forget that they're on mic. When they forget they're on mic they forget where they are, they forget what town they're in, I love it. Lamenting cats. I tell you what, speaking of all that, the Paraguayan commentators they're loving it did you see them the scenes that they were properly but Paraguay they've gone back to work today because the president declared a national day off of course which I thought how does that work surely they get two or three but think about the day finishes and then it's a new day and you go back to work what's confusing about that I've been waiting for months for this bypass surgery okay turn up turn up the hospital alright excite myself what What?

22:13Pete Donaldson: It's not... It's a holiday. Sorry, mate. We're all... Oh, okay. Join in. The art's spoiled. It's gone spoiled. I was going to get my nails done today. That was a booking. Fully booked for the rest of the month. Sorry. Anyway, right, moving on to the next knockout tie that we're going to talk about. Ivory Coast 1, Norway 2. Norway, they're on the march. They're on the row, should I say. They beat Ivory Coast. I'm so pleased for Norway because a lot said about them going into this tournament obviously we've known about this Norway side for a fair few seasons it's fair to say but to see them turn up at the World Cup Peter and actually do it they're having a lovely old time they are and this was a proper game it was but I think the way that how busy the Norwegian people was and he was in fine form I do think they're on borrowed time I don't think they'll last very much longer in this tournament playing like that I know every course a really good side.

23:10Pouring water into their rowing boats. Nicolas Pepe had a chance at the near post quite early on. You thought if you got that on target, it might be a different game and stuff.

23:19Pete Donaldson: I thought Norway ultimately were good value for the win because they missed their chances. Do you worry about them against Brazil? Yes. Yeah, I mean, Brazil, I mean, absolutely basket case of a team at times, but they've got those individual moments in them and stuff. And I just think that they'll be too much. I mean, Norway, the only international team Brazil have played against are never beaten. There we go. Go back to 1998 yet again. That's pretty great. I thought this was a fairly even game for most of it. And when Amadiello scores that goal, it really felt like it could have gone either way.

23:51The way he dug that out was just absolutely cracking. Lovely, lovely finish. Really determined as well. It's one of those proper legs.

23:58Pete Donaldson: I'm surprised he didn't start the game. I mean, the Irish coach said that, you know, people were saying he should start. And he said, well, I quite like him off the bench as well. Obviously, he had a huge impact on the game. Well, I mean, they obviously like Nicolas Pepe a lot. You're not going to drop Diamande. Diallo plays on the right more often than not. I think it's just one of those things where if you've got three good wingers, you bring one and off the bench in every game and make them someone else's problem against tired legs. You can't start three wingers, can you? France do. Yeah, France don't count.

24:28The three winged.

24:31Pete Donaldson: Yeah, I mean, look, I thought actually, I've slightly disagree, I thought Norway were ultimately good value for this. had they not have gone through had it have gone to extra time I think they would have rued a couple of missed chances and so I felt they always just had that slight edge yes there was you know jeopardy in the game absolutely no doubt about that but I think 2-1 is probably just about right I mean that was noise when Noosa scored that beauty lovely lovely goal to sort your feet so quickly out and curl it oh man did you see Alexander Solok's face in the replay like it's the replay from behind the goal so as the ball's going in he's just it's like that meme of that theatre kid like with his mouth wide open going yeah it's just amazing he can't believe what he's seeing but does does he have a keen sense of history because he knew it was Norway's first goal in the knockout stages of a World Cup since 1938 looking at his face I did think that that was probably the case yeah yeah yeah no I think so I think so as Will Jeans of The Athletic shared on X the scorer of that goal in 1938 was Arne Brustad who was born on the day the Titanic hit the iceberg in the 14th of April 1912.

25:38Pete Donaldson: So, so Nusser getting a little piece of his own history and of course Norway winning a game in the knockout is a rare old thing and Erling Haaland got the goal in, for his standards, slightly... I think it's a miscontrol, isn't it? He's trying to, he's trying to take a touch and leather it in but I think he miscontrols it and goes in anyway. I think he just felt that that was any kind of contact puts it in the net and he was like, yeah, and he just went oh probably should have cooked that a bit more yeah I think he I think he yeah he comes off his heel and you can see him take a step forward as if say am I going to have to oh no it's enough I'm going to have to just put my body into this my massive body I think they certainly had better chances to score than one of their actual goals which is quite something when Dallow has that one off the line you think how on earth did that not go and you know you see so much football being played when the ball comes in you get the connection you think well that's a goal but they you know Iverco survived that but obviously Haaland got the goal he's now scored in 13 consecutive games for Norway.

26:37Pete Donaldson: Right. 25 goals in that run. I mean, it's just, it's ridiculous. Absolutely amazing. I mean, he's a proper monster of a man. We know all this, but I think it's great that he's doing this at the World Cup. Yeah. Because you do want to see the big players, despite, you know, my English bias and thinking, oh, blimey, if we can get past Congo. Stop it. Sorry, yeah, I'll shut up now. We've got a live show coming up. We do. You can worry about all that then. Indeed, I know I shall. with Haaland you know again like there have been some great strikers in the past who maybe their sides not got to a World Cup like George Weier for example an obvious example other strikers just not quite do it when Norway were in that group and I felt on paper that was the toughest group and I think a fair few people thought that as well with Senegal and France you know will he be able to do it you know evidently yes why on earth did I I didn't doubt the man you just wondered are they going to be a bit green at the World Cup there's exactly that isn't there sometimes you know the pressure tells or for whatever reason you end up playing in a really stodgy sticky game where the opposition won't let you do the thing that you do really well I mean the Ghana game is a great example of that you know and it is great for the sort of romance of the World Cup especially because Norway are such a sort of colourful team and the fans are brilliant and the you know the rowing stuff I know some people don't like it but I don't really understand that David Carters thinks it's a bit cringy sure of course fair enough I think they're adding so much and for them to actually turn up and for their big players to turn up and create these moments it's why we're all here isn't it we want to see this stuff yeah exactly and Harlan's using his downtime correctly you know just hanging out with locals and stuff and having a brilliant time wearing cowboy boots and hats yeah he's been seen spotted on a long lens in cowboy boots and a hat I wasn't he knew that lens was taken did he take them from Graham Potter yeah well he's wearing a t-shirt saying you can kiss my Dallas apparently which is good sorry I'll do that properly you can kiss my Dallas Dallas there's a clip going around of Harland eating Chinese food by himself wearing a man's city kit yeah you know back in the season AI though isn't it yeah I was really disappointed that's sad he's eating Chinese food and he looks in the mirror and he he gets scared by his own reflection it's based on a real video of a man doing that yeah have you seen that real video that's very weird yeah I'm so I'm so pleased that the real video exists because the idea of someone being as shocked by their own reflection as this guy is which is odd Starla Solbakken who has done very well as Norway manager I think one can often forget him because to have this group of players he's making the most of them because you've got a so-called golden generation or whatever they may say in Norway, you've got to go and do it and my goodness, we saw it again in qualifying when they batted Italy, not great at talent but still, they're not hampered by any kind of history and I find that quite an interesting thing at this World Cup, we often say, oh, you know, this team, you know, look at, say, DR Congo or Norway or, I don't know, other tournament debutants like Cape Verde or how they've not got the experience.

29:41Pete Donaldson: It doesn't seem to matter. What seems to matter is previous bad experience. You know, you look at, say, Scotland, hopefully not England, you know, but you look at one or two other sides. You think, yeah, like all these tournament debutants, it doesn't seem to feel like they turn up and go, ooh, we're imposters or we shouldn't be here and they get, you know, rabbit in headlights. They all kind of go, this is amazing. we can't believe well we can believe we're here on merit and we're going to give a good account of ourselves it's part of it because there's just so much of it maybe there's so so much World Cup it kind of it's a really new feeling actually isn't it yeah perhaps I mean maybe as well that the fans from the countries again where they are tournament debutants or haven't been at the tournament for a while it just seems to be overwhelmingly encouraging and positive yeah you know you think about you know on social media so they get all the message from back home and so on and they I don't know maybe that propels them I don't know what it is but it's great to see did you see the South Korean team arriving back in South Korea I mean it works on the other way you know for every positive reaction there's a negative one and it seems to be concentrated in South Korea entirely in a South Korean airport oh dear oh dear oh dear but after the game Starla Solbakken said of Norway everybody from a hundred years to two years old is rowing now you need to get you need to have a population that exercises and stays healthy was that written down or was that spoken because he could be rowing.

31:00Pete Donaldson: That's true. Could be. That's true. Over his tactics. They're all kicking off. We shouldn't have left it so late to win the game. But yes, they're against Brazil in the last 16. And that's what you want. It is what you want. Martin Odegaard, Jim. He's been great. Got an assist in every game he's played. Yes. Which is fantastic. I think there were a couple of moments yesterday actually where I felt he was slightly ponderous and I do wish he'd trust himself to shoot a bit more sometimes. I think he had an opportunity where he could have done that. But yeah, he's been really good. His connection with Haaland is really, really good as well.

31:28and the team sort of look to him as someone who's always going to dictate the tempo of the play. And there's a lot of stuff he does for Arsenal as well that kind of goes a little bit unheralded because he really helps you with controlling a game. And it's funny because he's been a player who's been really, really eye-catching in the past. And his game's changed a little bit, so that's not so much the case now. And I think it means the effective stuff he does gets lost a little bit. But he's been really, really good for Norway. and it's important that all of these big players step up to be reference points for each other as well, isn't it?

31:59And it's all clicking.

32:00Pete Donaldson: I mean, he's the one who's given the drum at the end of the game when they win it. But him and Haaland, you know, it's almost sort of Kane and Bellingham, you know, that's how important those two are then for there. I mean, I'm enjoying Fulham Sanderberger in the centre of the pitch as well. Noosa as well stepped up. Yeah, I also enjoyed Oscar Bob coming off the bench who I thought made a bit of difference actually as well, you know, down that side. So it's all coming up Fulham. That's the real quiz, eh? It's a very premier league side. He said, do you want to go the other day?

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33:40Pete Donaldson: Also into the last 16, Mexico. They beat Ecuador 2-0. four wins out of four eight goals scored and no goals conceded getting real now isn't it for Mexico nor are Pete Donaldson can they play at the Azteca every time because they are formidable at that place they really do set the template for like quite you know really attacking football in a world of to be honest in a World Cup quite sort of prosaic grey kind of play the manager before the Aguirre said before the tournament he said it's not the team that plays the best stuff that win it's the ones who know how to compete and he is a pragmatic manager who's happy to change up but I mean it's just it just says to a World Cup that there is a place for like hard working fuck off football and I am here for watching Mexico play football definitely yeah I mean he was obviously Mexico manager up until next if England get there well yeah he was Mexico manager in 2002 and 2010 where of course they got into the second round and buggered it up really.

34:50Pete Donaldson: And he had his regrets. And I think that this time around, again with that home crowd, which are just incredible. They're such, I mean, yeah, like that atmosphere at the Azteca. It's so good as well because obviously we weren't born in the 1970 World Cup. I was too young, no memory at all of 1986. And the Azteca is this mystic kind of stadium, World Cup synonymous with the World Cup stadium. To see it now for our own eyes, you know obviously on the TV but my goodness it comes through it is amazing and I think for Aguirre the coach he really has thought to himself this is a great chance you know like let's be honest a fortuitous group they were in but Ecuador again a lot of people's dark horses going into the World Cup and the fact is and the fact is they got through the group stages with that amazing victory you know great celebrations they had and we know that they're built on this amazing defence for Mexico to take them apart.

35:44Pete Donaldson: They really did. Like that. They dragged them all over the place. I mean, Jimenez probably should have scored that header before that they went, you know, one nil up. Quinones, he's having a great tournament as well. He's already just got three. It was just like, we're not going to be denied today. I don't give a damn how well drilled you are at the back. They just blew them away. So energetic. Yeah. So positive as well. And as you suggested, they could have scored more goals. It was a really, really dominant, confident performance as well, which I suppose is what you get if everything's kind of clicking when you are the home nation.

36:16We all know that feeling of how powerful it is to have the support of the home crown behind you. We've seen it ourselves. And this is kind of crunch time for Mexico, isn't it? Getting to this stage of a tournament. Generally speaking, they kind of fall at the hurdle of the first game after the knockouts, other than when they're at home,

36:38Pete Donaldson: which obviously they are. But this was their first knockout win since 1986. There you go. So they've obviously already done that. Making it the fifth game was kind of a big thing for them, wasn't it? It was really monkey on their back. But you do sort of think, is this technically the fifth game because of the extended kind of tournament? Does it count? Yeah, because they've been to the courts twice in 1786 when they were the host nation. But 17 didn't have a second round. It was a much smaller tournament. 86, so really 86, you know, that is the only time they've got to that fifth game, if you like.

37:05Pete Donaldson: But they've never, for a side who are always at the World Cup, they've never been past that quarterfinal stage this feels like preschool before school do you think so English school there we go it's so right but like the player I think he missed one of the games in the group stages but the one that's really sort of drawn my eye Eric Lira oh yeah in the center of the pitch just like you know it's sort of just a fucking defensive midfielder who just says you're not getting past me he's like Sergio Busquets I'm going to kick the shit out of you as well record amount of fouls in the friendlies Mexico had to play before the tournament and stuff.

37:42England, if we get through, will not enjoy playing against him. I think he's just having a good time. We've not seen Armando Gonzalez as well, the ant. Oh, the little ant. We've barely seen him in the tournament, which is very upsetting. He's been knocking them in for fun where he plays and I very much wanted to see more ant content in the World Cup. Well, perhaps you will. I mean, we have seen... Did you know that ants don't have... Male ants don't have dads. Male ants don't have dads. but they do have granddads. Can you explain that? Well, can you figure it out? I'm intellectually lazy these days.

38:14I'd like you to do it for me.

38:15Pete Donaldson: Is it because the granddads, they just don't let the next generation get involved? Yeah. Now we're just hungry. Eat them, no. Because unfertilized eggs hatch into males. Ah. There we are. So that means you can have a granddad without a dad. I did see something a little while ago that suggested that some ants try to look like they're working. Oh. Oh, nice. Because they're very hierarchical, aren't they? The Jim Campbell temp job. Exactly, yeah. Are you writing emails to your mates in the cell of this Excel spreadsheet in your data entry job? Yes, I am. Yeah, apparently some of them do that. Oh, there you go.

38:53Nice, like that.

38:54Pete Donaldson: The other Mexican midfielder who's turning heads, of course, is Gilberto Mora. He was brilliant last night, the 17-year-old. Again, like, have that understanding of the game and that intelligence and the awareness the way he plays I can hear Elise Clauses getting smashed can I just Chelsea leave him alone yeah everyone leave him alone leave that boy alone Chelsea do you know what I mean yeah Man City everybody yeah Fulham though Fulham though well look if you're gonna go somewhere Fulham good track record with Central and South American players that's all I'm saying that's all I'm saying as well yeah I think his price tag's gone through the roof after these performances Oh, dear.

39:37Pete Donaldson: But yeah, but Mexico, though, another little piece of history, they became the first CONCACAF team to eliminate a CONNIBOL nation at the World Cup. There we go. There we go, you see. And we were wondering before the tournament, weren't we, if that was finally going to happen. Wonder no more, Jimmy, it has happened. They did it, though, with a little help from their friends, the Mexican supporters, because the Ecuadorian FA have filed a complaint after a thousand Mexico fans, and that's a conservative estimate, reportedly gathered outside their team hotel to serenade them. I think it's his helmet.

40:07Someone brought an entire drum kit. When you're looking at your third tom. I don't know if you've seen the... I can feel it coming. It looked a bit like that mad footage of Angine de Poitron in the Montreal Jazz Festival with thousands and thousands of people out there. You're not even sticking to four-four time.

40:30Pete Donaldson: Bastards. Cars going past, people going, what are you doing this for? That's the Ecuadorian team. fair enough come on come around everyone bring your friends bring your motors yeah so I would you know whoever it is DR Congo or England we hope it's England of course maybe and also a way to beat altitude they say is also you basically go in last minute you touch down last minute you get up there quick play the game don't stay the night do not stay the night and if you do you'll have to have the FA you have to put your hand in your pocket if indeed England are in that game or DR Congo because you're going going to have to have some decoy hotels if you are going to stay.

41:07Pete Donaldson: Oh, yeah. So, yeah, lookalikes as well. Yes, you have the whole thing. Can we help out? Are we in lookalikes of any of the players? You must do. I'm a soccer guy. I'm a soccer cover, I reckon. No, I think with, I think with, you've got to think that Dan Byrne is already playing at altitude, so he'd be all right. That's true. So, yeah. Okay. Well, as I say, let's hope. I never assume. I remember Iceland. Let's hope that England are in that game. But either or, Mexico are going to be forced to be reckoned with. Lots and lots of people keep saying about their competitive record at the Azteca. 70 wins from 89 games, just two defeats.

41:39Pete Donaldson: They are unbeaten in 10 World Cup games there, but you are harking back to 86 and 70. A lot of those teams are CONCACAF teams as well, as you pointed out. But they're going to be a force. And whoever plays against Mexico, that will be their last game at the tournament. Possibly, but whatever the score is. Last game at the tournament. Sorry, sorry. Whoa. No, no, what I meant to... Hang on. Big licks. Big licks. Big licks. Big licks in Mexico at the tournament. Slurp, slurp, slurp. Enjoy it while you can. Slurpy, slurpy, slurpy big licks. Because there's a runaway freight train heading straight for you.

42:13Pete Donaldson: Doesn't sound good. Yeah, exactly. We're out of control. Out of control. No engine. Yeah. Just run away. But it is a shame, though, that if Mexico were to win that game in the last 16, whoever they may play, that'll be their last game in Mexico at the tournament. But, you know, we'll see. Anyway, we're getting into too much future chap. You know, sociopolitical kind of situation in America. They might move it. True enough. What we do know is that Piero Incapier became the second player at this World Cup to be sent off for covering his mouth in a confrontational situation. That was silly, wasn't it?

42:45Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Want a piece now? For you and I? Can a man not beatbox during our argument? Hey. Really? I wasn't even talking. I was smashing out some fat beats. Yeah, but were you slagging his mother off? Yes. But over a beat, it's art. You can't hold my lyrics against me. I was doing a jazz time as well. That's what you've got to do, isn't it? You cover your mouth, you think, our cameras have seen me, right? I've got to beatbox. I've got to start beatboxing. I've got to commit to this. Beefy, beefy. That's what you've got to do. He was beefy in guys. Yeah, so in Capier, yeah, he didn't beatbox. it was judged that he said something offensive.

43:31Pete Donaldson: I mean immediately the Mexicans were straight on it weren't they? That's the way it goes. That's because of that. It's an utterly boneheaded thing to do. It's all because of that little shit who plays for Benfica. It must be kind of you're so used to doing it every time you speak on the field but it is bloody funny. It is one of the funniest aspects of this world job as well. Again because of that little shit at Benfica we are in this situation. They put eight microphones at each of their hands. Ah. Yeah. Or, no, you go, all right, if you want a slagging match, let's do a rap battle. Yeah. But a slagging off battle.

44:06Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang. Yeah.

44:08Pete Donaldson: The referee with his VAR mic can go, right, here you go. Yeah. Referee of that as well. And whoever loses the battle. Red card. There you go. There you go. What was that? Red card. Red card. Ah, I see. Yes, now you see. Have you seen that guy walking around, I think it's Los Angeles, with a yellow card? He's dressed as a referee. and he keeps on giving parking violations like yellow cards. If you go over the line when you're stopping at the lights, they'll go over and give you a yellow card. Excellent. I love that. Everything about this World Cup is brilliant for the football, the off-field kind of football-y stuff.

44:40I've said it before. And the fans. And it's nothing to do with anything that FIFA's put on. Brilliant.

44:45Pete Donaldson: You like the ticket prices, do you? Love the ticket prices. I like people spending money. Economies must be, you know, bolstered. Stimulate it. Stimulate the economy. Yeah, that's exactly it. Why a 20-quid hot dog? did you see that Mexico supporter who was very stimulated at the Major League Baseball match where it was like what are you doing at the baseball match because when Mexico scored he was just shouting goal to the point of I'm quite sure it put the pitcher off I know that that is a legitimate pitch when you basically chuck it on the floor in front of the batter but it did look particularly wayward and even like people on the bench was it LA Dodgers I forget who it was they were looking over going what the hell is going on here they're just not understanding the situation between the LA Dodgers and the Athletic He's quite far down the front so you'd imagine those tickets cost a few weeks.

45:30Pete Donaldson: But it's like, mate, come on. You should look at that diary. You could pop out. These matches happen all the time. It's just a standard league game, isn't it? These matches happen all the time. And they last all fucking day. Baseball matches are boring. Just leave, watch the match, come back. You'll be there. Little ball of dip and dots, lovely old job. You'll have at least two thirds of the game left. Yeah, madness. Enjoy the 15th foul ball of the over. Is there overs? I don't fucking know. Yeah, what? Innings. Innings. I went to see the Atlanta Braves once, and it was boring. Oh, did you? I've seen the LA Dodgers at San Francisco, but more of this at Ramblin' Cards.

46:07Did you see the police officers and the prisoners all celebrating the commissary in a prison? Really? When Paraguay qualified for the next round. They were absolutely loving it. Like, go on, let us out. Come on. Come on. We all love that. Let's all have a little drink.

46:24Pete Donaldson: Let's have a little drink. Let's be in it. Yeah. Let's have a little drink. Yeah, the coppers are like, fine. If we beat France, we'll let you out. But not Pido Steven. No, no, no. He needs to stay. Pido Steven needs to stay. Yeah, definitely. There's the title. There's the title. Production team. Pido Steven needs to stay. Behind bars. What about people in solitary? Would they get to celebrate? Would they get to, I don't know. Maybe they heard the cheers and they were like, Just enjoy it, yeah. They were at the baseball. Come on, get out, you. Come on. Get back in the yard. Come on, give him a little ruffle of the air.

46:58Let him out. Get back to your crazy gang.

47:02Pete Donaldson: Yeah. What are you in for again? Oh, dear. Right. Oh, before we go, yeah, we are going to mention that Ronald Koeman's resigned as head coach as the Netherlands. Yeah. Yeah, him and Steve Clarke can go on holiday now.

47:16Pete Donaldson: Ronald Koeman, I'm pretty sure it was Ronald Koeman. He has a place in the Algarve right next to Louis van Gaal. Yeah, you remember that? Don't they get into arguments over the fence when they're on holiday? Why are you asking me that if that's a... Of course they bloody do. I like to think Van Halv sticks his head over the fence and they've got a little sort of like non-privacy hole for his testicles to pop through. Like a dog's nose. Yeah, just critiquing Koeman's barbecue style. I wouldn't do it like that. So you're saying Louis Van Halv... What kind of fucking rub is that? So firstly, right...

47:46Hello, I am Louis Van Halv. What kind of... Oui, oui. why are you not putting more onions on the barbecue

47:56Pete Donaldson: hey Ronald what are you doing hombre so Jim asked the question do you think Ronald Koeman and Louis Van Hal would have arguments if they were no I thought there was a story wasn't there about that exact thing happening and then Pete reckons that there's a glory hole in the fence just for his testicles not for a penis just for his testicles to flop out oh dearie me right oh now we've reached the end of the show but do join us for our England versus Dr Congo preview it's out now on YouTube or on your podcast app we're going to be talking all things England and all things DR Congo so get involved there thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the ACAST Creator Network friends of the Ramble don't go anywhere keep listening for Ramble Uncut and if you're not a friend of the Ramble head over to patreon.com forward slash football Ramble now to sign up and enter our special prize draw for that Gaza shirt thank you Peter goodbye thank you Jim come on the ground and thank you next time

49:01the football ramble is a stack production and part of the Acast Creator Network

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