The 2026 World Cup: One year to go!

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3:02Jim Campbell: Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble. It's 364 days until the 2026 World Cup, because today is Thursday, 12th June. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm Vinciana Hunter-Raja.

3:31Jim Campbell: Oh dear Yes that's right everybody Yesterday marked exactly one year Until the start of the World Cup On today's ramble We're going to talk about everything we know About the tournament so far And we're going to talk about some of the favourites For next summer And England of course as well And it will be a much more representative World Cup this time round because more teams are in it, Jim. 48 of them. Yes. 48 of the buggers will be in the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. Expanded from 32 teams. Much has been made of this. But Vish, more teams, more football, more money. More lambs to the slaughter.

4:17Jim Campbell: More lovely times. Surely that is what the equation is punching out.

4:22Marcus Speller: Yeah, more lovely times, less jeopardy, more kind of confecting of, I don't know, intrigue and narrative. You know, you've talked a bit about how basically getting into the World Cup gives you a chance at righting some historical wrongs in terms, I'm not talking about tweets. I mean more in terms of your first time through to the knockout stages or something like that, getting past that first round getting past the group stages

4:52Jim Campbell: Mexico's fifth game is the thing they want isn't it, and there's an extra round now so if they make it through that, does that count? or does it become the sixth game? No, a quarter final is still a quarter final Jim no matter how much you try and paint it

5:04Marcus Speller: Yeah, Jimothy so yeah, so that kind of I suppose, you know, on that side of things then it's all quite exciting but I think we all know it's broadly bollocks, don't we? Yeah. The expansion of it

5:16Jim Campbell: and the way it's been expanded. It's mostly down to, it feels like it's down to greed and a lack of understanding of what makes the World Cup such a special experience. Because there's already a lot of a regular World Cup, right? It was 32 teams, I think, was the perfect format. Really, really good amount. 24 was too much of a closed shop. Yeah, I think so. And I think that was an issue, wasn't it? You have to acknowledge that, you know, the world is a massive place with lots of countries in it who will want to get a crack. But we're yet to see if it comes at the expense of quality and at the expense of the entertainment value of it.

5:50Jim Campbell: So perhaps we're wrong and it'll be really, really good. But who knows? It's a strange one, isn't it? The longest distance between venues is something like 2 ,800 miles this time around. It feels like that is surely going to be a logistical issue because there will be travel involved for teams. That is kind of flights. It's going to be significant travel. So it's hard to wrap your head around what it's actually going to look like in practice when we get to that World Cup. But, you know, it's a World Cup across three different countries. It's exciting. It's a World Cup in Mexico, which is the most World Cup World Cup, as we know.

6:25Jim Campbell: So that's something I'm very excited about, personally. Yeah, no, I think that's right. I think to have a football match, a World Cup football match at the Azteca Stadium again, that's glorious. It is. Absolutely glorious. I know what you mean by the sort of the travel. I mean, the thing is, the World Cup was given to these countries before it was decided it was a 48-team World Cup. So, just as well, it wasn't Qatar. I mean, I suppose perhaps that's one of the reasons why they pushed it through. Because in a whole continent, effectively hosting the tournament. Three giant countries. And an enormous continent at that, absolutely, yeah.

7:06Jim Campbell: Evidently, they can't. Well, they will.

7:07Marcus Speller: And they all get on as well. Exactly.

7:09Jim Campbell: Well, they all might become one country if the orange bloke has his way. But it seems unlikely now.

7:17Marcus Speller: I was going to say it'll make travelling around easier, but it won't actually.

7:20Jim Campbell: Maybe cheaper internal flights. Stupid fuck.

7:26Jim Campbell: So, yeah, so 48 teams, as we said, and discussed last week, teams will be split into 12 groups of four teams, with the top two of each group going through and the eight best third place teams progressing to a new round of 32. And obviously 32 is the previous number, so that's going to be very weird. Now, our experience at the World Cup is one of probably my favourite things about doing this show because it's all hands on deck. Most of us are in most days. There's always stuff going on. There's so much to keep on top of and the nature of that makes it really exciting and makes everything feel very urgent.

8:00Jim Campbell: And it's going to be interesting to me to see how this expansion affects that and whether it will become too much or whether it will actually just be, this is more of the same and I like that already. So great. But it's surely going to get fatiguing because if there's a World Cup, I mean, we remember South Africa, which was quite dull. Most games were a bit of a grind in the group stages in particular. And it does affect your enjoyment of it. It does make it a shit experience. And when you have this many more teams in it, where obviously by the nature of it, the quality is lower and the jeopardy is lower because three teams go through most groups.

8:34Jim Campbell: I do wonder if there's a danger of this being a real damp squib. Do you feel it could be... Or a hot, muggy squib. Yeah, do you feel it could be a tiny bit sort of Europa League in that you've got to trudge through it all and then when you get into the later stage, you kind of go, oh yeah, those teams are quite interesting. Yes. You become the European snob that you are, Jim. Possibly. I mean, on the day of the World Cup final, the opening game always feels like it was months ago. Do you think they'll have a semi-file on the same day? Yeah, yeah. So many games, you just have to pack it. and squid it all down.

9:04Jim Campbell: Well, to add some sort of numbers to that, the total number of games will increase from 64 to 104.

9:10Marcus Speller: So many games.

9:11Jim Campbell: 40 extra games.

9:12Marcus Speller: Utterly, imagine the size of the wall chart.

9:14Jim Campbell: Well, Jim's already made this point. That he feels sorry for people who don't live in mansions because we're going to struggle. So the number of games played by teams reaching the final four will increase from seven to eight. Now, the extra teams that will be participating, and of course are from around the world. Europe now has 16 places, which is up from 13 and no playoff slots. So you've got 16 teams from Europe because it can get a little bit tricky. So in South America or Conmible, they have six direct slots and one playoff slot, which is quite the number considering there are only 10 teams in that qualifying group.

9:55Jim Campbell: So you could have seven out of the 10 that make it there.

9:59Marcus Speller: I know, but this is going to sound ridiculous, and I sort of don't care. But you feel like South American teams would make it feel like a World Cup. I know what you mean. There's almost a bit of like, no, you've got to get them involved. As many as you can.

10:16Jim Campbell: I mean, most South American teams are going to be there. Yeah. Which feels right. Yeah. If you're going to expand it like this. I know what you mean. I know what you mean. Oceana, they previously had just a sort of, if you like a 0.5 which is a playoff spot but they now have one slot and a playoff slot as well. CONCACAF have six spots which is up from 3.5 and they also have two playoff slots so you could have eight teams. Well, you'll definitely have six because you've got the three hosts then you've got three other sides but this is all good news for Jamaica and Steve McLaren by the way. And actually when you lay it out like this it does feel more exciting, doesn't it?

10:57Jim Campbell: Well, there's a reason why they're doing it, of course. Africa has improved from five to nine. Five always seems stingy for Africa. And I understand, well, where do you take them from? It is very, very difficult, this. But nine is good. Nine is a good expansion. It's an enormous continent, of course, with so many different teams. So, yeah, I think that's fair. And then in Asia, they've now got eight direct slots and one playoff slot as well, which is up from 4.5. So, you know, you can see where it was all coming from. So it will feel more representative of the globe itself. And I can't imagine...

11:39Jim Campbell: Well, you admit it's a globe now, do you? Yes, we got him! I always think that it should be called the World Cup plate. But, you know, maybe you could have a plate situation here. You finish in the bottle, you finish part week, you go to the World Cup plate. keeps a lot of people happy presumably so yes obviously people saying that come on this is ridiculous there's too many games being played there's too many teams involved etc etc so you're very sceptical you two which I think is the general mood in among these parts and these parts are very very European we have to say

12:17Marcus Speller: you know we're sceptical a year out as soon as it starts we'll be into it it'll go too long I think this is the thing isn't it I don't even know if it's frustration because it feels too I don't know it feels too passive to be frustration but this is just the way football is trending anyway and I don't really think the people who benefit from it in terms of the teams are going to benefit from it in a meaningful way in terms of raising football in their country beyond the window of that World Cup where it will be really fun but yeah we can't really do anything about it This is the way of the world now.

12:55Jim Campbell: I mean, you really are going to have to use your squad heavily. Yes. More so than ever, if you're going to go far in this tournament. I mean, yeah, I mean, I keep thinking about the state that Harry Kane in particular will be in by the World Cup. Because obviously Bayern are about to start the club World Cup as well. So that means if they go far in it, which they have every chance of doing, they'll have a tiny, tiny pre-season. I know they have a bit more of a break in Germany. but he you know essentially it's just going to be rolling football from the start of you know the season just finished all the way up to that tournament for Kane so I mean there is a chance that a lot of players will be in similar situations where they're very very burned out his ankle is going to be in pieces he's going to have

13:35Marcus Speller: to be put together by someone's nan why someone's nan just like they love puzzles don't they

13:40Jim Campbell: I honestly thought you meant she was going to sew it together that's where I was going with that anyway in the US Yes, a travel ban was enacted this month in response to the Boulder fire attack, though there is an exemption for athletes and their support teams entering the US for events such as the World Cup, Olympics and other major sporting events. Vice President J.D. Vance, very vocal vice president, said, of course everyone is welcome to come and see this incredible event, but when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Yeah, and I mean, the danger is obviously, it's fans, isn't it? Well, I mean, if Wales make it and they're singing, please don't take me home, what's Vance going to...

14:22Jim Campbell: Well, he's going to send them home, I would imagine. He's big on that, isn't he? Yeah, I mean, I think it's a concern for a lot of people, isn't it, going into that country. We're hearing stories of people being detained when they have visas and in some cases when they're actually American citizens. Yeah, people from this country as well have been. Yeah, exactly. So it would be something that will make a lot of people nervous, I'm sure. And a year on from now, we don't know if that situation will be better. We don't know if it will be worse. And it's a thing that hangs over the tournament. Some of the quotes that will come out from the Oval Office during the World Cup.

14:55Jim Campbell: There's a big 1936 Olympics vibe.

14:59Marcus Speller: Well, do you know, I don't think that's too much of a stretch to say. because also, you know, we talked a fair bit on the show about like countries that, you know, shouldn't be hosting these things and the various different issues in those countries and why they aren't fit for holding global events. And there is a whiff of that with this World Cup. And it was something that was raised after the Russia World Cup in 2018 and all the talk about that. And obviously it came from a lot of people outside the US who often were working in or adjacent to some of the countries that we've spoken about. And one of the interesting things was like, it isn't necessarily related directly to like what a country is doing at the moment, but often it's historic as well.

15:50Marcus Speller: And with the US, there was always that thing of like, if you have issues with, you know, Russia and Qatar, absolutely fine. where do you sit with the US and some of the things that they've done? And now it's just a bit more in your face as we come up to the World Cup.

16:06Jim Campbell: Absolutely. I mean, you know, it's a lot of isolationist policy, trade wars, things like that. It seems an unusual place to invite the world into. And obviously you've got the contrast of the difference between Canada and Mexico there as well. It's going to be a fascinating snapshot of a turbulent time. I might say this actually, because we, what would it have been in 2019, we went to the US and Canada as well. This is for the live tour? For our live tour. And we went and got our work visas. And I appreciate a lot of people are not going to need work visas. They're going to be there just on holiday, really seeing the football.

16:42Jim Campbell: But I remember they were asking about, for everybody there, put your social media handles in, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And there was a thing of, oh, do we need to delete some tweets in the past? You know, and all that. And there was that kind of chat, you know. So I understand people are like, come on, it's America, it'll be fine. But with regard to that...

17:03Marcus Speller: I don't think you can say that anymore.

17:05Jim Campbell: I think with regard... I mean, you guys opened my eyes before we did the show. You know, we pulled up some articles from reputable sources saying, look, this person was detained, they don't know why. They have absolutely no idea. They weren't told why. Yeah, exactly, yeah. So I would say to anybody, just, you know, if you are going out there and, you know, just mind some of your social media activity, sadly.

17:26Marcus Speller: We've burned this tight RC to the ground once.

17:29Jim Campbell: It's a crazy thing to say. Jim, I'm obviously saying it's sort of like slightly tongue-in-cheek, but from experience, I am also saying, I know it sounds utterly ridiculous, but, you know. One thing I do want to know is, remember when Trump and Bolsonaro had that meeting of minds and they swapped football shirts and Trump had a number 10 on the back, Trump with a Brazil shirt? Has he still got that? Who knows?

17:51Marcus Speller: Maybe. Put it on for the tournament. Do we need to pivot from our support of the Musketeer and what he's done with X?

17:57Jim Campbell: Oh, yeah. This is the thing. Whose side are we on now? I know, yeah. It's so hard to keep track of. What's the social media thing that Trump's on? Truth Social.

18:05Marcus Speller: There's a lot of good stuff on Truth Social.

18:07Jim Campbell: A lot of good stuff from Dear Leader on Truth Social. Yeah. Yeah, so if you go in, you need to take that line. Yeah. Oh, dear. Anyway, let's get back to...

18:18Marcus Speller: Bad stuff on X, isn't there?

18:21Jim Campbell: Let's get back to the football. So, which countries have qualified so far for this mega World Cup? Well, Iran are there. That will please the host. Yeah, that's not a great start, is it? It's a great, isn't it? Get them in. I'm so glad they've qualified.

18:39Marcus Speller: Do you remember when the US and Iran played each other in the 98 World Cup? 98, yeah. And I don't even remember, but before the game, when they were exchanging pendants. Flowers. The number of gifts from the Iran side. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I can't remember who was the American captain at the time. He just had like a little quest to hand over. He was just like holding all these things. He was. It was like, no, we're so cool. Here's another bouquet of flowers. Honestly, he's so... He needed a wheelbarrow.

19:07Jim Campbell: He needed a wheelbarrow to get it all off. Yeah, and Iran said, you can have all this, but we'll have the three points. So, yeah, Iran of them, Japan, Japan, Jordan, South Korea. Uzbekistan! See, again, obviously it's complicated, isn't it? But that's a great story, that Uzbekistan are there. Yes, of course it is a great story. Australia as well? Yep. I don't know why I'm surprised. They're often there. They are. So in New Zealand, great. They're back. Canada, Mexico and the US, of course. Argentina, who would have thought? Brazil, Carlo's done it. He's bloody well done it. He wasn't there long.

19:45Jim Campbell: Yeah, exactly, yeah. I mean, you would have to finish outside of the top seven to make sure you work. And Ecuador as well. Ecuador have done very well, actually. What are they? Currently second, I think, in qualification. They got their business done early. And if you look at the con-mibble standings, almost certainly Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia will join them automatically. Venezuela honing in on that number seven playoff spot, although Bolivia are behind them. Chile have gone. Yeah, Chile are in a right old state, aren't they? points from 16 games. Looking like they're very likely to finish bottom.

20:18Jim Campbell: I mean, if you'd have said to... I know Chile have not been in great shakes recently, but like 6.5 places out of the 10, you'd be thinking, oh yeah, we're on for this. But nowhere near. So those are the teams that have already qualified, of course, and the hosts and the holders and so on. Mauricio Pochettino's boys lost 4-0 at home to Switzerland in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Very much early hours of Wednesday morning, our time. That would be incredibly accommodating to the European broadcasters if they were... And possibly the Swiss with their general clock expertise.

20:52Marcus Speller: Yes, good point. They know the tick.

20:56Jim Campbell: But do they know the tock as well? That's only time will tell, of course. It's their fourth defeat in a row. They lost to Panama, Canada, Turquia and Switzerland. It sounds like that Animaniacs song about the map. Panama, Canada, Turquia, Switzerland. Yes. I mean, ultimately, they could bring that back for this World Cup, couldn't they?

21:16Marcus Speller: Imagine losing to Turkey. Embarrassing.

21:20Jim Campbell: Yeah, so Potch got a lot of work to do. Much like at the city ground in the Senegal-England game, Booze rang around the stadium in Nashville at full time. Copying us again. Yeah. I was saying, Bucciatino doesn't work. Doesn't work. Does new work. Right then. After the break, we're going to be talking about some of the favorites for next summer's World Cup.

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23:58I would like to thank President Trump, with whom I have a great friendship, and to assure him that together we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world.

24:15Marcus Speller: Silly, silly cunt.

24:17Jim Campbell: Today I feel like a prat. Making the world great again because it was in the past. The whole world was great. That is, I mean... Fair play to him. You've got to aim high, Jim. Yeah, you do. Well, it's unlikely that the US will be among the favourites for the tournament next summer. Which they'll be gutted by. Yeah. Because surely this would have been a long-term target. But anyway. What, being one of the favourites? Not one of the favourites, but you'd want to go into it in a better shape than they're in. Much like England, Jim. Yes, much like England. A year away, though, a lot can happen in one year.

24:51Jim Campbell: Now, let's talk about some of the teams that could make an impression on the tournament next summer. Let's start with some of our European lot. Spain, of course, are the reigning European champions, not the Nations League champions, of course. But Vish, they have to be among the favourites next summer.

25:10Marcus Speller: Yes, for the annoying reason that they've already shown how good some of the young players are with winning the Euros and they'll all be a little bit older and better with more experience. And it's all a little bit annoying. And the other annoying thing about it is, you know, sometimes with Spain in particular, you could often chart their success by the success of, say, Real Madrid or Barcelona. And if you look across both teams now, they're not necessarily awash with Spanish talent. A lot of that Spanish talent has now moved further around. Not now moved, but it's just more dispersed than it has been in previous iterations of very successful Spain teams.

25:52Marcus Speller: But the annoying thing is there, Real Madrid are in a funk, Barcelona are, while successful at the two, are still trying to refine their feet and all their other Spanish players are thriving outside of those two basket cases. one of our beautiful boys is in there we've got a second beautiful boy joining I've got to turn this on England but essentially what I'm saying is yes Spain are pretty good

26:19Jim Campbell: yeah and Spain look like a club side in a way that's very rare at this level there's obviously Rodri to come back as well stop saying that yeah well it's just we can't avoid it it's like the T1000 isn't it it's annoying who have they signed have they signed Cherokee as well, Spain. For fuck's sake. Well, they've signed this young Dutch player, apparently. Brilliant. Selva, isn't he? Yeah, he's really, really good. So, yeah, I mean, Spain feel like the favourites to me. They feel like the obvious favourites in a way where quite often the obvious favourites end up not winning it. And yet they didn't win the UEFA Nations League and that gives...

26:57Jim Campbell: I would say that gives us hope. No, it gives Portugal specifically hope. They've lost two finals in a row. And it was 28 finals Spanish teams had competed in before that where they'd won them. So maybe they're on a losing run now. Are they bottle jobs? Well, it does look like it. Although I think, are they, if you think about it, the UEFA Nations League for European teams, it is the third best tournament of that one, Euros World Cup. Sure. Conference League as well. Is it basically...

27:24Marcus Speller: There's a bit of daylight in there as well, but go on. Yes.

27:28Jim Campbell: There's a bit of daylight here. All right. And I mean, look, Portugal won the Nations League and with that talent they're a force. It's the balance in the team as well isn't it? That's the most a lot of those players play for PSG and again you can sense those connections and that understanding between them while they're on the pitch. Yeah I mean Spain and Portugal as we saw the other night or week or whatever it was in the UEFA Nations League the streets ahead of everyone else the talent they possess is frightening and as I say I think Roberto Martínez often I think slightly harshly derided at national level as a manager, I think he is either finding or has found the right formula for Portugal now, even with the 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo in the team.

28:15Marcus Speller: Well, you made the point before about Cristiano Ronaldo being a bit more self-aware of his own body, I suppose, and thus more self-aware of his standing in the team. And, you know, this World Cup is a great example of a tournament where for the first time in a while maybe actually the previous Euros but he's got to think I shouldn't be playing every game and there's something to be said for that for a bloke as driven as him

28:42Jim Campbell: Could this be why he's kind of set out the Club World Cup maybe? Because I know he's likely to sign with Al Nasser again but I'm sure they could have done a sort of short term deal with Botafogo or whoever might have been interested in He wanted to play in the Club World Cup let's not be silly but yeah maybe they'll save him for the knockouts in the World Cup next year, although he may need convincing of that. France are the other side in Europe where I think, yeah, again, they'll always be there or thereabouts with that talent. The one thing that I personally think is holding them back, and Andy Brasel certainly does think that as well, is the manager.

29:16Jim Campbell: So what was Brasel saying? Well, he said it was one tournament too far for the day of day, Shams. So they're winning it then? Yeah, I mean, but he's also written off Germany.

29:26Marcus Speller: Oh, they're winning it as well. yeah are they doing that

29:29Jim Campbell: two winners now that would make sense yeah they are there's enough teams that's true yeah they can win the plate they can win the plate well Deschamps again he's been divided a bit in France he's been there since 2012 yeah it's a long long time

29:43Marcus Speller: he should have gone after the last World Cup I mean I know I appreciate we've talked about that but yeah

29:47Jim Campbell: well yeah I mean in the Euros they were ultimately a bit disappointing weren't they yeah it's a hell of a squad that he's got access to and it must be frustrating that you know Zidane's right there and the longer he's out of the game, presumably the more of a kind of wearing effect on his powers that potentially has. You look at some of those forward players, right wing alone, should they choose to use any of these players there because a lot of them can play all over the place. You've got Alise, Douay, Dembele and Cherki. That's one position. It's an unbelievable squad. It's depressing. I mean, I think if we're talking in terms of favourites, You know, as I say, those are the three teams from Europe.

30:27Jim Campbell: Yeah, England may well get a mention, but it doesn't feel like that, certainly this week. I think any team outside of Europe and South America, I don't think, will be considered favourable. I mean, Senegal impressed. You know, they could do something at the tournament. But the two in South America, Argentina and Brazil, will always be mentioned, of course. Argentina defending champions. It looks very much like Lionel Messi will be playing at the World Cup. Yeah, and is there potentially an issue similar to Ronaldo in recent tournaments for Portugal, where politically it's very difficult to not play him when they've got younger, fitter, sprightlier options that might actually balance the team better?

31:06Jim Campbell: I mean, Messi is a few years younger. He's 37. You're right to say what you're saying. He's 37 still.

31:12Marcus Speller: Yeah. Well, do you know, Lainos Coloni said recently that they're not reliant on him anymore. but he's only saying that to have him in the squad do you know what I mean he's like oh no we don't don't worry we're not relying on him he's always going to be there of course and I don't really have a say and not picking him but yeah I kind of trust that they they're getting the best of both worlds the issue comes from you know we all know football to this level that as soon as it goes slightly wrong and Messi's not there get Messi in that's the answer

31:47Jim Campbell: I mean Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are both in very excited form. They're going to be a force. You've got young Nico Paz coming through as well. I think that'll be a great stage for him. Yeah, I think they're going to be a force. It's obviously about that. Brazil and Ancelotti are an interesting one. I wonder, this will be a chat that we'll come back to, but I wonder with all this chat of club managers becoming international managers. We have some spectacular examples of that. Of course, it's happened before. Didier Deschamps, Roberto Martinez mentioned. Most managers take that pathway.

32:18Jim Campbell: Yeah, exactly, yeah. But, you know, with England, what they've done with Tuchel, Ancelotti as well, hasn't worked for Italy with Spalletti as well. There are one or two other examples. If you look at the current world champions, it's with Scaloni, who's the Argentinian Football Association man. Same with De La Fuente in Spain. Get Carsley in, is that what you're saying? I honestly think next summer... Cars ball 2026. Yeah, there you go. get Sir Gareth back. No, I wonder, it's going to be interesting how it all goes. And will the likes of Brazil and England regret what they've done? Will they be ruining their decision or will they be celebrating from the rafters?

33:02Jim Campbell: There is a feeling, certainly in my house, that Rafinha might win the World Cup by sheer strength of will alone. Oh, I see.

33:09Marcus Speller: I like that.

33:10Jim Campbell: I think Brazil are a funny one, aren't they? Because it doesn't necessarily look like a vintage squad. I mean, obviously you've got Rafinha in there and Vinicius Jr., Bruno Gimaraes, Kunio Mourinho, players that we know are very good and that have big reputations. And I wonder if actually they seem a little bit less exotic because we know a lot of them from England and from nearby. But I don't think it's outrageous to say it's not a vintage Brazil squad. No, but they've got enough players that could do something. And again, it's all about Ancelotti trying to get that cohesion, trying to get that going.

33:41Jim Campbell: Because if Brazil win the World Cup next year, it wouldn't be an outrageous thing. They might feel that in Brazil. I think it would.

33:48Marcus Speller: It would be a joyous thing. No, no, no.

33:50Jim Campbell: When I say it right, sorry. It's not a ridiculous thought to think that Brazil could win the World Cup next summer. I think that they're further up the rankings than, say, Germany are, for example.

34:01Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah. I think that's fair. I think even when Jim was naming their talent there, a lot of them play similar positions and thus can't be on the field at the same time, which becomes a bit of a problem. And then at the same time, Ancelotti's playing four up front now. So it's like, okay, brilliant. You're just like really leaning into the vibe of what Brazil should be.

34:22Jim Campbell: Would it be impossible to... Caricature of Brazil. Yeah, exactly. I think it'd be impossible to resist, wouldn't it? You've got these players at your disposal. I know I've just said it's not a vintage one, but there are still some great forward players in there. Maybe you just cannot help yourself.

34:34Marcus Speller: It'd be great if during training, you know, when previously, say, Arteta's played crowd noise to get them distracted. Ancelotti's just playing Masqueenada on repeat. He's like, right, here we go.

34:44Jim Campbell: That's the stuff, that's the stuff. And Richarlison's going to get the winner. the World Cup final next summer. Right, coming up after this, you've got some questions about England. With the Discover Cash Back card, it's payback time when you earn cash back on everyday purchases. Activate and earn 5 % cash back at different categories each quarter on up to$1 ,500 in purchases. That's 5 % cash back at different places each quarter, like grocery stores, on gas, and at restaurants. It pays to Discover. Terms apply. See discover.com slash five for details. Grainger knows if you're a procurement manager at an industrial manufacturing facility, you're balancing inventory and budget while sourcing critical supplies across the operation.

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36:49Jim Campbell: that's right everybody thank you for getting in touch with some big questions for Thomas Tuchel and England over the next year

36:57Marcus Speller: yeah we'll pass them on

36:59Jim Campbell: let's start with this one from James on Blue Sky which players do you think are going to emerge as key players for Thomas Tuchel in 12 months time this is obviously difficult so let's get our crystal balls out and bear with us on this because we can't predict the future. I do think, when you look at the amount of Chelsea players who Tuchel picked in this squad and also when you look at Liam De Lappe who's someone I expect to be kind of involved with England, I think this is a really interesting opportunity for them in particular over the next season because of the Champions League involvement where they've got a chance to actually kind of step up into that next level and play those games.

37:38Jim Campbell: Will we see a bit more from Colwell? will the lap take to it like a lap to water. Also they've got the experience of the Club World Cup on the fence by then. There's that as well which may well be a factor so I think for all of those players, I think Maduweki is a very very good player with some edges to smooth but we've seen recently that he can deliver for England and he's a viable option in those areas. I think all of those guys are ones to keep an eye on I think. Maduweki is an interesting one and I think he's maybe worth a mention because I think he's quite two-footed and can play either side.

38:17Jim Campbell: You would expect Saka to be on that right side but if England are to go deep in the tournament you just need substitutes. You need a squad. Maduweke was one of the very, very few if only England players in those games against Andorra and Senegal who there was just a flicker. I don't want to overdo this for crying out loud but just a flicker of positivity sent in his direction. and again, with the tournament, with the demands of the Premier League season and playing in the Champions League and all that kind of stuff, exhaustion and tiredness is going to be a factor. They've been training intense for crying out loud because of the heat, blah, blah, blah.

38:52Jim Campbell: Madiweke still looked pretty fresh. He often starts for Chelsea, but doesn't always, and we know they've got a lot of players. I wonder if, again, that may come into Tuchel's thinking. By the time that comes around, he might not be absolutely exhausted. You saw a few of the England players before the Euros last time round. Clearly Kane wasn't fit. Bellingham was on fumes, you might say, even though he made some vital contributions. So Madiweke is one that I think is probably worth a mention there.

39:19Marcus Speller: He's a little bit of a unicorn as well, Madiweke, in that it's quite rare to have two right-sided left-footers who play that far forward. So you kind of want to leave Saka on as long as possible, don't you? Because you could almost be in a situation where Saka does a lot of the right wing stuff and then gets moved centrally if you're chasing a game and Madueke put on there to do all the running.

39:44Jim Campbell: Or Palmer comes on centrally or if Fogun has a good season.

39:47Marcus Speller: But I mean in that, like England will never have to lose running at an opposition's left back because they've got two players who can do that over the course of 120 minutes if need be.

39:57Jim Campbell: Yeah, that's a good... By the way, I think one name that I'm sure this is becoming that player of why is he not picking him? Why is he not playing? We want to see him. Adam Wharton is that guy, isn't he?

40:09Marcus Speller: The thing about Adam Wharton, you've got to remember, is Tuchel has addressed why he's not in the squad. And it was because of concussion protocols from the FA Cup final. Well, yeah, the question is... And Tuchel even went to say, like, you know, he trained in the previous camp and he really liked what he saw.

40:23Jim Campbell: So actually, I'm wrong to worry. Yes, yeah, here you are. You know, the question is, in the next 12 months, who's going to emerge as a key player? I think Wharton will. We've mentioned Maduweke.

40:30Marcus Speller: Are we not mentioning people who have... So, for example, I was going to mention Eze, because I reckon Eze will end up starting a left wing.

40:36Jim Campbell: I think you might be onto something there. I really do, because I think Eze, you saw him, he's just a delightful player. And I think whoever's... I think, yeah, I think he can drift inside. I think that, you know, your left back, if it is Myles Lewis' skill, I think he can get forward and cover that. Yeah, I mean, yes, go on, Jim. I was going to say, I think on the fullbacks, Tina Liveramento and Lewis Hall have a good chance of being serious options. I think, and we'll come on to this, but I think fullback is potentially a bit of a problem issue. Well, I do. Problem area. So I think the areas that are up for grabs, you know Kane's going to start, you know Saka's going to start.

41:17Jim Campbell: At the back, take your pick of the centre-backs. I don't think that's an area. I think, you know, it'll probably be John Stones. I would imagine Mark Gay or maybe Conzo. I don't think there'd be too many surprises there. I think full backs for the first time in a long time it is really up for grabs I can't imagine Kyle Walker will play well I think you've just got to call up Kyle Walker and Luke Shaw just to be safe well no the funny thing I mean look this is not going to happen but if Luke Shaw did have a full season with Manchester United you know he's young he would be an option but Lewis Hall

41:45Marcus Speller: I think we need to stop talking about that now I really think we should move on from Luke Shaw ok fine

41:51Jim Campbell: the reason I say that is because I think it's Lewis Gelley or it's Lewis Hall can we play Miles Lewis Hall Skelly. Maybe. Get them both on. Oh, yes. I like that idea.

42:00Marcus Speller: That's why I thought one of Pete's games.

42:02Jim Campbell: So I think, you know, Liveramento's in there. Alexander Arnold, just because of the option he gives you, is so, so different. I don't understand how he isn't the first name on the team sheet, to be honest. Team sheet? Yeah. Over Kane and Saka? Yeah, essentially. He's the obvious first choice for me. I mean, essentially, the first name on the team sheet is in reality about five different people, isn't it? Sure. But he should be in that group for me. Okay, interesting. Well, I know that people would agree with you. So let's kind of, as we're talking about this, move on to a question from Kai on X, who said, where do you think England will be positionally weak as come the start of the World Cup?

42:38Jim Campbell: We sort of addressed that there a bit. We are talking about that. But actually, I do think, without having that little same conversation which we just did there, for me, it is always the bloody midfield. Yeah. It is always the pissing midfield because fullback-wise, I don't really worry too much because I think Rhys James, I know he's had his injury problems Rhys James I do think is a very good operator right back and Tuchel knows him well you could have Alexander Arnold yes defensively blah blah blah blah he's played in huge games he gives you something else Lewis Hall you mentioned Miles Lewis-Skelly you know Liveramento can play there are options if everyone's fit exactly so that doesn't really worry me and in terms of left wing which I think the position is up for grabs as well I think Gordon's a good player I don't think he's a great player but I think he's a good player maybe bring him on or something as a dare I even suggest Grealish is in the running although it seems a bit fanciful well if he has a full season and he plays regularly.

43:25Jim Campbell: Exactly, yeah. At centre-half, I'm still a little bit unsure and I can see why Southgate would go ultra-defensively to make sure that was all shored up. The goalkeeper will be Pickford. Rice will start. Bellingham will start. Rice is an interesting one, isn't he? Because I don't really think he's going to play at the base of midfield again for Arsenal. He plays higher up now, so he will be playing in a role that becomes increasingly unfamiliar. And this is the thing. So he, you know, it was always, I mean, look at the Euros. is it became ridiculous, quite frankly, in those early rounds when it was like, all right, we'll try Trent in there.

43:59Jim Campbell: That didn't work. Well, after 60 minutes or whatever it was, change Gallagher, or half an hour, or half time maybe it was, whatever. Gallagher, you go in. Oh, that didn't work. It's like, no, no, no, there has to be better. To me, Wharton is the man who tries to give a bit of balance, and if not Wharton, I don't know. Do you try Little Angel again? I don't know.

44:17Marcus Speller: But do you not think that particular position should be Rice?

44:20Jim Campbell: Well, he's happy to do it.

44:22Marcus Speller: I don't think England play a game in the World Cup where they're going to need stroke for stroke the Arsenal version of Declan Rice. No.

44:33Jim Campbell: Well, you've got Bellingham in that position.

44:35Marcus Speller: Exactly. Yeah, but Bellingham is... It's a lovely treat. He'll break from midfield. He's very diligent and he's very perceptive of the rhythms of a game to choose when he might need to do that. But I don't think he would do it enough that he couldn't play the role that you've described there, that Alexander-Arnold played, that Conor Gallagher played.

44:56Jim Campbell: No, but he can do that, absolutely.

44:57Marcus Speller: But I think he should do that for England. I think that should be his primary position for England.

45:02Jim Campbell: So who else are you... OK, but Bellingham clearly is often played a bit further forward.

45:07Marcus Speller: Yeah, and I'd keep him there and I'd play a bit of a stroker next to him in a Wharton or in the way they try to fashion Cobby Maynou into for England. I think that is a position up for grabs there because I think Rice should do that.

45:21Jim Campbell: I like you referring to it as a stroker. Yeah, you invented a position there, and it's a real one. It works.

45:26Marcus Speller: Yeah, okay. Well, that's good. Yeah, but that's kind of... I wasn't really sure how to describe it, but it's essentially someone who does the crisper bits of that role because I think Rice does the industry brilliantly. It's an exit door. With a bit of technical... It's a midfield exit door, isn't it? Yes, yeah.

45:38Jim Campbell: Part of the point of midfield is get the ball away from the midfield.

45:41Marcus Speller: Yeah. In midfield, you've got snakes and you've got ladders.

45:45Jim Campbell: That's true, it's true. I... I... Yeah, I mean, some people... and get right back. I think that the debate going into the last Euros, if it's still relevant, which perhaps it is, although Tuchel seems to need to do a lot more work elsewhere, it is in that there's a midfield balance because people say, well, I want Rice at the bottom and then Bellingham and Palmer in there that we saw against Andorra. Yeah, I mean, the thing about that debate, though, is it's very tempting, isn't it? Because Bellingham's all-round game is so good that you can move him a little bit further back. I mean, I would like to see Bellingham in a more kind of proper central midfield rather than that advanced role.

46:25Jim Campbell: Because if it is Eber Etche-Eze who you have inside or Palmer or Derencim, Gibbs-White and him and Eze sort of switch and do all that. See, this is the problem with what we've just had with some of the England games and that friend in particular. It's like, why not try out that midfield against Senegal? That's the kind of thing. If you do that and that doesn't work, then I can see why, you know. But anyway.

46:49Marcus Speller: It's the bind, isn't it? Because you try things, but then you should settle on things. It's just like, which way do you go?

46:56Jim Campbell: I feel sympathy for any international manager, and particularly the England manager, because you might have one game in which you want to try five things, which all seem perfectly logical. We've just listed loads of different combinations that you simply can't try and work.

47:08Marcus Speller: We've listed exciting options in midfield who all do the job very differently. Gibbs White is very different to Eze. Eze is very different to Cole Palmer. Jude Bellingham further forward is very different to Jude Bellingham further back.

47:19Jim Campbell: Yeah, you're right, which is why I think that midfield conundrum is not going to go away any time soon. Unless, I think, if it was Rice, Wharton and Bellingham in there. How does Spain do this? Yeah, it's so annoying, isn't it? I mean, you're a big fan of Curtis Jones, but I just feel it's...

47:35Marcus Speller: In the space of a week, we've gone cold on Curtis Jones.

47:39Jim Campbell: I always felt that the balance was a little bit better, but I was wanting to see. But yeah, anyway, this conversation will run and run and run. but we appreciate your question Kai but I think yeah when we think positionally the weakest despite the options midfield is where I worry the most maybe positionally weakest you could make an argument perhaps at centre half but I think I think you know again if you've got Stones, Gay, Konza in there I don't worry about that too much the floor is high with centre back reasonably

48:13Marcus Speller: yeah I think there you could potentially throw in left wing in there, I think.

48:21Jim Campbell: Yes, that positions, as I say, I mean, Eze and Gordon.

48:24Marcus Speller: There's only one player who's done it with a degree of flair mixed in with, I suppose, putting fear into the opposition. It's probably Marcus Rashford. And so you rely, it feels like it's a position that's reliant on Marcus Rashford. Yes. Because otherwise people do it differently. Like we were playing Bellingham out there during the last Euros. Gordon hasn't quite nailed it in the way that we all know he can. Yes, you're right to say that. He just hasn't quite grabbed it. Eze does it very differently. He comes inside and I love him for that, but it's just a very different way of playing that position.

48:59Marcus Speller: It's weird, yeah. It feels like there's, as I said about the unicorn side of having a left-footed right winger, we suddenly don't have the right-footed left winger,

49:12Jim Campbell: which feels more commonplace in modern football. It does. It does. Well, like I say, these conversations will run and run and run. Let's finish with this from Dean on email. Does Thomas Tuchel's tournament experience, albeit in club football, make him one of the best place managers to navigate the tournament next year?

49:30Marcus Speller: I think we kind of I don't know if we if we were recording at the time but I think we kind of happened upon this maybe about an hour or so ago that no they're very different things aren't they?

49:42Jim Campbell: I mean this was the hope wasn't it when Tuchel was announced and this feels to be the thinking

49:48Marcus Speller: but it's like even in a club tournament you actually get your if you put that as your sole focus what Tuchel did for example at Chelsea with the Champions League was fashion a way of winning that one game against Manchester City and he nailed it but that came over the course of nine months

50:10Jim Campbell: didn't it? rather than what is essentially six weeks isn't it? getting there is we've seen it so many times qualification form even the form in the friendlies and the warm-up games before the tournament is repeatedly irrelevant so it really is about that condensed period of time which Tuchel does not have experience of also helped that that Guardiola made, you know, he overthought it. That was the game, wasn't it? Then people often accused him of one example of that. It's also the two-legged affairs on the way to the final. I mean, the sort of crap answer is time will tell. But I think clearly he can use his pragmatism to set up against the side who you would argue are better than them and get a result.

50:54Jim Campbell: And I think that's maybe one of the things that the FA were attracted to Tuchel because with previous England managers, it's been a case of, you know, let's just talk about Southgate. You go further back. I think it's probably irrelevant. England would win the games they should win. They would win the games where there was a bit of jeopardy and a tough opponent. And when they came up against a side who was either maybe equal or better than them, certainly, you would say, then they lost. And in those games, if England face France, Spain or Portugal or perhaps even Brazil or Argentina, maybe Germany by that point, next summer it's like ah yeah this again which is the problem isn't it and that's the problem but this is the problem with England standing uh in the game isn't it you need someone who can overachieve and and this is why you think right we got to that glass ceiling with with Southgate and yes the draws in in those tournaments other than in Qatar when they faced France and they were beaten they had a kind of draw you know the last Euros they again they won the games that They should have won, beating Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands on the way there.

51:56Jim Campbell: Netherlands, not a bad side. They're probably better now. But England with a better team. So that's what it's about. And that is where I think people are thinking, right, what is a case of? The confidence seems to be up, although after this week, maybe not. But the confidence is there. The shirt is not as heavy as it was. All that kind of thing goes into it. But Tuchel has to preserve that. He has to make sure that he takes all of that into the tournament. The only thing that's lacking is those finer details against the bigger side and Southgate tactically against the teams in the fight. Like take the Spain, the final against Spain, the final against Italy.

52:31Jim Campbell: Subs may be a little bit too late or the wrong subs or the wrong approach when it was like, right, we're now 20 minutes to go or we got it back to one or now what do we do? And it was lacking. That's why they've turned to Tuchel.

52:46Jim Campbell: and, you know, does his previous experience help with this? Surely it does. Surely it does, you would think. I think there is obviously a very real possibility as well that this is a huge period of adjustment, not just for Tuchel, but for that England squad who've had a very, very different environment under Gareth Southgate and have got used to the way things have been, which are naturally going to be very different now. But in terms of the tactics and all, Jim, you know, again, we did get to a point where we thought is Southgate going to make the right sub here or the right decision you know I love the man you know I've talked about that blah blah blah blah but that's not what we're talking about here but yeah there was a timidity to a lot of his approach exactly and the timidity is the right thing he got to the final he either got level or you're in front right now what you're going to do and Tuchel came in as right this guy's a bit more ruthless he's more pragmatic he doesn't give a damn about maybe the egos in the team or upset in the apple cart or whatever within the realms of not upsetting the group, of course.

53:43Jim Campbell: Is this the guy who's going to be cutthroat and ruthless and get England over the line? That's the question here. Do you think that that's, you know, from what you've seen thus far, is, I mean, presumably you're a bit concerned about that now. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. Early days. I don't know that I ever realistically thought that England can go to this tournament in these conditions and win the World Cup. So I'm not sure that my expectations have actually adjusted very much, to be honest. yeah

54:10Marcus Speller: I'm inclined to agree with you actually I think there's you know obviously England are planning for it but it is so different when you're there

54:18Jim Campbell: very different from the Euros yeah

54:20Marcus Speller: I think it's going to be I think the conditions from an English perspective are going to be too brutal to be able to do anything can we have some games

54:29Jim Campbell: at Wembley can we petition that

54:31Marcus Speller: I was trying to think like if we go like really north into Canada we could like Newfoundland Where the ice is and all that. Yeah, although some of that stuff's at altitude as well, which is a problem. Oh, blimey, yeah, the altitude. Where did Sarah Palin, Alaska? Maybe Sarah Palin can sort us out with some little grounds up there as well. And we can get some tips from Michael Palin as well. He travels a lot. Yeah. He does travel a lot. Yeah. They wouldn't kick him out, would they? They wouldn't kick him out.

54:57Jim Campbell: They can't kick out Michael Palin. I mean, that's a sign of the end times, isn't it? If Michael Palin gets detained by ICE. Yeah, true.

55:07Marcus Speller: Does Attenborough travel? He does It's just mainly voiceovers now Isn't it Famously he did He did He doesn't anymore is he He's quite old Probably yeah I don't know why I thought Attenborough Would be at a World Cup But you never know

55:18Jim Campbell: Yeah You don't So yeah This is a pile of Absolute shit Once again The fans expect different

55:29Marcus Speller: The German manager there Not you as well David Come on

55:35Jim Campbell: Thank you for listening I always preferred your brother Thank you for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the eight-card script. Welcome to the World Cup. Jim and I will be back with Andy and Pete on Friday to preview the start of the Club World Cup. Come on. We'll all be into it by the third week, fourth week. Thank you, Jim. Thank you. Thank you, Vish. Thank you. And thank you, Sir David Attenborough.

56:05The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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