Spain win the World Cup as Rodri reigns supreme

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0:37Alan Shearer:Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football. Well, this is the last episode of this particular World Cup and what a great ride it's been. Shame England couldn't go closer. In the end, it was Spain's triumph and I'll be discussing that with Joe Cole, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and Rob Jones will join us too. Spain got their hands on the World Cup trophy and were the first team to do so without ever, ever going behind in the tournament. What a performance. Who could have called that? Oh, I did 40 days ago. Hold on, hold on. Before you go on, I called it too. Just so you know. Don't interrupt my opening.

1:17Alan Shearer:OK, I'm not finished. OK, well, hurry up then. I'm going to look up here now and say, here for the last hurrah, it's Joe Cole plus Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. Who said Spain would win it? And they both hot-footed it straight back from the stadium. How was it, chaps, to be there? We weren't there, we watched it here. It was great to be there, wasn't it?

1:38Gary Lineker:But the game itself was poor. But I was delighted Spain won because they were a better team. They tried to play all the football. I mean, it was just chaos getting in and out of the stadium. You was losing your mind a little bit, wasn't you? I was going mad. Really? What was that? Was he having a stroke? He was like, when we pulled into the car park, he was like, where the fuck are we supposed to be going? Why is no one here to take us in there? And afterwards, he was like, Alan, chill out, no one's here. It's about half a mile walk, we'll be fine.

2:10Alan Shearer:You know what the problem is, Micah? He's now used to the Netflix dream. He's got a smile, hasn't he? But the fans, Argentina fans, were great from start to finish. Even at the end, weren't they? Even at the end, there was singing. Obviously the way it ended I felt for Messi It would have been a lovely send off for him He's done alright But ultimately Spain were the better team By far You missed the memo We've got all nice suited and booted in here

2:39Gary Lineker:Lads I have to say you look amazing Lacoste, too much Lacoste, too much Lacoste, too much Lacoste nothing What are you covers? I don't have to get dressed up. I'm in Co-Com's. No one sees me. They just listen to me. It's our last show. You're going to make a little bit of effort for the guys. You're coming in jackets. All the people behind the scenes who no one ever sees. All the hard work they've put in. One of them. All the effort and you come dressed like that. Two of the guys just said Ali look a lot smarter than Micah does in that fucking wrap bag. This is magnificent isn't it? You're looking well.

3:16Alan Shearer:It's a bit sad though being the last show in a way isn't it? I don't know. What are we going to do? Have a holiday. Have a little break. I'll have a little break. Before we get into the important thing in the football, half-time show. You were there, you two. I'm sorry. Before you all be negative, Werner Boy was good and Shakira was good. I'm not saying any of them weren't good. Shakira was the best bit about it. I've seen him shaking it. On his trooper as well. Yeah, they moved. What about the two Ronnies, though? Oh, mate. With Madonna in the car. That's when I got up and went to the... Yeah, I couldn't see that.

3:53Alan Shearer:That was ridiculous. One thing I'll say, right, this is what baffles me about why football thinks it needs to do this, or any sport, right? If you go to Glastonbury and you watch a set, do you want a break in the middle for a five-a-side football game? No. It makes no sense. I don't... I mean, some people will like it, but I can't. Tell me what it's like, because they do it at the Champions League final, and they get great artists, but it's for the television. It's a television show, and it doesn't even sound great in the stadium. I don't think Bieber's great isn't he he's got some tunes but

4:24Gary Lineker:they were great artists but it just it was flat inside the stadium it was flat wasn't it the best part about it they didn't have much time though did they they were all doing little half an hour half an hour half an hour what is that three minutes each it wasn't yeah it wasn't the best performance I'm just imagining Ronaldinho and Ronaldo when they were asked to do that, to sit in the car and like boot... It's like, seriously, lads, what are you doing, man? Come on. Fucking hell, you're two greats. You don't have to do that. They can get away with anything. Shearer and Lineker. It would have been great, wouldn't it?

5:04There's a price for that. There's a price.

5:06Alan Shearer:We'd have been like this. What the fuck is this? What's going on? He'd be having a run. They must have got

5:12Gary Lineker:a lot of good for that.

5:13Alan Shearer:Yeah, they did. It sort of shows you that the final wasn't that good that we've just spent five minutes talking about the half-time show that was said it's not as important as the football should be. Spain, who wants to start? I mean, what a World Cup joke. Mate, it's unbelievable. It was an absolute... Argentina were hanging on from the start. The way that they played... Obviously, they won the last Euros. The way they played with De La Fuentes, he coached them all through the youth teams. They got a way of playing. The pressing. We're sitting there, guys, we were going, they can't keep up this pressing for 70 minutes.

5:45And the energy, Olmo, unbelievable. That's the blueprint. for England. That. That, for me, watching that. Stella Fuente in... But can we play like that? Well, no, what I mean is... Can we? We can, if you develop the players to do that. And they know when you turn up for England... Look, I said before the tournament I was worried we wouldn't have enough possession to win the tournament. And that's exactly what happened. We couldn't handle the ball. We left Palmer at home, Foden at home, Trent, all these players who can handle the ball. Spain handled the ball all the time. But then players have been developed with that throughout 15s, 16s, 17s, 18s.

6:19And they just... when they step up for the national team, it's second nature.

6:22Alan Shearer:Do you think it's a coincidence that the two coaches involved were all, they coached the youth teams, they coached the under-21s and they'd come through? No real club football. We had that for a tiny little spell, didn't we? Lee Carsley and Ashley Colton, obviously Carsley have been involved in the youth setups, etc. So because you don't get that much time with players, if you've spent time with them as young when they're growing up do we think that would make a difference or not? It has to those two countries.

6:57Gary Lineker:Lee was in that situation wasn't he? If I remember rightly didn't he make his feelings known to say he didn't want? No he wanted it but they asked him at the end he already knew he wasn't going to get it and he got asked to pressure him and I tell you the game messed him up I was at it, it was at Wembley, Greece. They played Greece and we got beat at Wembley. He won five games and in the sixth game they got beat by Greece. And he played Bellingham and Foden and it just didn't work. Do you know what I mean? And I think the FA missed a trick there with them. Because the players love them, the 21s.

7:28They've won two tournaments. Yeah, so what would you say our DNA is? And that's been the talk. So in terms of the way Tuka wants to play, wants to play on that transition, as we've seen in Medweke and Gordon, Rashford and Saka. High pace, high energy. but like you said, you need a little bit more. I think you make a great point about Foden and Parma, people who can handle the ball. But if you're not going to be taught that way, if you go to Chelsea, you're allowed to play one way. If you play at Man City, you play another way. And then you go to England and it's a little bit different. It needs to be from the start, doesn't it?

8:02Yes, I agree.

8:03Alan Shearer:I'm going to drift us away from this. I'm slightly concerned that we'll end up talking just about England. This is Spain's moment. What is it that Spain do? How do they do it? And what makes them so special?

8:15Gary Lineker:They're brilliant. They're amazing at possession. One thing. They're brilliant out of possession. So the two most important things. So when they lose the ball, the team have done that much chase in the opposition that they just go straight at them. And for large periods of that game today, They went after Argentina when they lost the ball and Argentina had no other option than to kick it long. And straight away, you get the ball back and you go again. And that is what is so good about them. Did you notice at the ground today, both of you, whenever Rodri or Rui's got his head turned and he's looking up, the amount of runners that they have to make, it could be Cucurella, it could be Porre, it could be Baena.

9:03Baena. Like, unbelievable movement, constantly stretching them. Argentina, no answer.

9:08Alan Shearer:It's like when the Spanish players have the ball, there seem to be so many options for them. They're movement. And they seem to move more than any other team that I've seen in this tournament when they've got... And it's like they rotate and there's little triangles. But that's bravery, though, as well. No, but bravery is not just tackling. Bravery is getting on the ball, on the ball, when there's pressure on you. Have you seen Rodri? Watching Rodri today... Oh, he's so good. He's playing different football. He's so composed. He's always in the right position. The rotation between him and Ruiz, and then if Ruiz doesn't do it, you've got Pedri.

9:44Dani Olmo, what a player he is. He can press, but he can get on the ball. He always wants to receive on a half turn, and he can run him behind. In terms of what do they do so good, they always give each other an option, no matter where they are on the pitch, and they always try to play out. And it comes from the goalkeeper as well. If you look at the weight of the pass that he plays to, whether it be Koubasi or Laporte on the left-hand side, everyone is just in sync and know exactly what they want to do.

10:15Gary Lineker:Do you know how we're on about them defensively? Brilliant. I mean, all of the back forward being the team in the tournament, and there's no doubt about it. This team has faced 10 shots on target. It's unbelievable, isn't it? 10 shots on target is all they've faced in eight games. One goal. Eight games. He's in one goal. He's in one goal. and they've also never trailed in a game.

10:36Alan Shearer:De La Fuente has never lost, and he won every game in tournaments. In two tournaments, he's been in charge. He won every game in the Euros. He won every game in this, except Kate Verde, who makes that even more extraordinary.

10:51Gary Lineker:But that doesn't happen with a brilliant back four. That has to happen with a brilliant midfield and a brilliant forward line, who all do the work, who all do the press. When they lose it, they all go, So, yes, they all have to know their roles in the back, but that all comes from every single player being at it and understanding what they have to do.

11:14Alan Shearer:They're completely dominated. Do you think that's the most one-sided? I mean, they didn't bat them in terms of goals scored. But, I mean, some of the stats here, 20 shots to two. I think Argentinians were very late when they were chasing it as well. 117th minute before their first shot. They had 12 on target against none. 65 % possession. It felt like more, to be honest. Touches in the opposition. I mean, it's just there. It's obvious. They were so dominant. What I will say, though, even though they were very dominant, I thought Argentina defended well. They do defend. They just defend so well.

11:47So if you look at them compared to England, when England go in low blood, it's like they don't know what to do. When Argentina, it's like they're just brilliant at knowing when to jump, knowing when to drop off, knowing when to buy a foul, because tactical fouls, Yeah. They're the best at it. You know that. The house are here as well.

12:06Alan Shearer:So a bit after the final whistle. I think Paredes. I mean, he let himself down. That's embarrassing, that. Yeah, it was. Win or lose, you've got to shake hands. I mean, most of their players were magnanimous and they were, you know, people like Messi on the pitch. Everyone was fine. Paredes did get given a red card after the game. After the game. I think which is just. Enzo Fernandes. Sent off. It's crazy, wasn't it?

12:30Gary Lineker:The first one was for whinging, wasn't it? Yeah, he got done for descent, which he should never have done. No wonder Spain is so good.

12:39Alan Shearer:Look, Kibarsi can fly.

12:42Gary Lineker:To go into that tackle when you're on a yellow card, it was always going to be hard enough anyway, as it was. But then going down to the hit, that's when they just thought, yeah, Spain are going to win this. And he's cost his country massively. As much as he helped get them through to the final with that wonderful goal against England, He's cost his country tonight.

13:01Alan Shearer:Let me talk about one or two of the individuals. I want to start with Pau Cabasi, who I think we flagged up a couple of years ago. I thought he was going to be the next... I'll give you that. You flagged him. That's all you. You can have all the... Not the oracle. It's all you. That is all you. Take it. You know, even when you give me a bit of credit, you've called yourself the oracle. I get it. Well, I do watch a lot of Barcelona, Spanish football. I've got a pod. I just, I mean, he's had that mad high line at Barcelona at times, and that would expose any defender. But with this one, they do play a high line, but they'll also drop when...

13:38Alan Shearer:And you can see, I mean, a young player of the tournament, an absolutely meritorious honour. Meritorious. Deserving, Micah. Can you say, oh, deserving? I learn from it every day. Meritorious. Meritorious. Didn't know it existed. You've heard of a meritocracy. I've heard of, yeah. There you go, sir. No, you're bullshit. It's all right, Al, it's not a brand of clothing.

14:06Alan Shearer:No, but to have that. As a defender yourself, Kabarsi, I mean, how... I mean, because it's quite unusual for defenders to come through, unlike, you know, people like Lamin-Yamel that we've seen have broken through brilliant as forwards, but as defenders that's more unusual. I think it's his football IQ. He's very good on the ball. He's playing in a team which likes to keep the ball, which makes him look even better. I think you're right in terms of his struggle at Barcelona when they have that high line. I think a lot of praise has to go to Laporte as well because he's marshaled him through that as well.

14:39You always need an experienced head. But for him to perform like that at 19, it's just remarkable. And he gets better every time I watch him. And you know, sometimes when you play for Barcelona, you get caught out. He wasn't getting caught out in this team. He's growing, he's learning every single time. is a superstar already.

14:59Alan Shearer:There's a lot of Spanish fans singing outside. I was out with him earlier. Was he having a little dance? I can't dance, Mike. I was having a little jump up and down. I want to talk, obviously, Rodri. Player of the tournament, golden ball winner. Pep called it before the tournament. He said, you will see the best Rodri in the World Cup. He was right. Yeah, Pep knows what he's talking about. He was brilliant. Do you know what I love about Rodri? Excuse me. Bless you. Do you know what? I broadcast for 30 years and that's the first time ever sneezed during a broadcast. Really? I was having a conversation recently because I...

15:34Oh, I've played another record, is it? It's...

15:38Alan Shearer:It's...