Why This Is The Best France Team In History & How Lamine Yamal Can Lead Spain To Glory | SI FC

Wow, that kind of attacking quality, if they can just click, and arguably on paper, maybe the best France team ever.

Ooh, you need a player like Neymar to bring you that kind of quality.

Bring your superstars and let the rest happen, man.

Whatever will happen will happen, but at least bring Neymar.

I can't believe this is even a conversation.

It's always the same question.

He's coming home.

No .

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

This is Sports Illustrated Football Club, your weekly show here on Sports Illustrated, and I'm joined by an iconic duo, apparently, according to the comments, I feel always underdressed when Lia Bozzii is on the building.

Hi Liaz, how are you?

I'm good, man, you look fine by the way, I'm, I'm fine.

I'll give you the quote after.

OK, I'll try my best and welcome Luca.

Thank you Alessandro, glad to be back.

He looks like the most Italian today, the way he's dressed, doesn't he?

Especially Arnold.

Especially in breakfast, I watched the game in Northern Ireland, so you know I'm feeling a little Italian.

You feel the culture, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's good, man, that's good.

And what, what, what do you think about the game with Northern Ireland?

Hey, for a little bit I was I was worrying about you guys.

It was a little shaky, but, uh, Esposito came on and I think everything was OK after that.

So now a big game for you guys, but we'll see how it goes.

Luca.

One of the most nervous games I've ever had to endure against Northern.

I, I thought the first half was awful.

I thought the first half was a classic Italy performance over the last few years, sideways, backwards, slow, no creativity whatsoever.

It almost felt like the players were playing the occasion rather than the game.

You felt the pressure there, and I think the first goal really lifted a weight off the players' shoulders.

You could visibly see it.

And then we started to open up more, like Lea said, Esposito came on, and I think him and Keane have a very good partnership and.

They were able to create more and at the end of the day it was a professional result in the second half, and I was happy with that, but it was really a game of two halves, we were really poor in the first half.

Since you mentioned good partnership guys, we received a lot of comments last week, uh, comparing you two to iconic duos.

So we got Xavi and Iniesta, and Cole, Bonucci and Chiellini, and the top of the top, Messi and Ronaldo.

Messi and Ronaldo is more rivalry .

Yeah, but there's no it's like having Messi and Ronaldo in the same team, so, so which one do you prefer?

Messi and Ronaldo for me it's too much like 11 versus 1.7 and, yes, that's a , that's a good one man, that's a good one.

That's a good one.

But if we're Italian today then it's gotta be Bonnucci.

Bonnucci and Chiellini, so there's also probably a tier 3, tier 4 for us to look at.

El Charawi and Mirretti, what do we think?

Yeah, I mean, I was expecting the Mirretti comments.

I get them.

Come on man, it's the eyes, man.

El Sharawi is your lookalike, but.

If you're watching us on YouTube, like, subscribe , ring the bell, and now we are dive in into football because we saw a lot of things.

International break, less than 75 days to the kickoff of the World Cup, and we saw France setting the tone quite high.

Are you scared about France, guys?

I think they're probably the biggest winners of this international break so far if you're just looking.

At performance and you're looking at storylines and who really stood out the most, man, you talk about two convincing wins against Brazil and Colombia.

I, I think there's always this doubt about France because although they easily have, in my opinion, the best squad on paper, I mean the attacking options, they could put out two teams and win the World Cup on paper, but there's always the question mark about Didier Deschamp, does he get the best out of the team?

But the way they played in these two games and with two completely different teams because you look at the first game you had Mbappe, Eketique, Dembele, and Oli, and then the second game you're going Scherky, Turam, Desiree Due, it's like wow, that kind of attacking quality if they can just click.

I, I really struggle to see a team that's gonna stop them at this World Cup.

That's the big question, if they can click, but if they do, man, the names just roll off the tongue.

Luca, I agree with Lea, they're a very scary team.

They're definitely on paper one of the favorites, if not the favorite, into the World Cup.

And even what was the scariest thing for me was the fact that they went down to 10 men and they were still playing in 2nd gear almost.

They were able to still hurt them in transition, they're so effective in the final third and.

This is a very, very scary France team, arguably on paper, maybe the best France team ever.

Oh, on paper with the amount of names.

Hey, 98 is a, is a a disgusting team, man.

This team with a squad depth, like you said, they could probably fill two or three teams and they'd still be up there for the favorites.

Yeah, OK, 98 98's team though, you have to look at the back line as well too, man.

You're talking Turam, you're talking Desailly, you're talking Laurent Blanc, you're talking Lizarazu, that's a crazy backfire.

And then you've got what in, in midfield, Zidane, Petit.

Yeah, come on, bro , hold on.

I'm not gonna go that far.

The attack, the attack is good.

The attack is very, very good, but I'm looking at the midfield and defense, and I'm still thinking, oh, OK.

I think the midfield is potentially where France really need to get it right because that's where it could all explode.

This reminds me a little bit of Brazil 06.

Different because I think at that point R9 was kind of on the decline, but when you look at the attacking quality that they had with Kaka, Adriano, Robinho, Ronaldinho, uh, the, the names just rolled off the tongue, but the midfield, I think was what really Rivallo '06 was, was gone by that point.

But they had a crazy attack.

I mean I think I'm even missing a few guys, but it was insane.

But the midfield, I think was what let them down because there wasn't a good blend in there.

I think that's what France have to get right because if not, then they do risk the run the risk of too many big players at once.

Yeah, but if you watch them, it's like, uh, the champs got everything under control because uh Rabiau is his man.

Yeah.

With Rabiau and Cromei, they try to, to get the ball and go immediately forward as well too, yeah, yeah.

Yesterday they started Kante, but.

And Usman Dembele said, look, in 2018 we were not the favorite and we made it.

In 2022 we were uh within the favorite and we reached the final, so we, we don't feel the pressure.

So they, they, they look scary.

Yeah , they do, but I think 2018 was important because again you talk about the midfield composition with Paul Bacante and Matuidi, they got that spot on.

And in 2022, let's not forget the role that Griezmann did in, in, in that creative role.

He, he really transformed his game to become a number 8 almost in that side, that's.

Maybe the one place I'm looking at this France team and also what is the best combination of players in attack because like I said, we saw two different lineups out.

Barcola was injured, I think this international break, so we didn't even get to see him, but he's an option.

What does the best, best front three or even front four if you're including a number 10 look like for France?

That's all questions that Deschamp's gonna have to do right.

But as much as I criticize Deschamp because I don't really like the way his teams play, one thing you have to give him credit for is he typically does seem to find a good balance between playing the superstars and keeping things tight at the back.

Which is the most important thing if you look at the national team, because we saw it many times with England for example, and we saw England drawing now, they're trying to build.

But if we stay on the game of the first game of France, uh, what do we think of Brazil?

There is a lot of work to do for Carlo in building this team.

I, I think Brazil, there's a lot of work to be done.

It's almost like they haven't fully gelled.

I don't think Carlo knows his best 11 yet.

And in the final third with all the names that they had, they looked.

A bit bit toothless in my opinion, they didn't create an abundance of chances.

Their, their goal came from like a scuff shot tapping by Brema on a corner kick when France were down to 10 men.

I'm looking at this Brazil team and I'm not really thinking they're one of the favorites going into this World Cup.

I don't see them as a massive, massive threat.

You can never count them out with the heritage they have and the talent they have, but I think there's a lot of work to be done.

I think he's being generous, man.

I think he's being nice, man.

I know he's new to the show, he's being political, but we're being real here, man, this is, this is Sari from Brazil, man.

I'm looking at this team.

And I'm just underwhelmed.

I'm really, really underwhelmed.

I feel like Brazil, yes, haven't won the World Cup over the last 24 years now.

It's 24 years since Brazil won a World Cup is disgusting to think about.

There's a generation of people that I've never seen Brazil at the top of the game.

This is, this is when I was growing up, I remember it used to be you support your, your national team, and everyone's second favorite team used to be Brazil because of the names that they used to have, the quality of football that they used to play, and I'm looking at the side now and it's.

Just a shadow of the national team that I grew up on watching and I know that almost seems like a hashed out narrative at this point because we are so far removed from the Ronaldinhos and the R9s, but when you just look at the quality of players Brazil used to produce compared to what they're putting out now and the biggest question mark remains, is this team really good enough that Neymar Junior, no matter what kind of form or fitness he's in, can't get into a 26 man squad for them?

I really find that hard to believe.

I mean we cannot ask him about Neymar Junior.

You can't ask me either, man.

I'm not gonna lie, you can't ask me.

But for me it's like you, what do you think if it's fit, you have to to give Neymar the chance because it's gonna bring you that kind of quality that you need.

It's not like, as you said, it's not the all-star Brazil we were used to when we were growing up.

So you need a player like Neymar to bring you that kind of quality and also to carry the weight and the personality of of the Brazil jersey.

I, I think it's a great.

Point as well too, I actually think having Neymar in the squad will probably relieve a lot of pressure from the rest of them as well too, because Neymar inadvertently always brings all the attention onto himself, right when he's there, all eyes are on Neymar.

What's Neymar going to do?

Is he going to finally win the World Cup?

Is he finally gonna fulfill his potential?

No one's gonna be then focusing on Vinicius Junior to be the main man on Brazil because he's shown enough time.

As much as I love Vinny, he is not able to carry that burden yet.

You're looking at Cunha, you're looking at Rafinha.

You're looking at all these other players, good players in their own right, but they aren't the superstar.

That Neymar Junior is, I think Carlo Ancelotti will be making a huge mistake because in, like, undoubtedly if they don't do what they're expected to do at the World Cup, if he doesn't bring Neymar, the biggest question mark will be was it because of that?

At least bring him.

That almost relieves a bit of pressure off yourself because then you've done all you can.

It's up to Neymar.

I can't believe he's not there, man .

I genuinely can't.

And uh the crowd, did you hear them as well too?

They can't believe it either.

But it's not just the crowd, it's the players that want Neymar.

Did you see the interview of Joao Pedros that someone.

Asked him if you could play with any World Cup legend, who would it be?

and he said Neymar.

And it's normal, like, I think that's a great point you bring up, both of you, because Neymar will relieve the pressure and it will also allow other players to play a bit more freely, in my opinion, and he's almost like a glue in that dressing room, I think.

Everyone looks up to Neymar, everyone knows Neymar's brilliance, but the weight of the nation has always been on Neymar's shoulder for the last 16 years, ever since he broke out at Santos.

So I think he has to be there.

It'd be completely disrespectful to not call him up.

Stupid as well cause we can't act like this Brazil team is perfect and there's no room for Neymar whatsoever, because there is.

And I think it's the real last objective on his for his career.

It's like it, it, it reminds me of Maradona 1994.

He's walking to be there, so I, I really for, for football, I really wish.

I think even Mbappe said it though, right, the World Cup is, is, is a tournament for stars and Neymar is amongst the biggest stars that the game has seen.

Yeah, how can you leave a player like that?

It reminds me.

2010 when Dunga left Ronaldinho at home and Ronaldinho was not at his absolute peak anymore, but he was having a pretty decent season for Milan at the time, and he almost left them out almost to prove a message that oh this national team is gonna be more compact and we're not gonna be about individuals, and he builds a team around Elano and like and, and look how that ended up at the end of the day.

Bring your superstars and let the rest happen, man.

Whatever will happen will happen, but at least bring Neymar.

I can't believe this is even a conversation.

And talking about stars and new stars is born.

Ala Bombora, Nico Paz, first goal with Argentina, Messi watching from the bench.

What do we think of Nico?

You, you watch him every week in Serie Aba.

I, I think we agree on this side.

I think he's phenomenal.

I think he's one of the best young players in the game.

I think he's 21, but the season he's having with Como, even last season with Como, he's been absolutely incredible.

I think really he could be in for the conversations of young player of the season, potentially even player of the season in the Serie A if Como do get top 4.

But he's just such a technically gifted player, he's got a wand of a left foot, he's.

Final pass is brilliant, he's got high footballing IQ and that free kick was a great strike.

I mean, the keeper, question marks around that, but still, it was a brilliant free kick and it was almost poetic, like Argentina producing these technically gifted advanced midfielders, these technically gifted.

Yeah, it's, it's just, it's just written in the stars, and what I love about Paz is he grew up in the Spanish development system, so he's got that Spanish kind of midfielder type around him, and he's just phenomenal, and he's going right to the very top, and it was another great performance.

Is he ready for Real Madrid?

Hey, uh, maybe, maybe it's tough though.

Real Madrid is a different beast because we've seen Maslan Toono at times as well too in his early career produce moments, but going to Real Madrid, it's just, it's, it's a, it's a different caliber.

You're playing a different sport when you got up there.

But what I will say, similar to what Lucas said, he has the quality, and I think he has the personality as well too, which at Real Madrid, I think at times.

Almost as important as being a good player.

And what do we think of this Argentina back to back is something possible or something really hard?

I mean, I, you know what I find so interesting is the amount of times Scalloni and, and Messi keep hinting that he might not be at the World Cup.

You guys catch that as well too.

They keep, they keep talking about, oh, it's not up to me , it's Messi's decision if he wants to play, and I'm like.

You guys know the tournament's in like 2 months, right?

Are we still like having this conversation?

Is he gonna come out 10 days before the tournament and say, sorry guys, I'm actually, I'm not feeling this one?

Ah, surely not.

And that, but that's the, that's the vibe I'm getting games.

But mind games.

Like I, we all know he's gonna play, right?

Messi not playing in the US during a tournament.

I, I don't think they'll allow him, man.

I don't think it's possible, especially because the, the, the tournament, but what I will say is.

And Martinez was talking about it as well too, the performances, or the, the performance, especially in this game was really poor, and I think it just shows that no matter what age he's at, because let's also speak about Messi, he was unbelievable when he came on and this question about is he still at the level that he could play in Europe, how good is he still?

I mean, I think that performance in a nutshell just summed up that.

That kind of quality will never die, right?

But when he's not there, this Argentina team is almost like blind.

It's like they're, they're looking for their savior, and it actually worries me after Messi leaves what this Argentina team will look like because I think their biggest strength is probably also their biggest weakness.

They built this team so much around Messi over the last 6 years since Scalloni came in, and these guys will literally die for him that I almost think there's such an overreliance on him to be there that when he's not.

I think, I think it's almost like they forgot how to play football together, man, honestly it does, and I, I, I worry when he leaves the Argentinian national team what the next generation of, of this team will look like because I think it's been so heavily dependent on him.

But it's also been like that since Maradona.

If you think about that gap between Diego and Lionel Messi, it was the same thing.

Rick Helmet was trying to fool it, but that's yeah I think yeah.

Riquelme Ortega, they, they try, yeah, but it's just like when you have an individual as good as Diego was and Messi is, it's like you have to base around him and you become overly reliant on one individual, and I feel like Argentina throughout their footballing history has almost always been like that, so it's, it's gonna be, it's gonna be strange without Messi, and it'll be hard for them to adapt and adjust, but.

Yeah, I don't look at this Argentina team thinking that they'll go back to back, but they're still a good team, one of the better teams in the competition, but I just, I don't see them retaining now.

The thing is when Messi is there, cos it's a totally different team when Messi is there and not there, but when he's there, they're such a good unit, man.

I actually think when it comes to almost like playing like a club side, they probably mimic how a club side would operate more than anybody else because defensively I find them really organized, the midfield balance, I think is spot on.

They obviously have their, their, their metronome in.

He pulls the strings.

They have good center forwards at their disposal.

I, I think they're almost guaranteed to go far in this tournament.

I mean, I don't, maybe not guaranteed because, you know, the World Cup champions curse always strikes, as always but it is, it is 100%.

But I just think the way Scalloni has them drilled when Messi's on the pitch, I don't really see many teams beating them.

I think they're, they're, they're so difficult to beat.

And then they have the magician who at any given moment, Debo Martinez said, thanks God we didn't.

Face Spain, otherwise we would have been in trouble because he wasn't happy with the performance.

If we look at Spain, are the main favorite alongside France, what do you think?

Because maybe if I look at the squad, I think maybe they are missing a forward.

But then if you look at the stats, Oyarabo, 17 goals in the last 10 games, and also the performance against Serbia, the perfect modern.

Forward and striker, I would say, what do we think Spain with Dial.

I'd love to see it, man.

I'd love to see it.

This kid's career has just been so perfect since he, he, he stepped onto the scene.

It feels like everything has just been like written like a Hollywood movie, and it would almost be the perfect ending to see him lift the World Cup at 18 years old.

That would just be the cherry on top.

Will it happen?

I mean, again, there's tough teams.

We're talking about France.

We're talking about Argentina.

We haven't even spoken about England.

Like there are good teams to face, but Spain are right up there, European champions for a reason.

Um, and similar to what you said, you would think, oh, maybe if they had a David Villa or a Fernando Torres in the past, they'd be the perfect team, but Arsal does a really good job up there, so I don't see why not.

I think the interesting thing for me is the goalkeeper situation.

Uh, they asked, uh, de la Fuente, is Simon still your guy, especially because now you have Joan Garcia and David Raya playing at such an exceptional level this season, and Una Simon hasn't been at his individual best, but he continues to, to state that he will pick him.

I almost wonder, could that be something that going to the tournament we look at as like a storyline?

Una Simon, imagine if he drops a clanger in the World Cup and we just start thinking, oh, you had two goalkeepers on your bench that just were maybe the 22 of the three best goalkeepers in the world this season.

Is that the thing that maybe cost you guys?

Do you think that's, that's it, that's it on, on, on goalkeeper, it's something that can make the difference in the tournament?

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, you look at the last two champions, right?

You're looking at Neuer for Germany, you're looking at Casillas in 2010, you're looking at even Debo in, in, in 2022.

Having a good, a good goalkeeper in knockout football is so important, and I, I look at someone like John Garcia, I mean, I think you can take your pick between him and Raya, but I think John Garcia's special, man.

Yeah, I think Unai Simon is the worst out of three, but not to say that.

Can't keep performing at a top level, cause I think he has been good for the Spanish national team, and I think loyalty is so important when it comes to international football, knowing your guys having a cohesive system.

And I think Spain, for me personally, I think they're my favorite going into the World Cup.

I do think, as of now, I think they're, they'd be my winners at least.

And I love all Yarzzebal because he's almost a glue in the front three.

He's not a traditional number 9, in fact, he's an out and out winger typically.

But when he's played in that center forward false 9 role, he's been excellent for Spain, and other.

for him, and if we remember, he scored the goal, uh, in the final of the Euros as well.

Big game player, and I think Spain have really struggled with strikers sort of in the last 5 to 10 years.

And Morata was sort of on his last legs in Euros 2024, and he's not the same striker.

They don't really have top level bags man.

Don't let Miguel Marino come back from fitness, man, from injury, man.

You see what he was doing for Spain at one point, hat trick the other.

Oh my God.

Last 20 minutes throw him on, but I think Oyarzaal is the main man going into this World Cup up top and.

I just think the individuals that they have is like Rhodri's still top level midfielder, Pedro, Lamiha Mao, Nico Williams, I mean, Fabian Ruiz, like, it's a, it's, it's such a good team, and it's so interesting to see.

They're a very young team though, that could be like their downfall as well.

You look at some of the defenders that they have.

Dean Hoy and Korbasi, they're still young, they haven't reached their full potential yet.

But I'm really looking forward to watching them.

And is Lamin ready to play the main, main role at the World Cup?

Yeah, 100%, man.

That guy, he.

In terms of self belief, I'm not sure there's a player with more self belief on the planet right now, man, he knows, he thinks he's the man and he is the man, so you see the performances he's putting up.

Yeah, he is, he's ready.

Uh, Morata said, uh, recently that when, when he did the, the first training with the national team, he went on his room, hey, look, we saw you are so talented, please do it in the friendly on the, on in the Bernabeu on Saturday because Brazil, yeah, against Brazil, and, and Lamin replied.

To him, he was 16, no worries.

The, the Brazil fullback is gonna sell newspaper in 3 days.

You're lying.

I love this.

That that is so good, bro.

He's so good.

That's what he said.

Yeah, I, I just remember the first Euro game that was against Croatia when he was putting those in swingers in like, and I think that was what the whole world, hold on, this guy, he might not just be a great talent, he might be the real deal already.

I think, I think in that Eurozone, that's when I said he was the best player in the world.

I watched him against us, Ala against Italy.

He killed De Marco.

I thought he was the best footballer in the world.

In the stadium, I went outside, I made a call, say, I, I just see something completely killed you guys.

It was that, that they were a joke.

They were the best team in the Euros by far in my opinion.

Definitely, I agree.

Yeah, Yammal's a joy, he's a joke, he's a joy to watch.

Guys, is that time of the year.

One simple question, it's always the same question every tournament.

The answer's no.

Yeah, I agree, cos I already know what the question is.

Answer's no.

You see, you see the connection, the question was, it's coming home.

No.

It's not coming home, not for me anyways.

I don't, maybe a different home, I don't know.

It hasn't been home in, in like how, however many years, 60 years.

Yeah, it's been a permanent vacation.

It has been 60 years, wow, it's, it's a long time.

So the question should be, where is home?

Yeah, where is home?

It's been everywhere but England for the last 60 years.

Well, home, I guess statistically is Brazil, in the World Cup, isn't it?

Yeah, apparently, yes.

I don't see it, man.

I.

I mean, it's so funny because over the last few tournaments I've looked at the side and I'm like, oh, if they had like a real bona fide winner at the helm, maybe they could do something.

And then they hired one of the best bona fide winners in the game and I'm still looking at them and I'm, I'm just uncertain of England, man, like I know the performance against Uruguay was largely made up of second choice players or players who might not even be on the plane.

Really use this international break as almost one last chance to see some players, which is crazy because Trent still couldn't get a call up.

I find that insane, but I don't expect to see Calvert Lewin starting, or rather Solany rather starting in a World Cup game.

I don't expect to see James Garner, even though I actually think he played OK, uh, in, in this.

I don't expect to see Henderson in the armband, but still, it's just the.

But I think, you know, I was about to say it's the way they play, but I think you have to be careful of that in international football because the best looking team doesn't always win the tournament.

It is sometimes the most compact.

So in that sense I think any knockout team managed by Thomas Tuchel will always have a chance.

But I find there is something missing with England when I watch them, and a big worry for me with them is I think a lot of their so-called best players will be entering the tournament either in kind of average form.

Or maybe even just coming off injury when you look at Jude Bellingham, I think that's a, a, a, a slight question mark for me.

No, I agree.

I look at this England team and I think in terms of talent, they're up there with the very best in terms of squad depth, but they're not the most cohesive unit yet, and I think Tuchel still hasn't fully refined and fully decided on what his 11 would be.

I wouldn't take this game too seriously, like Leah said, it wasn't their 1st 11.

I think there were, were some positives to take.

I thought Cole Palmer really played well and he changed the game when he came on and.

Like Leah said, you also need to be compact in international tournaments, but you need moments as well, and England have those players to bail them out of situations like Jude did in Euros 2024, like Cole Palmer has the capability of doing so, Harry Kane has the capability of doing so.

So they're still up there with the favorites, I think, but I'm looking at it, I wouldn't have them top two really.

If we look at the hosts, what we need to expect from, from the US men's national team, what are the pressures.

Yes, please, no, absolutely nothing, man.

I, this is, this is disappointing, honestly, 5-2, and at one point it was 5-1.

You're talking about a Belgium team who are in transition.

This is not the Belgium of Eden Hazard and the peak of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne anymore.

This is a Belgium team that have exited the golden generation.

They're trying to find their next generation and to be beaten this comprehensively at home, they had to travel to you.

It's, it's worrying signs, man.

Pochettino's time as a as US manager has been.

Up and down, to put it nicely, and I think that the issue for them really is defensively like that defense.

I'm sorry you're not doing anything at a World Cup of that, but I really think this tournament is , it feels make or break for the entire country when it comes to football there, right, because I think a really strong tournament from the US on home soil with everyone watching can almost inspire the next generation to almost rise from, from the ground up and be inspired by what they watch.

But if they flop it at home like they did this game.

I, I fear that you're putting, you're holding the sport back another 10 years.

I, I really do like they missed the tournament in 2018.

I think a bad tournament on home soil will be just as detrimental to missing the tournament in 2018.

Luca, what should they consider success in the last World Cup?

Getting outside the group stage, probably like genuinely it's crazy, man.

Like that that's, this is supposed to be the US's golden generation.

This is supposed, everyone keeps talking about this US team, the amount of players that they have playing in Europe.

They have this guy playing for Juve, this guy playing for Milan, this guy playing for Leverkusen.

This is supposed to be the best generation of players the US has ever kind of bloodied, right?

There's been way better US teams in terms of performance than getting off the group.

There's a team in 2002 that got to the quarterfinals.

There's a team that lost, uh, to Ghana in 2010 in the round of 2016.

There was that team that lost to Belgium in 2014.

On talent, on paper, they were way worse than this side.

So for me, Luca's not wrong in saying that like at this point it does feel like that's an accomplishment for this group, but in reality for how talented the squad is supposed to be, I'm sorry, quarterfinals should be the expectation.

Getting out of the group should be the bare minimum.

Not getting out of the group is a bona fide disaster.

There's a lot of pressure on, a lot of pressure, man, and I'm not sure they're gonna actually fulfill it.

I don't think so.

So quick fire, quick question, who's gonna win the World Cup, Luca?

Uh, as of now I'll go Spain.

I liked what I saw from France, man.

I'm gonna go France.

Wow.

And Italy, they're gonna play the World Cup.

Now, make sure you play it, right?

OK, beat Bosnia, please.

I, I got beef with of Italy, right, cause I wanna see Italy do well, but what the hell are we we doing at the end?

Celebrating that that Bosnia beat, uh, what is it, Wales?

Do Wales have you that shook?

Harry Wilson, I know he's been playing well for Fulham this year.

He's got you that worried.

You would think that they'd beat Germany then.

No comment, man, no.

That isn't, we can, we can give you an answer on that.

Sorry, sorry, but, but I want to go, Jose Mourinho, I prefer not to speak.

Wow, I prefer not to speak of lawyers.

Wales got Italy shook , that is insane, man.

But I want to do a quick game with you.

Go ahead.

OK, let's, let's pretend that Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A.

Will take part in the next World Cup.

OK, how would they line up?

Let's, let's build the lineup for the Premier League, almost like an all-star team of that league.

4231, we go 4-2, 3-1.

We'll start from the Premier League, please.

I'll go David Raya.

I know you don't like that.

I know you want Dona Roma, but we'll go I'd, I'd go, especially in international tournaments.

I, I prefer David Raya.

I'll go Reese James, Saliba, Gabriel, and Cucarea.

I'll go that back four midfield.

I would go Declan Rice.

I would go Bruno Fernandez, and I would go.

Rodri, good.

Oh, that's a great midfield 3.

And then I would go Holland up front.

This is where it gets stuck.

The wingers the wingers in the Premier League.

I'm not so sure.

A year ago I would have said Mohammed Salah, right, but now, yeah, you might go Semenya on one wing.

Am I going Sak Saka?

He hasn't had the greatest season, but is he still probably the best that the Premier League has on offer on the right?

Maybe, yeah, I'd probably go that 3.

The, the, the, the wing duo is not great, but I think the rest of the team is really, really strong.

Luca, I'll let you start for La Liga.

La Liga, Courtois and goal, obviously, um, Trent right back, I would go.

You could go Kunde, but I prefer Trent.

Yeah, center backs, I'd probably go.

I, I think the center halves in La Liga, they're not top, top level.

Cobay probably.

I'd probably agree, yeah, in terms of, yeah, I'd probably agree that the center backs are maybe the weakest that that they have at the moment.

There's not an abundance of options next to him.

I think Millita was playing really well, but he was, he's injured, he's injured all the time.

I think Dean this year's been good under Obaloa, but even there there's a question.

I don't know.

That's, there's question the find a center back, man, seriously, if it's feed Rudiger Leonard, Leonard is good for me.

Uh, yeah, OK, we'll go Le Normand.

Left back we'll gobalde maybe, yeah, Balde probably, yeah, Balde.

I prefer Balde to Carreras midfield.

Pedro of course Pedro, yeah, Jude there may be Cumani or maybe Fermin is, is, is Firmin in the 10 maybe he's scoring goals for fun right now.

But then what if we want balance, if we want a 10, I'd go Firmin over Jude based on form.

But then if international tournament you need, you can't leave out Jude.

I know Jude Pedri.

And, and Fede, yeah, we play him in the 6, he's not really a 6, but you can't really leave him out.

OK, we'll go Fede and then Lamin, of course, Mbappe and probably Vinny.

that's that, that's, that's what 3, man.

Yeah, I think that beats the, the Premier League.

Yeah, I think so.

Defensively.

Premier League is strong, but going forward, those wing options, man, uh, can Serie A compete with the two?

Impossible, impossible, impossible.

Come on.

OK, give it a try.

Give it a try, bro.

Mignon, let's hear it.

Yeah, Mignon in golf, of course he's.

Definitely right back, I'd probably go Palestra based on form this season.

I'm not gonna lie.

Not the best options, but I'd probably go on form.

Brema for sure based on this season.

You're going Boston.

You'd have to go Boston Brema and Boston, yeah, I know, it's painful for you, but yeah, and he's had a really poor season, but he'd have to go left back.

I, he's not a left, but De Marco, we're playing a 4-23-1, aren't we?

Middle middle we go with Mod Luka Modric.

We got, we got some, we've got some experience in the midfield, Luka Modric.

I'd go, based on this season, I'd go Locatelli as well.

Oh, come on, Locatelli.

Who would you go?

I mean, I'm gonna go brilliant this year.

Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna go Nicopas in the 10, yeah, in the 10.

Nico, Nicoas there, I don't know.

Will you go Locatelli?

Probably I would go Rabi or something like that.

I, OK, I don't hate it, but like I tell you this season I gotta go.

Canan on the left now we're starting to get some talent in here.

OK.

Canan on the left, maybe Pulisic on the right, probably.

He's, he's laughing, he's laughing up fronttaro.

Yes , he's losing at you and at your league, Luca.

That seems like any other league as well.

from Canada Water as a.

Let us know your PSG's 11 as well too for League.

Don't forget.

That's it.

That's it.

I'm buying for Germany.

There you go, man.

Hey, Serie A, you're not getting out of the groove, man.

Less than 75 days to the World Cup kickoff.

Thanks guys for being with us, and now we are gonna say if Italy are gonna make it into the World Cup.

See you next time.