The welcome home motorcade | 2026 FIFA World Cup

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2:45Maxxaws. He's got Davies at the table just behind him. Davies going for his collectible cup.

2:50Jim Campbell: A steal by Henri, who pulls his own collectible cup. Collect one of nine legendary cups with a FIFA World Cup meal. Participating McDonald's for a limited time. While supplies last. All rights reserved. 2026 McDonald's at FIFA World Cup 2026. Thank you for calling the Bombas Comfort Line. Bombas make socks, slippers, tees, and underwear made with the highest quality materials. Press one for comfort, two for style, three for donation. You chose style. Bombas is styles for whatever you enjoy. You can run in Bombas, lounge in Bombas, dress them up, dress them down, but always give back in Bombas.

3:21Jim Campbell: Because with every item purchased, another is donated. Bombas, comfort worth calling for. Go to bombas.com slash audio and use code audio for 20 % off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S dot com and use code audio. I'm freed from desire, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble! Morocco beats Scotland, the US are through, but Turkey are out! It's Saturday 20th of June. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm David Carledge.

3:58Hello, everybody. It's the weekend, but it's the World Cup, so we plough on. We move, Jim. We do. We move. It's hot. Teams are getting eliminated. Yeah. At this early start, I thought with the 48-team World Cup, they didn't get I thought everyone went through I know what you mean yeah I thought the round of 48 I thought it never ended I thought it was just going to go on all summer got a group stage and then everybody goes through to the next bit and then one team gets eliminated and you know we're left with the least exhausted side with that in mind though it's still a disaster if you're out by now it is a disaster it is but we're going to get to that Jim because we're going to keep the excitement going because we can announce our winner for the free tickets to this Tuesday's Football Ramble watch party when England play Ghana.

4:42Thank you to everybody who entered, but there can only be one winner. And that winner is Sam Willis. Go on, Sammy. I look forward to shaking your hand or hugging you or leaving you alone, Sam. And there are other options, but none of them are sexy. Sorry about that. They also must be pre-approved. Yes, big congratulations to you, Sam. We will see you on Tuesday night. If you still haven't got a ticket, then hit the link in the show notes. It's going to be another wonderful night at Fortifit Brewery. You can meet Sam. You can meet us. We can hopefully celebrate an England victory. But we will have a lovely old time.

5:16And I tell you what, the feedback was great for my fizzy aunt. It was. Everybody to a person loved it. And that's not me talking bollocks, by the way.

5:22Jim Campbell: No, it wasn't. My favourite thing about it, right, is that we quite literally organised a piss-up in a brewery with our own beer. And the most intoxicated man there was T-Total, Marcus Speller. Just high on England. Genuinely giddy. Pupils like saucers. It was magnificent. It was my time. It was magnificent. It was my time. If Bez was there, you'd still have been the high one. Oh, yeah. That's a lovely reference, Jim. Look, I take a lot of flack from people saying, why are you mentioning England? Do you stick to club football? You know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. All that kind of stuff. Well, this is me getting my own back.

6:01Because the draw for the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League is as follows. Oh, you don't want club football now, do you? You don't want it.

6:11Jim Campbell: Right. I stand by all our previous criticism of you. I just want that on record. All right then, Jim. Be ready for some more criticism because we're going to talk about Scotland 0, Morocco 1. The big takeaway, I think, was summed up brilliantly by the unfortunately named Tom English on the BBC. Flawed but relentless Scotland show themselves as men of substance. there's one way to spin it but Morocco won it they won it after 70 seconds David Cartlidge it was a lovely goal would you call it a sucker punch? no just an early punch just an early punch just let them know they're there and then that was it like you guys are saying in the group lovely nettle yeah it really did just get comfortable in that net didn't it the ball which may be a bit nervous for Scotland even the ball like really wants to be in that net yes is that disrespectful to men of substance, Jim?

7:06No, I don't think so. Okay, fair enough.

7:07Jim Campbell: They had every opportunity to stop it from happening. They did, yeah. But yeah, it was a great... Do you know what? There was so much chat pre-game. When Scotland had beaten Haiti, I understand why, obviously the tensions immediately turned to Morocco. But the immediate chat was, oh, thank goodness we got through that game because it was must-win. And fair play, the reason why Scotland have still got a fighting chance, even if, and here I go, going into the narrative, lose to Brazil. they got that victory utterly crucial Haiti have gone so it shows you how crucial that victory was but everyone a lot of people a lot of Scottish fans were saying Morocco are really good okay and I thought Scotland that kind of seemed to seep into the players they showed them a lot of respect early on in the game I appreciate Morocco's game plan does seem to be go for teams early on we've only got two games to go on we'll see because they will progress obviously but Morocco did a lot of early running and I appreciate that's difficult to deal with but in that second half they kind of tailed off maybe because they exerted themselves so much but I don't know David, I just thought that the narrative they're going into the game Scotland seemed to be too fearful and too respectful and this idea of well if we only lose 1-0 that's okay, which it is but it's not the mindset you want surely.

8:26But hasn't that been the mindset under Clark? That's what they've been like under Clark I think they've gone into every game and put themselves down as being inferior, I think, to a lot of opposition. Or at the same level, even though they're facing poor opposition. I think that's just how they are naturally. There was nothing different here. And it does seep into the players, of course. And that's why I know that they're at the World Cup. It's why Steve Clarke still has a lot of detractors amongst the Scottish fan base. I think when you approach games... I think a lot of the praise that's coming out for Scotland is almost a bit like pity.

9:02I do not think they were very good at all. I thought they were actually really bad. Yeah. Honestly, that first 45 minutes was atrocious. I agree. I thought they were poor. I thought they turned it on too late. They changed things around too late. Why is McTominay playing as a DM?

9:20Jim Campbell: Yeah, I was baffled by that. What's he been doing? Where's he been playing since he's been in Italy and tearing it up? I just don't play to your strengths you've got McGinn and McTominay who are both brilliant players absolutely brilliant players also coming off great seasons again as well use that vibe use that confidence in your team and build around them and play them in their best roles didn't do that Clark reduced every strong aspect that Scotland have I wonder if part of it is because of how Morocco played now I kind of agree with you more David there I'm not necessarily sure that it's Scotland giving too much kind of respect to Morocco I think that And Scotland grew into the game and they were better in the second half because of their own growth rather than their own kind of respect for Morocco in the first half, if that makes sense.

10:03Jim Campbell: But I think a big strength of Scotland's is being competitive and physical and winning second balls. And there are no second balls if the team you're playing are just zipping it around on the deck. And they were quicker. Their passing was more incisive. It was crisper. I think El Canoos had a chance he should have buried in that first half. There was a period where Morocco were on top. and really a second goal was coming. Yeah, and it really, it was kind of to Scotland's credit that they reduced that by quite a bit actually, I think in the second half. I think, but I think Morocco dropped off.

10:33They did. They did the same against Brazil though. Yeah, they did. They had a brilliant 25, 30 minutes against Brazil and then they dropped off and I'm kind of like, Brazil are there for the take and have a go at them. And last night I thought, oh, you need to put two or three on here. You need to capitalize on it and they didn't do it again. And they're still a bit, they're a very good side, full of brilliant players. They're well coached as well, aren't they? They know what they're doing. really organised unit really smart unit so much the amount of potential they've got in their attack is incredible but yes they're still playing a little bit passive for me at the moment but I mean maybe in the second half they just thought do you know what if we actually just kind of hold this then we'll be okay which proved to be it's always you know 1-0 lead it's always a bit dangerous but really Scotland didn't create anything and you said I mean you said Jim that this game kind of did show the limitations of the Scotland squad which you know it is a good Scotland squad but in terms of other teams they are distinctly the third best side in that group

11:27Jim Campbell: I don't think it was their best starting XI even for this game do you think it was right to just go with the one up front because I thought that was probably the right way to go I think so but I also think that there is absolutely no point in having an outlet like Ben Ganondoke and being sort of a bit scared to use him he's a really useful outlet but what are you saving him for? he seems to me like a player in a game like that should have started yeah because like if you're going to score a goal against a team as good as Morocco it's probably going to be a sucker punch right on the break and he's really the player that's going to facilitate that yeah again Morocco are a good team I just felt like you know and they are the side that maybe people have dark holes I think people were talking them talking about them like they were France or Spain and I think that was the problem for me again they are a good side this is not taken away they are in some people's eyes African champions

12:25but I you know and obviously they do that thing as I say like the swarm and overwhelm early on so fine but you know as I say the narrative just seemed to be like oh my god well we can't possibly get something out of this game yeah I thought they were just over Scotland just overrode by them but like you said you've hit the nil in the head too much respect Morocco are a good side but they're not France they're not Brazil 1970 wherever they're not this amazing rave stars where you're like oh god but he's a, no, Scotland could have had a better goal. I was, I was really disappointed. You mentioned Dork, which I think is a great one as well, but Shankland as well.

12:58I don't understand. Lyndon Dykes, right? He's a hard worker, blah, blah, blah. He's not going to score goals. No. He's not going to get you one. And that's, that's why, you know, I, like I said, I understand why he started just the one up top. And I get that. And I think that was the right way to go. I don't think he would have done the same as he did against Haiti and even against Haiti. Yeah. Obviously they got the result, but you know, it was cagey and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So I get that. But you need a goal, or clearly you want a goal. Why not bring on Shankland? Why bring on Lyndon Dykes?

13:30I just, I suppose he might think, well, we're not creating anything, so we need to kind of, but you've already got other players to do that. It's like not using the good china. What are you saving it for? Yeah, I mean, the fact is they didn't really create much, so maybe that argument about Shankland is sort of null and void perhaps. But I, yeah. Well, there was a moment in the game, though, where Scott McTominay thought he should have had a penalty, which was a big talking point. And that would have obviously given them a hell of a chance, but it wasn't given. And I hate to go against Christina Runkle, all right?

14:04I think she's absolutely brilliant. But I am going to do it, Jim. And I fear that I may be on the wrong side of history here because I respect the word of uncle. But she said Scotland should have had a penalty for that foul, whatever you want to call it, on McTominay. I agreed with Roy Keane. For me, it looked to me like he was looking for it.

14:22Jim Campbell: Never a penalty in a million years. In the McGinn one as well, there was a lot of chat about that, but he was sort of going away from goal. He was already on his way down a bit, I think. Yeah, I mean, you know, the argument for the penalty was, well, you know, the contact here. And it's like, yeah, but it wasn't quite. I get the fact, if what you said happened, then yes, but to me, I know McTominay was disappointed. I didn't think it was. I want them to have had the penalty, but I think it would have been a bit of a gift. I think there's a lot of talk about the penalties because they did nothing else in attack.

14:52So they're getting highlighted a bit more. They did absolutely nothing in attack and neither of those were penalties. I mean, come on, you're grasping at straws there. I think the referee's been good at this. The referee has been largely good at this tournament.

15:01Jim Campbell: Yeah, with a few exceptions. Of course. From that mad France penalty and whatnot. But I think that actually shows the quality of the standard elsewhere, doesn't it? Yeah, so it does. And I think actually maybe the Mbappe penalty, which wasn't given, is maybe symptomatic of the fact that the referees, I think, have clearly been told, don't give away any old foul. Let the game flow. That's what we're seeing because there's a lot of ones. And people always thought, oh, that would be a foul in Europe, but not in the Premier League. There are plenty of decisions that are not, well, there are plenty of collisions or coming together, whatever, that I think in the Premier League, that may have been given as a foul.

15:39And it's not being given. And I've actually, I found it by and large refreshing. There have been some, you know, one or two bad ones, the Mbappe one being the obvious one for me. But I've quite, you know, I've quite enjoyed that. And I think, again, there was some moments in this game where I thought, no, the referee's right to let the play go on. And that McTominay one, to me, was a good example. I think the physical sides are being allowed to be physical. Yeah. We'll get around to US-Australia, but Australia are allowed to be physical. I mean, they've got people, they're allowed to be physical.

16:06And it's been the case in other games as well. It's good to see. What did you think of the moment where Issa Diop, had a challenge on Che Adams in the first half. Steve Clarke felt hard done by this and felt he maybe could have been sent off for it.

16:20Jim Campbell: Yeah, again, I'm not sure it's particularly... Red cardable? Red card-y, yeah. In this World Cup? In this economy? So basically, if you're trying to kind of exaggerate a foul, you're not going to get it. But you've got to be very careful because they are red card happy, the referees. Yes. In this tournament, you would say, so far. yeah I mean any more thoughts Jim on the game I mean I just thought that Scotland they left it late and that early sucker punch or the early punch as we're calling it I really knocked the wind out of their sails and to the point of I would even say and apologies if this is not true because obviously I wasn't in the stadium and if the noise didn't translate across to the TV then you know hold my hands up which does happen yeah it does happen indeed so I'm very very aware that could have been the case.

17:09But even the Scotland fans, I thought, were very quiet. It was almost like they were like, oh, crap.

17:13Jim Campbell: I think that's the nature of going to gold down so early in an international match, isn't it? Where there is an unusual amount of jeopardy in this game because obviously they've got that win. They've got something they can hold, but they don't know if it's enough. Losing this game is not a huge shock, I suppose, but after two minutes, you still want to be in it. So I can completely understand if that might have kind of taken the wind out of them a bit. But I just think that Morocco, I know, as you say, they're not necessarily France, but they're a very, very good footballing side. They made chances fairly comfortably in that first half.

17:49Jim Campbell: I thought Scotland were just beaten by a team who were just a few levels above them on a technical level. And I think actually they, I'm not going to say they did well only to lose it 1-0 because they never really looked like getting back into the game. But I think this could have been a lot worse. and actually the way to look at it is practice for Brazil. The level goes up a bit again probably. So you have to kind of perhaps rethink and maybe they do need to be a bit bolder in terms of the selection and a bit bolder in terms of the formation and getting Montomine further up as well. There's a lot to take from Scotland that can be useful, I think.

18:21Yeah, I suppose I revert to what David was saying earlier. You can be 1-0 down against a better side and you can struggle a little bit. but into that second half I thought he was slow with his changes and again the narrative which seems to be you know there with a lot of Scotland fans and a lot of others as well is alright Morocco probably lose that but you know we've got we can maybe get something against Brazil and it's kind of like well hang on yeah I get the fact that we could talk about Brazil in a second I sort of understand but let's just remember what we're saying here the fact is Scotland were only a goal down in that second half Morocco had dropped off yes you know they still hit the bar they still look dangerous and if you push too much I think because 1-0 is not a terrible result but it is that idea of okay let's try and sneak through with three points and a minus one goal difference yeah you've got to do more you're in a tournament man you've got three games and the group's there show a bit more ambition and I thought yeah maybe that's my and my little the little voice in the back of my head Jim the reason why I'm thinking that is and they then lose 2-0 to Brazil and they go out by a goal or two on goal difference or something like that.

19:36Yeah, again, they have maybe nicked a point against Morocco and I think as I would imagine and I'm only imagining this as a fair few Scotland fans going, oh yeah. But I'm not sure that Scotland

19:45Jim Campbell: were deliberately not carving Morocco apart and making loads of decisions. No, but you can make changes earlier. You can make different changes. There's things you can do. They've got to use Morocco. They weren't putting 10 men behind the ball and one, you know, like come on, I just, yeah, I've made my point there. Get Box Crash and Mac Tominay back. Yeah, absolutely. One highlight for me was Neil Ainawi. At one point, chasing, I forget who it was, a Scotland player down, with a bloody tissue just in his mouth. So where did that come from? He got his shirt ripped as well. Moroccan Neil is busy.

20:19Jim Campbell: He's always featuring when they're playing. He's really entertaining. He looked like a new puppy when it's got something in his mouth. Okay. I also enjoyed Steve Clarke looking, sort of the Ange Postacoglu vibe of like uncle being bouncer at a wedding yes yeah yeah yeah spot on I can totally see that that's who we are man well in terms of qualification there are currently 495 permutations which will decide exactly what's going on that that can't be what that's mad isn't it is it Doctor Strange has he sorted that out I don't know very strange but currently two of the three other third place teams who have also played two games are just on at one point.

21:00495, but it doesn't seem possible. It's outrageous. Live by the format, die by the format. There we go. There we go. But yes, but Scotland's time in Boston has come to an end. They've left their mark on Boston. They have. What a romance this has been. It's been quite something, you have to say. And so much so, Boston and Glasgow have become twin cities. The news was announced by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. So you can't really give a better impression than that. No. You turn up to a city which I would imagine a lot of them hadn't been to before. And you leave and you have a twin city.

21:35Jim Campbell: It's a great bonus with Glasgow and with Boston, yeah. I mean, the plan is put in a good show and get out of the group. If you pick up a twin city or two on the way, it's a bonus. And they've achieved that. Well, credit to them. Credit to them. Elsewhere in the group, the aforementioned Brazil beat Haiti 3-0. This is what we want from Brazil. It's much better. Luke surprise package Haiti become the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup I'm not going to gloat about that because I put underachievers as France and I'm waiting for that to smack me around the head and body we've all embarrassed ourselves we just don't know the exact details of how yet so let's not be too smug about anything I can see that one hurtling towards me but anyway Haiti are out they've gone Brazil though needed this victory and the big change in their line-up Jim was Matthias Cunha was in and Igor Thiago the Brentford man was out and Cunha justified his selection and did his little surfy celebration he did I love that Ancelotti's been bold like that it was very clear that it didn't work with Thiago in the first game so he's just switched it up he's got the luxury of having a player like Cunha in there and he basically a goal deflected in off him didn't he he's like you're going to have a good day aren't you if this is starting and the second one was lovely one it's just what you want from a strike just put your foot through it and ask the questions later so yeah I mean better from Brazil not brilliant but I mean 3-0 at half time people say no in the second half they were 3-0 up yeah you just want to see improvement game by game from your team you want to see them just gradually improve and I think Cunha is now going to be the fixed man up top he works really I thought some of the combinations between Vinny, Cunha and Paqueta were really really nice a lot to be encouraged about there from Brazil and I think there's going to be a lot more to come from them as well so yeah this is just a lot better from them and you know Neymar's fit now as well he's going to throw that one out there well Rafinha went off with a little knock I don't know how bad it is could we see Neymar come in I mean he didn't even travel to Philadelphia for the game but Ancelotti said post-match that he'll be available to feature against Scotland what do you think of that Jim?

23:40Jim Campbell: I think that's really exciting actually a bit of a retro throwback is what Neymar at a World Cup feels like now doesn't it yes I mean maybe he's not fit enough Maybe there's a chance for the Scots to get a big old scalp. Well, I mean, Ancelotti's leadership on this has been interesting because Neymar, you know, we spoke pre-tournament that Neymar was seriously worried that he wouldn't even be called up. And he's been blighted by injuries and so on and so forth. For years as well, not just a while. For a while, yeah. I think the treatment in France he got from some of the defenders' final is caught up with him.

24:16But, you know, he's a mercurial talent, as we know, a phenomenal player on his day. but he can be a little bit of a sausage off the pitch. And Ancelotti said, essentially, from one or two reports, that he would rather have Neymar in the tent pissing out of it, I suppose, as we often sort of say. But he's in there. Is this the kind of management of a big player that Roberto Martinez could learn from David? Yeah, yeah, that's right. It's a bit of an elephant in the room, isn't it? I hope that at some point in the next World Cup, he's managing Portugal and 45-year-old Ronaldo's playing. Oh, no. No, Marcus, no.

24:58No, no. Stop this. Would he be the man to try and appease the Ronaldo fanboys?

25:06Jim Campbell: This story around Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes and Shane Neves and I think Vettinia's getting some as well, isn't he? It's absolutely crazy. They're all getting so many news about the Ronaldo fanboys, isn't it? Yeah, they're very much sort of the Taylor Swift fans of football, aren't they? Yes. And I'm not even sure, you know, with the world we live in that they're even real. They might be just some sort of bot army that are all focused on Ronaldo somewhere. Because the things that... Is that what Madeira is? If you go to Madeira... It's just a sentence. There's just a home there. I was going to say...

25:33Jim Campbell: He bought an island for his agent, didn't he? Maybe that's what that actually is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like Goldfinger. No, not Goldfinger. A man with a golden gun. As he's turned the island into his lair. But if it came out that that was actually going, I wouldn't be surprised. That's the thing, which is sick. Who knows? I mean, basically all of those players, I think worded it in a way that was perhaps a little bit naive, but they were all saying, I think they were all actually trying to take the pressure off Ronaldo, weren't they? They were saying he's like the rest of us. He's like any other player, you know, like essentially, don't focus on him.

26:04Jim Campbell: Stop criticizing him is I think what all of those players were trying to say. But it's been taken as the opposite. It's been taken as all of them criticizing Ronaldo. So many people online are just giving pelters to three really important players for Portugal. And it's so unhelpful. And girlfriends as well. And they're like people in their personal lives. Who is Jauneva's girlfriend's getting it as well? And just saying, and then some of the comments in Jauneva's as well, it's like, Ronaldo is your father. Show some respect. Yeah. There's a lot of kind of deeply, deeply unimpressive logic on display from some quite low quality individuals.

26:40Jim's so polite.

26:42Jim Campbell: But surely Ronaldo himself should come out at this point and go, come on, come on guys, come down. To be fair, the camera did turn to him in training and he made a gesture towards the press and did that keep talking sort of thing. So he's gone at the press, but do you go against your own fans? Well, I suppose you can ask for a bit of calm, which is what I think would be useful for everybody involved in this situation. Jim, when there's a lot of deeply unimpressive logic going on, I think we can try and explain it. But back to Brazil, if we may, not at all. I think maybe one of the reasons why they won is because the Brazil fans were very smart before the game, which was, oh, get mine to drink, Jim, in Philadelphia because the Rocky statue curse.

27:25Ecuador fell foul of it. The Brazil fans were seen guarding the statue. Nobody's putting a Brazil shirt on this. Gabriel was there as well, wasn't he? He's ready to head anything away. Yes, exactly. David, you said that we expect Brazil to get better and grow into the tournament. I think that is the assumption because, again, you look at the side that they have. It isn't too shabby. this idea that the name is real off the tongue. But there is something about that midfield, Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Pagetar, that didn't really click so much in that game against Morocco. But then Morocco, as we know, are a very, very well-drilled side who like to fizz the ball around.

28:06You would expect Brazil to have enough against Scotland, but where can Scotland get the joy here? I think they're full-back areas. I think that's the most suspect position for Brazil. I still think they're poor standard at full back And look, Scotland aren't going to fizz the ball around like that And I think that Brazil midfield is very susceptible to teams And luckily for them How many more teams are they going to face against Morocco Who will fizz it about I think a lot of it's very patient, very slow From the big teams So they won't face that type of opposition much So I definitely think Scotland can get at them But there has to be a will there I don't know whether the will is going to be there whether it's going to be your classic back five, just hope for the best again.

28:47I just think Brazil are there to be got at. But they certainly are going to be one of the teams, I think, that do gradually improve. I mean, I know we've just been chatting about Neymar, but there's a lot of talk about young Ryan from Bournemouth coming in as well, which would add something else to them as well. So, yeah, I think a lot more to come from Brazil, but definitely Scotland can get at them.

29:06Jim Campbell: All of the talk is about the lack of pace in the middle, isn't it, with, you know, Gimrash, Casemiro and Pacatar, as you say. I mean, obviously, Pakatar and Gimaraes are quite a bit younger than Casemiro, but not necessarily the paciest. The maddest thing in the world to drop Mateus Cunha back in there? Give it a bit more zip, a bit more energy? I think he can play in that way. I think he would naturally. I think, you know, because, yeah, the idea, almost like Kane at England, you know, dropped him deep, and then you've got Vinicius Junior, who, yes, he's a winger, but he's a wide forward, you know, and on the other side, I mean, not sure if Rafinha's going to play, but they've got options, as you say.

29:39I get McGinn running with the ball as well. Well, McTominay, like I said, those vertical runs that he can do and playing off the second striker, he can take Casemiro away. Creates a bit of space in that kind of pocket that they can do things as well. But again, just got to have the will to do so. I don't know whether it is there with Scotland. Yeah, we shall see. All right, coming up after this, the Americans are on their way.

30:06Lamin Amal steps into McDonald's, looks left, sees Pulisic, Looks right, sees Jimenez. Gives a nod to Ronaldinho in the corner with a FIFA World Cup meal. Ronaldinho sees Son in the booth. Son finds Beckham going for extra Big Mac sauce. He's got Davies at the table just behind him. Davies going for his collectible cup. Oh, no!

30:24Jim Campbell: A steal by Henri, who pulls his own collectible cup. Collect one of nine legendary cups with a FIFA World Cup meal. At participating McDonald's for a limited time. While supplies last, all rights reserved. 2026 McDonald's at FIFA World Cup 2026. Granger knows when you're a procurement manager for an office park, You're not managing one building. You're managing all of them. And to stay ahead, you need to see through walls and around corners. Lights about to fail, filters ready to clog, HVAC on its last leg. If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind. Count on Grainger for quality products, easy reordering, and 24-7 support.

30:58Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by. Grainger, for the ones who get it done. This is Nick and Jack from The Best One Yet, and we are excited to tell you about Walmart business. Staying ahead of business trends means moving fast and adapting quickly. Walmart business helps you simplify operations so you can focus on building the next big thing. Find exactly what your organization needs with their ever-expanding business assortment and everyday low prices. Keep your momentum going fast with reliable shipping and fulfillment. Eligible organizations can take advantage of tax-free shopping, both in-store and online, saving you more while getting you everything you need.

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32:06It's more than a fixture. It's a cleaner routine and a more refined space. Experience the difference of Kohler smart toilets. Find more at Kohler.com.

32:33Welcome back to the Football Ramble, everybody. the United States of America 2 Australia 0 the US have won Group D just after two games easy peasy the new head to head system means that they cannot be caught in match day 3 I don't know if anyone's aware we have mentioned this a little bit but FIFA changed the way the groups are done in terms of your head to head so previously it was goal difference in the groups but it's first is head to head between teams so that's why the US have won the group I mean you've got to hand it to them Jim yeah they've been brilliant

33:05Jim Campbell: They have. They've been really, really impressive and enjoyably so as well. I think we always want to see the hosts do well. All three of the hosts are doing well. The US are bringing a sort of very kind of American energy to it, which sounds like a silly thing to say. But, you know, their fans have been a really kind of brilliant part of World Cups for a long, long time now. They're established as one of those groups that bring their own energy and bring their own flavor. And they're reveling in it. The scenes in the stands are really, really great. the team look so kind of fit and powerful. They were really, they were significantly better than Australia.

33:39Jim Campbell: I know that they're kind of quite far ahead of them in terms of the rankings, but I thought they were so aggressive in possession and Australia just couldn't live with them. And, you know, they've got players playing all over Europe at a high standard with a decent amount of experience now. It was a real kind of flex from the US and I thought they'd win by more than two, actually. Nobody wanted to play against them. No. They looked very well coached. Yes. Which, again, pre-tournament, I don't think, I didn't think they were going to be dreadful. I stressed just one or two American fans who I'd spoken to about this.

34:18And they were very nervous. And I think that's natural. You know, you're the host. You think, bloody hell, we want to put in a good showing. But not that much pre-tournament suggested it was going to be this good. As I say, I think they are not a bad side. but I haven't seen them that much. With Pochettino there, you think, okay, but I did wonder, is he going to be, as I said before, is he going to be on the sidelines getting pissed off that this is not going to plan? But my goodness, they are so well-drilled. Do you know what? Everything we've said about Morocco, by and large, you could, in a lot of ways, apply it to the US.

34:50Whether it's zipping the ball about or the way they can go a little bit more direct, but not solely that, and that is not a criticism. That's a different option. As Jim talks about the power and the energy they have, and everybody knows their jobs, et cetera, and so on, they're a proper side. They really are. And you've hit the nail on the head there. Look, not every US fan was convinced by Pochettino coming into this tournament. He's had a lot of criticism. I work for a US company, so I get to hear a bit more about what's going on here. And he's had a lot of criticism back in the US, and still people jury out from him, and these little kind of nods towards returning to club football in Europe as well hasn't really gone down too well.

35:29So it's like, is he fully committed to it? I think what we've seen here in these first two games, he's very committed to it. The players are very committed to his ideas and they're executing it really, really well. And look, didn't have Captain America there playing yesterday as well. Yeah, yeah, Poole City, of course, and Blanche. Yeah, but Pepe came in, did a really good job there. And I thought Tillman was absolutely fantastic. The Aussies could not cope with him playing that box-to-box role, which Pochettino kind of horned out for him. And he was really good. Yeah, Australia didn't start their two goal scorers from the last game.

35:58Which I thought was a shocking decision. I mean, we mentioned Irin Kunder on the podcast. You know, and they got to it as well. And it's like, I thought this game was ripe for that. Because they would have known that US are going to play this kind of physical quick game. But Australia only played the physical game with them and not the quick. They could have given, I thought on the break, they could have been very separate from the US if the Aussies went with that. But they reduced their own attacking system. It's very strange. They had very little up top Australia. they retreated deep as one would expect they just had absolutely nothing up there

36:33Jim Campbell: Imran Kounder made a difference when he came on as well because they did grow into the second half a little bit as well I think Volpato should have scored shouldn't have had a chance there he kind of slashed that a little bit so I suppose there is something to take out of the game for Australia there because they were a bit better in that second half but that first half they just could not live with them I thought Balogun was really impressive again as well forces that own goal had a chance in the second half he might have done a bit better with when he was put through on goal. Because the US were quite happy to just hit them on the break as well, weren't they, when Australia kind of dug in a little bit.

37:06Jim Campbell: And they looked decent on the break. Yeah, absolutely. They were almost even in control of that element of it when Australia were attacking them a bit more. But I think Balogun looks the part as the main man, as a star, which I think is helpful for taking some of the pressure off Christian Pulisic as well. They're in a really, really great spot. Really, really great spot. I'm excited to see what they can do. Are you excited about Mauricio Pochettino's style? of clothing I am are you excited as excited as Wayne Rooney he was really like effusive with praise wasn't he I was as well to my wife I was saying Pochettino's his hair looks fantastic his hair looks immaculate it does Marcus you said on WhatsApp that he looks like Russell Crowe now a lot of people have made that observation I think the crowd were they singing something about Russell Crowe I don't know are you not entertained yeah he might shout that I'm trying to think what you can sing about Russell Crowe it's a very difficult one to do you're an Argentinian Russell Crowe or maybe they were I don't know maybe people in the crowd were just saying I don't know but it has been acknowledged I think by the wider public especially in the US but yeah like if they if they rest players in the third game and they don't do very well and people are playing he might shout you're not entertained so that would be quite good but yeah he does look a bit like Russell Crowe which I think is quite enjoyable Wayne Rooney was asking for Pochettino's number so he could get so he's close I thought Wayne Rooney I think Rooney looks great I think just keep doing what you're doing Rooney looks really well Rooney looks really well Rooney's got a nice style as well I saw a great comment by the way just about Pochettino somebody said he looks like a pastor at a mega church in America he does and I thought wow that is it do you know there's a few like the Morocco manager with the suit and white trainers it's that sort of energy I think definitely there's a lot of that going on gentlemen before we move on from this game the referee went down with cramp ref cramp not seen that before and they rendered it on the BBC rendered it on that simulator as well so it is amazing was that the BBC they did the whole game so yeah it just picks it up naturally but it's very funny to watch it looked like graphics can you remember Actua software yeah it's all blocky Barry Dave used to come in over oh the ref it's great stuff that's how good the US were the referee couldn't keep up how powerful they were I loved the assistant referee running on with a little drink yeah what's that gonna do that was nice you got an anti-cramp potion Or was that one of those gels that they have?

39:28Yeah, it might have been, you know, which is like half your calorie intake or something. But yeah, the referee... Little CBD oil.

39:36The referee with the leg up and someone trying to help get the cramp out of there. That was something we don't see anymore. Apparently it was pickle juice. Pickle juice? Which was what the referee drank. That is... I know there's one or two. Jay Ajayi, the NFL player, he would drink pickle juice, I remember, a number of years ago. All right. And so I think, yeah, maybe it's... Is it sports science? Is it woo-woo? We simply don't know. Is it Michelle Woo-woo? I don't know. Let us move on to... Oh, we have a burger clarification section for the first time ever on the Football Ramble. Over to our burger correspondent, Jim Campbell.

40:20Jim Campbell: Yeah, we've had a lot of correspondence about burgers after Luke said that it was illegal to serve a rare burger in the UK. So Andrew Maxwell has been in touch, not that one, on show at footballramble.com. Not sad. He says, being an ex-chef, aka microwave technician for certain chains, you know which ones, burgers must be cooked to 75 degrees Celsius. Calculate the Fahrenheit yourself. Not in a World Cup yet. Agree. Therefore, you cannot get a burger cooked any less than all the way through. Don't try anything, Pete. You will get ill. Chew on, gentlemen. Then Daniel on YouTube added, as a former commish chef, it's not illegal to order a rare burger in the UK, but it's dangerous, so most chefs won't do it.

41:04Jim Campbell: I worked with a head chef who had a legal waiver form that you could sign if you wanted a rare burger, stating he wasn't liable for any health issues suffered as a result. Not sure if it would hold up in court, but he seemed to think it was fine. I would still avoid that at all costs. Pete. I just love it's Pete as well. Don't do it, Pete. Don't do it Pete Whatever it is Don't do it Pete It applies to everything I think Ask someone if it's a good idea He does like a rare battered sausage though Yeah he loves a battered sausage on a Friday night Would he He showed us the picture He did Looked lovely Yeah Well I mean we don't know how rare it is under the batter do we That's just a danger He's not into daisy Make your own mind up

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43:17Turkey versus Paraguay. What are you doing, Turkey?

43:21Jim Campbell: Turkey nil, Paraguay won. Turkey are out of the World Cup. Another goal after two minutes. Yeah. If Andy Brassel doesn't officially pick them as his dark horse, but then alludes to the fact they could be to everybody else, then it usually bodes very, very badly. I considered them, and I'm really glad because they've let me down here. This is piss poor from Turkey. 62 shots in two games so far at the World Cup, no goals. And according to Opta, it's the most attempts without a goal in any two-match span in the competition on record since 1966. Normally the records go back to like 2003 or something.

43:54Bloody hell. They have been desperately poor. I mean, the amount of possession they've had in these two games, obviously Paraguay and Miguel Amarón sent off, we get to that in a sec. But they've had over 70 % possession in both games. How on earth, I mean, against Australia, it was quite possibly the shock of the first round. Maybe Cape Verde holding Spain would be the other one. But in terms of a side actually beating another side. And you thought against Paraguay. Paraguay just been beaten 4-1 by the US. Obviously they need a result, but bloody hell. I honestly can't believe that. I think a lot of people, myself included, would have probably had Turkey's group winners here, David.

44:30Yeah, of course. I definitely did. It's so bad. I don't know. Do they think they have more time than everybody else? Are they kind of like, oh, there's more teams in this World Cup, So there must be some more minutes in the game There must be more games in the group We've just got loads of time They're just strumming five and ten yard passes around All game And then when they finally do decide something It falls to a centre back or a full back Who just has a blast from about 30 Bizarre tactics And what I want to know is That motorcade that sent them off When they left for the World Cup Are they going to be waiting for them at the World Cup?

45:04Are they going to be waiting? I think they are Well, I'm putting good money in it. What have you got to say for yourself? But answer me this, though. They're back. Turkey did keep on going. They did keep going. So they were relentless. So despite them going out early, are they men of substance? We'll find out when they get back to the airport. Their biggest challenge is ahead. It will be decided by those back in their homeland. I mean, it really is poor, Jim. I mean, Paraguay, they scored a very, very... I mean, the early sucker punch, the early punch, sorry, seems to be very, very effective as well.

45:36Great goal, by the way. It was. Absolute beauty. But this game was a spicy encounter. Both sides were very aware of the stakes.

45:46Jim Campbell: Yeah, very much so. And there was a sense towards the end of the game where there was a Turkey player who missed a header. I forget who it was, but the existential anguish on his face, I think, showed you how that Turkish team were feeling. They could see that it was slipping away. Gould was looking sort of lively. but yeah you're right they could see it happening they could see they're going out and they're going out in really embarrassing fashion and they all know it and it's completely debilitating them it was Demerale with the header oh sorry yes and that is something you know we've seen England players paralysed by this sort of thing and it's so so difficult to snap yourself out of it and create something and I'm just honestly a bit shocked that a team with the talent Turkey have at their disposal was so, so blunt and uncreative.

46:37Jim Campbell: You've got Hakan Chananolu in there, who's a really, really experienced player, really good playmaker. You've got Kenan Yildiz, Yilmaz on the other side, Arda Gula, there's Chan Uzzin coming off the bench, who's a really exciting young talent. They are a lot, like, that team is defined by its creativity, you know, and yet they couldn't find any of it. Oh, let's be honest, again, before the tournament, when their name came out of the hat in that group, they'd have thought, yeah, fancy a bit of that oh my goodness they've already gone I mean maybe they didn't maybe people in Turkey weren't as hopeful as we were for the national team so I can't put words in their mouths obviously I think they were quite hopeful I think there was a lot of excitement around this younger generation well it'd be two years ago at the Euros they played some great stuff they were really enjoyable to watch so you'd watch that as a Turkish fan and go oh just imagine this is a nice little bit of prep for the World Cup they'll learn from this we'll go on we'll be really good at the World Cup and we'll really set it about and we'll do what Morocco has done and what have you we'll be an emerging nation he'll come on and actually reach our potential.

47:35Nowhere near it. Honestly, they're going to get destroyed by the Turkish press. Because when you go out after two games, and we have experience of this, of England, of course, in 2014 World Cup, I mean, the third game you play, you would almost sort of skate. You know what? We'll just go home. It's so miserable for them. But great for Paraguay, though. An unbelievably good win for them. I mean, you know, having been battered 4-1 in their opening game, and then they're playing possibly, well, as it would have been, they've already got the game against the hardest team because that is, without a doubt, the US.

48:12But again, going into a game against Turkey being a must-win game, essentially, they wouldn't have wanted that at all. To get out of there with three points is massive, but my goodness, this was a fight, this game. You saw, even just at halftime, people having to be separated and so on, because Miguel Almiron has become the first player to be sent off, to be punished under this new rule since IFAB changed the law in April, where he covered his mouth while speaking to Turkey's Murt Mulder. And he was sent off. We don't know what he said. But the truth is out there. I was about to jump in. But perhaps there was some scully diggery going on.

48:54I don't know. But it's unlikely he said something innocent. but I'm not going to speculate over what he said because that would be foolish the fact is the law came in and he's very very very silly to say the least he's extremely stupid yes I don't you know so again we don't know what he said if he said something horrible blah blah blah don't want to speculate over that but ultimately so stupid yeah just I mean

49:17Jim Campbell: there's an extra bit of the rule right that is a good thing which is that if players know that they're going to get sent off for doing that it should surely give them a little moment to go oh I need to check myself and calm down here and not be a dickhead. And he's just fallen afoul of that, hasn't he? Yeah, just think about it. When you're raising your hand, just stroke your chin. Yeah. There's numerous other things you can do. And then you can say, I was lying. I was just chinny wreck on. Do they know Jimmy Hill in Paraguay? I don't know. I don't know. But yeah, he'll obviously miss the Australia game, which is probably good news for Australia, you'd imagine.

49:53The pleasingly named Orlando Gill kept Turkey out of the Paraguay goal. Did you worry for Paraguay, Jim, when you knew old Gill? was in goal for those who are fans

50:02Jim Campbell: of the Simpsons well yeah I mean I'm thrilled for him because he really needed this but he really needed this finally old Gil's got a break he's kept the cliche in the World Cup his country needed him we didn't realise he was Paraguayan he's in there things are finally looking up

50:21lovely lovely lovely yes good old he's only 26 so he's not that old but that doesn't work with the joke so we're going to go with it we'll leave the final words to Turkey's coach Vincenzo Montel who said I'm sad but I'm also very proud of my players they gave everything right up until the final whistle that's what football's like yeah let's see what happens

50:44Jim Campbell: I'm sad that Vincenzo Montel as Turkey have gone out that's a lovely little sideshow Fabio Cannavaro's Uzbekistan Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay this is all really enjoyable Thomas Tuchel's England Thomas Tuchel's England that's the weirdest one Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil I always like to remind ourselves of that You know, Graham Potter's Sweden They're all there You're going through every team Jesse Marsh's Canada Nice is brilliant Stop it, there's four year teams Harry Redknapp's Jordan Oh no, that was a previous one Stop it, Turkey will score before you get through them all And Harvey Reynolds There we go There's the headliner Love it Well, we can't get enough of it, everybody.

51:28We cannot and will not get enough of the World Cup. So, yeah, today, some good games today. How about that? Good games. Netherlands versus Sweden. The colours, it's going to pop. That's a classic. It's going to pop off the TV. That's a World Cup classic. Turn your colour down on that or turn it up, depending on if you want to skip your medication and lose your mind. Germany versus Ivory Coast as well. So, come on, this is lovely. No, this is good. I'm excited. I'm excited, I am. Exactly. and Ecuador's on later as well I want to see more from Ecuador Ecuador 1am and Harvey Reynolds Chittany's yet at 5am against Japan setting your line?

52:06or will you just be open you're just powering through I'll just be buzzing I'll be buzzing all night injecting that fizzy ant well there are other ways to take it but I go for the injection thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Acast Creator Network we'll be back tomorrow of course we will the World Cup doesn't stop until it does hit subscribe now to make sure you do not miss an episode. Thank you, Jim. Thank you. Thank you, David. Thank you. And thank you, Mauricio Pozzatino. Now let's brace ourselves for the Ronaldo fans. Beautiful.

52:43Jim Campbell: The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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54:16Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamine Yamal, and Alfonso Davies. Right now, get one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal only at McDonald's. At participating McDonald's, only for a limited time, while supplies last. All rights reserved. Copyright 2026. McDonald's at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Think of a toilet as just an everyday object? Your entire perspective shifts the moment you experience a Kohler smart toilet. Design changes everything, transforming a basic routine into something extraordinary. With standout aesthetics and intuitive controls, these are functional works of art.

54:54Stunning design that never sacrifices performance. Enjoy customizable features for elevated comfort and convenience. It's more than a fixture. It's a cleaner routine and a more refined space. Experience the difference of Kohler smart toilets. Find more at Kohler.com.