Wait, are they the good guys? | 2026 FIFA World Cup

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3:42Luke Moore: Maybe I'm insatiable, are feeling so sensational everybody Welcome to the Football Ramble Switzerland won a shootout and Argentina with a great comeback It's Wednesday 8th of July, I'm Marcus Speller I'm Luke Moore

4:07Luke Moore: Hello everybody Thanks to friend of the ramble Gary L for giving us that intro line It's a double R Gary So it's not that one over in New York If you want to submit an intro line For a future episode And get an extended edition of today's show Then become a friend of the ramble On our Patreon Click the link in the show notes to sign up now. You will not regret it. You won't regret it. No. I'm fairly confident of that. Very confident. I think it's a great fiver to be spent. Yeah. You can't get much for a fiver these days. Certainly not. You couldn't get anywhere, you couldn't get anything, any kind of World Cup memorabilia for a fiver.

4:40Luke Moore: No way. Not official stuff anyway. No way. I don't know,

4:43Marcus Speller: I think Infantino's shown that anything you'd take. Yeah. He'd try and work something out for you.

4:48Luke Moore: Fiver for a selfie with him maybe? Yeah. That's going to be more than a fiver, isn't it? Yeah. I wouldn't. Would I pay for a fiver for a selfie with him? I suppose so I could print the photo and then draw like a little funny moustache. Stick it on the dartboard. Well.

5:01Marcus Speller: You could just do that with your thumb, couldn't you?

5:03Luke Moore: Yeah. Could do it with the thumb. Argentina 3, Egypt 2. Nothing to see here. A routine win. What a game. And everyone went home happy.

5:12Marcus Speller: What a game. And they shook hands at the end. Well played, gentlemen. Let's do this again soon.

5:16Luke Moore: Yeah. My goodness. Which is really unsurprising because both teams famously unvolatile. So it was obviously... It did make a difference for Argentina being the ones who kind of were just getting on with things. It was a strange sensation to experience. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because Argentina have annoyed a lot of teams over the years with their antics and so on and so forth. People might say that's sour grapes for English. Ask the Dutch, ask the Germans, ask... I think we know what we get with Argentina. If people are going to say that's sour grapes, they're talking absolute rot. Argentina are Argentina.

5:49They've always been Argentina and they always fucking will be and that's the end of it.

5:52Marcus Speller: Thank you. And I think the worst thing is they're very proud to be Argentina. Yeah, exactly. And there's nothing wrong with being that. I don't mind them being proud. I mind them being dicks all the time, which they are.

6:02Luke Moore: But in this game, I actually thought to myself... Egypt were bigger dicks. Yeah, ultimately at the end of it.

6:07Marcus Speller: But also, it's funny, it's funny how quickly Argentina get on the game, get on with the game when they're 2-0 down. Yeah, that's true. That's also true. Oh my goodness. Speaking of Egypt being the way they were, I saw that someone associated with the Egypt national team, possibly just a fan even, had compiled a four and a half minute video of why the referee in this game was corrupt and the Argentina were cheating. And it's a fairly thin grawl, as you'd expect. But it's four and a half minutes long. It took a while to put it together. And it came out about three hours after the game finished. That's how much copium there needs to be for this.

6:47because Egypt were absolutely sick that they'd let this one slip and rightly so.

6:51Luke Moore: Yeah, exactly. They were on the cusp of a very, very famous result. Like one of the most standout results, you'd say, in possibly World Cup history. You know, when you have that in the palm of your hand. I'd say so, yeah. Given their record in the World Cup is actually quite poor. It is, yeah, yeah. It's not been great. My goodness. Of course you'd be sick. You know, like any team. You know, at one point in the Azteca when England went 2-0 up and Mexico scored, you think, oh no. And then the red card, do you think other headlines are going to be England squander a two-goal lead? Thankfully, that didn't happen.

7:20Luke Moore: Thankfully, that didn't happen. Because the brave lions. There wasn't one stupid boy this time. Well, there was. Yeah, yeah. They didn't say that. And we managed to get through. I love how all the... We're talking about England, but with this game... So I totally get how immensely frustrating that was from the Egypt point of view. but I actually thought pretty much all the right calls were made if I'm honest with you I didn't think there was So Egypt would argue there we're being even handed about it so I think we're right to say that the goal that was disallowed was a foul and the penalty that was awarded was a penalty those things are probably fairly certain but what Egypt would say is that there were quite a lot of niggly fouls quite a lot of quote unquote dark arts going on that the referee didn't have any trucking trying to stamp out and it got to a point where there was a clear foul quite near the bench and the Egypt coaching staff jumped up and complained about it and one of them was instantly booked.

8:20And I think if you are going to be one-eyed about it and like a lot of football fans are and you want to look for that narrative, there was a decent amount of evidence for you to do so. Do I think the French referee was corrupt because he wants Argentina to go to the final? What one of the players said? No, I don't think that. But I don't think it was the most amazing refereeing performance. but then, you know, join the club. I mean, 50 % of the refereeing performances in this World Cup have been terrible.

8:43Marcus Speller: Yeah, and I feel like a lot of the complaints are based upon the standard of refereeing at this World Cup, which shouldn't be the case in terms of, you know, they've decided there's edict from on high to let games run and that is true to a point, but they're not saying, well, just don't give any fouls for a little bit. Let's have a few more goals. And I suppose that's the complaint with the disallowing of that first Zico goal is the fact that that's happened quite a few times in this tournament. It's like, yeah, but he did step on his foot. I don't think, I mean, you know. He pulled his shirt as well.

9:17Marcus Speller: Yeah, but I think it's the step of the foot which does it. I don't think they actually pull it up for the shirt pull. I think it's because he steps on his right foot. Or Martinez's right foot, which is when Martinez goes down because he falls forward rather than back. Yeah, that's happened before in this tournament, but that's not the point you can't just referee a game over the course of what's been happened

9:37Luke Moore: the month before that one the Germany goal against Ek yeah it doesn't make any sense to do that well the Argentina Austria one was a similar one and that wasn't given but then there's a different referee and a different and I suppose

9:47Marcus Speller: that's the complaint and if you're frustrated by that I totally get that because you're like well okay where is the consistency here it's like well I mean it was a foul it's sad it's disappointing because it was a great goal but they went and did it again well I was very glad

10:01Luke Moore: they went and got that second goal because I think had they not have done it would have been worse although I think from an Egypt point of view they're still going to go on about that and they will do because that's what football do to you but my frustration is it happens so far back from when the goal is scored however the law states that if it is if winning the ball back that's the turnover isn't it that is the turnover they're effectively getting punished for being too good yeah and but they're also getting punished for the foul But what I mean is...

10:33Marcus Speller: Because if an Argentinian player then pokes the ball into part of... It won't be his lap.

10:37Luke Moore: But this is why sometimes how you watch the game, it's ludicrous. I found myself doing this, watching Premier League, you know, my team in the Premier League or whatever, where you think, ah, that could be pulled back. Do you know what? I hope we win a corner because you get to keep the corner. Different phase of play. Do you know what I mean? I know that's ludicrous. And as you say, look, they've been punished because they've had a devastating move and they scored. So I think we're all fairly agreed on that one, even though you don't like the law, that the law was sort of applied correctly. Whether you like the law or not is a different way.

11:06Luke Moore: And you sound like a fucking traffic warden when you're saying all this sort of stuff. And I understand that totally. But that's where we are. One would say regrettably. The other decision was not, was when Argentina score their third goal and Mo Salah, there's chat, was he fouled and should that have been brought back for a penalty? I didn't think it was strong enough to be a penalty. Yeah. Do you know what I mean?

11:27Marcus Speller: I don't think Salah really did at the time. No, I didn't think he did.

11:30Luke Moore: But of course, when Fernandes heads it in, the crushing feeling is you're looking for anything to get that goal disallowed. And again, as a fact, I get that totally. But I'm afraid I thought towards the end and after the game and so on, I thought Egypt acted. It was pretty piss poor. I mean, in a post-match interview, Mustafa Ziko scored the second Egypt goal, said the game was rigged. The referee wasn't good. He was unfair. His injustice was clear. He persecuted us from the start of the match. He doesn't want us to win. It was a rigged game. It wasn't our fault. That referee, it seems like this match was rigged.

12:02Luke Moore: We were winning 2-0. He kept coming at us. Congratulations to Argentina on another World Cup, it seems. Again, I get the emotions run high. And I understand. Look, we've been on the end of... It makes you feel like when Ferguson saw Kansen now fly and kick that guy. You can't do that. I know you're frustrated, but I'm afraid you can't say that. And I know that maybe some people would say he deserved it. He was asking for it. But at the end of the day... You can't do that. You're going to get a big fine. And do you know what I find particularly jarring is that the referees are being asked to let the game flow, as Vish says, which I agree with, you know, and we've talked about that.

12:42But it's like a combination of really chilled and then really heavy-handed when the VAR comes in. And it feels quite jarring. Yes. Because it's either like you're, we're enjoying a game flowing and the referee's letting things go, which we generally like to see. And we don't want to, because what that has a knock-on effect of doing is it makes players understand fairly early on that if they roll around four or five times, they're not going to get anything and they have to get up. And it has a knock-on effect, which is really positive. And then all of a sudden, you know, the hammer of fucking Thor comes down whenever there's a goal scored.

13:13It's like, oh my shit, we're in the world's most fucking litigious fucking sport again. And it's quite jarring. So I think that's part of it as well. But on this stuff, look, you know, you understand that a team's knocked out in really difficult circumstances. He might well feel sincerely that's how it was, right? But you just can't say that. And he's going to get a big fine for that probably, a big suspension. And he should probably because you can't get into that realm of undermining the actual integrity or the fabric of how the game is officiated. You can be frustrated, but I don't think you can say that.

13:42And I think he's going to get the book thrown at him for that.

13:44Luke Moore: I mean, even if I was... Unless Trump involves himself. True.

13:47Marcus Speller: Well, I mean, that's quite an important point in all this because Egypt have seen what... Trump and Infantino have conspired to do for the US team. Yeah. So now there's impunity, right? Yeah. They are a predominantly Arabic nation who have also seen the way that Iran was treated at the start of this World Cup. I don't agree with any of their conspiracy theories at all, but I can totally understand. And laced in with the disappointment of what happened last night, I can totally understand why they've gone to this level of fury. Yeah. The manager's been like that as well. The manager's been very, very...

14:26Marcus Speller: Yeah, the managers talked about Palestine. There's a lot of things going on with Egypt at the moment. And there are so many other issues there. Throw that all in together into a situation like this where I cannot imagine the amount of emotion running through that team. We'll wait for Saturday night. You will. And I think there's also a point there where I think that very same emotion left them with a bit of stage fright as soon as Messi started turning it on. Because, I mean, I don't even think he really turned it on to that level. But as soon as Romero gets that goal, they don't react at all.

15:10Marcus Speller: The manager doesn't bring on a single defender in all of substitutions. But at no point, even when they can see that first goal, doesn't see that, well, he probably does see the tide turning, but it feels like everyone from the coaching staff to the players was completely frozen in that moment.

15:25Luke Moore: Yeah, I agree. I mean, look, the first half of this game, how on earth Argentina didn't score in it. You know, great saves from the keeper. Obviously, another penalty miss from Messi. Because you've just got to keep fouling Messi and then let him take penalty. Yeah, if he's threw in on goal, then you just drop him down and you've got a chance. But yeah, Messi obviously missed that. You know, Egypt scored a decent goal. Blah-de-blah-de-blah. And in the second half, they did equip themselves quite well, Egypt. They're happy to soak up the pressure. And then they looked pretty devastating on the break.

15:53Luke Moore: You know, as I say, there was that disallowed goal. and then Zico does get another one. And he scores that on 67 minutes. You get into the... They don't score their first goal until way after that, Argentina. Yeah, 79. Exactly, exactly. So you get into that hydration break. It's what we're dealing with. No, but it is a part of it. You get into that ad break and... Don't put the kettle on. And do you know what? Put the powerade on. He could have taken a leaf out of Thomas Tuchel's book there. because surely it was a case of what we have we hold now and they didn't really do that as you say it took 12 minutes for Romero to score and as soon as that goal goes in and you think as well the goal it was a bit of an annoying one for them to concede but that's a centre half

16:39Marcus Speller: you think the keeper should have saved it?

16:42Luke Moore: I don't know but the goal goes in

16:45Marcus Speller: I think you should have saved that

16:47Luke Moore: but as soon as that goal goes in you know what's going to happen and they just did not react at all And I think it's a question of mentality, right? It is. And it's quite easy to be wise after the event and we're not involved. Who's there, Dan Byrne? Yeah, well, no, exactly. But I think if you look at what's come out, not just us... It's also funny, Vish has got all these really deep, thoughtful takes about Egypt because last night it was just ancient Egypt puns, wasn't it, for hours on the WhatsApp? It was. Will you prepare some while I make this point? Yeah, for sure. But if this is what one of the key players is coming out with, the manager's coming out with, not just now, but before this, you know it's happened before with the manager you wonder what's going through their minds in the moment because ultimately you're talking about Thomas Tuchel there Thomas Tuchel is a certain type of character with a certain type of skill set yeah skill set and experience you can definitely believe Thomas Tuchel in this kind of situation for England would be saying guys just fucking relax calm down you know we've been better than them whatever it is you're going to say to motivate the team which is what you're paying for to do if you're going in there just basically rampantly like reciting conspiracy theories and talking about how you know destiny's this and you know and you're right in the thick of it everyone's going to lose their head watch out for the chemtrails lads in this last 10 minutes exactly it's a milky blanket coming down it's like you've got to keep your head save yourselves it's Roger Al Kiprin right you've got to keep your head when everyone around you is little than theirs right you've got to be able to do that and I don't know if the manager was able to do that and it certainly contributed now Argentina are a really good side and momentum is massive in football and drama is massive massive, particularly in these types of knockout occasions at the World Cup.

18:22But you have to say at the very least, at the risk of sounding unfair to Egypt, you've had to deal with a sickener here. They didn't help themselves. You can't, because the very fact that didn't even go to extra time is benign.

18:34Luke Moore: And that's the point, is when Messi scores that goal, it's a beautiful strike. And the keeper almost saved that one, by the way. Yeah. That would have been a fucking save for the tournament if he'd saved that. It was a great strike for Messi. And you saw the way Messi celebrated. I've never seen him celebrate a goal like that. A hundred percent. Like, just lost control. He was in tears full-time. Well, he was, yeah, because he thought that was it. Yeah. And they're alive and they're still in it. But when Enzo Fernandes heads that one in, you saw that there was almost like two Argentinians on the last Egyptian defender.

19:03Luke Moore: And the, I can't remember. The decoy run and he gets.

19:05Marcus Speller: I can't remember who the second Argentinian was. Was it Martinez? No, no, Martinez crossed the ball. Of course he did, yeah. Which, fucking fantastic cross. It was a beautiful ball in. But the second Argentinian player who arrives, he makes the goal. Because the defender, at that point, pulls away slightly so Enzo can get on the outside.

19:25Luke Moore: What on earth is that phase of play?

19:27Marcus Speller: Bear with your mind. They panicked. They panicked. Sorry, the thing that's going to haunt them to like, to haunt this player to Colomuani levels. Not because he's signed for Spurs. Yeah. Marmouche's chance to lay in whoever's on the left. And Paredes, who was gassed on one leg, basically. Yeah, when Egypt broke away. Was it 2-1 at this point? Yeah, I think it was. No, no, it was 2-2. It was 2-2. It was 2-2. Either way. Yeah, the chance to lay him through and also had the chance to faint lay him through and go around the other side. Yeah. And he just plays kind of nothing past that Paredes cuts out.

20:07Marcus Speller: Yeah, that was such an opportunity. No way on it, yeah. And I think if you're Egypt and that's the kind of situation, I just hear the world champions. You kind of know in your heart they're a better team than you and you look around the bench and your manager's got two pencils up his nose and a fucking pair of underpants on his head you're not going to be inspired with confidence

20:23Luke Moore: would you not look at his twin brother then? maybe you would that's enjoyable wasn't it? yeah so on the WhatsApp group

20:30Marcus Speller: when it was all descending and we all went a bit mad we got involved can I just say for the record that I didn't get involved in this out of respect for Egypt well done so we were suggesting players that Egypt could bring on to help them out Jim Campbell went with Mouton Karmun I just went with Argentina need there The Mummy Thomas Cartuchel Cairo Havertz

20:55Luke Moore: Cairo Havertz

20:56Marcus Speller: Nile Ranger You came back with Trent Alexander-Arnold I went back at you This is like Wimbledon I went back at you With Cleopatra van Arnholdt By the way None of these players Are going to help Egypt No Ledley Scorpion King Very good He would have helped him even on one knee get him out of that fucking jacuzzi aswangoldy maria some of the laughs we have

21:21Luke Moore: when we're watching the football at the same time keep them to yourselves I genuinely think as well in that hydration break in the second half you rock up start dishing out a few puns to them relaxes them all of a sudden you've got the lost Mary vape out passing that around in our altitude it wouldn't have helped it's going to go to extra time at least at least going to go to extra time but yeah but it is nightmare fuel being in that situation losing your momentum the best player to ever play the game is doing this thing and you're like this is terrible this is horrible well that's the thing look I think when that fair to say if that happened with England versus Mexico and Mexico had Lionel Messi it might not have gone the way we hoped maybe

22:00Marcus Speller: but that even it's but it's the reaction

22:03Luke Moore: though from the managers yeah you're totally right definitely

22:06Marcus Speller: even as I was watching that game I was like oh fuck they're winning it then yeah like that's what Messi does Because that's the kind of... The thing that Argentina concoct is, you know, it's almost like a religious experience of destiny and miracle and they have this guy who they believe is God himself and this idea of... He's dead now. Yeah. Maradona. Yeah, but he's been reincarnated. Yeah, but that's kind of the point, you know... They're living at the same time. It doesn't make any sense. It's not my theory. Messi was rubbish until Maradona passed away and his spirit went into Messi. That's right, that's right.

22:42Luke Moore: I always thought you'd be a player.

22:43Marcus Speller: But like, just the... The Argentina fans were still there like two hours after the game had finished. Still in the ground. And just, yeah, Messi's tears. Do you feel it's inevitable? I mean, that's what they think, yeah. And they get back from the precipice of being 2-0 down last night and it makes them think even more that that's the case. Do you know what? They're playing Switzerland next.

23:08Luke Moore: And that again, they think... Why would you think it's destiny? Do you know what, though? I actually had a slightly different feeling after it. I thought, you know, incredible comeback and, you know, the way they were all celebrated and so on. The scenes were quite something, of course. It really did make me feel, actually, that I don't think this Argentina side would go on and win the cup.

23:27Marcus Speller: I mean, their midfield four is, all told, going forward, quite naff.

23:32Luke Moore: Yeah.

23:33Marcus Speller: They're great when they're in front because they just kick the shit out of everyone. Like, what are you going to pull? Gorgeous, handsome, belies the fact that he's a shit-ass. Can I come in on this? Because I said this to Marcus earlier in the tournament. You did, you did. And I think not only that, but a good handful of them haven't had very good seasons either. And Marcus said it's different when they put an Argentina shirt on. I'm not trying to call you out. I'm just saying that's what you said. How do you think back to that?

23:53Luke Moore: I thought you were going to say Colombia are going to beat them. No, no, no, no, no, no. But your point's still... The point is that Marcus was making... When they put an Argentina shirt on, it's different. And you can get into your mindset of thinking they're not that good. But they find a way. Yeah. And they feel differently when they wear the shirt. And I don't think that's the same for a lot of other nations. No, I would stand by that.

24:14Marcus Speller: I feel like that midfield four, or certainly the likes of De Paul, Paredes, and even Enzo, to a point, even though I appreciate he got the winner, the workmen around Messi are at their best when they're in front. Yes, I agree with that. And when they're behind, and I'm massively throwing in the fact that Egypt shat the bed yesterday. Yes, because they were behind yesterday.

24:35Luke Moore: In fact, quite famously now, yeah.

24:37Marcus Speller: Yeah, but when they were behind, they had no creativity about them. Like, you know, they were letting De Paul have the ball. They were letting Correides have the ball. They were letting Enzo have the ball and cut back and pass it back.

24:47Luke Moore: So a more organised... So if, say, Switzerland got themselves in front, a very organised side, it would be interesting. I just think with Argentina, I think it was an incredible win. It was an amazing comeback. It was such a great game to watch. And I admire them so much for coming back because it was so late in the day. Oh, you've got to give them credit, yeah. And the players that they have, et cetera, et cetera, and I know that they are a force to be reckoned with. But on the specific point of, can they go on and win this competition? After that game, I feel that it's less likely that they're going to do that.

25:19Luke Moore: Because I think that you've obviously got the Messi factor, which is enormous, despite the fact he's 39 now. We've all had our say on that. Remarkable, one of the best sportsmen ever. I feel after this game, I thought, that can definitely be got at. And I just feel that if they play a proper side who can score, even if, say, they played, let's say they played Norway. Norway beat England, they play Norway. I think Haaland would eat up that back line. And I think that, you know, they were very defensive. I think England would have a good chance against them. And even if Argentina managed to get to the final, I really think the French would be like, or the Spanish would be like, yeah, no, this is, you know.

25:59Luke Moore: But look, here I am saying if they get to the final, if they got to the final again and lost, it would still be an amazing achievement. so I'm not having a dig at Argentina I just think that you saw that we've seen with this side that yeah my point I'm laboring to make is I don't think they're going to go in and win the tournament but they've been great they've been enjoyable to watch but I think Switzerland can go in that game thinking right if we're at the races we could be on we've got a chance and finally for now I'd say farewell to the certainly I mean he's a controversial character as we've discussed but certainly the best named coach in the World Cup Hassan Hassan Hassan Nain Hassan.

26:35Luke Moore: I'm not arguing with that. It's a brilliant name. It's a brilliant name. Fantastic name. It's a brilliant name. And speaking of Hassans, we are actually going to do a mailbag tomorrow and I'm pretty sure that Haysom Hassan is going to get a mention on there.

26:47Marcus Speller: He was outstanding.

26:48Luke Moore: Because if he sign that lad up, Maisie dribbles, come on. You seldom do you see a player like doing that kind of stuff.

26:58Marcus Speller: They took him off on 73 minutes and they stopped being able to carry the ball forward. and the game initiative and playing below the radar at Real Oviedo yeah nice to see it's a bit of a throwback that yeah yeah yeah sometimes you see back in the day all the time you would see a player and you'd be like oh he's amazing who does he play for and he'd be snapped up Denilson for example Denilson the gold standard

27:19Luke Moore: alright coming up after this the game that some have dubbed Charlie versus the Chocolate Factory

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30:36Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal!

30:43Marcus Speller: Goal! Goal!

30:46Luke Moore: Something for Darren Fletcher to aspire to there. Welcome back to the Football Round. Did he say it?

30:52Marcus Speller: Tu puta madre. It sounded like he did. I saw that as well. Your fucking mother.

30:57Luke Moore: Is that an official broadcast? I don't know the answers to all these. Well, I'd like Darren Fletcher to aspire to that and then get taken off the air, ideally. Thanks to Friend of the Ramble, Matt, for sending us that on the Discord. Remember, if you want access to the Discord where you can chat with us and other Ramble listeners, plus get extended versions of every Wednesday pod, including today's and ad-free episodes, then get over to patreon.com forward slash football ramble. Now then, Switzerland nil, Colombia nil. It's exactly what I said it was. They'll make any game boring. They just will.

31:30It's their thing. And I kind of admire it in a way. This is what we're good at. We'll make everything boring with the exception of Granit Xhaka, who's a brilliant leader and kind of does some interesting stuff. And Ricardo Rodriguez has got some interest because he's been around for so long and he looks quite cool. Other than that, it's fairly boring stuff.

31:46Luke Moore: I mean, even Xhaka himself, right at the end of extra time, thought, fine, I've got to do something. He made that mistake and Kampas should have scored. Should have scored. How have you put that

31:54Marcus Speller: over the bar? He's left-footed as well. He hit it like a right-footer.

31:56Luke Moore: And the thing is with a chance like that.

31:58Marcus Speller: About three feet over the bar.

31:59Luke Moore: Yeah, the thing is with a chance like that is you don't have to think about it. No. Your decision is already made for you. Take yes for an answer. I know. Take yes for an answer.

32:07Marcus Speller: You've got to learn to take yes for an answer. If over the bar's not there, what are you doing? Exactly, exactly.

32:12Luke Moore: Yeah.

32:13Marcus Speller: Don't know again.

32:13Luke Moore: I mean, it's a signal. I think most people would have probably had this down as a Columbia victory Switzerland seemed happier to kind of just contain them a bit.

32:23Marcus Speller: Don't know. You've got to control the ball, haven't you?

32:25Luke Moore: But the problem for Colombia in this World Cup, and I think they've been largely good, and I think that they've played with some attacking verve. Their fans have been great, blah-de-blah-de-blah. Scoring goals has been a problem.

32:34Marcus Speller: Yeah.

32:35Luke Moore: And as it proved to be in this game, nil-nil in this World Cup, nil-nil after 120 minutes. Pathetic. That's disrespect in this tournament. How are you making a team like Colombia boring? Colombia, who during qualifying scored 28 goals and conceded at 18. Yeah. And I think at one point they beat Venezuela 6-3 away from home. They are a great team to watch, even if they just look cool and their kits are great and all the rest of it. I just think reducing that down to a real struggle is an amazing testament to just how boring Switzerland can be. But I tell you what, though, the Swiss, bearing in mind, they've not lost just one.

33:10Luke Moore: They've lost two penalty shootouts to England. For them to win a penalty shootout, that's huge. It really is.

33:17Marcus Speller: This was the first time, well, when they were going into extra time, the commentator pulled out a brilliant nugget that neither of these teams have gone into X-Triam in the World Cup and been successful yeah

33:27Luke Moore: so obviously something they have to give and I mean both of both of these sides have lost penalties to England but yeah as I say Swiss more recently

33:34Marcus Speller: did you see were they brought on Yeri Bieder for a penalty yeah how old did he look on that pitch

33:40Luke Moore: yeah but he's not even that old is he

33:42Marcus Speller: I mean you know it's the wear and tear of professional football isn't it but and a number of seasons at Everton yeah he's only 31 won. He laboured onto that pitch.

33:51Luke Moore: Yeah, is it Calgary at the moment? I mean, he is he's won for a penalty. I remember when he missed against Argentina. I think it was the semi-final. It was definitely a knockout. Well, obviously it was a knockout time. It was the quarters of the semis of the Copa America where Argentina went on to win it. It must have been the semis because I think he scored in the shootout in the previous round and he did like a little celebratory dance. And then when he went up to take against Argentina, this was during COVID, so you could hear what the players were saying. And he missed. And Messi was just shouting at him.

34:19Luke Moore: Oh, I remember that. Dance now! Dance now! Messi bellowing at him like that.

34:23Marcus Speller: Well, it was also when England win the penalty shootout against Colombia, all the players rush off and one player, John Stones, as he's running off, turns around and gives it big to Yerimina. Was he did? He was constantly putting them off. Oh, was he? Well, he did something

34:38Luke Moore: at the start of the shootout, didn't he? They were shit out of the whole game. That was one of the Swiss takers or something. Yeah, he was in a scrap. Yeah. That was, yeah. That England shootout, they were shithouses the whole game. Yeah, they were. It was right on the edge, that was. But this Columbia side, I mean, maybe it is because of the rules. Maybe, you know, with VAR and all the rest of it, it does dial down the shithouses a bit. I don't know. But Columbia didn't seem to... They just seemed to be completely nullified in all kind of areas. You know, even in terms of... They missed chances, though.

35:08Luke Moore: They missed a lot of chances. They missed one at the end, I suppose. Luis Diaz. Diaz had a chance. He should have scored. Absolutely cooked, yeah. They did have chances, Marcus. I just think it'd be interesting to see how far this kind of way of playing from Mads Mikkelsen, Switzerland, can go. They're very much the beautiful Muret Jachin. He looks great. He looks great. He looks like Mads Mikkelsen, but younger. And it'll be interesting to see how far I can take them because it does instinctively feel like a limiting way of playing because I just feel like if you concede a goal, what have you got type thing?

35:43and to me it feels like is Xhaka going to bang with him from miles out? Is he going to score a free kick? Are they going to get one from a set piece or whatever? I think Freude has had a relatively decent tournament. He seems to have been involved a lot and they've got one or two players who can make differences. I thought that Daniel Munoz was pretty quiet and I wonder if that's because he was nullified quite well.

36:03Luke Moore: And they did that really well because Munoz has been brilliant. He's a flying machine and I think that maybe there's something in that you say and they nullified him. I think they definitely had done that left or down Colombia's right hand side. But ultimately it's a boring, boring affair because Switzerland have made it that way. And I also feel now that I think Argentina will probably beat Switzerland fairly easily. And I know there's an element of South American football watchers who will say, well, Colombia always shit themselves playing Argentina anyway. But the conversation had changed a little bit in South America.

36:34Luke Moore: Argentina used to kind of, you know, not bothered about all the other nations other than Brazil. But the chat is actually, because Colombia took them to penalties in recent games, they'd actually really respected Colombia. I think Argentina will breathe a great desire. Oh, they'll massively be preferred to play Switzerland. Yeah, I think they've... And this is it, you know, in the same way in the last World Cup when Croatia did them a favour against Brazil and beat them and then they had that semi-final against Croatia and Croatia were kind of, you know... They were cooked, yeah. They were a bit cooked.

36:58Luke Moore: It'll be interesting to see what Switzerland can do. I mean, Switzerland do have a little bit of a goal for it, you know, with Bolo. If Manzami can come back...

37:05Marcus Speller: Yeah, do we know that's the case? So it was a knee thing. And presumably he's still here because they want him to beef him for this quarterfinal. Yeah, Indoi, Vargas. Indoi played well yesterday, actually. Yeah, I know he's not too inspiring. He was basically part of the reason that Munoz was nullified. Yeah. Because he's a real threat. But again,

37:24Luke Moore: I just wonder with this Argentine midfield, I don't think it's like the Brazilian midfield where you will get an enormous amount of space. I just wonder, you know, if you can nullify... Switzerland, we know how they're going to set up. Nullify them. See how the game goes on and see if they tie and then start to do that. But yeah, interesting, called a fine little bee. But look, Switzerland have got through. They played in the way that they thought this gives us a chance to go through and they have. Despite Ankanji's best efforts in the shootout.

37:54Marcus Speller: Oh my God,

37:55Luke Moore: I felt so sorry for him. Quite satisfying

37:57Marcus Speller: when it landed on the FIFA sheet at the back. Such a bad penalty.

38:01Luke Moore: He dropped to the floor because obviously he missed two years ago against England when Pickford saved. But that one, do you know what? It felt like he thought because against England when he took that penalty he didn't really hit it very well it was not into the corner and I thought that that he's probably got in his he's got in his own head there and he's thinking right do you know what if I really hit this but even when he hit it

38:21Marcus Speller: the technique was awful

38:22Luke Moore: it was awful he hit it on the side of his foot you know it's like he was

38:25Marcus Speller: you know when you play like Sunday League and you try and take a goal kick yeah and you're like I've sort of got to hit this as hard as I can I want to hit it straight yeah so I'm going to lean over it was exactly like that it wasn't quite as bad as Timbers for the Netherlands but it was that was the worst struck penalty I've ever seen a professional player when it was up there I mean you say you feel sorry for him it's well they went through I don't feel that bad it's poor though isn't it I mean it's a poor penalty what are you doing setting up a centre back to take that penalty after he's already missed one in a shootout before well he thought

38:55Luke Moore: he thought he was Stuart Pearce he said don't worry lads I'll just take one like Messi don't do that the one part of Messi's game you can't copy oh dear but yeah but Murat Yakin was delighted yeah

39:08Marcus Speller: He should be delighted anyway looking like that. How old is he? Fucking hell. He looks amazing.

39:12Luke Moore: He does look amazing.

39:13Marcus Speller: I've never looked at someone more and thought tabs. Oh, yeah. But it's funny, isn't it? It's funny, isn't it? Because there's certain types of European man who can tab their whole life. And it's never going to affect him. It doesn't age him. It doesn't age him.

39:25Luke Moore: Yeah, a friend of the show, Lars Sivitsen, said on X that he looked like the big, sorry, he looked like the bad guy in a straight-to-video action film shot in Bulgaria starring a big-ish-named American star who just went through an expensive divorce. I think that's unfair on Yakin. I think he's more box office than that. Yeah. I think he could definitely get to a mid-range Netflix series. I reckon there's a bit of charm about him that he's a kind of,

39:50Marcus Speller: yeah, he's like a Netflix, what's his chops from Bond? I just literally had his name. Daniel Craig. No, the other one. Roger Moore. Roger Moore. Oh, Christoph Waltz. He's Netflix Christoph Waltz. Yeah, I see what you mean. Yeah, I see what you mean. He's only 51, to be fair.

40:06Luke Moore: Not Roger Moore, no, definitely. Kristoff Orson. No. Okay, no, no. All right, fair enough. Well, speaking of sexy men in there, I assume he's in his 50s, Jürgen Klopp was spotted eating chips in the stands during normal time. Having his best time before he becomes the next German manager. I'll tell you what, enjoy it. Enjoy it at last, Jürgen. Yeah, 59, Jürgen Klopp. Just in the 50s club still. Yeah, well, Switzerland, they march on. Oh, did we enjoy Tom Cochran performing Life is a Highway at halftime? I was just a bit confused as to why we've got half-time shows happening. What's going on with that?

40:43I mean, I understand we're having one for the final, which has been fairly controversial for some people. Why are we doing one now? Is it because it was the last game in Canada or something?

40:49Marcus Speller: No, I think it was that, but it was also the... They've had quite a few things at half-time at the grounds, but they've only shown this one because it was the ITV team. Because the theme, okay. So they're doing half-time shows in every game? Well, they've done DJ sets. they've done performances I didn't actually realise that I didn't know that I think only a few places but yeah they definitely did one in Philly recently

41:12Luke Moore: Philly Philly well yeah Switzerland they march on yeah they're kind of below the radar not really getting anyone's attention like I say it will be interesting to see how far it can take them I would bloody love them to knock out Argentina let me make that absolutely clear I know I've hated on them a lot but if they can beat Argentina I'd be very much in favour of that I think that would be good behaviour yes but I think it is they're probably, if you take out the fact that there are teams in this World Cup that are absolute also-rans, the fact that Switzerland have actually got some potential out of all those teams that have got a chance of being dark horses, if you like, they are by far the most boring.

41:49Luke Moore: I really wish I'd just, it's such an obvious one to go overachievers, yeah, Switzerland. But no, because Switzerland have got, every single tournament it seems, Switzerland have got it written all over them that they'll get through to the knockout phase and they'll go out after a boring game on penalties. Like they did with England. Yeah, but they seem to always do that.

42:05Marcus Speller: Well, look, the fact is... I think they're responsible for the best game of the Euros, to be fair. As dull as they've been, the France game. So, Euro 2020.

42:14Luke Moore: Oh, okay, so you're going back... That was amazing.

42:15Marcus Speller: Yeah, but that is so out of character.

42:19Luke Moore: Yeah, well, look, this is the first time they've reached the World Cup quarterfinals since they hosted the tournament in 1954. So you have to give them credit. If you don't, then that is unfair. Well, they need to give credit. They need to have credit. And you will hear from their lawyers. You need to have credit. They've got fucking good lawyers. strong lawyers oh yeah big time I'll tell you I hope the referees watch how you go good luck tracking their money bloody hell no chance good luck tracking good luck tracking the funding of their academies absolutely no good luck tracking the funding of their political figures maybe you can you can yeah you can sit your watch by them though yeah

42:54Marcus Speller: storm the offices and Moriakin turns in his chair with a cat yeah the cuckoo just pops out of the car

42:59Luke Moore: unless we forget FIFA House is in Switzerland it is perhaps for a reason Perhaps for a reason. Anyway, I don't want to expand on that. Do you remember how quiet it was back in the day when Blatter was being accused of not being transparent so he turned all the walls in the FIFA office to glass walls? Love it. Absolutely love it. I think we mentioned it on the show, he was piping up about this tournament. Oh, yeah, he's having a ride on it. And Jamie Carragher replied, yeah, we need you back, Seth. We need you back. And I know he was joking, but I'm not. Seth, we need you back. We really do.

43:28Marcus Speller: So I genuinely have a couple of mates who work at FIFA and they play in this yearly game which is played out genuinely on a subterranean pitch under FIFA headquarters.

43:41Luke Moore: Is that where Infantino on corners?

43:45Marcus Speller: Do you remember that footage of him taking a corner? It's weird, like, you know, the Figo's and, you know, Figo turns up a lot and he loves it. Is it like that Nike advert where they're all in that cage on that ship? A little bit, but subterranean FIFA. But you know who's the global director of comms? It's Brian Swanson, isn't it? The ex-Sky Sports Guy. Yeah, is he really? Yeah, yeah.

44:02Luke Moore: I met him ever so briefly once at the Bernabeu. He's been fighting fires all over the place, apparently. According to Jonas, I know we've been on calls with him during the tournament. Well, he shouldn't be so careless with his matches then. You want to do global PR for people? That's how it goes. What hours is it? 24 hours, yeah. Listen, all I will say is... That is a big world. Keep your phone on. Do keep your phone on. Sleep when you can. Cry it out loud. Right, Luke Moore, this is something for you here that we've got in the running order. I think you've got a friend or a kindred spirit in Ricardo Koresma don't tell Andy Brasser he'd be so jealous he would be incredibly jealous obviously there's the football skill side of things that you're both comparable to but also old Ricardo is apparently not a fan of Roberto Martinez is that all it is?

44:47is that all we've got in common?

44:48Luke Moore: doesn't narrow it down does it? Martinez never impressed me since he arrived I've never seen the national team play a great game forgot the Nations League didn't you? that's the reality he tried 50 tactics none of them worked Is that me or Charisma?

45:01Marcus Speller: I think that's quite generous to Martino is to think he has 50 different ideas to set up a team. Yeah, I do too. I think that's absolute nonsense. I think he's quite a weird little bloke, Martino. I didn't go that far.

45:13Luke Moore: Don't agree with me and take it there. I don't talk to weird little blokes in the bogs at Craven Cottage. No, but they talk to other people in the bogs, don't they? Yeah, I think that might be what made him win. Who's a weird little bloke? Both of you. Me or him. His career was pretty good up until that point. Had he won the Nations League by that point? That is the big question. You rubbed off on him. Not literally.

45:32Marcus Speller: Who knows? Was this like at Wembley, was it when you were in the cubicles with two other blokes? That was just one other bloke. That was a Middlesbrough game, wasn't it?

45:38Luke Moore: Middlesbrough-Norwich play a final. Yeah, yeah. Got involved in it inexplicably of a game of piss jail. Having a piss with a bloke you didn't know. Yeah. Yeah. So who knows what you did with Roberto Martinez. That's what I'll say. Life is such a scream at times, isn't it? Yeah, but I can't... Minister, thank you. Minister, thank you very much. Vish, you can't say, you cannot watch Roberto Martinez belting out the Portugal national anthem, standing next to a load of fellow Spaniards and not thinking he's a weird bloke. It was like, I understand it's a difficult situation for you and you can respectfully just stand there.

46:13The way he did it was like, he's got absolutely no social skills whatsoever. It was bananas.

46:19Marcus Speller: It's so funny because it is about how we portray these people because when Carlo did it for Brazilian National Anthem I liked it touch of class I liked it yeah that was very classy absolutely if Tuchel did it on Saturday what are you thinking what he belts up the Norwegian National Anthem I suppose that's what it would be what a mind game what a mind game that would be it doesn't make any sense if Tuchel walked into the Norwegian dugout I thought it meant if he was singing the English National Anthem if we were playing Germany no no no yeah well that's not going to

46:50Luke Moore: happen at this World Cup

46:50Marcus Speller: no no no but would that be weird it would be incredibly weird No, I'd like that.

46:54Luke Moore: No, come on. If Tuchel went into the Norwegian dugout and sung their natural anthem perfectly, mind game. And did it like better than them. Yeah, and looked at them and went, and went, thanks. And like Raya Carried it. It would be super. Like when Americans do. Yeah, and then escaped on a jet ski. Before or after the game? Where's he gone? Where's he gone? What if Thomas Tuchel... Andy Barry's over you, big lad.

47:17Marcus Speller: Thomas Tuchel does... Thomas Tuchel. There's fantasy by Mariah Carey over the Norwegian national anthem. And completely kills it and then escapes on a jet ski. And Tony Barry's there at the hydration break going, I can't believe he's done that. We didn't talk about any jet skis before the game. He's gone long on the jet ski when they could have gone short. I thought he was going to do Always Be My Baby. That's her best song, to be fair. That's her best song. That's one of the genuinely, probably the best love song of the 90s, I would say.

47:52Luke Moore: Yeah. I rate it very highly. She was untouchable in that period. The Christmas one. Yeah, a bit overplayed. A bit novelty. What were we talking about? Because I think I had a point to make. Oh, that was... Mariah Carey. No, before that. Honey. The Mariah Carey of Portugal, Roberto Martinez. Don't do that to her. She doesn't deserve that. A bit more evidence of he's a weirdo. Right. How has he stood by idly as the manager of that nation and let Cristiano Ronaldo behave like that. There must have been some deal going on. Back in the hydration break in the last Portugal game. Oh, what a hydration break it was.

48:23Ronaldo was doing all the talking. I don't know if you saw that, but Martinez was just standing there. So to me, it's a very interesting dynamic there. I know he's gone now, but he looks no more than just a patsy for the Ronaldo regime. And I think if you've had that experience and you are an established manager, I think that's weird. I think it's a weird situation to find yourself. Who's he managing next? Yeah Charlie was saying 100 % Norway Just set fire to another Great generation of players At Norway I thought he'd go Netherlands actually I wouldn't be surprised To see him pop up Netherlands That's a good shout I'd love him at France Yeah He's not getting the France job Is he?

48:58Yeah I'd love him at France Yeah we all would We all would But his career Has got written all over it Couple of big sport And business conferences Hoover up a bit of money Doing some events In the Middle East Couple of stints on the BBC Then bang He's the next Netherlands manager

49:11Marcus Speller: Has he done Diary of the CEO? yeah he must have

49:15Luke Moore: I'm not I don't want to die on this hill I understand the criticism of Martinez in this tournament I honestly don't think he's that bad okay fine there we are fair enough you've let us sell that stuff and not stopped us I wanted you to have your say Roberto Martinez

49:28Marcus Speller: at a hydration break you just watched it all happen yeah

49:30Luke Moore: with his Nations League winner's medal thanks for listening to the football ramble whatever that looks like exactly you couldn't pull that medal out of a line up you could put 10 medals along and you wouldn't be able to get the Nations League one exactly

49:42Marcus Speller: the trophy is a man kicking a ball

49:44Luke Moore: it's really good let's see if you're saying that next summer okay thanks for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Agar's Greater Network Friends of the Ramble don't go anywhere keep listening for Ramble Uncut and of course if you're not a friend of the Ramble get over to payndron.com forward slash Football Ramble thank you Luke Millon thank you thank you for doing the Raja thank you thank you once again Roberto Martins

50:10The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the ACAST Creator Network.

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