That World Cup Final Episode: Superior Spain deserve win & Messi's farewell! I Ep.416

0:06Hello and welcome to That Peter Crouch Podcast with me Peter Crouch. I'm joined by Sid and of course Tom's going to join us later on I believe. You might hear a little bit of background noise because we are in a pub. We're in Swift, New York City.

0:20Tom Fordyce: Beautiful isn't it? Do you know what this reminds me of right really quickly? So you would have definitely had this. You know when you used to go through school and you'd be doing language and it'd be German or German or German? or French and they used to make you do like you'd listen to them cafe or restaurant tapes oh like a a little bit of like a tape in the background and it would start off with this and it would go bonjour je m 'appelle and you had to copy it that background noise is exactly the same that is actually like spot on it is too can I just say though I feel like we've we have landed on our feet we've got Danny to our left there Molly there yeah come on you can make some noise in here come on Just to prove we're not blagging it, we have got mates.

1:04But yeah, listen, we've been well looked after on this trip. New York. I feel like we've landed on our feet a little bit.

1:10Tom Fordyce: Yeah, New York is treated us well. We've been to some great establishments, care of this kind young gentleman on our left. But this place, this back room here, I mean, I've been here for a couple of hours now and I'm still looking around. Have you really? you never have guessed

1:33you've had a long day because you went to the other one the dead rabbit yeah right you were in no you went to Ulysses Ulysses yeah it's been a long trip it's been a long day but yeah listen thanks for your hospitality I really appreciate it because we have we've loved being a part of this this New York pub scene I'll be honest it's very similar to London in some ways yeah we found a bit of a home here but it's a little bit back to the roots being back in the pub. Yeah. A little bit of, you know, noise behind us. Not great for the audio listener, but it's great for us.

2:04Tom Fordyce: No, we're in the back room, mate. And it's straight after the World Cup final. You've come in hot. Yeah, yeah. Talk to me. We watched it today. What was it like being there? The atmosphere. I want to know, like, was it 50-50 with the fans? Was there more Argentinians? Was there a lot of Spanish? Was it hostile? Was it hot? Was you in the stadium? Was you outside? Come on, spill the beans. Yeah, there's a lot to chat about. I was in the stadium. We had a little platform outside. Did the pre-game stuff outside and then went into the stadium. I have to say, I think majority Argentina fans. Really?

2:40If I'm being totally honest. It's not a huge distance for them to travel. Spain, yeah, well represented. No trouble at all, really, till afterwards. I had great rapport with the Argentina fans the whole way through. There was a couple just at the end that went a little bit too far. But that's only two the whole day. So I thought that was good. I got the family there. They went to the game, which was fantastic. Didn't like the way the game panned out, if I'm being totally honest. I've got a lot of admiration, a lot of respect for Argentina. But I think they let themselves down today. I think they let themselves down the way they played.

3:23The tactics they employed. I thought the first half, they didn't really lay a glove on Spain. They just came to defend and see what they could get. Messi was quiet. Really quiet. Messi was really quiet. Yeah, I think right up until I think it was the last five minutes of the 120. They let themselves down with Enzo Fernandes. I thought, you know, his sending off was ridiculous. and I've got so much respect for Argentina it's not this isn't sour grapes they've let us we've gone out to them so now I'm angry and upset about it I just thought the tactics the way they were rolling around the way they were fouling it all kind of comes to a head with the antics after the game and I'll be honest with you it left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth

4:12Tom Fordyce: we actually didn't see a lot of that on camera so there was a few bits on social media that we've seen but did it get as heated as what it well really yeah yeah yeah I think it was Molina who he punched one of the subs right in the chest yeah and then someone stepped in and Paredes you know how he's not been sent off in the first place he's basically he's basically tried to punch someone in the throat yeah and then then they've ragdolled I think it was Gavi to the floor yeah yeah you know it's not it's not what a World Cup final should be about and I think I think football won out today. Yeah.

4:50As we say, football's the winner today. What about the halftime show? Halftime show? That was interesting. Yeah. I mean, I'm not quite sure what the Madonna thing was. No. Not sure what I'll do either. I mean, listen, it's great to be involved in these massive spectacles, right? Yeah. but listen I was a big fan of Madonna I mean listen there's a couple of albums there that I was very much into having Ronaldinho and Ronaldo next to her while she was performing I don't know if it worked if I'm being totally honest he looked double nervous the most nervous I've ever seen Ronaldo

5:35Tom Fordyce: in my life R9 was the most nervous driver Ronaldinho do you know what we needed a Vanarama right yeah a Vanarama do you know what happened with Ronaldo right you know I don't know if you saw his moves Did you see his shapes? So you know what Ronaldo was? You know when your missus or your kids are dragging you to the dance floor and you haven't even had one sip of alcohol yet? The worst. For me, that was Ronaldo. He was that one. He was stiff and I thought, he's got loads of rhythm. He's got rhythm, but he was so like, no, here I am with Donna. Don't even know this tune. He was all over the place, wasn't he?

6:13He was. He was, yeah.

6:16Tom Fordyce: So the game in itself, it was poor, wasn't it? In terms of the World Cup final, it wasn't great. Gaz, you was there as well. We were all watching it today in the streets, and it needed something. It only really come towards the end, like considering two teams that you thought, do you know what, they've probably been the best throughout the tournament. And then afterwards, did you stay for the trophy lift? Yeah, I was there. Yeah, I stayed. I've only just got here, so I stayed for a trophy. So what about Trump? like lingering around for the trophy absolutely phenomenal what are we saying on this?

6:51yeah yeah you know because Rodvary I thought Rodvary played a blind and he was like I feel almost like he kind of was telling him to get involved yeah because I think it is funny let's be honest my favourite part was Infantino done a little like you know when you get up at the cinema yeah and you try and duck and get underneath so he's done a cinema toilet run yeah and he's gone like all the way through and it was brilliant. And the fact that Trump is, you know, he does, he calls the shots. I mean, I was there and we had to get there before because we had to get there really early because there was a big shutdown when Trump was coming in and he's obviously come in and this helicopter and landed and it was phenomenal.

7:35And the security after that was a lot tighter. So thankfully, we were in there nice and early. Yeah. Yeah, it was, yeah,

7:42Tom Fordyce: it won't go down as a spectacle, will it? But what a ride it's been. I mean, we've been here nearly six weeks now. Six weeks, John? Yeah? Mate, what a time. Oh, we've had the time of our lives, honestly. And like, you know, America in general is kind of, everyone's been very nice to us. I've seen places that I've never thought, you know, I'd ever go to. We were allowed into the England camp. You know, you talk about Trump, I was just as bad. You know, I got on the pitch with Harry Kane and gave him a hug. You know, Assball Kit Wanker as well. We've seen Shaniqua's box. We've seen Shakira's box.

8:23The Shaniquas. I don't know if you've seen them. We don't have them at home. Those little boxes that go up and down the street and deliver groceries. Never seen everyone like it.

8:35Tom Fordyce: We couldn't get his head around it. We had driverless cars. Driverless cars. A man with LAPD, NYPD, Miami PD. Do you know what? It was a great tournament as well. If I go back right to Cape Verde, you know, how they were magical around the tournament. That was amazing. I think England's journey for us personally was phenomenal. And listen, what I didn't like was obviously, you know, we talk about the ticket prices were ridiculous. You know, it was hard. We were very blessed that, you know, I got to go to a lot of the games because of, you know, because I was working with Fox and things. but having said that though I don't agree with that one I never will do but the actual atmosphere within the stadiums despite that was good and then Spain worthy winners I think we need to put a bit of respect on Spain's name because they were actually pre-tournament favourites believe it or not a lot of people were talking about France talking about Argentina England even was in with the shout but Spain never really sort of captivated people did they like before and during and then it went until the France game for me where everyone went oh okay like here we go and then like I thought I thought they deserved to win it today I fully deserved if you think about it right Spain they had a difficult first game they conceded one goal in a whole tournament right yeah one goal yeah they were by far they beat France who would have For me, the best team.

10:11Tom Fordyce: Yeah. But comfortably. Yeah. So, which made Spain then the best team. I was like, stood up and thought, oh my God, I didn't think anyone could beat France. Dominated the game. Yeah. Conceded one goal. They got 19. Now, listen, they've got Laminio Mal, who's 19, he's a first-class player. But they got Kubiak at the back, right? He's 19. Yeah. They didn't concede a goal. I think he was, he got some sort of trophy today. I didn't have it. I don't know what it was. There's loads of trophies. I don't know. at the ward was it young player outstanding supreme young player supreme outfielder supreme outfielder yeah okay there's a lot of awards going on but it was I thought he was first class and there was a lot of and I think a lot of it comes to do we talked about on Fox we were talking about the DNA of a football club and we were talking about like the manager has been there from like under 19s, under 21s and he's gone through to the full squad and that's when you've got like a culture and a DNA of a team that everyone knows their roles and they all play the same way from nine years old all the way up to the first team and you see the benefits of that.

11:25Everyone knows their roles like, you know, you could pick any of their players to be player of the tournament. Yeah. You know, with France, you know Mbappe or Kane or Bellingham is going to be England. Who do you pick out of that Spain team? Every single one of them produced 8, 9 or 10 performances.

11:40Tom Fordyce: Oh, easy for them. Do you know what? We were watching it today and there was a lot of English with us as well. And you've been in the tournament and you've been knocked out. And I was watching today and watching Argentina and I was thinking of the English lads watching them in the final going, how have they beat us? And how are they playing? How are we not playing the final against Spain? We were all saying it there. You're thinking it's the final. give it a go and you know I know it's you know biggest stage of the world but like you can see what I mean like I'm thinking they've got to be kicking themselves by watching the way that Argentina have played in the final against Spain going that should have been us yeah I think when they're sitting there watching that yeah it's like we should have just gone all out for it like Spain like Dominic they didn't have a let's be honest they didn't have a kick today no really yeah they didn't have a shot so do you think if England would have got to the final do you think England would have given Spain a better game?

12:40You know what? It sounds like sour grapes. It really does. It sounds like... Let's spit the sour grapes. That's what we're here to do. I'm chewing on eight of them now. I'm sitting on four of them. It's been a stressful trip since, hasn't it? Sure there's a cream for that.

13:01Yeah, listen, I do. I do think that. And I stick by it. I stick by our boys. You know, those two fellas that were screaming at me in Spanish at the end there, they've wound me up. And I feel like, you know, like, yeah, he would have given them a better game. Yeah, I agree.

13:19Tom Fordyce: I agree. I think it would have been more entertaining. Well, certainly would have done. The way that we come out against Argentina in the semifinals, on the front foot attacking, we see it from when the finals started, it was like a game of chess straight away. like you know no one wanted to give each other an inch but I think we would have gone on the front foot anyway I've got a lot of respect for them I've got a lot of respect for them I respect their actual endeavour like the way they you know never say die heart and asleep I respect them yep but like I didn't like the way they played I did not like that one bit today yeah I agree which I think he's only going to fuel the future even more got another one for you Sid the bronze the bronze came home the bronze LeBron's come home we brought it home it's coming home and I wasn't talking about LeBron LeBron's come home LeBron yeah because obviously he was a big part of the trip wasn't he LeBron LeBron yeah it was amazing meeting him yeah yeah you're crouchy really yeah you're crouchy that was incredible I loved it but yeah it was what a game that was the third and fourth Joe White it's my name isn't it like you know you could have you could have a great meal somewhere but is the meal good or is it like the location you're in?

14:34Tom Fordyce: Is it the setting? We was in another great setting yesterday watching that game, right? And what a game it was. I mean, 4-0 at halftime. Yeah. Did you call 4-0? Or did someone call 4-0? Yeah, I shouted 4-0 at halftime, yeah. I don't think because I said like, it's one of those games, third and fourth, anything could happen. Yeah. But yeah, I didn't think it'd go the way it did. No. Shout out, by the way, the Dead Rabbit, what a place. Seriously though. It was great, wasn't it? It was such a pain. Felt like a dead rabbit the next day I watched.

15:09Tom Fordyce: Come on back here for a swift one. There we go. No, it was a good game. Do you know what? I'm looking at going, like the way we performed there, admittedly there was defensively, again, like errors and gaps and holes, but offensively the way we were, and I know it's easy to say, it's an easy game, like the pressure's off, it's kind of, no one really wanted to be there, but let's take the positive out of it. By the end though, having said that, everyone wanted to be there. Do you know what? You say, the players didn't want to be there. Their defending was awful but everyone stepped up by the end.

15:42By the end, you're looking at France going this is like some of the passing, the one at least they miss that would have been goal at all. I never seemed like it. The one that you shaved past the post. Shaved past the post. That little move, Bellingham's goal, Saka's hat trick.

15:58Tom Fordyce: So he's overtaking Gary Lineker now I believe Jude Bell and him with that goal as well so like Kane's got to be watching that going I'd have been fuming if I was Kane well you're a striker absolutely fuming tell us that game's going on there's goals galore going on can you imagine well you tell me oh mate no for me that's not for me I'd be absolutely fuming I remember sometimes you playing the cup and we got like a you know like a lower league side and I can see it you can see the way game pans in the first 10 minutes you go there's like a hat trick here There's a hat-trick for me. And you just think, like, you think about the numbers.

16:33Yeah. Harry Kane's number. No one's going to remember that he scored a hat-trick in the third and fourth playoff. Yeah, of course. It's just, he got eight, nine goals in the World Cup. That's all that, that's all you think about. It's not about what, you know, people forget what game it was in. Like, can you remember the last World Cup who he played every single game? Can't remember, can you? No. You remember the numbers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, like, for me, that's selfish. Yeah. Very, but.

16:58Tom Fordyce: So did that mean that, Mbappe got golden boot as well. Yeah, so we got golden boot just for them goals. Oh, yeah, I don't know. Gaz is asking about the shipping, you know, every year. What are the shipping costs to France? We are on Amazon Prime, so.

17:17I don't know, Gaz. We'll work out the shipping later, shall we?

17:20Tom Fordyce: We'll find out. If Amazon could let us know, it'd be great. And also, Mbappe, please let us know. You know, first class, like, you said that. How is it delivered? Did you have to sign for it? Did you have a code?

17:35Right, question from the floor. Young Molly here. Was asked about the sportsmanship sense of what we saw. You know, again, it's maybe a bit of sour grapes, but, you know, England versus France. I mean, we saw some of the players. I know those players, you know, we know them well. A lot of those, certainly the English players, as we know, are very religious. Yeah. And the prayer between kind of England and the France players, all together at the end of the match, it felt like a very, you know, the sportsmanship was fantastic. Yeah. Compared to what we saw in the final, which was really disappointing.

18:16Tom Fordyce: Yeah. And I think, I know we've touched on this in previous podcasts quite a while ago, actually, but a lot of people might not know that that's actually common practice. In the Premier League, both teams, they'll have a set from each team and they will go to a separate room and they will pray. They will have a pray before they play each other, which is, in my eyes, I couldn't get my head around that. Like, they're literally going to go and kick the crap out of each other in the next 20 minutes. But beforehand, they're going to go there, both sets of teams, however many they might be, and do that, which is, listen, which is each their own, which is great.

18:50Tom Fordyce: But I think just with that culture, with Argentina and Spain and just with Argentina being South American and that fire and even their fans, I think it's just, yeah, it's, I don't think that they'll ever lose that. You know, and it won't go. Well, I suppose it makes them who they are. It makes them who they are and they're bad losers. Yeah. I'll be honest, no winner is a good loser. Yeah. Really. Yeah. I don't know any. No. It is what it is. Yeah. And I think that makes them kind of what they are. What I will say is with the religious thing is being in Yaz Teca, I managed to go underneath Yaz Teca into where the tunnel is.

19:32And there's an amazing little church underneath. It's incredible. You walk down this side and you've got all the murals on the side of all the things that happened in the Azteca. Then you've got this little prayer room and it's phenomenal. It feels like it's been there 100 years. It probably has. Did you sneak a picture? You showed me a picture. I did. Yeah, I was sneaking lots of pictures. Yeah, I loved that. Of my whole trip. We've done that. I'll show you a lot of them. We've nearly got kicked off of golf courses because he's sneaking pictures in golf courses. Yeah, really posh golf course, and there's no phones and all that.

20:03Got a nice picture, though. Next to Cher's house, actually. One next to Cher's and Lionel Richie's. And if you know who it was, you do know.

20:12Tom Fordyce: Hey, what about the other house? It's our corner now. The playboy corner. That's where we turn it around. Quick one, just on that. We was four down. Four down, five to play. and we got round to Playboy Mansion, wasn't it? Playboy Mansion. Playboy Mansion, yeah. And for some reason, we just turned it on. We turned it on after that, and then we won all the holes, and then we halved the game. So, yeah, cheers to that one. I've got fucking ass, man. Oh, bloody hell. We'll do that when he's there to do.

20:54okay live and direct Mr Tom Fordyce here he is where the hell are you right boys so you know I had to fly back to the UK I realised something when I was back home which is that we spent a lot of time in America obviously one of the hosts for this World Cup you went to Mexico for the classic game against in the Aztec against England I realised there was one country you hadn't been to that is hosting this World Cup, I've completed the set I'm in Canada Canada? What are you doing in Canada? They went out weeks ago So no one else here is interested in the World Cup for precisely that reason They've got no interest in it So I've ended up watching the final so I flew into Vancouver last night I've ended up watching the final on a ferry between Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

21:45The match fitted perfectly into this ferry journey. They had it on a big screen on the ferry. Not sure anyone else was bothered about watching it. Definitely the weirdest way that I've watched the World Cup final. But, I mean, I know you've been talking about this already. What a World Cup final. There's so much drama. I don't think also I've ever seen a World Cup final that's both so one-sided, but also so one-sided, SIDS, in who the neutral wanted to win.

22:10Tom Fordyce: So I was exactly the same. And a lot of us that were sitting around us, it was like, who do you want to win? And it was like, we want Spain to win because Argentina knocked us out. And I was like, I want Argentina to win because I do want Messi to win it back to back and probably be crowned the goat of goats. So yeah, I was kind of torn. What was your thoughts? Do you know what? I think there's always something nice, isn't there, about being beaten by the eventual winner? Because you can say, That's the only team who could stop us was the team that won the World Cup. But it reminded me, as that final was going on, Pete, it reminded me of two other finals, and you'll remember both of these.

22:48Definitely reminded me of 2010 when Spain played the Netherlands, and the Netherlands, who can be a great footballing team, basically decided to S-house it, which is what Argentina did today. That, in 2010, it took Spain until extra time to find a way through, and obviously it was an iconic goal. It reminded me of that. It also reminded me a bit of the final of Italia 90, which I know, Pete, was your first World Cup, one of your favourite World Cups. The way that Argentina had got to that World Cup final by beating Italy, who'd been one of the favourites, maybe the romantic pick. And when Argentina got to that final, with Maradona as the 10, as their star man, they also just went to town on kicking West Germany.

23:28So it sort of brought back memories of both those finals for me, Pete. Yeah, it felt to me like it was beauty and a beast, you know? It was like football was the winner today. I feel like they made it difficult or just tried to make it ugly, bring them down to their level, whereas Spain were the kind of beautiful footballing team that deserved to win out, really, at the end of the day. And, you know, I'm glad they did. Yeah. And for me, Sid, there was a point in that first half where I was expecting Argentina to sort of play that way because it had worked against England. And it's also in the Argentinian DNA, isn't it?

24:03It's a bit like it's in the Italian DNA that they've always mixed beauty and the beast. They've always had tough centre-halves and a couple of midfielders who can put a foot in. What I thought they did wrong this time around is they didn't bring the beauty at all. The fact it took until the 115th minute for Argentine to have a shot on target, it's all very well trying to bring the opposition down to your level. But at some point, you have got to start playing. At some point, you've got to start catching in. Yeah, you have.

24:30Tom Fordyce: And you've always got that man, Messi. You've got to rely on him at points of the game. but he was just so quiet, wasn't he, throughout the game. I thought, when's he going to step up? You know, he'd done it against England towards the end, and he just showed that, you know, couple of bits of brilliance. Didn't see it at all, like at all today. So whether that was Spain that's just nullified him completely, which they've done throughout the tournament, or Messi just had a bad game or an off game, I don't know. I don't know, but it was such a shame for him to go out in that way. Real shame, Tom, but let me just tell you how much we've landed on our feet here in New York.

25:06we're having the time of our life here man and listen I feel like my whole journey has been with you it's like you've got injured you've Jordan Henderson you have literally Jordan Henderson you've been with us you know obviously you had more of an impact maybe than Jordan but you've got injured and you've it's the wrong moment and unfortunately we've ended up winning the whole thing well you know it's a team game and it makes me happy to see you boys in what looks like a sensational pub in New York. You'd be sending me a few pics. And there was no sense of jealousy because we've all been in this together.

25:43And if I couldn't be there, I wanted you boys to be there. We had a hell of a ride, didn't we? And I think this final, I know it was not unpleasant. I know it was a tough watch at times. And with all the scenes at the end, it got a little bit ugly. But it's been a sensational World Cup. We've been on the inside of it. We've been really, really lucky. Speaking to some mates back home, it might have been a different experience in the UK because obviously a lot of the games were difficult times to watch. We watched pretty much every single game, didn't we, between us? There might have been one group game that squeaked past us.

26:12How do we feel about this World Cup as a whole, Sid? Like, we've all loved World Cup since we were young kids. How are we reflecting on 2026? Give us a highlight, Sid, on and off the field.

26:27Tom Fordyce: Off the field, a highlight for me, probably the same for you, would be Miami. For me, Miami. Wonderwall. Behind the goal. Singing that with the England fans and the players looking up. I will forever remember that. Yours was obviously in the Azteca. Singing Wonderwall. Mine was Azteca, yeah. I mean, going into the England camp was amazing. It was beautiful getting my legacy cap there. Presented by Harry Kane. The whole team, which they didn't have to do at all. That was a really special moment for me. but being in the Azteca, when it wasn't even about the result, it was like just being there with the history of the game and like the history of games that had been played there previously.

27:13And then like the atmosphere, the Mexican national anthem, the stadium, and then to go and win there with 10 men just felt unbelievable.

27:24Tom Fordyce: Yeah. I think, Tom, we had a great day, didn't we? Do you remember it was Norway, Brazil at the hotel? and then we were followed by England, England, Mexico. Mexico. Mexico, yeah. That was a great day. I'll tell you what we have missed. I'll tell you what we have missed. We've missed the quiz, haven't we? Yeah, we have missed the quizzes. We've missed the quiz. The quizzes have been shit, if I'm being told.

27:50They have. You are the king of the quiz. The quizzes were a lot of fun. We found a few pubs in New York, Tom, that need a new quiz master, mate. So you are, I don't know, I'll speak to Danny about it, but potentially a good venue for a quiz. Well, listen, I think the three of us need to get to New York at some point. If you're asking me for my highlights of this World Cup, so you've got some really, really good ones from games there. I think from our personal point of view, what the three of us are calling Super Sunday, which was, it feels like a lifetime ago now, maybe three weeks ago, where we had a day off work and we filled that day by going to a baseball cage.

28:32Then we went to a restaurant for what we thought was going to be just a little bit of lunch, maybe a glass of water. We were still there eight hours later having played what we're only going to describe as the greatest game we've ever played, the repercussions of which are still going on to this day. I don't even know how to describe this game. Can I just say, I'm going to keep this game a secret. Yeah. Yeah, because there's reasons for that. They'll remain private as well. But I think one of the greatest games I've done, for us three, we went for lunch and we spent eight hours playing this one game.

29:12Lunch went one o 'clock till, did we leave? About ten?

29:15Tom Fordyce: I think it was two till ten. Two till ten. Solid. It was an eight-hour game over lunch that won't be rivaled. It's something I'll always remember. Yeah. there's also this wonderful thing about world cups isn't there where a really good world cup defines a summer and i think the three of us will all look back on the summer of 2026 and when people say what do you remember you go that was a great world cup you know it's a world cup that had its flaws and had its controversies of course it did and there's all things i think there's things that all of us would change whether it's the way that fifa is run whether it's i don't know certain elements of the staging but we've had such an incredible time and look england couldn't get all the way this time but gave us a magnificent ride along the way.

30:022026 for me, we'll be looking back. The sun didn't stop shining. We saw some amazing games of football. We saw some beautiful kits. Arguably the greatest ever World Cup for kits. Good shout. So, I mean, 2026, we'll look back on so fondly, won't we? We having that? Yeah. Kit-wise? Yeah, Japan. Japan away. Curaçao. France away. France away. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Beautiful. Sorry, I was just talking to, I know you're on your own now, but we've got loads of mates here.

30:35And boys, just on that final, because having watched it on the ferry, I still want to talk about it with you guys. Was there any point where you thought Argentina might nick it? Was there any point where you thought Spain are getting a little bit frustrated here, maybe they've done everything? Any point at all where you thought Argentina might nick it?

30:53Tom Fordyce: I did. slightly I think probably five minutes towards the end no it was the last ten of extra time they had nothing they had nothing about them Argentina apart from Messi creating a bit of magic the last ten minutes of extra time they had a little go and they had three chances I think they defended it really well Spain but other than that I don't think there was much to write home about yeah agree yeah so Sid what will be your abiding memory of that final is it the Ferrantoro's goal what was the reaction like in the pub in New York City where you're watching it where everyone's been glued to the screen we was we was on the on the street outside it was packed wasn't it hundreds hundreds of people there and we was actually looking around going if Spain score what's the reaction going to be like and if Argentina score like who's who's going to be loudest and Joe killed it I think there was a pub just next door that had a five second delay, believe it or not.

31:57Tom Fordyce: So he kind of knew the goal or something was going to happen as well. That's the worst. So that was a bit of a killer. But my memory from this final will be not really the game, to be fair. I think it was probably where he was, the environment, you know, sharing it with good people around us. You know, I didn't think the game was great. I didn't think it was a spectacle but listen what a time it's been in the USA the World Cup was though let's be honest really good the World Cup was yeah at the end of the day this podcast was the winner we have won we have won final question for me boys who has been your single favourite player at this World Cup so I've phrased that carefully doesn't mean who you think has been the best player or even the most influential but your favourite player so the player you have loved watching in this World Cup yeah obviously I'm a little bit biased.

32:53I'm going to go with Dan Byrne. Nice. I think he's a player of the tournament for me. Go on. How many Swips have you had?

33:03Tom Fordyce: Because of his backstory. No, you said my personal preference, right? No, listen, I think he's been brilliant. You can have Maritain. You can have Haaland. You can have Mbappe. No, no, no. I think they've been fantastic. Dan Byrne, I've shouted the loudest when he headed that ball away. Yeah. And then when he got hit in the face. Yeah. And that's what being English is all about. yeah my one would be Jude Bellin again probably a little bit biased but I think with the disrespect that he got before the tournament he's like every game he's got better he's got to a point where he just puffed his chest out and was just like listen let's jump on my back boys and I'll I'll take you a few a few of these a few of these rounds Harry Kane was superb as well but Jude Bellin for me was outstanding in his tournament yeah he's actually my choice as well You know, yeah, I would go with you.

33:55And you know there's this cliche when we see great footballers and people say it's men against boys or it's a man against boys. And they're talking about that gap between how good a player is and the rest of the level. The way Bellingham finished that chance in the third-place playoff game against France, that literally looked to me like a man against boys. Not in terms of the size differential, but just as soon as he's picked that ball up, you knew he was going to score. the way he carries himself the way he strode forward the way there was that absolute certainty in how he was going to finish it and the way that once he's beaten the fullback he doesn't lash at it it's almost like a bloke in the park taking on his kids I'm going to finish this whenever I want da da da da I've done that now I've done that put it away it was just such a sign of what an extraordinary player he is we talked all the way through the tournament about players growing in the tournaments I just think he's been extraordinary I agree with you it's like when you talk about you know, a player, came in a little bit under fire.

34:51People were talking about whether or not he was going to get in the squad was one thing, getting in the team was another. And then to step up in the manner Jude Bellingham stepped up, kind of won games when we were really struggling, carried the ball, made clearances. It was kind of Roy of the Rovers stuff. I thought it was unbelievable. It felt like a coming of age. the goals the ability the leadership and of course that goal in the third and fourth was off the charts

35:22Tom Fordyce: and I think this tournament has now for me in my eyes cemented him to that next category of going he's world class like I think there was a few doubts beforehand with the consistency but I think now what he's shown in this tournament Jude Bellenham is world class on every level agreed

35:45Right, okay, this next part of the podcast is supported by Paddy Power. We got a letter from the Minister of Initiative here. He says, hi Crouchy Tom and says, what a World Cup it's been, more teams, more host nations and more hydration breaks than we've ever had before. Spot on. We've had underdog stories, the biggest names all turning up and just when we thought it couldn't get any better, FIFA gave us Robbie Williams in a sparkly tracksuit. he gave us a motivational speech from Tom Cruise and the return of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho to the world stage neither of them have ever looked happier true the pods have been well and truly back stronger yes he's very true helped in no small part by the return of Mr Fordyce he was calm, composed and bringing a level of professionalism that's been sorely missing frankly for far too long oh shots fired

36:43Tom Fordyce: that is he's come to me I feel like he's come to you personally no I think he's pleased that Tom was back yeah he's a big fan of you you know that Crouchy we've said we've shared some memorable moments over the years but seeing you record a podcast from your knees while suspended beneath a giant pair of Paddy Power pants somewhere over America has to be my favourite part we forgot about that yeah yeah well I didn't forget about that that was that was an interesting day closely followed by a surprise appearance from America's Goat LeBron James yeah if you haven't seen we had LeBron James on the podcast incredible tune in to that one what's that and a Brummie accent from Crouchy that shirt was it Brummie he did a Brummie no he did another one you did another Brummie one oh yeah but Brummie was alright yeah I remember yeah sorry It was good.

37:40Van Pablo. It should earn me a cameo in the next Peaky Blinders. He says, we already know that you've got the acting credentials from all of your ads, obviously. But enough reminiscing. There's one final set of predictions to settle and the final standings to confirm. Has the once notorious SID's painfully safe approach finally paid off? Has Crouchy pulled off the impossible? Well, has Tom quietly shown up to the two ex-pros? Let's find out. Tom's title challenge seemingly left with his fight back to England. He got zero points in the final. You were shit, Tom, unfortunately. Sid's correctly predicted the draw at the end of normal time, but not the correct score and no other predictions.

38:30So just the one point. Oh, no. This is from the cat amongst the pigeons, isn't it? So the door was left to Jafa Crouchy. Could he make it count? You said 2-1 Argentina, which was incorrect. Zero points. Not a great start. But Enzo Fernandez for a card. Which we said. Correct. That's three points. And you said Ola Sabal for two shots on target. Who? Yeah, Ola Sabal. Ola Sabal. I love it Spanish is this you rolled the tongue it's a it's a tongue roll right a fable um two shots on target I called him I did actually call him a fable but we've allowed it he's managed one one before being substituted but all your work on super sub paid off oh no

39:23Tom Fordyce: I got the super sub that's what you get with Paddy Power yeah your mucker there we go because Ferran Torres came on yeah and he scored So that gives me three points and six points overall. Hold on, hold on, hold on. This is so exciting. Hold on, hold on, hold on. So this was a swing, yeah? Five points. Massive swing. Oh. Then the Hallmary Chaos card, Tom loses five points. Look at his face. What? Look at his face. He can't believe what it's got. Crouchy gains five points. So he loses five, I gain five. Yeah. Plus your score, Sid. Yeah, Sid stays on one. It's a disgrace. So the final standings are as follows.

40:07I fucking still lost. Have you? That's bullshit. What's the point of reading all that? What's the actual point of reading all that? The final standings... No way. The final standings are as follows. Sid's 48, Tom's 45 and Crouchy's 44. Yeah!

40:35Why are you clapping that? That's outrageous. So despite a heroic last push, it wasn't enough from Crouchy's. Get off the bottom and congratulations to Sid's. The Predictions League is yours once again. Bragging rights secured. It's been a pleasure pulling the strings from the sidelines. Enjoy the rest of your summer, gentlemen. As for me, I've got a few inquiries to make about Crouchy's forfeit.

41:04until next time the Paddy Power Minister of Mischief

41:15Tom Fordyce: Minister of Mischief what a man thoughts Sid has burgled that hasn't he absolutely absolutely burgled for me that was like Argentina winning the World Cup final disgusting it was Sid's didn't have a shot on target until the 115th minute and then it's come off his arse and it's wrong footed the keeper I don't want to sound like sour grapes Sid but I am quite sour about it I had a lead for a long time look maybe I blew it myself I didn't get a single point in the final I tipped the wrong foot the wrong centre half I said it was going to be Romero and it was Martinez you've had a shocker and he got himself to blame I have to be fair you want to look at yourself you've made some bad decisions on this trip let's be honest number one You went home, number two, you were in Vancouver, and number three, you just didn't pick the right players.

42:03At least I didn't finish bottom, Pete. At least I didn't finish bottom.

42:07Tom Fordyce: You're right. One point as well, 44, 45, 48 for me. So you're bottom. Great contest. So that's a forfeit. So it's being... Shots fired already. Look at him. Let's have a little chat about forfeits after, guys, all right? Listen, I've had a great World Cup. I've loved every moment of it. Being out here was an absolute dream, wasn't it? Let's be honest. I've been to some amazing cities. I've met some amazing people. I've been to some great games. I've watched some amazing football. But my favourite part of it, boys, was spending it all with you two. Yeah. Honestly, it has been... It's actually a little bit emotional, really, because you spend so much time with each other, like, on set, off set.

42:53Tom Fordyce: Like, obviously, we've had other halves come. We've got to know each other even better. and I think it's not just a work pod, it's a family pod now, and I've had the time of my life, honestly, the work that we've done, the guests that we've had on, the places that we've seen, it's been a dream come true, and I thank everyone, but above all, I would say as well, we've had a massive reach in America, I've had so many people come up to me in the US, going, I love your work, I listen to you all the time, and I'm like, this is Americans as well that live over in the States and they love what we do.

43:31Tom Fordyce: So what we're doing is great. Tom, it's been an absolute pleasure. I've loved it. Yeah, boys, it's been an incredible trip, hasn't it? It's been, I think we all set off in the UK all those weeks ago, hoping we'd have a great time, but it's surpassed all expectations. It's been an adventure, podding. It's been an adventure, all the things we've done. We're not podding. We need to give a massive shout out to the boys who make this happen, don't we? we to John, to Gaz, to Chris, to everyone back home who make our job much, much easier. But yeah, it's been an incredible summer. I've loved being with you two, as you know, getting to know you much, much better, Sid.

44:09Pete, getting to know you all over again. So I think the only thing I want to say off this World Cup is let's not stop here. Let's pour on to the next season. Let's use this. Let the World Cup be the wind in our sails. It'd be very nice to obviously reconnect with Chris again. Tom, you're going to have to let the lads know who your agent is and whether we can sign you on a permanent basis. That's something that we need to look into. But yeah, Chris, you know, everyone, Chris, Gaz, to John, to everyone who's worked behind the scenes, to the WAGs who've allowed us to do it. And also, obviously, Danny, Molly, everyone connected to, I think, the Dead Rabbit, Ulysses, and of course Swift as well where we are tonight.

44:54Really appreciate you letting us use it and drinking your establishments. We will be back. Back stronger. Next season in the Jumbawamba. Cheers.

45:26Tom Fordyce: Acast powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend.

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