England Draw With Ghana, Ronaldo Delivers & Try Not To Laugh! | Stick to Football EP 136

0:00Gary Neville: Just before we get started, I just wanted to say a big thank you to our partner Skybet and please don't forget to subscribe if you like. I hope you enjoy this episode. Is your kid's birthday coming up? Don't stress the prep. The Party Shop at Michael's is your one-stop shop for everything from bluey to rodeo. Transform your space into a birthday wonderland with dream-worthy tablescapes and decor starting at 99 cents. Plus, get free helium inflation on select balloon styles. Whether you're crafting a one-of-a-kind bash or grabbing the essentials, Michaels has everything to make their big day legendary.

0:36Shop now and order ahead for delivery or in-store pickup. Michaels, everything to celebrate anything. Rally caps, lucky socks, never stepping on the foul line. Baseball is full of superstitions we hope give us an edge. But let's be honest, most of it's just luck. That's how I used to feel about hair growth products. Until I found Nutrafol. the official hair growth partner of Major League Baseball. It's physician-formulated, clinically tested, and recommended by dermatologists. An actual game plan for thinning hair. Nutraful has formulas for men at every stage. There's Nutraful Men for guys 18 to 49 to help grow thicker, fuller hair in 3 to 6 months.

1:17And Nutraful Men 50 +, designed specifically for men 50 and up who want to keep the hair they've got. Go to Nutraful.com. promo code BASEBALL for$10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping. Find out why Nutrafol is the only hair growth supplement brand trusted by MLB at Nutrafol.com, spelled N-U-T-R-A-F-O-L.com, promo code BASEBALL. That's Nutrafol.com, promo code BASEBALL. Hey, Pablo Torre here. As a sports journalist, I've covered global sports for many years now, and there is one thing that I can promise you. nothing compares to the World Cup. And this time, it is even better thanks to McDonald's.

2:01You have the chance to take home one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal. The cups feature some of the biggest legends in football, like David Beckham, Terry Henry, and Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamine Yamal, and Alphonso 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.

2:33Gary Neville: Crackers, cheese, bit of ham. Very nice. Do you like crackers, Gary? I love a cheese board like a ploughman's lunch. If you gave me a glass of red wine and that, that's a good night. Yeah. How's your trip going? Very average. Really? Very average. That's a lie. It is very average. Why is it average? Because it's average. What's average about this trip? Er, going back to my cell every night in the room. Hotel rooms. What else? Going to watch somebody play golf for four and a half hours. Oh. He watched me play golf. I went on to watch the team, watch them teeing off. I ended up walking 18 holes.

3:20That's like four hours. Yeah, longer. Why did he do that? Why didn't you just go to the clubhouse? Usually the clubhouse was quite nice. Do you know what? Because when we started walking, I was enjoying the fresh air. Yeah, yeah.

3:32Gary Neville: We played with Shane Lowry. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Six holes. Yeah. Nice, wasn't it? It was lovely. Oh, it was beautiful. Is this where Tom went to play? Did you hear the Hamptons? No, we went to Sabanac. Tom, you're your best buddy, isn't it? Tommy boy. He's your best mate. No, wow. Wow. This has actually gone down the best so far. Yeah. Is it a winner? I've not been eating much on this trip. Do I look like I've lost weight? I'm serious. A little bit. Eating Harry no chocolate. You look like he caught a son. No bread. Have you seen all this? He got it delivered. It's from home. Can we have some?

4:11Have some of the cup of tea in a minute. Yeah. I'll have a bit of chocolate. I've been eating. I mean, Harry no bread. I always eat bread. I always be the night before. Is there a plane bar? Let me find. wrong yeah oh yeah there is a playing bar hey yeah give me the plan man hey wow they delivered so

4:30Gary Neville: much like easter the context by the way we just walked we just watched england which enjoyed the game i actually did i did i enjoyed the game do you know why it's uh enjoyed it i get i'm gonna get heavily criticized for this but there's part of me thinks that that was a better performance than the game against Croatia. I know where you're coming from. Do you know what I mean? It was a tougher game. Yeah. Hey, how physical, buddy? Hey. I'll tell you what, Roy, I thought they should have had a penalty, by the way. There was a couple of incidents. They didn't really... The Konza. No. The Konza one went...

5:07Gary Neville: I thought it was a penalty. I was like... When I was watching my room, I didn't have the volume on. Was he offside? When he came back to him, yeah, because there's only one, you have to have two players to go, keep it. When he came back to him... No, but I thought he was offside on the one through. I think he gave offside No I know he wasn't offside But I thought it was a penalty They don't think it was a penalty Konza Yeah 100 % He's tackled him Like Yeah Well look You see what right he thinks Pigford got lucky A couple of times Didn't he Yeah How was that not a foul The other way Didn't it make sense To me that And then would it Potentially be a red card If he's given the foul Because he's through and got it No I thought Actually that was right That one The one where Pigford Comes out Yeah I thought That was right That one you can take a couple with you as well I've taken all of them I've taken all of them don't tell me what I'm taking yeah oh nice one it it'll be interesting to see how that game gets received at home they're the sort of games that I played in them games quite a few times for England where we've been knocking on the door we can't break them down they're so deep and you get criticised for yeah but then you get the big chance Kane I know yeah well I couldn't believe it anyone expect him to miss?

6:17Gary Neville: No. Wow. No, I mean, he... He can't miss that. Believe it or not. Yeah. I mean, it's... It's left side. Yeah. That was an interesting game. That was a struggle of a game in terms of just generally trying to score, physical... I believe Kane didn't put that away at the end, though. Oh, I mean, I was shocked. But do you know something? I think when we look back, we'll think that they should have had a penalty, if we're being honest. Yeah. They had a bit of a tread, didn't they? I need to see it again like from I saw it if Semenya gets out of the way they score no are you talking about the one where he bashes into Pickford no I'm talking about the one I'm talking about the one where he comes back and then they carry on playing and he yeah Semenya's not there he scores sorry it's his own play yeah yeah yeah I thought it was a penalty but anyway it's got a ride to look as well don't you you know enough decisions no but on VAR you're not thinking you're riding you're looking on a penalty it's a penalty you're not nearly getting that right I'd be interested to see I just don't know whether there was an offside or something was the offside after the offside after yeah because there's only one defender you have to have two people forget that obviously the goalkeeper is ahead of them so that was the offside after the foul though isn't it could go back well mate you never know but the detail of that incident needed to explain yeah because look you can see the pictures and what you're listening they moved on very quickly they moved on quickly they didn't go back to it I mean I'd have been saying look get back to that you know what I mean I don't know They did the same with the Pickford thing though they moved on quite quickly there without really looking at it But the Pickford one I was comfortable with because I think Pickford went past the ball this way and the lad just ran into it Yeah a little bit Yeah it was a bit I was comfortable with the Pickford one I didn't think that was a penalty They obviously want England to get to the final London Yeah everyone does We love globally Mets on Thursday Gary Yeah Mets Yes Yeah Is that still on that thing Yeah If you want it to be It is Yeah yeah yeah So there is a conversation There's an invitation to watch the match Isn't there after that I'm a Yankees man These are rivals The Mets The Mets are up here And the Yankees No we don't The Yankees You're a night I just walked out the Yankees With a load of merchandise You just have to don't you I saw you coming Is New York Yankees The most famous merchandise In the world Like the cap The cap must be that It must be The hot dogs are nice Apparently the food at the Mets Is even better than the Yankees That was one of those It's impossible.

8:45The hot dogs.

8:46Gary Neville: That was too hot. It was two hot dogs, like sweaty old sausages, and it was mac and cheese. That was it. Beautiful. Beautiful. Onions, mustard, ketchup. I am a simple man. Do you know that? I'm a 4-4-2 man. You know, keep it simple. I don't like... You know, like your fancy, these are all food experts. Hot dogs. No, but Roy, I don't like the sort of, what I call them, tin hot dogs. You got tin, like the sort of ones that are like, they're almost orange, aren't they? They're orange. They're the colour of that lamp. thing behind you. I just like a proper... I like a proper sausage. Okay, I love it.

9:20Gary Neville: Do you like a... You wear what you eat? Fucking sausage. Do you like his T-shirt? The red card? He likes my T-shirt. Yeah, it's kind of, yeah. It's from the same company, you know, with the... Yeah. The little... The yellow card. Yeah, the yellow. The red is nicer. Yeah, the little red card. It's nice. There's no wonder she's doing well. Miles, come. It's my cousin, Miles. Hey, how are you? How are you doing? Okay, nice to meet you. It's in Philadelphia. Hey, okay, nice to meet you. Okay, nice to see you. Oh yeah, nice to see you. How are you?

9:44Ian Wright: Lovely to meet you. Are you going to join us for five minutes? Come on, join us for five minutes.

9:50Gary Neville: Come on, have a seat. Or are you going to the main show?

9:54Ian Wright: We're lucky we didn't do that. Call me Jill.

9:57Gary Neville: Call you Jill? Yes, you me Jill.

9:59Ian Wright: What are you sitting there for? No, don't do the barber thing with her. No, come sit here, Miles. Not the barber, you're going to chat with her for five minutes. What are you going to chat to my cousin about? Life, you. What's he like? He's a lot of people like him.

10:12Gary Neville: He's beautiful. Yes. He's beautiful. That's what we think of him as well. He's beautiful, eh? On the inside and the outside. Yeah. Give us some examples of how beautiful he is. Don't give her no examples. Speaking of the Yankees. Yeah, yeah. Well, we've just been speaking about the Yankees. What are you speaking about the Yankees? They don't believe me. You had five hot dogs a day.

10:31Ian Wright: I didn't have five hot dogs.

10:33Gary Neville: I didn't have five hot dogs. I don't even like hot dogs. I don't like hot dogs. Ian, be quiet for one second. We've got important things he's going to say. Tell us how beautiful Ian is. Give us some examples of how beautiful Ian is. He's kind of got these two levels where sometimes he kind of under, you know, he does his character thing that he wouldn't take him seriously, but he's got a very high level of ethic and discipline in the way he wants to run his life. So he's very principled, but on a personal level. I'm a doctor, I have a PhD, but I wouldn't have that if I hadn't had his support. Fantastic.

11:16Gary Neville: How has he supported you? Tell me how he supported you.

11:18Ian Wright: No, don't go deep. Don't go deep.

11:20Gary Neville: It's beautiful, this. This is Aurelian. Not this laughing thing that walks in every single week. I think it comes in late. No, he's got this, he really respects people that want to push themselves. He doesn't have, I would say, much tolerance for people who don't want to try. But he has very high support for people that want to push and really try to grow themselves. So that's what I've been the benefit of.

11:51Ian Wright: That's amazing. She's the one, she's the most intelligent in our family. She's got an amazing story. She watches the overlap and then just... That's good. Yeah, I love it. I love it. It's the thing that the overlats taught me, because this is the beautiful thing about this podcast, is that you discuss football, but with your guests, you have this personal touch so that you actually learn some very powerful things like the Manchester United footballer who has the son. Scholesy's age. Scholesy's, yeah. Scholesy, that was amazing. Yeah, I mean, I've been in tears so many times. and you ask some very excellent questions, really, very, very good at asking questions, the right questions.

12:39And you, I've learned... And you? No, I've learned that this sort of the... You've learned as a football fan that you can be too opinionated. You don't know these people. I didn't know you, but you're quite, you're very human. You know, and quite a vulnerable person.

13:02Ian Wright: Oh, gosh, Miley, where are you going? Oh, my goodness. You know, so I've really... And so the whole different personalities, they work, you know. And Jill, you know, to have this female voice as well, it's important. She's coming this week. We're missing her. Yeah, it's... She's here over the weekend. And you guys, you know, the background, the personalities as well. I think it really works. Thank you so much.

13:30Gary Neville: See the hats in the families as well? I was going to say, the hats, the glasses, they're just, honestly, it's a beautiful thing. I followed you. Who follows who? I love the shoes. Wow. Honestly, the hat, the glasses, I followed. The hat, the glasses, I'll just follow. Nice one. Cool woman. What meant to us. Nice one. Thanks, Martin. Amazing to have you on the podcast. Thank you. Can she sit there with you guys? She can. Sit there.

13:55Ian Wright: There's one there. See you. Nice one. Oh, please. Is your kid's birthday coming up? Don't stress the prep. The Party Shop at Michaels is your one-stop shop for everything from bluey to rodeo. Transform your space into a birthday wonderland with dream-worthy tablescapes and decor starting at 99 cents. Plus, get free helium inflation on select balloon styles. Whether you're crafting a one-of-a-kind bash or grabbing the essentials, Michaels has everything to make their big day legendary. Shop now and order ahead for delivery or in-store pickup. Michaels, everything to celebrate anything. Hey, Pablo Torre here.

14:35As a sports journalist, I've covered global sports for many years now. And there is one thing that I can promise you. Nothing compares to the World Cup. And this time it is even better thanks to McDonald's. You have the chance to take home one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal. The cups feature some of the biggest legends in football, like David Beckham, Terry Henry, and Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamine Yamal, and Alphonso 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.

15:1533 days, 33 episodes, no off switch. From the goals and the glory to the politics and the problems of the World Cup, If you want soccer analysis from a podcast that's been overanalyzing the game for more than 20 years, then this is it. Join me, Max Rushton, and our expert team of soccer journalists every day of the tournament. Can England end 60 years of hurt or will this be another year of falling just short? Probably. World Cup Daily, listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch full episodes on YouTube.

15:52Gary Neville: This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet. Before we kick off the show, I want to say a huge thank you to our partners Skybet, who've helped bring you stick to football throughout this tournament. Make sure you've liked and subscribed. You do not want to miss what's coming next.

16:10Gary Neville: We thought you were up in the room consoling yourself here. You know what, it was like... It was the England game.

16:14Ian Wright: No, it was... Why? You know, I think we're very fortunate in that game. Do you? In the end, yeah. Because we didn't do enough creatively. And then I thought that we were very fortunate with that concert challenge. Oh, you thought it was a penalty as well, did you? At first I thought, oh, the way they just... But they didn't make a big thing of it on the TV, did they? They didn't. This is why I was thinking, oh, he must have been offside. And I went to Stuart afterwards. I said, Stuart, was that offside? And he showed me, is Miles offside? He was. He was miles onside. Onside, yeah, yeah, yeah. So when...

16:44Ian Wright: That's what I thought. The first ball you're talking about, true. So the first ball through, he's onside. So I'm thinking, when Esri Codd comes in like that, I'm thinking, oh, my God, if they look at that, we're in trouble.

16:54Gary Neville: Right. I thought it was like such a certain, definite penalty.

16:57Ian Wright: Jordan Pickford. Jordan Pickford came up.

17:00Gary Neville: He missed the whole ball. I didn't think that one was. Yeah, no, I didn't think that one was me.

17:03Ian Wright: Yeah, but he clattered into the guy. I'm thinking, again, it was one of those... If the ladder had gone, maybe a little touch on the ball, and then pick... He would have been off.

17:09Gary Neville: Yeah. He would have been off, because I was really worried about that. The Cons one, I thought, was 100 % a penalty, but look... I think so. Honestly, Roy, you need to see it. I have seen it. I was looking for... Yeah, the way he just lunged in with his two feet. Yeah, I did.

17:24Ian Wright: Honestly, I was really... I think we got away with one there. And that's why, when you look at a game, and even the substitution of taking Jude off, I'm not sure I would have done that. But Kane then has a chance right here. Kane's chance I was very surprised with. You'd always get one chance. Because he's really, like, levered at it. What's he done there right here? Well, I think that because the defender's coming in really quick, so he's trying to get the shot off quickly with power so he can smash it through people. But then, obviously... His left side as well, maybe? No, he's not. I know, I know, I know.

17:51The whole side's... No, I'm just trying to find reason why...

17:53Ian Wright: But, like, this is why he himself, that's why he's probably looking like, what have I done? He's not that guy. He's not the slasher guy. And I think the player coming in, I think he felt like I just need to get power to get it there but he went over the bar and I was thinking well maybe this is one of those where we just have to just take it and give Garner credit absolutely just have to give Garner credit how aggressive were they they were good weren't they wow so aggressive you know with we have to say with Anthony Gordon and it's not like digging people out but like when we saw him against Costa Rica I was thinking right if we can get the left side working like the right side which we saw in that game and with Tuchel's teams it seems a bit more balanced but at the moment he's struggling Can I tell you something, right?

18:31There's a big difference when you all of a sudden get that shirt, isn't it?

18:35Ian Wright: Some lads are fighting for that position. And then when you go, you're the man, take it. I don't know, lads are a bit... Take a fight into that responsibility.

18:45Gary Neville: Do you know with Anthony Gordo, when you think about it, when it's on the different channel, you do pay attention to the game, but not to the same level when it's on your channel. So you're looking forward to the match. But if we were really doing that game properly, we would have been probably saying, well Garner are going to sit so deep that we're going to have 75 % of the ball it's probably not suited to Gordon because of the fact he likes that space to run into maybe you need more of a manipulate yeah but then you say that

19:11Ian Wright: Madueka is the same kind of pace player

19:12Gary Neville: but Madueka can dribble a bit he's got a jink in him he's got a little thing yeah but you can't just I think at this level you can't just pick a player and go because there's no space no but I would have thought he's gone to Barcelona part of his learning curve is going listen when team's sitting you have to fight the win there'll be a lot of low blocks against Barcelona of course Yeah, but I thought both of you, I thought five, ten minutes into the second half, I'd like Morgan Rodgers on the left here, or Eze. You're someone who can just be a bit more... Just creative. Gordon's not a dribbler.

19:42Gary Neville: He's like someone who runs with the ball, but he runs with it. He doesn't dribble with it. And I think you need someone who can play in tight spaces in that sort of area where you can sort of get them little passes in.

19:50Ian Wright: You know what I wanted as well, guys? Maybe Ivan Toney to come on and just be in there to be... Yeah, that's a good point, that. just you know that kind of nuisance he's getting in there he'll get fouls on the edge of the box he'll try and hold it the ball coming I just thought that we didn't have any why bring him over there exactly because I'm going to throw him on yeah for 10-15 minutes there the other thing is always lads the hype that they have with England 4-2 and this is football isn't it it's just teams can stop in your tracks and what I'd say about I love how aggressive they are sometimes a bit silly you're giving fouls away giving so many They never let up on the advantage, did they?

20:29No, they didn't. And even then, there was a bit of counter-attack, big threat. No, I think it's one of them ones. Listen, take the clean sheet. There's pluses with that. And move on. Especially with that. I don't care.

20:39Ian Wright: That penalty could have had a penalty.

20:40Gary Neville: Right. I never even thought of Tony. It's mad that. Because I think we've got into this mindset of Thomas Tuchel saying he's got 14, 15 players. You're thinking that only Rodgers is going to come on. That only sort of like, you know. Only Watkins. Only Watkins. Because they didn't.

20:56Ian Wright: Ollie Watkins is coming on to try and run into space. There is no space. If you watch the game, he got that, what could have been a penalty, but he's a little bit offside because he's in there and he's a problem in there. He got a free kick right on the edge of the box. That's something that we probably would have needed in a game like this because they were resolute. They were very difficult to break down. So you need something else. We need somebody who's going to stay there, get the ball into him. People might foul him. Then you get the free kick. Then all of a sudden you're finding another way.

21:23Ian Wright: But I could not believe he didn't bring him on. some teams sit deep as well I like about they're really happy they're like join us not like going we're under the cosh they enjoyed it shuffling across right back to them Roy Sanea yeah he had Anthony Gordon's number

21:39Gary Neville: it got to half time and we've talked about Carlos Kieras a lot Roy in different ways in different ways over our sort of quiz because look I'll be really honest with you about Carlos I'd had Kido Steve McLaren Jim Ryan Walter Smith they were all amazing personalities they put on really good sessions we were always sort of lively every single day Carlos comes in and it was a massive culture shock for me was it pragmatic it was just something it was the first time I tell you what blew me away I was left out one game I think I was rested on a Saturday for a game and we came in on a Sunday and there were six of us training and you're thinking six you're thinking right I know exactly what kiddo is going to do here we're going to go out we're going to warm up we're going to do a 3v3 position session we're then gonna do a little 3v3 small-sided game we're then gonna do a little 3v3 running session and then we're gonna go in it should be bright sharp yeah we did shape on one half of the pitch one cent we would one center back in the right channel one right back me Cristiano was right wing believe it or not there was a representative field and we were playing shadow play for 35 minutes six of us right and I was bored to death honestly I was bored to death but it was a run do you know the one that Ben White plays to Saka mmm the one where he plays it inside.

22:56Gary Neville: Me and Cristiano literally were practising that pass for 30 minutes. And we did it for 30 minutes on Sunday after you'd been resting on a Saturday and it was like, it was torturous. And then the other session I remember doing it, he actually started, he said, Gary, you need to run differently. And he said, you're running differently, you need to lengthen your stride. And then we honestly, and I'm going to get to where I'm going in the end with Carlos, because the detail behind everything, but it was difficult, Roy. For us, we've been used to really sharp, energetic, enthusiastic coaches. Carlos came in.

23:28Gary Neville: He was always quite sort of fierce and sort of moody. You'd call him moody to a little extent. And he just, every day, it would be shape. It would be shape. It would be patterns. And he was there for a year and a half, two years, and then obviously he left and he came back. But I'm taking you to 2008. We're playing Barcelona in the semi-final of the Champions League, right? We've got four days' build-ups this game. I think it was from the Sunday through Tuesday, or three sessions. Oh, my God. And I was literally just coming back from injury. I wasn't actually included in the school, but I was back in training.

24:03Gary Neville: We did 90 minutes on the Sunday, an hour on the Monday, an hour on the Tuesday, and literally, no word of a lie, what you just saw there from Ghana, he literally, this was a team that was like electric. Man United with Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Giggs, Scholes. It was like literally, we were blasting everyone away. he said this is a different game right and he sat us behind the ball five yards outside of our own box in a 4-5-1 we put Ronaldo up front he put Ronaldo up front and I'm convinced he took that game and that's the whole thing it was Jason Park and Rooney in the wide areas and we kept a clean sheet against Barcelona for 180 minutes Messi, Eto 'o and Henry were up front for Barcelona Iniesta in midfield with Xavi right the year after we get to Wembley to Rome and we try and take them on punch for punch we get hammered we attack at Wembley two years up we get hammered but in 2008 Tudia would have been his dream scenario we know the challenges that you had honestly I genuinely don't believe he liked me and Bex together I've said that for a long time I think he split me and Bex up at United I think he said look together everyone's seen it the patterns are too obvious they've not really got big pace and I think to be fair it was like Like, it got to a point whereby either I was left out or Bex was left out for about 10 games and Oli ended up playing in front of me or Wes ended up playing behind Oli.

25:30Gary Neville: So he's like, and he just kept leaving me out and I just thought, he doesn't fancy me. It was the only time at United I thought, they don't fancy me. And obviously, you know, the challenges that other players had with him, but I tell you what.

25:40Ian Wright: Do you like it? Do you like his stuff? Because like, what he's done tonight, you have to say for the calibre of players he's got, it's worth it. If you're going to play that system, you've got to have a bit of pace even the United lads you've mentioned listen Rooney and Ronaldo and all these but listen they could run him behind so that's sitting in Scolese scored the goal in that I know that I remember it of course I remember it but you still have to have a bit of pace like you did today as much as they were sitting in they were brilliant but they were still a threat and that bit of pace gives you that so today's scenario would have been but he had

26:10Gary Neville: the today he had the four at the back he had the one party sitting he had the four and he had the one and that that space there that position that Partey played against Barcelona he put a mat like a yoga mat in the middle of the pitch in a small area and he said to Scolzi or Carrick you've always got to be stood on that mat when we're attacking when we're defending and he literally did exactly that today with Partey slightly differently and I was just watching it I thought he's going to get a 0-0 or he's going to get a 1-0 and he is disciplined like that you've got to give him credit in terms of what they've done we do we are going to give him credit because it's not easy to do that.

26:50Ian Wright: Because you know what it's like. I've had to play in loads of games where you're literally going and you're defending for most of the game. Hopefully you're trying to get a break and you might nick a goal. There was enjoyment to their defending today. They had great pride. It wasn't as if we're in there going, oh, this is hard. They were like, no, a bit of pride in their defending and still being that threat. No, of course we're going to give them credit.

27:12Gary Neville: Absolutely. What could England, I mean, you've mentioned Tony, which I think is interesting. but what else do you think I actually when he made the subs thought okay he's going for it he's putting the right players on the pitch so we really to be fair gave Thomas Tuchel a lot of credit after Croatia because he made really good subs I actually think he made really good subs today but the Tony one's interesting but I actually thought he brought good attacking players on the pitch

27:33Ian Wright: he brought attacking players on the pitch but then what we needed from the players that was on there and then the ones that came on was a performance and people who were taking chances and opportunities passing the ball into places going past people. We didn't, that didn't really happen. But that's more credit to them, Rody. It was credit to them, but like, Roy, it doesn't mean you have to stop doing that. You might lose the ball trying to do something. But they get them moments, like Saka's had a shot towards the end. Kane has the biggest, That's when it opens up, yeah. Okay, there's Rodeau luck of your send penalties, but if Kane puts that in, you might go, we broke up down, lads.

28:05It was never going to be two, three or four nil. It was always going to be, you get that one opportunity. just to the point where our top scorer. But I think that's a good challenge for England. The Croatian game was a game stretched. Croatia came back twice, kind of surprising. You went, today was a big test for England. Again, I'd go away from today and go, McLaren was tough. Different. It's like teams are in the Premier League. Teams cause you different problems. Croatia, Ghana were a tough, tough game.

28:30Ian Wright: It was a tough game, but when you see how deep they were, I know that they broke and they broke in a couple of times, but I think we could have still taken more chances trying to break them down. You think so, right? Simply because then How righty How Passing balls in places Where it might get It might get Yeah the only thing Is on England To go and There's got to be Some jeopardy in it Because that's how They're playing They're playing Listen we've got to do this And then hopefully They'll try and put that in there Because if they do And we win it We can go and do a break Like they did But they've done it So Ghana are in a good place In terms of This is what we stand for They're not like Completely changing The way they play They've done it a few days ago England had to change The areas a little bit Because they were sitting in which Croatia had a bit more of a goal.

29:11So I think that's what we saw today, it's just football, if you know what I mean.

29:15Ian Wright: I thought that you need to be, you have to take chances of where you're playing. You know, it's the first game, in the first half there wasn't a shot on target for both teams in the first game, in the whole of the World Cup.

29:28Gary Neville: Do you know where I was disappointed with England? I actually thought if you could put the Croatia game and the Ghana game and mix the two together, you've probably got a really good performance. I actually liked large parts of that game today for England. The control, the order, the chaos had gone. I know they had a counter-attack against them or two, but that's always going to happen. I just thought Konza and Gay pushing on and sort of stopping counter-attacks mainly. I thought they were in control of the match. I thought they passed it pretty well. You're right, I thought I set pieces. That was a game for me.

29:56Gary Neville: I set pieces? Yeah, that was a game for me. I know we talk about this and we've laughed about it a lot this season, but that for me is a game where you've got all them corners, them free kicks, and there's quite a few of them. I don't know how many we had. That, to me, was a game where you're thinking, OK, and the one that Declan puts round to Anderson. Anderson, the header, yeah. That's one they've really worked at. They've built that space around the back. They know it's there, and he's a really poor header, isn't he?

30:20Ian Wright: Well, Saka had a header as well that could have got that on target. His form weren't great with that. I think O 'Reilly would be disappointed with the header that hit the back. Yeah, yeah. We've seen him do that for obviously city. You know what? He just seemed to be a little bit under it. He's trying to guide it a bit, Roy. You see his reaction.

30:34Gary Neville: He's disappointed. he should well that's the Carabao Cup final that's the Carabao Cup final where he scores he's done a few times yeah but like

30:41Ian Wright: I just like again when you you do pick at the piece and say well we should have been brave we should have been but they defended really well but like I think that because they were playing like they were you need to play somebody and play in a way where I'm probably not going to take Judov because he will take chances and try to get the ball into somebody like a Tony if he's up front and then you go from there but like we we brought the subs on and were doing the same thing. That's what it felt like.

31:07Gary Neville: I mean, the only thing I thought with Jude, I agree with you, I probably would have left him on. I wasn't thinking that he should come off, to be fair. But the only thing I thought with Jude is because you've got Partey there and then you've got the four in midfield and the four defenders so tight, does he just go and play as almost a centre-forward alongside Kane and balance off him? Because there's no space in there for him to operate. There's some games where number 10s can't get into that sort of pocket of space because you've got a player in there which is just... Partey was just shutting it off, wasn't he?

31:33Ian Wright: And maybe then, well maybe then Thomas Tuchel's got to look at it and say well maybe this isn't for Jude as much as he's our talisman he can be our talisman in respect of creativity it's a game for Harry Kane and maybe Tony to be up front

31:45Gary Neville: and Jude goes back into midfield with Dethlund

31:47Ian Wright: and then maybe maybe Elliot Anderson I didn't think Elliot played particularly well today I didn't think it went brilliantly for him and remember in the last game he dropped Jude he dropped Jude back yeah you know what I mean and you know I think he could have done that maybe brought on yeah maybe and maybe took Elliot off And then you've got that other striker up there who's going to cause a different kind of problem because, again, Harry couldn't drop off and do his thing. He couldn't do that. So that was negated today. So we needed something else.

32:16Gary Neville: There will be. Look, it's definitely not. Because I think, to be fair, it's definitely... I liked a lot of what I saw today, but I thought as it goes on, if we have another one of them against Panama where we don't score, there will be the sort of the Gibbs-White-Palmer-Foden type sort of analogy. Because they're the creative little ones that can play in those tight spaces against deep-lying defences and they can play those little passes. It's too early for that, but Eze can do it probably. Maybe Morgan Rodgers can do it, yeah. But it was an interesting game. I thought Harry looked like he was getting frustrated at the end.

32:48Ian Wright: Well, I think that the way that chance came about, it's a chance that, I wouldn't say he finished with anger, but it wasn't composed like he is. Because if you want that to drop to anyone, it's him. You know what I'm saying? So when I saw it go over, and I thought, oh my gosh, what's happened to Harry there? Because that's not how Harry finishes. But again, you're playing a game like that. He didn't have many touches, he didn't have many things. So he's trying to frustrate him again. You've got to give a balance for you as well. The other day it's four. That's the game, isn't it? You know what I mean?

33:22Like the other day we were saying, don't get too carried away. We were sort of conceded two. Today's 0-0. Just take it for what it is.

33:28Gary Neville: Ro, you're the coach of England right now. Are you happy? What are you saying to them in terms of sort of what do you think? I'd be cool with it. I'd be cool with the first two games. They'll think, yeah, some really good stuff, some stuff we need to sharpen up on, the bit of set pieces today, the bit where you go, if you're up against something like that, that's where the set pieces become even more important. And they would just offer a little bit. And you always have to focus on yourself so what you could do better. but again lads we're in the game Gano were excellent I told you aggressive well drilled and if you don't get that early goal before you know it and then you'd want to take you don't want getting players on the pitch

34:09Ian Wright: don't concede either maybe they got that luck of Harry because they deserved it the way they deserved they deserved something out of the game and like I say you have to go back to the concert challenge it could have easily you were saying what's important today was maybe for the clean sheet so even after the game you take that You have to look at the positives and go, I know the day, I can only do that. I know the day Campbell scored on. Yes. I think we're all, I'm still shocked. Yeah, me too. When it fell, it's a goal because you're so brilliant. It's like, you're going to take your medicine.

34:37One of those days.

34:38Gary Neville: I think to be fair, look, if I step into one of those defenders' shoes or I'm the defensive coach out of the sort of Thomas Tuchel's backroom stuff, I'm walking in there with Pickford, you're not celebrating, you're not smiling, you're not sort of bragging or anything like that, but there's a quiet sort of what will be satisfaction. Right. Look, and I think someone will say it in that dressing room whether it's the goalkeeping coach sometimes says it look no lads a nil-nil a nil-nil is the best draw you can get I think right now for England because we need to build that confidence defensively I thought Conor and Gay to be fair they did it okay in the game

35:11Ian Wright: apart from that obviously that moment they broke them out of course yeah yeah

35:16Gary Neville: this episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet

35:23Gary Neville: just picking up on a couple of things straight after the match. We're just getting these quotes through. Thomas Tuchel, I'm not frustrated. I saw this Cummings. I knew it would be a difficult game.

35:31Ian Wright: You said that, Roy.

35:32Gary Neville: Yeah, Garner are physical and so committed. Full credit to them. They were difficult to break down. You need to be patient, but the right moments be brave. We only conceded two dangerous chances. At the end of the halves, we grew into it and found rhythm, but of course fatigue crept in. I like the attitude, but you need a bit of luck. We had enough shots and cross and a big chance with Harry Kane. It is what it is.

35:49Ian Wright: He said, like he said, we had to take our chance to be brave. And that's what I was saying about trying to pass a few lines you might lose it but then you have to chase him back but that's what he's saying but he's happy he's happy like you said yeah

36:00Gary Neville: I think that's a spot on and then we've got just a quick a couple of quick questions a couple of quick ones from

36:10Gary Neville: Jude Bellingham says he's come out again writing another interview which I think good we love that he's come out and said I was given oh Jesus man of the match Jude Bellingham on BBC Sport I didn't deserve it to be honest it should have gone to one of the lads who defended so well I had a couple of moments it was hard to get into the game and I'm grateful for ever voting but it should have gone to one of their lads gone to one of their lads like always it's second game fever with England win the first one do well and draw the second it's okay though they played for a draw and that would have seen them go through a fair play to them let's be fair some balanced reactions after the game in terms of how they're seeing that's the word balanced and even a manager spot on

36:50Ian Wright: I love that from a dude because he can recognise what it's like for Ghana and how difficult it's going to be to defend and they've done it. So, well said.

36:59Gary Neville: And last one, Declan Rice, it's always difficult when you play against 11 behind the ball, as deep as they were, but you have to find solutions. In the last 10 minutes, we were unlucky not to score. We still have a great chance to top the group against Panama, so positivity all round. They were very compact, 5-4, one off the ball and tight spaces to play through. But on the other hand, we can do more with the ball. You've got to give Ghana credit. Loads of top nations draw their first game, so there's no need to be downbeat on negative. We will stay positive.

37:22Ian Wright: That's what I said That's what we need

37:23Gary Neville: Grieve it all up

37:24Ian Wright: See that's what I've said At the start What I think We just needed to Just like Try and pass the ball Into places where We're going to try and hurt them If they're good there And they tackle They get the foot in Brilliant But we've got to be Be brave Like the manager said Like Declan said So we'll take the 0-0 And go again

37:39Gary Neville: I thought Thomas Tuchel's Comments are quite interesting Because he said I expected that Actually You think about it He's picked a squad To counter attack really Mainly You think about the way in which he's gone with it with the pace in the wide areas. The players who can break down deep defences, to be fair, he's left quite a few. Wharton maybe is a better passer than some of the midfield players. We've got Gibbs White, Foden, Palmer. I'm not saying they deserve to go here, but those players are better against... Would it be nice to have one of them, though? Maybe just one. You have to find different ways of winning them.

38:14You're on about the strike, you're bringing a big target man on. Tony, do you bring a big target? Because if you're a defender, put it in your opinion, and your players are keen. Or you're saying, Tony, some lads don't like that aggression. Yes. Some don't want to be up against somebody who's dropped into pockets. You have to give defenders different problems. And maybe, if we're going to be, I'm contradicting myself, if we're going to be really critical of being here, you know, you didn't find a different way to try and...

38:37Ian Wright: Yeah, but the thing is, now that we've played like that and then depending on what we do against Panama, if it's in the same vein, then we're going to start here. Surely. You should have been here and you shouldn't because it's a good point, gal. It's a good point you make about, like, one of them. One of them. Right? I'm not going to go into that where he should have, but that's where it's going to go. But Croatia high-pressed us. We had loads of space to counter attack. It's perfect for the team. A different game. But imagine if you saw Parma coming on today after 75 minutes. You'd be quite happy with that, wouldn't you?

39:06You would. You'd be looking at Parma going, you definitely got... He kind of bypassed all that kind of physicality going, no, just give me a split second. I'll try and pass it in there. Yeah, but again, his farm wasn't great.

39:17Ian Wright: Well, that's what happens. and that's why, again, your form needs to be in a place where you get yourself in there. You don't give the manager the opportunity to leave you out like that. That's what it comes down to.

39:28Gary Neville: Okay, let's run through the ratings quickly. We'll settle on scores. Jordan Pickford, six and a half. You got lucky once or twice, didn't you? Yes, I think six. Six, six. Okay, we're going to go Jed Spencer, left back.

39:43Ian Wright: Six and a half. Konza, seven. I thought he was okay. Seven. I get zero. Zero against. Seven. Yeah, seven. Yeah. Gaii? Eight. Seven and a half.

39:57Gary Neville: Eight. Seven and a half. Seven and a half, Gaii? Go on then, yeah. Rhys James? Six and a half. Six and a half, yeah. Anderson? Six today, maybe? Yeah, maybe. I thought Anderson was better against Croatia. I thought actually Declan Rice was better today. I think Declan would be seven today for me. I think some. I think seven, probably. Yeah, seven.

40:19Ian Wright: Seven.

40:20Gary Neville: Madweki, I think he's a threat.

40:22Ian Wright: Yeah, I think he's seven and a half. And he kept him on the longest, by the way. He did keep him on. I thought he was going to take my worry on. Seven and a half. I think he's done well because normally you'd think that, like you said, Gau, them wingers are going to be the ones that's going to change around and he stayed on. That would be really good for his confidence because he said, right, they kept me on. And he does look like a threat because he wants to go on the outside as well.

40:43Gary Neville: Anthony Gordon is probably the one that's under the most pressure now. Probably, yeah. We all thought he probably wouldn't play today, didn't we? We thought that maybe Marcus would come in or something like that, but he stayed on. He'd be under huge pressure now. I think he's under pressure now, yeah. I think he's the one that's going to find it a little bit difficult to keep his spot. I'll say it again. There's a difference between getting the opportunity and the manager says, yeah, go for it. The lads are a bit... Six. Different. Six off. We'll give him a six. We'll give him a six.

41:10Ian Wright: I don't think we'll lower this. I'm going to start going low and then six is... Do you? He said he'd give him the man of the match. So you've probably got to give him seven. Seven?

41:18Gary Neville: Seven, yeah. And Harry? Six and a half today for Harry? Just because you expect so much from him. That's all it is. We give him the prod, it's like you wouldn't believe, don't we? We think he's like gold. And then today, that big, look. See Ronaldo scoring and I'm in Kane missing that. See Ronaldo scoring honestly. Roy Quineo from Portugal. The gold. The gold. Quineo. Quineo. Yeah, Roy Quineo. You should have seen him on telly earlier Ronaldo's going, get in! That's for me!

41:49Ian Wright: That's for me! Did you say that to me? If you believe that, you'd believe anything. What did you say? I'm a lover of football, you know what I mean? Why do we all watch football when we were kids? Because we love it. I want to see goals, entertainment. Roy, can you? He's sitting there, I'd be happy with a clean sheet today, like, wow, that'll bring the viewer. You know what, you like to see the hero be the hero. Thank you. He called me Steve Clarke earlier. Did you see Steve Clarke's interview? I was like wow gosh he was in a bar during Boston who was the happy hour they asked him to leave

42:20Ian Wright: it was it was that kind of the interview he's done oh my gosh

42:25Gary Neville: we'll come on to Ronaldo very shortly but Roy Canino was very happy Canino and then you were happy to see him score don't give me that I was very happy to see him score thanks Gary I was he's the next team mate I was I was happy

42:37Ian Wright: I said in a group I said hat-trick we all wanted him yeah we wanted him because you don't want him to be that guy. I don't want in drag like that because now I'm starting to see the stuff on social media which is disrespectful to him.

42:50Gary Neville: But you also need to write I love more than any celebration an angry goal celebration that's like you like one that means something. I love that one. Don't disrespect me. It's okay to criticise him that's fine but when it's like getting really nasty.

43:04Ian Wright: One of the things you said today Gary which was beautiful a billionaire 41 and that's what it means to him. People don't realise Exactly.

43:13Gary Neville: This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by SkyBets.

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44:01And this time it is even better thanks to McDonald's. you have the chance to take home one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal. The cups feature some of the biggest legends in football, like David Beckham, Terry Henry, and Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamine Yamal, and Alphonso 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.

44:37Gary Neville: There's just one more thing to touch on with England. There was a bet the other night, lads, on the last podcast that we did. There was a bet where I said the two defenders would be changed in the game. You two ridiculed me. You mocked me. Which bet? Right. And it was like, I think it was like, can we just play the clip, please? Can we just play the clip? What clip? Just play the clip. You love a clip.

45:00Ian Wright: Look at him. We're just sitting up here. Yeah. We've never seen anything.

45:04Gary Neville: Can we play the clip?

45:05Ian Wright: Have you got cameras in our bedrooms as well? Yeah. Wow. Look at Ben. Look at Ben. You know what? I'm looking at Ben. It's like when when we were younger and he was the guy. No, but we can all have clips. When you're going to get a beat in. Shhh. Do you think you'll make Roy in that team? I don't know about the changes. I can see Rashford wanted two positions, but... No, no, no.

45:25Gary Neville: You don't think it's at the back? You think Rashford and Gaye maybe? Yeah. I'm not even sure he would make the change you've won the game he's just a fast game and he's a little let's listen of course it's AI AI 100 % AI you think he'd go same team then well I could see maybe one change but I couldn't see three and particularly two out of the back four I think he'll make three minimum two let's have a bet okay yeah for Jill's thing £1 ,000 fucking lovely a jug of piquancy Jesus I'm just... You're joking. I'm joking. £1 ,000 for Jill's charity. Yeah. I'm saying minimum two. You're saying... You're saying less than that.

46:06Gary Neville: You're saying one or none. I'm saying minimum two. And defensively, you're talking about... All right, minimum two. All right. Minimum two changes. At the back? At the back? No, just in general. I know my issues at the back. I won't make two changes at the back. I didn't see anything. There's nothing conclusive there. So, we can do two things. You said minimum of two. Although I've got a little opt-out for you both, right? A little game. I'm going to read that. Listen, if it's a better bet, I'll stand by it. Yes. If that's not fixed. He said minimum three. OK, I'm going to read out some jokes, right?

46:40Gary Neville: You've both got to put some water in your mouth to the top and you've got to face each other. And if you don't laugh, you just swallow it at the end and we're away and we're going to move on to the next bit about Ronaldo. So that's the bet. How many jokes have you got? I've got five jokes. Five? You can't spit in his face. No, but what I'm saying is he's just facing each other. Close. You've got to be quite close. Yeah, but now I'm spitting each other. Turn around and spit it off. No, no, no, no. You've got to face each other. Yeah, yeah. That's the thing. You've got to face each other. Put the water in your mouth.

47:08Gary Neville: I've got no water left. Can't do it. I've not used that right. I've not done that. There you go. And what was the bet for? How much was the bet? I can't remember. Was it... What did we say the bet was, Nev? Put it in. Oh, sorry. Why did you put that much in your bottle? Yeah, it's gonna be... Jesus Christ! Put it in, put it in. You're gonna fill it up to the top. It's funny, I needed a drink of water first. Can I do one with you first? What? Yeah, can I just do a quick thing with you first? OK. Would I touch your lips say Coca-Cola? No, you didn't... You did it before Coca-Cola. Right, let's go.

47:42Come on, let's go. How much are you putting in your mouth? Just a drop.

47:45Gary Neville: OK. OK. These are like dad jokes, right? So you've just got to... Right, OK. No, put a bit more in your mouth. Is it only? OK.

47:58Gary Neville: I've seen this on the internet I apologise to all the people I've ripped these jokes off by the way

48:05Gary Neville: and whoever doesn't spit it out is winning if you want to mean right you have to pay the back if you both don't do it then we're it's better off sorry okay ready okay okay what do you call a man with a rubber toe Roberto Okay. In Egypt, they found a mummy covered in chocolate and nuts. They think they found Pharaoh Rocher.

48:35Gary Neville: Did you hear about the guy who evaporated? He will be missed.

48:45Gary Neville: A woman has triplets, Tim, Tom and Tat, and afterwards she goes to breastfeed them and she realises at the end, because Tim and Tom are both on a buzzer meet that there's no tit for tat.

49:02Oh,

49:06Gary Neville: God. What do you call a magician who's lost his magic? Ian. LAUGHTER LAUGHTER

49:15Ian Wright: LAUGHTER What are you doing? LAUGHTER LAUGHTER LAUGHTER LAUGHTER LAUGHTER LAUGHTER Oh, God! Do I lose as well, then? I don't know! I don't know! I think we all win! Oh, Jesus, that got me! Oh, God! LAUGHTER It's... It's too... You know what? Five is a lot. Five is too many jokes.

49:40Gary Neville: Oh! I thought I had that! Look at my trousers. Oh, I think we've got a new segment of Stick to Football. I thought I had that, man. Oh, my goodness. Because he's lost his magic. I thought you'd go and there's no tip. He nearly went on that one. That was a good one. That was my favourite.

49:58Ian Wright: There's another one.

50:00Gary Neville: What do you call a man with a rubber two who's lost his car? Carlos.

50:08Gary Neville: This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet. Now, if we're talking about Ronaldo, was it six World Cups? He's scoring at six. Come on, come on. Do you know what was amazing before the game, right? It's amazing. You go into a studio before the game and the narrative is, pressure's on Ronaldo. He's not scored in the last ten games in tournaments. He then scores two. All of a sudden, he's scored in the last six World Cups. Oh, God. It's like, it's mad. It's ridiculous. Yeah, it's just crazy.

50:36Ian Wright: But that's the pressure a player of his calibre and his stature's under because it's almost like everything is... What's that? 975 goals now. Everything he's done before is forgotten again. It's just so pathetic. But nice finish as well, aren't it? If he scored a penalty today, because his last, he's only scored previously, it was a penalty. But the thing is, like I said to you today, when I said, the goal he scored today is exactly the goal he missed the other day. But everybody's saying, oh, he's got in Bruno's way. His natural instinct, Bruno's gone in and he's stood. He's gone in behind Bruno.

51:11Ian Wright: he's watching the play and he's got in front of Bruno great finish no one's saying oh he's got in front of Bruno he's nicking Bruno's goals because Bruno wouldn't have got that it wouldn't have come to Bruno there's only one thing that happens to all sports people and footballers you know as you get older let's just say you're getting for a midfield you're 29-30 and people go you have a bad game and people go oh you're almost as if you'd had you know bad games when you were 21-22 you know what I mean it's like Ronaldo missed a few chances as if he's not missed chances before but as you get a bit older people seem to hang their hat in that a little bit more and say you're finished.

51:45Yeah. So it was a nice two finishes today. That's what I enjoyed about Ronaldo going forward.

51:49Ian Wright: The first one was clear. Because we're talking about a 41-year-old who is still savvy in the box to get there and finish cleanly. Because it wasn't at that height where you're just old you have to help it in. You had to lace that in. The second one was a bad finish, was it? No, no, it was a brilliant finish. But Bruno's pass, like you mentioned on the TV. Beautiful pass. I was interested in that one, right?

52:09Gary Neville: He said that Bruno's the best in the world without a shadow of a doubt at playing those positions. He don't get it wrong. Even like today, maybe he'd only one or two options today, but even when he's got three or four if United are counting, and he's got that spin, he will... Yeah. 99 times 100, pick the right pass at the right... Right weight. The right weight. I know people think it looks easy. So even he'll give them the weight where it will be a one-touch finish, not where just behind him... You know what it's like, Bruno, in that position...

52:39Ian Wright: You know, it's like, I'll tell you what it's like, it's like when, you know, like when a striker goes through and you say, he's scoring. It's like when he's going through, like they've broke the midfield and there's a man running, like Ronaldo's run even then was brilliant. You say, he's going to get that to him. The finish was just, it wasn't like a blast finish. It was a beautiful placed finish. And even the ball, the ball Bruno gives him, it kind of even forces the keeper to come out. Come out. It's the other angle. There's loads of pluses to his passes. And that's the beauty with United in the last year when you think of, but obviously Bruno also needs runners.

53:09So when he's got people running, he will pick you. It's like when I was... Go on, Ray.

53:13Ian Wright: No, no, no. I was going to say, it's like the Undeva finish for Germany. Yeah. The quality in that. It's exactly the same with this. This is why I love the World Cup as it's getting to this level when you're getting top players in those situations and you just see them do stuff what people say. Well, yeah, it's supposed to... How many people will mess up that pass? How many people will mess up the touch what Undeva scored? And this is when it gets really good for me because the quality players start to come alive. Do you know what stat we need to get? When you're talking about goal scoring, I'd still love to know how many are one-touch finish.

53:46I love a one-touch finish, because I think the movement of the player, you know, you see strikers practice taking two or three touches on the edge of the bar, you're going, no, that's not real stuff. I'd love to know the stats, I'd love to try and get that maybe for the next game.

54:00Gary Neville: Where are you at? We've seen every team, or mainly all the teams, haven't we, twice? Yeah, we've seen every team twice now. And the top teams are all going to be through. There's going to be no, it doesn't look like there's going to be any shocks, really, in terms of like a big team missing out. I know that was going to be difficult anyway, but if Portugal lost today, then that might have been a shock. That might have happened. But, you know, it looks like every team... I'll take the teams to just confirm on what we talked before. France, Spain, Argentina. I thought Spain were...

54:24Ian Wright: I thought Spain were... I thought the way they played, it was just, it was beautiful. And again, no out-and-out striker. and Yaa Zabal. I still think France and Argentina. France were just like, and even, was it Carusferri? They didn't even play.

54:40Gary Neville: You were in a France game, weren't you?

54:41Ian Wright: Yeah. You know, for 15 minutes at the start of the game, and again, till the hydration break, I'm getting bored of people saying it, they were just like, they just couldn't get out. They couldn't get out of Iraq, and it was just a case of, I thought Mbappe could have maybe scored a couple more because it felt so easy. you know even does he look at his best you know what he looks I'll tell you what he looks like obviously the captain he looks hungry do you know when you watch Mbappe live electric

55:10Gary Neville: it's like something completely utterly different electric it's like when you watch him you just think the movement the speed of it and I just think oh he's got that thing

55:19Ian Wright: where you see him doing stuff and he's telling people he's got the energy for it you can see that he's somebody that I realise I'm the man here maybe he's after a disappointing club season you know what I mean it's not walked out from there and maybe he's using that motivation.

55:31Gary Neville: He looks up for it. I think, you know, everyone's talking about obviously rightly so, Messi, Ronaldo's got a lot of scrutiny. I think Mbappe, this is Mbappe's tournament. You think? I think he comes, look, he was special in that last, in that final in Qatar, wasn't he? If you think about what happened in that last half an hour, it was unbelievable, right? What we saw. I think that, I think he is a World Cup winner. I think he's a World Cup winner. I genuinely do. I think he's winning his country the World Cup. Can I just say quickly with Norway? Norway's fine.

55:58Ian Wright: Listening to Erling Haaland on an interview, I thought, yeah, I kind of like that interview.

56:02Gary Neville: What about he said, they'll beat us or something? Yeah, he said, France will beat us. You know what I mean? He said that? Erling Haaland. Erling Haaland said that.

56:07Ian Wright: I was quite, I thought to myself, you know something, people talk about like, people are honest and no character. For him to say, listen, yeah, they'll probably beat us. I'm not saying that they'll go into the game saying, oh, they'll beat us or we won't try. But to recognise who the best are. For him to say that, I was thinking, yeah, I hear that. But you just won't hear people say that. That's what it was. That's why I think there was a lot of talk about it. But, like, he's being realistic. He's being realistic because what I saw in France, especially that number six in the middle for them, Kone, I think it is.

56:38Ian Wright: Kone, brilliant. Brilliant.

56:41Gary Neville: This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet. Jeremy Doku, he's been hammered and criticised for saying he wants to leave Belgium's World Cup camp to be with his wife when she gives birth to their first child. Well, surely not. I mean, look, 25 years ago, 20 years ago, I sort of get it that, you know, I remember Andy Cole, I think I've said this before on the podcast, missed the birth of, I think, maybe his first or second child because the team had been named and he was in the dressing room. He said, now I'm playing, now I'm going after.

57:12Ian Wright: I was in the dressing room when my son Stacey was born. I was with England. 25, 30 years ago, you probably wouldn't. I missed my Shannon. I was in the World Cup in 94. I missed the birth of my daughter. Your first, yeah.

57:24Gary Neville: Yeah. So you think about it, you've got that lived experience, Roy, of missing the birth of your first child. And obviously in 1994, you would definitely not have gone home. I don't think any of you would have. In 1994, Jeremy Docky wouldn't have gone home. Of course. In 2026, we're supportive, aren't we, of him going home. He shouldn't be criticised for going home for the birth of his first child. He's entitled to make that decision. Without a doubt. Of course. Without a doubt. But my position, I would definitely play the game. I would. Yeah. But as a 50-odd-year-old now, Roy, we're 50-odd-year-olds.

57:53Gary Neville: If you think about that. If I had a player and he wanted to go back, I'd be fine with it. Yeah, obviously. Yeah. But, again, I certainly wouldn't have missed a game. Every player has that right to do it. And if a player wants to go, absolutely. Yeah, we shouldn't be criticising him for going off.

58:07Ian Wright: No, of course not. No, it's the greatest thing. Of course not. You know what I mean? Obviously, I've seen my kids being born, but there's nothing better. There's nothing that surpasses that gap. Obviously, you wouldn't bring him back in for about six months, would you have? LAUGHTER

58:25We've had back-to-back winners of£50 ,000 on ITV7 Football. Could you be next? £100 ,000 has already been won during England's games in this tournament and there's another£50 ,000 jackpot up for grabs when the Free Lions take on Panama. It's completely free to play. Simply make your predictions on the ITV7 app or on the website for a chance to win. Good luck, 18 plus, T's and C's apply.

58:54We've had back-to-back winners on the ITV7 now. Oh, well done. I can tell you what they got right now. So they got the score, 0-0, and then Declan Rice to be the first card. Oh. They got the correct total number of cards, which was two. Wow. Only two yellow cards. They got the correct total shots on target, which was four, which I thought was quite low. They said yes to over 10 corners and they said yes to over 20. What's going on? We've got to check them out. God, what are we dealing with? I can't believe that. That's mad. So then on to our quiz.

59:30Ian Wright: Oh, wow. And so we're last seven, right? Last seven World Cup. Why does it have to be the last seven? It's just because it's the 18th. It could be seven.

59:37Gary Neville: It could be any seven. You could have put any seven World Cup. Gary, give me five. No, no. I was just thinking the same. You're going to be the last seven. No, no. No, because then Roby can go further back. OK, Messi was one. Messi obviously was one. messi locking that in yeah we're locking messian correct messi was last 18 in russia who won it germany no jimmy in 14. oh sorry um russia france in russia no we won in 18 18 yeah was it france

1:00:08Ian Wright: france won it are we sure i the world cup yeah they won it france won it who was captain look

1:00:15Gary Neville: Was Lloris the captain? I've got a feeling. Lloris.

1:00:19Ian Wright: No, I'm just saying.

1:00:22Gary Neville: Was Lloris the captain, though? I think Lloris was the captain. I think he might have been the captain. I think it was Lloris. I remember commentating for Sky and saying the French... I remember Martin Tyler saying the French captain. I don't know, but that's the only thing. But just go through it a little bit first. See my hand, look. Was that Pogba? That's the Pogba team. No, but that's the Pogba team. Pogba team, yeah. So who have you got in it? You've got... Who's in that team? Kante. Angola County definitely not captain, Pogba definitely not captain. Because I remember they were saying he was last to pick the trophy, remember Kandy was the two kind of humble.

1:00:50Gary Neville: Yeah.

1:00:51Ian Wright: But who's the goalkeeper? No, I think it was Lloris. But who's the star players that win it for them? Mbappe weren't captain. No. Pogba weren't captain. But Giroud did. Giroud was there. I'm just throwing names out there. Giroud was there.

1:01:06Gary Neville: I can't even think you played for him. You would have sent a half to the left back. No, no, no. I can't think of centre-back. But who's the ones we definitely know have picked a trophy up in the last... Who's the Spanish captain in 2000? He's the goalkeeper.

1:01:20Ian Wright: No, no, no, the centre-back. Puyol, wasn't it? Puyol. Puyol? Yeah, 100%. Yeah. No, no, no, no. The goalkeeper. That's what I said. Valdez? No, no, no. Real Madrid. Real Madrid. Real Madrid. Are you sure? No. Which one? He was the captain. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Fabio Cannavaro's on there. You're locking that in? Correct He's number 5 Here on the list What's it It's a goalkeeper Casillas Casillas Casillas Locking Casillas

1:01:50Gary Neville: Yeah Yeah I'm locking that That's correct Well done 2010 Are we going Lloris or not? If we go back to that That's what it is We've got three lives remember But how many years Have we gone back to Soho 2002 So it goes back to 98 So 98 was Laurent Blanc Laurent Blanc was the captain But he didn't play in the final Did he? Deshaun No was Deshaun Or he's the manager Was Deshaun No Deshaun wasn't He played in that as well. Yeah, you're right. He could have taken over as captain. I think Laurent didn't play in the final. He was suspended, yeah. So who would have taken... So Petit, Vieira were in midfield.

1:02:22Gary Neville: Yeah, Desailly. Desailly. Desailly or Deschamps? Fabien played, didn't he? Did Deschamps play? I think Churam was right back. He weren't captain. No, I think Deschamps or Desailly. I think it's Deschamps. I think Deschamps did. If Deschamps played, he was... We're going with Deschamps. I think it was Deschamps. You locking that in yet? Yeah. That's correct. Get in there!

1:02:41Ian Wright: That was me, wasn't it? No, no, that was me and Roy again. It was us. It was Sean. Jesus. What's going on here? I said Papin. Hang on a minute. So... 2002's Brazil.

1:02:53Gary Neville: Oh, we got that. Cafu. Cafu. Cafu. It's Cafu, yeah. Cafu. Am I in? That's Cafu. Oh, Jill. Yours charity money, Jill.

1:03:02Ian Wright: Well done. What's that? What is it? 2018 and 2040. Don't slacken off. I think Lloris.

1:03:08Gary Neville: I'm definitely saying... Who won it in 2014? Germany. Germany won in 14. OK, I can name that team, I think, when I get near it to it.

1:03:15Ian Wright: Hummels, was it Hummels? What, you? Michael, was it Michael Ballack?

1:03:19Gary Neville: No. Philip Lahm. Philip Lahm, maybe. Yeah, maybe Philip Lahm.

1:03:23Ian Wright: Philip Lahm. Are we going with that? We've got a couple.

1:03:26Gary Neville: Mmm. Yeah. Philip's not going to get too cocky.

1:03:29Ian Wright: Yeah, Philip Lahm.

1:03:30Gary Neville: Philip Lahm, I'm going. Do you think he lifted it? Can you visualize it? Yes, I can. I can see Philip Lahm. Stop messing. Philip Lahm, that's correct. Well done. And I think this is... Fire. I think this is Laurie's. I think we've got three. We can have a guess at Lorise, can't we? A bit of pride. Let's try. Yeah. Do you want to have a go at Lorise? I think I can hear Martin. I think I can hear Martin Tiling saying he's the French captain. I think I can say, is he the French captain? I can see him lifting it. I can see him lifting it. We're on a roll. Lorise. No water breaking. The roll continues.

1:04:02Ian Wright: Yay! Thank you. Right. Hey. If it weren't for you there, me and you, We've done it again. Every time. Gary, thanks for coming. That's a good shot. That's a good shot. That's a good shot now. Gary, thanks for coming. I'm not joking. A good question. A really good question. Roy, you got that one. Do you want to? You know something. The World Cups are great. I can't tell people how much I love the World Cup. I was like Ronaldo this morning. I doubted myself, but then I just, I produced. You know what I mean? I don't know what I doubted myself. Yeah, yeah.

1:04:30Gary Neville: Okay, I'm good. That is the end of stick to football. You know something? Forever. No, just kidding. Honest, what will happen when we do our last one? Would it be tears, Joe? Anger and frustration?

1:04:43Ian Wright: Relief? You know what? It would be tears. It would be like the end of Friends. Would it be a bash afterwards? If England are in the final,

1:04:50Gary Neville: do we come back and do one more the day after? No, Easton, but the last podcast ever. Not in this tournament.

1:04:56Ian Wright: Roy's losing people's jobs. He's not worried about the jobs and the families that depend on us now. I do love an exit plan. An exit plan. I have to say.

1:05:13This has been a Global and the Overlap production.

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1:07:02YouTube.

1:07:05Gary Neville: Thanks for listening and thanks to our partners Skybet. If you want more, please subscribe and you won't miss an episode.