Salt on the senses | 2026 FIFA World Cup

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3:54Luke Moore: We're up to our nuts in World Cup, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble! Curacao got thrashed, Japan got a draw and Graham Potter got a win. It's Monday 15th of June. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm Luke Moore.

4:18Luke Moore: Hello, everybody. It's Monday, and every day is a magnificent day in the world at the moment because the World Cup is bouncing along beautifully. It's hard for us to remember what days it is already because obviously we do this every day. Yeah, it has gone a bit like that, hasn't it? Let's hope that nobody else has that kind of attitude, Luke. No, but they've got proper jobs, haven't they? Because they've got to power the economy. They've got jobs that are actually important. Exactly. I completely agree. Exactly, exactly. Hasn't it been great, though, Jim? It has. Yeah, there's not been a truly duff game yet, I would argue.

4:45Luke Moore: Well, wait for Wednesday night. Yep. Also, more on this later, but potential for Ivory Coast Ecuador to say? Yeah, maybe, maybe. No, it was still a good game. But it was still at its moment, didn't it? We got to use the word or the terminology woodwork a number of times. True. So I think we're happy with that. But anyway, before we get to the matches, we've got some big news from Ramble HQ. You may remember, everybody, a few months back, we released a gorgeous football kit in collaboration with our friends at Admiral. well our Patreon subscribers bought all of them in less than two days they didn't even make it to general sale people were a bit disappointed well we're delighted to announce that our new Football Ramble Admiral White Away Kit which I am wearing white now and there's one white behind Jim Campbell it's available for Patreon subscribers for the next 48 hours and it's a brand new design and we expect these to go quick they will be on general release after 48 hours if there's some left.

5:46Luke Moore: Yeah. So if you don't want to miss out, join the Ramble patron for the special World Cup price of$1.25 a month. What? Yeah, I know. That's insane. I didn't sanction that. Special offer. Special offer, baby. Special offer. Special offer. You can get immediate access to this beauty that I'm wearing right here. Head to patreon.com forward slash football ramble and use the code worldcup26 at the checkout. And it's live. Next 48 hours. Bang, we're off. It's a race. Go and get them. If you turn up to a Ramble World Cup watch party wearing one of those, I'll buy you a pint. How about that? How about that?

6:23All right. And Jim will also... I've got one at home, so... Jim will buy you a chaser. She will buy you a chaser. I'll buy you a pint of my fizzy aunt. How much is it a pint?

6:31Luke Moore: For you, baby. Yeah, hopefully I'll get a good deal. And Pete will give you a Frenchie if you want. Right. You won't want. You won't want that. Not after the chasers that I'm going to get down you. There we are. Okay, everybody. So, yes, patreon.com forward slash football ramble to get involved. Don't delay. Get involved today. Right, then. Germany 7, Curaçao 1. The World Cup debutantes and little slugs, Curaçao, got put to the sword. That's what happens, Jim. You turn up in a rickety, rackety school bus thinking you're better than everybody else. How's that? They got salted. It wasn't that they were put to the sword.

7:08Luke Moore: They were absolutely salted by Germany, who were clearly pushing hard for an eighth. You can see them all thinking, has anyone ever scored eight at the World Cup let's just do it and find out later they've got it in them what I liked about this was that you guys were quite annoyed that Curacao had a bit of momentum and then there was a hydration break well if you find I was suggesting to everybody that actually with the hydration break I was like look Curacao scored at one glorious moment in this game it was one all and I said I appealed for calm and content I said we've already got more out of this game than we thought we'd get.

7:44Luke Moore: Yes. As it turns out, the hydration break didn't make that much difference. Well, we just can't know, can we? Right, exactly, yeah. Well, Jorgen Kurosawa just didn't know there was going to be one. They're completely discombobulated. In a similar feeling with Frank Lampard's goal understood against Germany, we could have gone on to win that for a five. Yeah. Exactly, you just don't know. These are sliding doors moments. The absolute dictionary definition of a sliding doors moment. It's really helpful as well with that kind of thing with Frank Lampard re-Germany in 2010. It makes it a lot easier to believe that if you try to forget everything else that happened in the game.

8:13And I have.

8:15Luke Moore: But we can't forget this scoreline because Germany have done it again. They're now the highest scoring country in World Cup history. By scoring seven, they're on 239 goals, surpassing Brazil's 238. That is ominous, isn't it? I cannot believe they've done this scoreline again and taken something else away from Brazil in it. 14 of the 239 goals are against Brazil. At least. No, obviously that's not true. But yes, there's seven of them at least. But I mean, as you say, Jim, It's a total piss take. Yeah. I really want them to meet Brazil. Could you imagine the kind of build-up and the atmosphere going into that game and all the kind of psychodrama around it?

8:52Luke Moore: It'd be absolutely amazing. But yeah, this was quite the flex from Germany, wasn't it? And actually, it's vindication for those of us who picked Germany to underachieve because they've clearly gone too hard too early. You were loving it, though. It peaked way too early. When Carousel scored, you were like, that's it. Come on. Who wasn't loving that? It was great. It was a wonderful, wonderful moment. Despite the scoreline, that's still a brilliant moment, isn't it? will probably be one of the highlights of the tournament because it was so unlikely. Is that goal a big argument for a 48-team World Cup?

9:20Luke Moore: Or are the seven goals a big argument for a 32-team World Cup? Big Dick loved the goal. But obviously he's Dutch, he'd have loved scoring against Germany. He was loving it all around. Yeah, he was loving it. I think that it depends on where you look at it. If you look at it like Kurosawa, a poor side, and obviously this is not a patronising thing to say because obviously certain teams have different expectations. For some nations, it's amazing to be at a World Cup, right? And they want to do as well as they can, of course, but they know that just achieving the World Cup itself is an end. And Curacao may well probably be one of those teams.

9:57So no one's suggesting that Curacao are a good side. But Germany have been quite bad at tournaments since 2018, right?

10:06Luke Moore: Oh, this was just a tonic for them. Yeah, but what I'm saying is, how long can we feasibly expect Germany to not be that good at a tournament? I do agree with that. And I've used this analogy before, but it does feel a bit like, you know, at the start of a movie when the serial killer comes back in a sequel, and you're like, is this happening again? Are they coming back? Is he still angry with everybody? Yeah, it turns out in the movie case, they always are. There's a load more deaths. There's a reason why that character's been reintroduced to this. And I think this might be that for Germany, maybe.

10:36Luke Moore: Well, I tell you what, Jim, there was a little bit of chat. Some people may think this was a bit unnecessary, but after Scotland beat Haiti, 1-0, obviously, you're thinking, okay, if they lose the next two games, would three points be enough? If you have a minus two... It basically will be enough, won't it, three points? Well, it does depend because it might go down to goal difference. Something we can all agree is Germany are in the next round. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Germany are absolutely fine. The early stages of this were interesting, weren't they, because it looked like the biggest mismatch of the tournament so far.

11:06Luke Moore: Okay, and again, this is the nature of this expanded tournament. But then Curacao get that goal and there was a spell for maybe 10 minutes or so where it did look like Germany was sort of rethinking this and we're like, okay, actually they've got a bit more about them and they paid them a little bit more respect and then obviously the goals started to pile in but that glorious 11 minutes or whatever it was. But for the reasons Luke said, obviously they hadn't qualified for a bit, they were on top and then that happens. absolutely there would have been a lot of people a lot of German fans and the players going oh crap this could be a seriously embarrassing day for us but then their quality obviously came through and they were so up for thrashing and I think it's important given that the other two teams in the group look fairly capable but the point I wanted to just to go back on the three points to qualify I saw an infographic yesterday which said basically if you get three points based on how this system works you should be alright Pretty much.

12:04With three points and a minus two goal difference, you've still got a 76 % chance of a qualifier. Yeah, which I think, yeah. And if you go up, if you get three points and have a positive goal difference, you're basically guaranteed to qualify.

12:15Luke Moore: Yeah, so well done, Germany. You're in the next round. Essentially. Yeah. Essentially. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. There were obviously more records broken in this game. Dick Advocate became the oldest manager in the history of the World Cup. For a bit. Well, he was, yeah. It'll be, until he does it again next game, I guess. Yeah, all right, fine. Okay. tomorrow he'll be older again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Forgive me. His opposite number, Julian Nagelsmann, just 38. Youngest manager at the World Cup. Nerdiest manager as well. 38 years old. He's younger than all of the players. Yeah, he's younger than all of you.

12:47Luke Moore: He's definitely younger than you as well. Is he the nerdiest manager as well? That's a touch harsh. That's not hard to be. That's not wrong with being a nerd. No, that's not. That's not wrong with being a nerd. Or a boffin. There's a strong argument. He's definitely a boffin, isn't he? Yeah. He's from that school of kind of boffin managers. From that academy. Yeah. Do you think that it's possible? Because what I like about the World Cups is because they're so, I know this one's a little bit longer, but because they're so kind of short and there's loads of narrative packing as much as you can, you can basically apply as much narrative as you want, whichever way you want to spin it.

13:19Because I could easily say to you guys, oh, they've peaked too early. They've peaked way too early. And so they might struggle. They might get a bit overconfident.

13:27Luke Moore: I agree with my original assessment that they're going to underachieve. Well, I mean, they've definitely got tougher tests ahead. They certainly do. I mean, look, you have to give Germany credit because they scored seven goals for crying out loud. And some really good ones in there as well. Yes, indeed. But against poor opposition who really just folded. I mean, from this game, what do you take from Germany, Jim? I mean, the front line they've got, Sané, Musiala, Wurz and Havertz started in that sort of front four. Undav came on. Yeah. He did well. It's nice to see Undav score as a regular Bundesliga highlights watcher.

14:00Luke Moore: he has had an incredible season he's a he's a silky tank which is a a rare thing and I think he actually got two assists when he came up as well as scoring so I mean that poses a question for Nagelsmann as well doesn't it mate he might be worth a start although I suppose Havertz is probably difficult to dislodge from there but I mean they do look like they have all the tools to have a successful tournament despite my perhaps quite naive prediction that they would underachieve Jim I've put France to underachieve I know I know but I'm just I'm just getting it out there Jamal Muziala looks in good nick as well which is obviously an important thing because he's not that long back from injury in the grand scheme of things but he looks looks in good shape yeah i mean they look pretty formidable formidable and they look really determined as well i mean a lot of teams wouldn't have gone this hard but i think you're right i think that that assessment that they they feel the need to sort of write themselves and reassert themselves as a force in international football is is is big you know 2014 is a long time ago now it's an ideal start for them not just because of the result, but when they saw the draw, they would have thought, okay, we can make a statement here, we can take the time.

15:03It sounds disrespectful to Curacao, but there's levels of difference in terms of quality here, so you have to just acknowledge the fact that they could have and they did use this as a tune-up, get some players on the pitch, see who can make a contribution, get some minutes, get people used to the tournament, and it's typical of Germany to keep pushing, pushing through to the end. A lot of teams probably would think, well, we've got X amount of games to play in quite a short amount of time. It's been a long old season. Let's kind of, you know, just keep the ball for a while. Yeah, and they didn't do that.

15:32And part of the reason they didn't do that, I thought, was because Undav, the aforementioned, came on with, what, about half an hour to go and was obviously just saying, look, I want to fucking play. So I'm going all at it. So to squeeze a goal and two assists in in like half an hour, they were there to be knocked over, Curacao. They were knocked over. I think we'll find out a lot more about Germany in the next two games because Ecuador are a pretty good defensively, Ivory Coast looked alright as well in that game and they are both better teams than Curacao, so ultimately to me it feels like the group stage is just for the big teams to navigate, because you don't want to be that story, you don't want to be that start off badly have a poor result in your opening game and then all of a sudden if you're not careful you start to panic, you start to overthink it the manager kind of gets inside his own head a bit and you haven't got much time to fix it, which is why I said to you guys before the tournament, you know, the order in which the teams play each other is massive.

16:32Like Scotland playing Haiti first is massive. Not a great game, you know, but they get through it. They win. And as we've just discussed, really, ultimately they'll be really, really unlucky not to go through for the first time in their history now. If they play Brazil or Morocco first, it's a totally different story, like totally different.

16:48Luke Moore: And it's just a tonic for Germany because they've not been good at the last couple of World Cups. They're due a good World Cup. If they got a really sticky one first against Ecuador, who just don't concede very much, and it's a nil-nil, or even they lose it one nil or something like that, all of a sudden it's a story for a country the size of Germany. So ultimately, yeah, it's a great start for them. I actually got a little bit, I thought I got a little bit kind of, oh, I'm looking up at the telly and another goal's gone in kind of about watching this game. I was really into it, especially when it got to around 1-0.

17:18And after a while you're a bit like, oh, right, okay, fine. He's knocking them over now.

17:21Luke Moore: Yeah, Arsenal man, can't have it. Couple of goals there, Jim. Getting warmed up for the new season. Big manie. Gentlemen, let's move on from Germany. And let's turn around to Germany briefly to Turkey. Obviously, they lost to Australia the other day. One of the big upsets of the tournament so far. You could say the biggest upset of the tournament so far, perhaps. In Karamas, in Turkey, residents got up early in the morning to watch that game. And they were all sat down, as we've seen so many times across the world. Big screen, everyone's gathered. in some places. Absolutely tremendous. And they were watching the game and after a number of minutes, suddenly it became apparent that they were watching a FIFA game between Turkey and Australia.

18:06Luke Moore: We've all done it. We've all logged into YouTube thinking, oh, where are the highlights? You go, these players are moving a bit. Oh, it's a bloody computer game. And then you do it. But this took a little bit of while. Logged into YouTube. That really ages us. For a computer game. it's a testament to the quality of these football games where's my bloody YouTube password I just think it's a great scheme for a local kind of Del Boy type entrepreneur yeah but presumably he only gets one view yeah I guess doesn't get the sort of I don't know 5 ,000 no but what I'm saying is if you set up a big screen and you charge people a few quid to get in and you throw that up there yeah you know it happens every time I remember it was probably in the last Euros might have even been the last World Cup I remember seeing a video of I'm going to call him a little old dad watching this exact situation in his living room not understanding that he wasn't actually watching England.

18:56Luke Moore: It's dangerous. Yeah, it is very dangerous. They'll get you. It was later corrected. You'd hope so. Much to the annoyance of the crowd because they lost two nights. Exactly. You should have watched the old YouTube game. Right, moving on swiftly from that over to Mexico. One of the hosts of this World Cup, of course. We've learned more about the duck in the Mexico shirt. You've got some duck news. Oh, I do indeed. A duck date. A duck date. Yeah. we know more about the duck obviously because his owner was interviewed by ESPN which is this is the kind of stuff that we do want to see at a World Cup though so the duck is wonderfully called Merlin yeah it's a great name for a duck that wonderful name apparently they trained him to walk with the family using a harness but now he doesn't need it and he just follows by himself what a trained duck he's a very well behaved duck indeed he is they also said that they've had several offers of people to buy him and they're like we're not going to say you're our duck he's our duck Pedro Donaldson Peter Donaldson Pierre Donaldson they don't also Merlin the duck doesn't tend to walk that often yeah only for the big occasion if you've watched a video there's actually like a cart that apparently he normally sits in yeah but he can fly as well every so often not with that shirt on true that would be amazing it'd be good I don't think that's very likely yeah that's very likely and I'm always quite reticent to enjoy these types of clips on the inset around animals because I think a lot of the time if you know anything about animal behaviour they look quite unhappy.

20:20But this duck genuinely looks quite happy. So he's pretty happy with what's going on. A little disclaimer there.

20:24Luke Moore: You'll be saying that a dog can't wear jeans next. No, I would never say that. I would never ever say that, Mark. It would be disrespectful to you. Do you think the Mexico shirt's clipped his wings quite literally then? It might have done. I would love to see that. I hope not. Yeah, she was asked where they got the shirt and she says, you can tell it's quite a matter of fact even though she's speaking Spanish. It's like, well, we got it from someone who makes clothes for animals. Well, of course she did, yeah. From an official vendor. Really. Where is this? Take me to this person. Well, Merlin's diet consists of special duck food, fruit and vegetables.

20:55Luke Moore: But once a week, he's allowed a carnitas taco. Much like myself. Lovely. Well, good to know more about Merlin. And I'm sure we'll become even more acquainted as the tournament goes on. To me, the best timeline here is that Metzco somehow gets to the final of the World Cup. and Merlin's involved he becomes the unofficial mascot but that would be the time to release him from the shirt and then he just flies around the stadium and he's like be free oh he's gone no he has gone it's gone turns out he wasn't very happy he's not coming back oh he can't fly he's just fallen all the way down there he goes that's taking a turn I know it's not my fault it's not my fault it's what you wanted to see as well sound effects and everything do you hear that yeah cruelty to animals I like a bit of crispy duck I'd like a duck tack I'd like a Merlin taco, please.

21:46Marcus Speller. I know. Oh, yeah.

21:48Luke Moore: It's my World Cup too. It is, yeah. We're a couple of days away from England and you can tell. My ducky arm. My feathery arm. Duck off. Right, coming up after this, the Rocky curse strikes again.

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24:08where are you guys from where's everyone from japan what do you think of america texas texas is good everything is big

24:16Luke Moore: talk about the football ramble everybody everything is big in texas on that video you have to be able to see the visuals of it to understand what i mean here yep um it is one of the most preposterous questions in journalism history for her to be saying where are you guys from? They've all got Japan shirts on. They've got their headbands on with the Japan flag on it. I mean, where are you from? Fucking Ecuador. Yeah, it's incredible. It's ridiculous. We'll get to Japan right now. They drew to all with the Netherlands. They came from behind twice. They're now unbeaten in their last 10 games against European opposition.

24:53Yeah, I should have chosen them for my surprise package. You think?

24:56Luke Moore: They're not a surprise package. I think that's why. I think your surprise package, you did it in the spirit of it. And I respect you for that. No, I think I think if Japan makes the semi-finals, they're a surprise package, right? But I don't think they will, though, right? I don't know. I'm not sure. This is a good result, isn't it? But I think... Cold water already from Campbell. But for them to really sort of push through to the next level as they want to, they've got this amazing 100-year plan that you hear about quite a lot. 100-year plan? Yeah, they've got a 100-year plan. That was when they formed the J-League.

25:23Oh, that's right. Within 100 years, they want to be the dominant force in world football. Not what the same group of players is. No, no. It would be very difficult to manage that word. The technology is very advanced. Exactly. King Cavs is biding his toe.

25:35Luke Moore: Who knows? But yeah, this is exactly the sort of result, even though it ends up being a positive result, that they need to sort of push through and turn into a win, I think. But they were very, very good. I love the organisation of them. And they break quickly, don't they? And I think actually they were suited to playing quite a slow Dutch team. It was interesting in terms of the sort of clash of styles of it. The first half was awful, wasn't it? All of the interesting stuff was in the second half. Awful is a touch harsh. It was fairly uneventful. I thought it was alright I thought it was quite dull well Suzuki made a nice save from Donio Marlon he made lots of good saves yeah fair I mean Marlon actually looking back at that obviously hits it well in the corner it's a goal funny player Marlon he's had an incredible season with Roma he has scored a lot of goals in that second half it's quite a surprise that he went from Villa to Roma because I think it went to a good thing I mean obviously he probably wasn't just very happy where he's living or he didn't change his lifestyle or whatever well maybe not getting as many minutes as he probably thought and wanted to play more yeah the eternal city comes knocking low kids it's true very hard to turn down But Jim's, you know, I take your point, Jim, that it was definitely a game of two halves.

26:35Luke Moore: There was a lot of hype around this game because this was one of the fixtures that was happening, you know, in the first round of games in this World Cup where I was like, oh, that's a tasty one. You know, Brazil, Morocco is another example of that. And this game in the second half lived up to its billing. It was very entertaining. And that's what we want, Luke Moore. Two, you know, four goals and a lovely old job. It's a massive missed opportunity for Netherlands because I thought Japan looked a bit tentative. I thought Japan didn't play how I expected them to play. as this almost like proto-Spain kind of very technical all-action.

27:07They look like they play within themselves for quite a large part of it, particularly in the first half. And then ultimately, for me, the story of the game is that Netherlands have just got a manager who's just no good. And the manager's an absolute crank, in my view.

27:20Luke Moore: You're not a fan of Koeman. Brilliant player, amazing player. His management record recently is poor. I thought he absolutely handed the initiative over to Japan when they were able to one up is this anything to do with the fact he was once Southampton manager well he did quite well there I mean that's probably the most recent time he's done well isn't it off the top of my head I can't really remember but I think he was useless at Everton this is his second stint as Netherlands coach isn't he but yeah but either or he will be scrutinised by going to a back three let me be specific yeah because what happened was as soon as they went two one up he basically shit himself which is like a really un-Ronald Koeman thing to think of.

28:01When you think of Koeman as this amazingly strong, powerful centre-back who could contribute loads going forward as well, as his record suggests, played at the very top of the game, you're thinking of more balls than that.

28:12Luke Moore: Is it not more a failed attempt at game management, though? Well, I think it is. Respecting Japan as an opponent and trying to see the game out. Look, honestly, you can laugh at me all you like. As soon as he did that, as soon as he took off Gravenberch and put on Ake, I knew straight away the type of team Japan can be. You're just giving them the possession. You're giving them the impetus. He brought on Ake in the 81st minute. I do kind of... I just thought it was always going to happen. They were always going to score an equaliser. Yeah, I mean, the way it happened, I mean, it was obviously from a corner.

28:43Luke Moore: It was a good header, although I know... Double header. It was a double header. It was a trick shot. John Verga would have been pleased with that. But I think that... God rest him. Yeah. God rest him. Legend, JV. I think you're 2-1 up against a side who you know can swarm you and have got good energy levels, they've got good side, they've got good pedigree against European opposition, blah blah blah I can't, I mean maybe he could have waited another 5 or 6 minutes, but I mean maybe he thought, you know, we're sort of struggling to be a put on an extra defender, it'll shore it up I don't think it was shockingly bad but obviously the way it goes and the fact that Japan get that equalising goal.

29:25Luke Moore: I mean, maybe the dynamic had already kind of set in and he's thinking, you know, if we continue to play like this and Japan get an equalising goal, people say, well, why didn't you act on something? But what you saw was the difference between, look, I don't know, I'd have to look into it in more detail, but I don't believe, based on what I saw, Netherlands have played three at the back very often. I don't think they played it in the qualification. They obviously weren't very good at playing it here. And fine, it's only a 10 or 15 minute period. But what I tried to do is match up with Japan and Japan were clearly very well drilled.

29:55As soon as Netherlands got the ball, Japan got swept. They sat in a back five, they had four in front and they defended well and they were really well organised. And I just thought it was just a really basic thing to do. Just fucking keep playing. Play as you're playing. It gave the impetus to Japan. They were able to concede directly because of what Koeman did. You can't deny that and that's why they didn't win the game.

30:14Luke Moore: And actually before he made that change, Netherlands looked way more likely to score a third than Japan looked to get an equaliser, to be fair. So I think you're right there. And also, it's potentially quite a damaging result, this, if the Netherlands want to win the group, which they will, obviously, with the Sweden result. So, yeah, it's a really, really, really damaging late goal. It's it. I mean, and it was, you know, it was a big goal for Japan because, you know, you can lose your first game. So Japan playing Tunisia next, and we'll come on to them in a bit. Netherlands, though, they've got Sweden, which is, you know...

30:45Luke Moore: It's a great game. Really a must win. And that is a proper fixture, that. That's a must win. So, yeah, I see what you mean. I think the Netherlands will be the more disappointed of the two there's no doubt about that Japan will come out of that going we've played within ourselves we've not played anywhere near how we can play we've not only got out of that against probably the biggest rivals in the group with a point but we've also scored in the last minute which is a real boost for us to get ourselves out of jail I thought overall it was a much better night for Japan than was Netherlands just because Japan didn't really fully turn up and they've come out of it with a point you don't think the Dutch have got more in them I mean obviously they've got a little bit more I just look what happens when they've got a lot of good players but what happens is when you are managed in that way I just think you end up running the risk of becoming less than some of your parts and I think the problem for Netherlands will probably be if they come up against anyone who's genuinely really good they'll just get beaten.

31:36And Ali McCoy's last night was saying they can win the World Cup. Not on that.

31:39Luke Moore: Well he's listened to that who was it? I forget his name the German economist who's predicted Oh the guru? Yeah the guru. The nude guru. We assume he's nude. He'll be nude at some point. so I think that it's fair enough to say that he couldn't sue you or would you wear your clothes in the shower do you imagine if he wore see you in court imagine if he wore bodgy smugglers in the shower and he ended up suing us yeah that would be great publicity for him or us everyone wins I would heavily steer him towards suing Marcus individually rather than but what did he say he didn't predict Netherlands did he he did he predict Netherlands were in the tournament I think that's bananas yeah he's a boffin mate we don't know his methods well you watch what he's a nude boffin yeah anyway Anyway, you were critical, though, of Crescenzio Somerville.

32:23Luke Moore: Yeah, and then he scored. Yeah, and then he scored straight after. Which was a good moment for him. I mean, I think you underestimated... Well, their goals were both right in the corner, weren't they? Yeah, I think you underestimated the idea that if you have been playing for West Ham this season, and then you turn up at a World Cup, you will play like a man who's just been freed from a life sentence when he wasn't the murderer. There are West Ham and Wolves players all over this tournament. we'd see I love it there's like 12 Sunderland players in the World Cup as well yeah that's not surprising I don't I don't feel like you can go deeper in a tournament if you start if you're starting with Gakpo and Somerville as two of your forwards I just don't think they've got the quality but then Somerville's story's interesting right he's called up late he's not really played much he's a surprise package probably and also he could go on on a bit of a tear I don't know the thing with with international football as well is it is a little bit less complicated than domestic football isn't it in a way he's got a lot of the raw ingredients that can be really damaging in that sort of situation with his pace and his finishing and who knows and I also think there is an element now that because we're so familiar with players from the Premier League that some teams lose a little bit of mystique and I think the Ducks are absolutely one of those because we're so familiar with your Bart Verbruggen's and your Somerville's and your Van Hecker's and whatnot that they don't seem like this imperious kind of exotic mysterious force but that kit still pops that kit is painfully orange I know yeah it's an extreme orange have you ever heard of that colour called Vanta Black so Vanta Black is like this black it's a black which is like I guess it's been like chemically engineered to essentially withdraw as much light out of as possible and it's just so it's hard to explain but look it up orange this orange Netherlands kit is like the Vanta Black of oranges it's hard for me to at the start when I saw it to process just how orange something could be My eyes want to look away from it.

34:16Luke Moore: Because when Ivory Coast played, I thought, now that's orange. That's normal orange. Don't you see Donald Trump doing something? That's orange. Isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Some people on the Ramble Discord were calling it radioactive and orange on the steroids. And I agree. I agree with that as well. I just, look, I know we've talked about the Dutch, we're going to move on. But just to kind of very quickly go back, when you're saying about the lineup, I mean, look at the midfield three, Gravenberg, De Jong, Rinders, the front three, Somerville, Marlon, Gakobar. I understand there are sides better than that.

34:43Luke Moore: If Koeman and the general field thinks perhaps he's not going to get the best out of them, but if he can and they can click, you know, I think especially on paper, their 11 is decent. Yeah, and again, you know, we've given a lot of sides the grace of it being the first game and not necessarily being a representation of the best that you're going to see in the tournament. So we should extend the same to them. And with the sound of old Lang Syne in there is when the goals go in. What was that? Well, apparently it was a Dutch version of old Lang Syne, which was the goal music played in the stadium.

35:12Luke Moore: That's the New Year music. Presumably doing. Yeah. Is it Dutch New Year? Do they have a different calendar to us? The teams can get their own goal music played in the stadium they're playing. Germany are using that song that the sax guy has been playing, which has become a bit of a viral thing. Yeah, yeah. I don't know. I don't know. Let's move on to the other side that played an orange. Yesterday slash today, I don't know whenever it was in the past, Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0. Amidiallo in the 90th minute what a win for the coast Jim massively yeah and a one in the eye for those of us who predicted Ecuador to be a surprise package early days early days calm down everyone yeah I mean Ecuador hit the woodwork three times oh yeah yeah pretty pretty tasty I think it was a pulsating game yeah there was there were certainly pulses within it there were throbs throbbing moments and that was just you on the count that was just me yeah Yanni and Amanda impressed it's what we all wanted from this game.

36:09Luke Moore: Some of those players to turn up. Diamande's feet. Yeah. Come on. He's so... He's 18. How is he that strong? Is it fair to say that there were moments when he had the ball at his feet and he became aware that he was in the shot window? Yes. Yeah. There's been a little bit of chat about him last season, of course, or a big bit of chat depending on where you are and what you listen to. But you're right, Jim. For a lad that young, you know, and when he had his chance, when he jinxed it between two Ecuadorian defenders and he stuck it over the bar, You could see him. He was so pissed off because it's such a lovely one.

36:41Luke Moore: But we're going to see more of him, definitely. And it's a great win for Ivory Coast. I'm really, really pleased with them. They've never made it to the knockouts of a World Cup. This is only their fourth appearance. They've been really unlucky with their groups. They have. So they didn't qualify for Cato and Russia. Yeah, didn't they get like a Portugal-Brazil group one? That was in 2010. And that was kind of one of their golden eras, wasn't it? When they had Drogba in those games. Well, in 2006, they had an even better side. But the first two games, I forget in which order. I think it was Argentina first and then the Netherlands.

37:10Luke Moore: It was back in those days. You lose your first game and they lost them by the old goal. So, yeah, those great sides, 06 and 2010. Yeah, really, really tough groups. I mean, they have won, you know, two, maybe three games at World Cups. But in the past, it's either been a dead rubber or, you know, I think Greece scored in the 90th minute or very late on against them to win 2-1. And I think maybe that was enough to sort of knock them out. So they've been very, very close. That is a huge victory for them against a very, very well-organized and stingy side when it comes to defence. I mean, Ecuador, 19 games unbeaten.

37:44Luke Moore: 12 of those games, they had clean sheets. So for Ivory Coast to win this game is absolutely massive. I was genuinely delighted for them. Possibly also really important because they play Germany next. Yes. Talking about the schedule again. You know, that's really, you look at this group and you think, okay, Kurosawa are going to be the whipping boys. Germany are the strongest team. It comes down to what Ivory Coast and Ecuador do with each other. Yes. To come out on the right side of that is massive. It's absolutely enormous, yeah. And some familiar names in there as well. Big Frank Kessie. Yes.

38:14Luke Moore: Come on. Absolutely. Yeah. Pepe as well, Jim. Yeah. Nicholas Pepe. He had a decent chance as well in that game. You can still find him. There was a beautiful moment in this game. He had a decent chance in that game. He did. From an Arsenal Echo is that, isn't it? He fashioned the chance. Yeah, exactly. He connected with the ball. He can't be expected always to score. Inouye Ulai and Moises Kaiseido kind of nearly got into a bit of fisticuffs and it was that moment where was it Kaiseido who just sort of leaned in and they basically just ended up hugging it out you saw that moment where it was again it was one of those where it's like all the subs and everyone's like ready to pile on and the two men in the centre of it just went no no no let's just calm it down calm it down yeah and that's what it's all about it's not it's about fighting it should be about fighting what the world needs now it's a good old fashioned fight on the white arse on the white house lawn yeah exactly the white arse lawn there's UFC there's UFC on the white arse lawn so if that's not good enough for you then mate surely it's good enough for them you can fight anywhere now it isn't good enough for me and it's also the home of Rocky who's well known for his fighting that's where they were Ivory Coast v Ecuador but he's also well known for his hugs wasn't he sometimes not in the fourth one he would hug it out with one of his opponents but people are saying that Ecuador are the latest to suffer from the Rocky Statue curse because they put an Ecuador shirt on the statue of Rocky Balboa outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which supposedly brings bad luck to teams who do that.

39:44Yeah, so the Philadelphia Eagles, I think it is, who put the, if they're playing a big game, they'll put the rival team they're playing against shirt on the Rocky Statue for bad luck.

39:54Luke Moore: Oh, it's that bad now? Yeah, so I remember in 2018, they put the Patriots shirt on it and they beat them in the Super Bowl. so it's normally the Eagles Chaz right it's always the Eagles yeah yeah so I mean I don't know if this technically counts because the Philadelphia Eagles weren't actually playing in this game well if it's cursed it's cursed mate and the way this is reported is suggesting that it was the Ivory Coast fans who put the Ecuador shirt on there I don't know if that's true or not whether there's chicanery or not the fact is there was an Ecuador shirt on the statue they lost the game the curse lives on it's like Drake isn't it apparently when Drake backs teams to win across sports they tend to lose he's an absolutely loser just really wet How's a man who's so successful come across such a loser?

40:33Very weird, isn't it? Yeah.

40:34Luke Moore: Just need to make some sort of offering to Kendrick Lamar if you want your team to win. Yeah. Poor old Drake. Yeah. Poor old Drake. Said no one ever.

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42:47Luke Moore: Let's move on then. It's a Sweden 5 Tunisia one. Come on. Graham Potter's cowboy hat was thrown in the air. Graham Potter rode into town and rounded up some varmints, did he? Come on. Yee-haw. That's how you do it, you see? My highlight of this game was Yasin Iari not celebrating the first game because his dad's from Tunisia. The second one, he was like, come on. The first one was a Hantharajah special. It was. In the Vishy Hantharajah special when he talked about his dream career he said I'll get special dispensation to have played for Sri Lanka but then play for England then I'll score against Sri Lanka and I won't celebrate against them I think he said he would because he's finished basically his mum's Moroccan his dad's Tunisian that's right but he scores an absolute thunderbolt but not only did he not celebrate he did the apology celebration he held his hands up which is funny because he did he scores the first go after seven minutes which is absolutely crucial gets them up and running doesn't celebrate Only scores bangers.

43:45Scores the fifth one and they're battering and he celebrates that one. Yeah, it's class. In your face.

43:48Luke Moore: Yeah, I love that. Both the goals were great. Yeah. They were brilliant. Well, I think it was lovely that he got two goals where he could display the fact or show the world that his father is Tunisia. Because I don't mind that. I think an apology celebration I don't like because it's like you're meant to do it. He didn't have to celebrate when Tunisia scored. But no. He chose to. No, I get that because it's his dad and I think it's almost like I'm sorry dad which I quite like. I do like that. And then, as you say, the fifth one goes in. Because maybe after that, he's thinking, I've just scored an absolute peach in the World Cup.

44:21Luke Moore: Again. I probably should have celebrated that. And then the second one comes along, and he's like, up yours, Dad. Great. Beautiful. I like that Graham Potter's got Sweden playing this kind of interesting formation as well. They play with like a back three, with like a holding midfielder in front of the back three. You like a back three now, do you? Well, if you're good at it, I like it. If you shit at it, don't do it. I suppose that's fair. That's my takeaway from it. And they've got some weapons. The forward line is bad. Jokeres and Isak up front. You've got Gudmundsson in there on one flank.

44:54Luke Moore: Ayari from distance. Ayari from distance. He doesn't even need to. And I thought Gabriel Gudmundsson had a good season for Leeds. He was solid. Yeah, very good season. And Nygren as well. Who knows where the goal is, it's fair to say. So, yeah, as you say, I'm not going to start thinking, well, could they go on and win it? But they can definitely do something. I think Alanga off the bench, Bergwahl off the bench as well. I mean, 5-1, again, they're effectively in the next round now, aren't they? And it's not the easiest group that they find themselves in. They're in with the Netherlands and Japan as well.

45:24That's crucial they won this game.

45:25Luke Moore: Well, very, yeah, absolutely crucial. I mean, gutting for Tunisia because, you know, they got themselves back into the game at 2-1, but that third goal's a killer. The defender dilly-dallying with the ball and he gets robbed. And you saw him just drop to the ground and it was just like, ah, it's a sick now. It's a terrible moment. It's terrible decision-making. at a really, honestly, the worst time possible because at 2-1 you're still in the game. Yeah, exactly. And we've seen that with Japan come back late. We've seen other teams equalising. 3-1, it's a heartbreaker. It really is. You just never know, do you?

45:53Luke Moore: Interesting VAR review on one of the goals which was for Svanberg who came on and scored with his first touch. Yeah, I thought this was strange. I thought this was, to me, I thought that had to be offside. Well, it was because Isak gets a touch on the way through. Well, I know that but to me, that feels like a bit of a barcelisation of the rule. Well, it is. it's a change it's an amendment because if the ball so it's a playful update help help yes help me the process is live in real time so if you're a striker in the middle of the pitch and the ball goes down the flank and you're standing in an offside position I get why that shouldn't be offside because you know you're nowhere near it this is the same ball coming across and you're both intending whether you're Izak or Svanberg you're both intending to play a part in it so to me it feels like he should be he should be offside yeah but this is the because if he doesn't if Isak doesn't touch it is it offside yes but the fact is how did they tell that Isak touched the ball they used the sensor sensor in the ball they just wanted to use their new toy didn't they well it was cricket-esque you know obviously in cricket where snicko snicko where you know but that's different because that's a rule that's a sort of did it hit well he either hit it or he didn't it's a catch or it isn't but they've applied that to football and that Luke I think he's poor it goes against what is it you've got the law and the spirit of the law and the spirit of the law why do you hate goals I love goals but this to me it feels wrong well it's against the spirit of the law instinctively it just feels wrong it's completely against the spirit of the law you're absolutely right but here we are we're here the goal stood I think a really interesting takeaway for this for Sweden is Potter's got to wear the hat again in training he has to he has to wear it he has to wear it during the game he was in a suit not many managers in a suit because of the heat you do think I'd like to see him dressed fully like Christina Aguilera in the dirty video with the cowboy hat on the chat.

47:40Luke Moore: I'll tell you what. Does she wear a cowboy hat? And that's what she says at one point. Almost certainly. You could have given me 10 goes at that and I wouldn't have guessed that. But can I make a serious point? Very, very quick and I promise we'll get back to the proper stuff. It's not a great surprise to anyone that Giocarez did well, right? He's had a decent season. He's made a contribution. He's won a trophy. You know, played in the Champions League final. Massive question mark over Izak. And Izak's had such a bad season. Such a bad pre-season before that. For him to come in and scoring at two assists.

48:09The goal is a fortunate goal. The goalkeeper has to save it, in my view, but it's got him up and running. And I think if Potter had any kind of worries on his mind coming into this tournament, it might well be he's in that spot where you have to pick Isaac because it's fucking Isaac. He costs 125 million. He plays for Liverpool, but he knows he's not in great form. He knows he's not had a very good season and it could cause problems. For him to start him, which he was always going to do, but for him to make a big contribution is massive for them. You also,

48:35Luke Moore: it's nice to see a situation like this where it's not one or the other, for them to both actually thrive together. Two strikers is great. Come on. Every team should play two strikers. Front twos are back. Yeah, they should be. They bloody should be. Swedish front twos as well. This is Broline and Darlene S. Yeah, nice. There we go. I'm begging you, please don't take my man. Broline, Broline, Darlene. Tumbo gave a little whiff of it in that pre-tournament friendly. Bit of Watkins. Yeah. Bit of Watto behind H. Watto. Yeah. We'll see what happens on Wednesday. Definitely not that. We got any England news today?

49:05Luke Moore: No. We're two days out. It's all quiet, isn't it? Do you think we'll have goal music? Some teams have goal music. I hope not. No, I hope not as well, but what would it be? Well, no. On the England... No, the old England was Scottish, wasn't it? An English... Well, speaking of that... A really, really posh English bloke singing to old Langsard. Because the Dutch did it. Ken Dodd doing it. An AI Ken Dodd doing it. Wasn't he from Liverpool? He was, yeah, he was. Come on. Well, speaking of England news, We, of course, referred to Scotland as England's hat a few days ago. Have we had pushback? Well, some people might have found that slightly disrespectful.

49:42Really? And on YouTube, a commenter, Jamie Bob, refers to England as the butt of Scotland instead, which does work. But you think it might be an American because it's used the word bus. Of course, it's used the word bus. It's an American chap.

49:54Luke Moore: I reckon Jamie Bob is from Boston. He's enjoyed having the Scots there. He's not looking forward to the English turning up. Who would be? Who would be after last time? I'm not having this yeah he's not no exactly yeah and another YouTube comment that caught my eye that's what we've got for England but another YouTube comment that caught my eye was that was Leroy on YouTube who wasn't impressed with our assessment of Paraguay where did Leroy come from he says this and the reason I want to include this is because this includes a phrase I've never heard before he said please don't fool us that Paraguay were a good side they finished in last qualifying place of their South American group with 28 points from 18 games and they only scored 14 games girls why are you trying to sell us unicorn meat i mean that's that is very very enjoyable why would you know what my my my question to that would be why would you not want to buy unicorn meat well it's basically just posh horse meat isn't it would you want horse meat to me the phrase doesn't make any sense if someone said you want to try unicorn meat i'd probably say well first of all probably check if they're endangered or not and i'd say yes well but leroy leroy is he's working on the um the idea that unicorns don't exist.

51:01Luke Moore: So he's saying this is a con, isn't he? Right, okay. Well, listen, Paraguay got the same points tally that Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil got in qualification and they finished one point behind Ecuador who everyone thinks is the best team ever. So they had an impressive tally and Bolivia were actually the last team in equality. They went into a playoff, but they were seventh. So Paraguay got the last automatic spot, Leroy. And everyone thought, read anything you want before the tournament. Everyone was saying Paraguay were great. the US deserve a huge amount of credit for that win yeah I don't think we were talking about Paraguay we can't believe the US have beaten these titans of world football I think we were saying that Paraguay will feel that they're a better side than a 4-1 black but we were trying to back up the point America haven't beaten say Curacao, World Cup minnows and debutants they've beaten a proper side so stick it up your bollocks Leroy is what we are laboring to say thanks for subscribing to our YouTube channel and getting involved yeah yeah yeah but yes exactly and we're happy to be the butt of Scotland no the arse of Scotland we're not the butt of anything the arse of Scotland there we are we're the arse of Scotland look we're all Britain and as I say it was a positive result for Britain North the other day and Britain South Britain South I don't mind it we'll see how we go on Wednesday but today's match is Spain versus Cape Verde come on which is an afternoon kick off yeah merciful yes exactly Belgium for Egypt I think that could be an interesting one that would be a really nice game Saudi Arabia who I can tell you have on average the smallest the shortest squad at the World Cup Saudi Arabia they play Uruguay and Iran play New Zealand and we haven't had yet a big nation slip up in headline grabbing fashion Cape Verde over to you and it quite simply needs to happen between now and Wednesday I was about to that has been we're running that again yep yep I've been very aware of that so today and tomorrow someone needs to make an effort Cape Verde come on stick one past Spain please step up yeah but even if Egypt beat Belgium you're absolutely right Cape Verde are not going to beat Spain Croatia are not a bad side no they're good but then we've still got we've still got a chance of Portugal slipping up with DR Congo the good that needs to happen listen if the good doctor prescribes Cristiano Ronaldo a defeat to be taken once daily in Houston that would be great and we've got I mean Colombia Uzbekistan Argentina Algeria in the early hours of Wednesday but France Senegal Tuesday night come on Yes, good.

53:27It's got pedigree, that as well. Algeria to beat Argentina, Senegal to beat France, we can all relax a bit.

53:31Luke Moore: We can all totally relax and celebrate a point against Croatia. All right, there we are, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the Acast Creator Network. Pete, Luke and Jim will be back tomorrow for more World Cup action. Do follow us on X, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram at Football Ramble and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And for crying out loud, patreon.com forward slash Football Ramble if you want to have a chance to bag one of these beauties. Not me. not one of my pecs the top I'm wearing £1.25 a month $1.25 a month for access to Marcus's pecs to be fair that's probably what they're worth it's too much it's too much no one's going to pay that for that there we are right nice one Luke see you later nice one Jimbo cheers and nice one Graham Potter see you tomorrow

54:25Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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