US Performance and Upcoming World Cup Fixtures

This is the Guardian Today we'll attempt a feat once thought impossible, overcoming high interest credit card debt. It requires merely one thing, a soopFI personal loan. With it, you could save big on interest charges by consolidating into one low fixed rate monthly payment. Defy high interesterest debt with a soFi personal loan. Visit sofi dot com slash stuck to learn more Loans originated by SFi Bank NA member FDIC. Terms and conditions apppply NL S six nine six eight nine one. This episode is supported by Boss, former wear provider for the US men's national soccer team. For soccer's biggest event this summer, the US is playing on home soil and Boss will be dressing the US players and coach Mauritio Podcino in Boss performance business weear for their off pitch appearances. Boss and the USMNT share the same values, discipline, precision, and the confidence to perform under pressure US fans can look sharp too in the Boss pererformance collllection and wear their passion with special fanwar capsule and embroidered badges in national colors. Own the moment with confidence, discover the boss pererformance collection as worn by the US men's national soccer team and the fan capsule of jerseys, polos and jackets in national colors. Wear your passion your way. Available now at boss dot com Or at your nearest boss store, hashtag, be your own boss Hello and welcome to the Guardian foootball Week. Bobby Bobb Bobby entaining nation on prrime TV on a Saturday evening, the Netherlands H hammer, Sweden five one, Broobby with a classic target man's performance, and the Dutch looked brilliant, GakPo excellent down the left a youong and Graenberurg' running midfield. The Grand Potter honeymoon period is over, Sweden rallied a little in the second half, but they have work to do. In group E Dennis Undp saves Germany two excellent finishes for their permanent substitute As Jion Nulman's side come back from behind to beat the Ivory Coast. Curacau, population one hundred fifty thousand draw with Ecuador. Population eighteen million a stunning result. Their keeper Elooy Rom making fifteen saves, the joint most ever in a World Cup match. It means Germany win the group, but the other three can still progress. Then there's last night's game. number ten Paraguay covered his mouth decision Red card. As Dark horses turkey go out, we'll look ahead tomorrow, answer your questions, and that's the Vase Guardian Fotball Weekly Withre in the studio, Barry Glen Denning, Hello. Hi Max Wlcome, Leanderharacans in Toronto, Hllanda. Hey guys. And doing the night shift in the UK Danbardell Heyan. Hi Max. You look good for three hundred fifteen AM. We are recording before Tunisia, Japan. We'll talk about that tomorrow. Hard to know which game to begin with because they were all good and Kuraouth fans will be yelling at us for not doing the first ever World Cup point But let's begin with the first game of the day B in group F. Netherlands five Sweden one. in Houston, Percicy says We were in the middle of a patch to Hems in Soho and I yelled out Yes Max when Bobby scored. T says, I don't pay close attention to Sundland. I honestly thought you guys were calling him Brian Bobby as a joke this entire season. and I did pick him for a golden boot in our predictions. I mean, credit Kuma Barry for making this switch because it really works Oh, absolutely. Broy was sensational. there The Netherlands first two goals basically scored the same goal twice, one across from the left and the other across from the right Abssolutely bullied Izakin who really knew he was in a game and could not cope with Robby at all People who've watched Thunder in this season will know how good Robby is how strong he is, how deft he is. He's got a bit of everything. he's good in the air, goodood feet real handful for any defender And I'm kind of sad hes put in that performance today because I was hoping he'd keep a bit of a low profile at this World Cup because the vultures are already circling before it started and there'll certainly be more of them circling now I really enjoyed this game I'm going to say five one kind of flatters the Netherlands because it wasn't a five one game. I don't think the Sweden goalkeeper made a save. justust the Netherlands scored all their chances or most of them And Sweden created plenty of chances, but only scored one That was by Anthony Langer who did more in ten minutes for Sweden then he did all season for Newcastle And yeah, Newcastle fans will been You know, Ezac played well as well. so Newcastle fans will be watching this game going for various reasons. Yeah, and a fastic win for the Netherlands and Sweden will be wondering how on earth they managed to lose five one. Yeah. L back to Broobbie. I just thought Baz made a good point about how dft he is because you could look at a player like that and just think Obviously, he's incredibly strong, but that touch for the opening goal to, you know, cushion that ball into Gakp's path is elite, isn't it? It is. he can do a lot of different things. He's a player that that's confounded people at IX where he played twice, he came up through the accademy there and then briefly left for Rb Leipzick and then came back. at a fairly hefty fee a few years later and never really did the business for IX. And he always looked like such a prototypical IC striker, such a Dutch striker, a target man who could sort of do a bit of everything. He was just really good on the ball, really good with his back to goal, really physical, really fast and so he's capable of these things. And honestly with the way he played, it kind of made me wonder watching this match whether Graham Potter had ever watched a Dutch team play before because Ronald Kuman does not do Unusual things for a Dutch coach. He does not do exciting things. He is a Dutch school four three three wing play ideologue and he does not deviate from that. And those first two goals that Bobi scored, they were sort of prototypical Dutch style goals, right? Ball up to the target man out wide, low cross comes back, someone is there to tap it in So I was really surprised by how befuddled Sweden seemed to be by the Dutch early on. Yeah, and actually Dent I see Barry's point about the chances Sweden made, but for the first twenty five minutes, half an hour could not touch the ball Yeah, I' like Baris said I thought sway them were t good in the middle of the pitch but had problems at either end. Jocarz had a pretty presentable opportunity when the game state was still pretty close and he snatched at it and didn't connect with it properly. Defensively, they they just didn't like crosses and couldn't deal with anything that came in the box. They they had their moments, but Holland in that first half like that's probably the most flying start I can think that the team's made so far in the World Cup. everything they did looked dangerous. Sed and had to retreat. I didn't think They dealt with anything that came their way from Holland well at all. There was a moment at the end of the first half where Sweden did kind of get themselves together and they started to play play well, but didn't get that goal. And then when you started the first half badlely and you then go and start the second half badlely as well, you might li very, very difficult for yourself. And I just thought Pter when they when a camera pan to him at one point I remembered that he was actually West handand manager at one point this season as well because the look on his face was very similar to the start of the season with West handand. Yeah it worth remembering Sweden won no matches in qualifying, I think as well. you know qualified in this you know slightly weird way. Cody Gakpo as well. I come remember someone was saying on the pod. it kind have been off the pod because we don't really talk about football we're not doing the pod, Barry, you just criticize my life choices. And you mind Of course. But someone's saying that his decision making for Liverpool is not good. L he's either too greedy or he makes the wrong choices. but he actually got everything right here, I thought. He put in good crosses. his goal was excellent, the way he caught inside Gustaf Lager Belka pull that low shot into the bottom corner. I mean he's a very good player, I think he didn't have a good season with Liverpool. onene of many Liverpool players who didn't perform Wh knows why But he was excellent today. I thought I was going to say Jimmy Kryresensio, Somerville was also outstanding when he came on. He made a real difference For all the criticism Sweden I still think they played quite well. They just could not score. Aari missed a couple. Yocares missed a few and there were other chances they missed but Verbugen had to make some decent saves and they came out on the wrong end of a hiding. Yeah, yeah. It'ses producce s How would Jimmy Somerville fare? I mean, look, he's got a low sense of gravity, Jimmy. Hasn't he? He's got that beat boy that beat boy feeling. Yeah It was interesting Lander, isn't it how one game can sort of make you a serious contender? I don't know You wouldn't want to play the Dutch. you know, they looked like they had real balance So I've been watching this Dutch team my whole life. I was born there, and I have a really hard time trusting this generation because it's sort of this mind warp that I can't quite get my head around because there's something deeply ironic by this generation of Dutch players, and which is that historically, there would just be a glut of attacking talent, playlmakers, creative players, wingers, strikers, we just mass produce them And if there happen to be a few serviceable defenders, that would be a golden generation, right? And this one is sorted the other way around, where there's just this abundance of defenders. I mean, keep in mind with this team that Yurian Timber is injured, Matas de Lich is injured, Natan A was on the bench, and they still have like a really strong back floor, although they do seem to be U easily exposed on the counter with a little bit of speed because Virtil Van Dyke just doesn't have it anymore. And so the problem with this generation is finding sort of enough attackers that could piece it together and they still don't really have an entirely know Brian Broobby's been really good for one game, but you know does that make for the model that they're going to follow from now on So this team, I'm just not sure about it yet. I mean, they were very good today. They were solid against Japan, not overwhelming, but I don't know Any other strong thoughts, Dan on this? I would probably and go along with what Leander just says. I don't think that one game makes them one of the favorites. I don't have them in the top four, five teams to win this competition. They looked more balanced. I think maybe sometimes teams in the world will play a system and a team in the first game It maybe not work and make a couple of changes and it feels like they've landed on something But I think it was more a case of that Brian Bobby was very good rather than that whole team came together and played really, really well. I think having a focal point helped. but I think if it came to the big occasion, I wouldn't fully trust them either. The other game in group opportunities in Japan is sort of kicking off in half an hour's time so we will discuss that tomorrow. That'll do for part one, part two, we'll do Group Hi pod fans, Max here, Barry here too. Hello. Weekly is supported by Gradient FC. Now Barry, with the World Cup underway, we know player performance will be under a microscope. fromrom superstars cementing legacies to upstarts vying for big summer transfers. But with forty eight teams and up to six matches a day, it's hard to catch every moment and that is where the Gradient FC app shines. Their player rankings update daily during the World Cup So you know whose performances are trending up or down on the world stage How does it work? Well, grradients rankings use the same grades trusted by clubs across Europe's top leagues for player recruitment. Each match is graded by a team of experts who evaluate over two thousand actions per match, not just by outcome, but by execution. So for example, a completed pass that leads the receiver into danger is graded negatively, while one that puts the receiver in on goal is graded positively Now I know you hate making match predictions, Barry, but maybe all that could change at the World Cup with Gradient FC with head to head player comparison tools that show who's best across more than a hundred grades and metrics. It's easy to build and defend any prediction. And here's something else that will appeal to you, Barry, It's free Fantastic. Explore it for yourself at gradientFc. com or download the grradientFC app from the Apple Store or Google Play. High interest debt can be a real vibe killer. Credit cards, personal loans and more can make you feel uncomfortable even in the sanctuary of your own home. Well what if you knew that SoFi could help you leverage your home's equity to feel more aties? It's called a SfFI home equity loan, and it could consolidate your debt at a typically lower interest rate than existing debt with lower monthly payments, and all while keeping your existing mortgage rate. View your rate at soopFi dot com slash payoff debt today Mortgages originated by SOFi Bank A member FDIC NMLS s six nine six eight nine one. terms and conditions apply, equal housing lender Welcome to part to of the Guard Fb Wekly. So let's start then with Germany being the Ivory Coast two one. The Anda you were at this one. What was the atmosphere like in Toronto? Oh, it was incredible.'re a huge amount of German fans. I mean, and it's nice that Toronto stadium, like the stadiums in Mexico and like the Vancouver Stadium are actual soccer stadiums and they're built that way. They're not NFL stadiums And it's just a different vibe. It probably helps that the press box is outdoors because in all of these NFL stadiums and we're not going to complain about getting to be at a World Cup. But when you're sort of trapped behind glass, it's also kind of k the kills the vibe a little bit when you're covering these games. But there was a great atmosphere. The Germans claim that they had twelve thousand people who had come on the march to the stadium, which I believe, because it was really packed with a lot, a lot, a lot of German flags. So it was it was really fun And this game is all about Dennis andove, right? Leanda It is, yeah. it's first we have to give credit to Ivory Kosak. that is a good team. And they've made a lot of changes going into this one. They made six changes to their starting lineup. They basically played an entirely different front line that they had against Ecuador the other day. and that is a physical team that presses well that you know can really make seems uncomfortable and they did that for the first hour with Germany. They sort of seem to run out of gas in their press and then Undalf comes along And Julian Naglesman' come in for a lot of criticism for his management of Germany, but I think he deserves credit for the subs that he made and for the way that he kind of reignited that German attack and they finally were able to push their way through and confirm some stereotypes with a ninety fourth minute winner. I don't know Dan if on you know spprash sport they're ringing up and demanding Denison starts for Germany, but maybe it's a perfect position for him. H record is absolutely mad. Is it nine goals in his last eight matches and And he b. I mean You know, he's probably only played about eight minutes. Yeah, I think it's nine and eleven caps overall or nine and twelve. did certainly one one of the two. I think I think if you have something in in a competition that works Why would you change it? It maybe suited him coming into that environment. I think it's quite telling that he's coming off the bench and not Voltamada. You kind of get the feeling that if habs weren't to start, maybe Voltemada would start, but actually the best option to bring off the bench is Dennis having that kind of flurry of substitution to Germany made the game into their favor. I thought Amir who kind of played towards the right flank and the ball he put in for the first call. I thought he played really well. when he came on as well I think the players that entered the pitch came on with with a real purpose about them and swung that game because before then I felt a like of Germany were in a little bit of trouble Iivory coast in in transition and in that first half D Mande just absolutely ripped Kimich. I think the formation that German play just put him in so many uncomfortable positions in a game where you're going to have loads of possession and you're expected to dominate, which I guess Germany works to an extent. which will be al right kind of plan as a right center backack. but I think the way Ivory Coast exposed in particularly in that first half, he suddenly did look very, very old in that German team, Ivory Coast had so many so many chances that could have had things could have gone so much different for them in that game. I think they'll look back at that that moment when adingver took a took a touch. Yeah take a touch. Yeah. It's funny that you say that Dan about sort of the role that Undalph played because that's exactly what Naglesman said in the press conference after the game. He said, I've got this guy who's officient coming off the bench. Why would I change that? Why would I start him He's come in twice. he scored both times, three goals in total. I'm not going to make any changes. He talked about flow a lot. That seems to be one of the buzzwords that Naglesman really likes. I think we should also give some credit to Felix Felix and Mza, I believe his name is pronounced. The Dortmoonmanfielder. He was excellent. just box to box up and down. You know, what good came from Germany in the first hour or so largely came through him. He was very, very impressive, especially as Musiala and Sane and Whertz were having a tough time getting going against that kind of suffocating press. And actually ended that met pass into Undab is great, but the first touch from Unda to like Even control that ball anywhere near you is hard, but to put it right onto his left foot is perfect Beautiful. He just took it, he spun it, he just lashed it past Ffana. who'd had a good game up to that point. That was a striker's finish, as they say Yeah. so that means Germany have won the group This is the first time Germany has survived the group stage since they last won the World Cup. and that's not to suggest that they're about to, but they'd actually gone twelve years without surviving the group stage at a World Cup, which is baffling when you consider that no country has been to the World Cup semif finals as often as Germany has. They've been thirteen times next most as Brazil with eleven times. Yeah, That's amazing, isn't it? I just presume they always do Yeah, I knew they've gone out the last two. Is it the last three they've gone out in the group stages or just the last two. and those are the only times in their history that they've gone out. Right. and having watched S Lander and you see more in the stadium or you see a different shape of the game. Wh whereabouts are Germany. We were sort of saying the Netherlands after one game, you couldn't necessarily have them as That doesn't shoot them into one of the favorites for this. Wh of Germany because they're sort of getting going, I guess. I don't think I would list Germany among the early favorites either I mean there's there's a lot of holes in that team still. you know Luterback seemed to be injured and maybe wasn't the strongest suit on that team to begin with. They have some problems there. They don't really have a creator of Musala's not on it. You know, is Ki Harvards the striker that's going to get you all the way to the semifinals to the World Cup final? I'm not so sure. you know, Kimich is sort of suspect at one point, Naglesman had to move brown over to the other side just to come and deal with Jon Dio Mande, who was very, very fast. He does this funny thing I noticed in the stadium where basically any timee a player gets away from him, he gives him a shove in the back with two hands, which just goes unpunished for some reason. So that there's weaknesses in this German team for sure. Yeah. I quite likek by the end, Nathanel Brown was just booting it anywhere. Like proper old sk anywhere, mate. That was great U to the other game then that just finished Ecuador Nil Cisal Nil in Kansas City. The first World Cup Coracao their first point their keeper Elo R made fifteen saves so that is tied for the most in a single match. in World Cup history alongside Tim Howard for the US against Belgium in twenty fourteen. I'm trying to work out it's quite hard to work out where this compares to Cape Verdder getting a draw against Spain. But regardless, Barry, is It's an amazing result for them. It's a sensational result for Curuso. I think It's probably not as glam as Kpe Verda getting the draw with Spain because Ecuador aren't as powerhouse of Spain, but there were many people, including my own dark horses for this tournament Not not a good twenty four hours for the dk or that I would say. We'll get to Turkey. But I mean there was so much to like about this game. Eli Room For a start, the Kourus outkeeper had game of his life, I presume he's never played that well before and probably won't ever again. But not only did They put up a heroic rear guuard action against and Ecuador side who hffed and puffed but couldn't blow the house down. They also had chances to win this game. There was one stage after half time where Hector Galindez, the Ecuador keeper was forced into a triple save, two excellent saves from Bakuna and Lucadia And towards the end he had to make another safe from Bakuna, which hadad he scored could have pulled off the shock of the tournament to date. So it was a real, real good game E Valencia missed a hat full of chances for Ecuador. John Y Boa missed a couple as well, but Y, Room was sensational. He will be a hero in Cus though and When you say the populations, what was one hundred fifty thousand eighteen million? Yeah Wow. I was on Google Mac. It looks like a lovely spot Curisao just off the coast of I mean, Leander will know more about Curisao probably.s the Dutch some of the Dutch royal family were present to watch them and a lot of their players are h. Yeah, of course. that you room thirty seven placem for Miami FC, the other The other Miami, not into Miami. But yeah, Leander, what did you what a moment for Curus out It's just an incredible story. and I was working out that if we do World Cup points per capita, then Curisau and Cape Verdi are the best teams in the world. So we should power our hats to them. Yeah, the Dutch king and queen were there. Curisao is still part of the Dutch Kingdom. It is also an independent sort of sovereign nation U And it's one of those games that really kind of defies analysis, right? and almost defies statistics to an extent because it was largely one way traffic. Ecuador had twenty seven shots by one count, twenty nine shots by another, fifteen on target. Although I saw that their XG was only three point zero five, so you know shots certainly, but maybe not always of the highest quality. But you know a game like this, like how can you not be romantic about it? And I just love that the only zero zero matches in this tournament have also been the greatest upsets. There were those two moments Barry at the end. like I think one was about the ninety first minute and the ninety fourth, especially the second one where Ecuador fiz the ball in And like it went off the shin of a Curoso player and we all like we're all standing there like ready to come to the show going, Oh please don't. So Thank God they held on. Yeah. it was sort of skinn of the teeth stuff at the end, but Piero Gincaapi as well, had a great chance to win it for Ecuador from a corner and he headed over the bar Um and it would have been heartbreaking if they' conceded a late winner, but they didn't. they held on and hat off. So Dickot Fart, which as we all know, probably translates to the penis lawyer. It's part of a really concerted effort in the Kuran Federation of just basically trying to mine kind of this post colonial relationship with the Netherlands and they have sort of dug up all of these players who are really solid professionals and made this effort to bring them all into the national team, sort of been this multiye project that's really paying dividends for them in a fairly spectacular way. when, you know, it looked kind of after their first game against Germany when they lose seven one that they were maybe the one team at this World Cup that wasn't entirely competitive and that maybe didn't super belong here. but If you consider that they hung on fairly decently in that first half against Germany, they've now played three halves out of four a very competitive soccer. So this is a team that's that's shown that it's no pushover and are they going to make it to the next round seems doubtful, but nevertheless, you know, for a country that small to be able to come to a World Cup and not embarrass itself, I think also shows that the World Cup is not too big at forty eight teams and that there is room to let more teams into the tent and to you know absorb more nations and that you know, the quality is not capped at thirty two teams. Yeah. So Germany have six points. They won the group Ivory Coast Th points, Ecuador on one and Curisao on one. So Jeremy have won the group but below that all still alive going into the last games. I was trying to come up with a good Rom joke for Eloy Rum. I couldn't think of anything Rom is Dutch Kream if that helps. Dutch for Kream. Well, if he married Mark Poum to get a sort of goalkeeping power couple. They could be the pom rooms or the room poms. But that's as good as I've got at this stage. It's been a long week. It a week. Yeah, look, you got a workshop these things. This is a work in progress show. You know, This isn't my Edinburgh show yet. Anyway, that'll do for part part three. We'll begin with Turkey Nil Paraguay one High interest debt is one of the toughest opponents you'll face. Unless you power up with a so far personal loan. A so far personal loan could repackage your bad debt into one low fixed rate monthly payment. It's even got super speed since you could get the funds as soon as the same day you signed. Visit Sfi d. com slash power to learn more. That's soFi d. com slash PW ER L loans originated by Sfi Bank NA, member F theIC terms and conditions apppply NMLS six nine six eight ny one Welcome to P partart three the Guardian Fotb Wekly So Turkeyil Paraguay won last night Turkey out of the World Cup Nico says, canan we please get an hour on the R announcing Almaron's red card like he was condemning him to death by firing squad moment of the tournament Thanks for the show. Nick. I mean, it was Barry Absolutely. I did a whole radio show on this last night. It was just absolutely sensational. Yeah. he reminded me and I think quite a few other people I've seen the meme go to and the r of The soup Naxi on Seinfeld. No more soup for you. I have to say, this was my game at the tournament so far. It was on at Stupid o'clock UK time, so a lot of our listeners probably haven't seen it. It was brilliant. absolutely brilliant and Turkeys capacity to make absolute fools of all of us seems to be limitless I was astonished, I presume I knew this and I'd forgotten, but this is their first World Cup in twenty four years. Yeah, I saw everyone They were dark horses going into every one of them and got knocked out in the group stages of everyone. But that must be European championships, that happens in But there were a lot of people star horses in this tournament They're out after two games. They didn't haven't scored a goal yet And in the two games they've played, they have had sixty two attempts on gold with that scoring. They haven't actually been that bad Yeah while simultaneously being terrible, I think the first team to exit the tournament officially. So Paraguay went ahead, the earliest go the tournament score by Matthias Galarza with a low shot from distance into the bottom corner And then just before half timeime Migy Almaron ex Newcastle gets sent off for covering his mouth you know sort of a melee a melee and saying something to M Mlder. Who is a grassp? Who immediately grasped him up too either the lines or the fourth official Yeah, Mlder. I reckon Miggie said to Mlder the truth isn't out there area But then we had the ref. after review, number ten Paraguay, cover his mouth Decision is Red Card, which was probably the comedy moment of the tournament so far. And then the second half Turkey just laid siege to the Paragay Gaul. had so many good chances and just somehow could not get the ball into the back of the net. So Uh yeah, day day turkey. Yeah. U Is there a poetry, Dan It doesn't quite work, but Migel Almoron is the football who looks most like a ventriloquist dummy. So for him to cover his mouth. I know it doesn't quite work because he wouldn't be covering his the whole point is He's not the ventriloquist Anyway, you see the point I'm making I don't know. if you Google image Aventure because D, they all look a bit like Miggy Amaron, but I don't I do feel for him because I felt like it was sort of muscle memory for Almoron. He just forgot that rule, I think. mean I didn't get the sense he was doing anything really untard. obviously I don't know A the first player to be penalized at all? this competition for doing that? I haven any game I've watched I haven't seen anyone else doing it. So obbviously the rest of the players participating in the World Cup have been very good at remembering that rule. and the Turkey player was exceptional at remembering the rule as as you said, a massive grass from him one of the top grasses that I've ever ever seen in football. So I guess he's not unfortunate because because they're the rules and nobody else has really been doing it. I was just going to say I also have to commend Paraguay on an absolute arrsenal esque exhibition of time wasting. The goalkeeper spent more time flat on his back waiting for treatment, getting treatment at all it was it was justust a and it was a real spicy nasty game like it was a brilliant World Cup game. So yeah, Turkey out. I sort of think goh they got really good play They got some really good players like they were meant to be real dark courarteres. I saw the people chatting about should we never learn or is now the next Euros? They really will be dark quuter. likeike this is the time now. But But like Sweden, I still maintain they weren't that bad. They just couldn't score Like what Dennis Gull, Bars Yilman, Candz and Miridemerell, Baraki, Dennis Gull by two. These are all mischances I've written down made notes of They've got Kenon Yildas, they've got Era Guler, Cal Noglu, is he pushing on a bit now? I don't know but it's still decent. Yeah I'm just talking about the next the next one. They have some terrific players like it's a miracle they didn't score last night. Euro twenty twenty eight winers. You had I' it. It means USA won the group Leand It's been a sort miraculous start, hasn't it? First of all, can I just say that I would very happily listen to a podcast of Just Barry pronouncing Turkish names? Is it that bad? I don't know if it's doing bad. I'm not in a position to judge, but it is wonderful. As for the US U you know, for the book that I wrote, I went back and watched every US World Cup game going back to nineteen ninety and they have never looked this good They have just managed to somehow cobble together the physicality and the fitness and the feistiness that used to allow them to compete. But now they are also like Technically really sound and tactically astute and you're seeing them play throughrough teams and you're seeing them create overloads and force problems for the opposing teams. They now have two own goals that have benefited them from other teams, which I believe is the only team in World Cup history of Mmory Serves that's gotten that many own goals in its favor at one tournament But they were very much forced to on goals. They were a little bit lucky, but they've also just really overrun the two teams that they faced in Paraguay and Australia in the first half and then kind of settled in a little bit for the second half and taken their foot off the gas. But they've been really impressive. Yeah. just on your pronunciation. We did get a message after the prev previews saying Your pronunciation of Guillemo Achoya should be an international incident as. Now d it does mean that Australia play Paraguay and they could do a deal, right? A draw means they both go through in a kind of victimless disgrace ofhon, I think. I mean, obviously someone would drop out Can you see that can you see the Australians of the Paraguinans getting together? possibly say that that game could be a be a Neil Neil. I can definitely see a world where that happens, Max. whyy wouldn't you guaranteee to be in the knockouts of the World Cup like? That would not surprise me one bit. Yeah. I suppose Paraguay, who would currently finish third if that happened might think second would be a better route. I mean, obviously we don't want the integrity of the game to be in question, but we also would love to see a game where absolutely nothing happens between these two. Tomorrow then Spain Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Iran, Uruguay, Cape Verdy and New Zealand, Egypt. Leana, what catches your eye out of these games? I'm really curious to see what Belgium looks like for this second match because I don't know if you recall this, Kevin D Brunne gave this interview to the Guardian actually where he was asked Can you win the World Cup? And he said, no chance we're too old. That was before the Qatar World Cup. and an awful lot of that Belgian team is still there. And I have a really hard time and I look at the Belgian lineup, I thinking of guys who were who are better now than they were four years ago. And Jeremy Dku is in there and Amadu Oana is in there. But aside from that, I really struggle to name Belgiian players who are of the quality and of the level to get that team on a deep run. So I'm curious to see how they do against an Iran side that just logistically is facing all sorts of hurdles that nobody else seems to have to deal with. Yeah. Is Axel Witzel still in the Belgian team? I don't think I can remember a time when Axel Witel wasn't in the Belgian team