Inter Totally Cup final 2026!

The Athletic FC Totally extra. Today, the 2026 Inter-Totally Final. It's Michael Cox, the man bidding for title number four, versus the rookie quizzer with the tournament's biggest score, Colin Miller. Is it Miller Time or must he respect the Cox, dare to find out in the very grand final of the 2026 Inter-Totally Cup? [Music] Welcome everybody once again to the Inter-Totally Cup. So glad that you could be with us on this day of days. As we bring to a climax, this terrific tournament with an eagerly awaited showdown between the revelation of this tournament. Colin Miller, hello Colin. Hello James. And the grand daddy of the quiz game Michael Cox, all right Michael? Hi James. Nice to see you. Colin's here without a pen and paper for notes Colin. That's how good you are. Not sure about that James. Yeah, it was before the semi-final Charlie had his full preparation for pen and paper in. And I never thought I would have needed one and kind of put a doubt in your mind, doesn't it? But no, I think I'm ready. You know, he has to be in the right mental frame of mind and I think I'm there. Right. Everything you need is right here. He said tapping his head, although it should be your head. I'd be tapping. Michael, do you have a pen and paper? Very much so. Some of those who are my questions. I mean, for the sake of the listener, I don't want to have to make you repeat it three times James. So yeah. Yeah. I have got a pen and paper. All right. Well, we'll be seeing any of those who are my questions in today's quiz. So lightly different format. It being the final, there'll be two rounds of five questions a piece. The first five will be about the season that is just finished. 2025, 26 as we were good. And the other five will be general knowledge. And there'll be a half-hour replay in between, of course. A tie break is standing by if required. If the scores are level after those two rounds. Michael, you came through an unconsciously wobbly performance against Daniel's story in the first round. And then did for Tom Williams four two? Are you feeling primed for the final? Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm building up. I agree. It was a poor quality, quite final. But yeah, semi-final went a little bit better. And I hope that my experience of this occasion will work out for something. Well, that's that's so true because I have seen a hint of nerves across the normally implacable face of Colin Miller. Your performance is though so far Colin, four one against Benji Lanyado in the opening round. And then, and this was a shot. Doing producer Charlie to the tune of four three in the semi, they speak to proper Chris Pedigree. Yeah, I mean, you talk about Michael's numbers. I think Michael has the experience and the tournament to, you know, he works his way into it. You know, he feeds himself into the game and the tournament. He's done that this year. But yeah, there are no easy games in the intertotally cup, as we all know. But whenever I was part of a producer Charlie and the semi-finals, I thought, you know, I just, you know, you just want to go out there and give your best performance. Have some fun. I think I did that. Maybe caught Charlie on a, on a characteristically off day. But I think when you look at the all the questions through all the lines of the tournament, is it there is just so much variation that a lot of it just comes down to luck. And the word of the question, and I think I've had that lock on my side so far. All right. You make your own like producer Nick makes all the questions. And many thanks to him. Let's get underway then with the 2026 intertotally cup grand final. First set of questions Colin, you're up first. This is the totally football show with James Richardson, part of the Athletic FC podcast network. Okay, these are questions relating to the season that's just finished 2025, 26. Colin, nodding of Forest had four managers this season. Can you name them in chronological order? So it was Nino Esperieto Santo to start. And then there was that Yad Game and you post a co-glue spell. Then we had some Sean Ditch to spice things up in the middle before V Tor Pereira saw the champion. Nervous, a correct answer. In fine fashion. Michael, how do you respond as I ask you? Why was Idrissa Garnagay sent off for Everton against Manchester United in November? For slapping his teammates? Was it a slap? Since when it wasn't a particular red card offense. I can't believe Violent Conduct against his own player. A blow was involved. It was against, do you know who it was against Michael? I can't remember. I'm going to guess it's used pre-haul, but I don't know. Well luckily that's not part of the answer you needed. It was Michael Keane actually. But yes, he hit his own teammate is the correct answer. So one piece as we head into question to Colin, which country did Jesse Lingard move to in January? He moved to Brazil. Excellent, do you know why? I don't know why. I know it was Corinthians I think he joined. There you go, then you do know why. I mean that's why he moved there to play Corinthians. Yeah, I mean, I guess, and maybe I'm assuming too much. Anyway, you have two points from two questions. Michael, your second question is which Premier League team had the longest unbeaten run this season, going 18 games without defeat? Good question. My first thought would be Bournemouth because I had two very long unbeaten runs with a run between them, but it didn't win for a long time. It's got a weird season. Did that get to 18 games at the end? I think they did lose again by the end and of course they rose to near-show-maze places. So yeah, I'm going to go for Bournemouth. Absolutely correct. Two for two for Michael Cox as well. Michael, let's give you the first of the third questions. It is which league was due to play a regular season game in Australia, only for it to be cancelled following a public backlash? I think that was Surria. Do you know the fixture that was going to be flown out to somewhere in the outback? One of the Milan teams was it in two games. No, it was AC Milan against Como. Yeah. A very rum business. Colin, Michael has a one-point lead, but you can pull level again with the correct answer here. Which of these perennial champions did not win their domestic title this year? Porto, Olympiacos, Galatasaray or PSV? Olympiacos. It's correct. Three rounds in and it's perfect scores all round. Onto question four then, Colin. Who beat Italy in their recent World Cup qualification playoff failure? Bosnia, if you did them in penalties. In the front. There you go. Four for four. Michael, who scored from the halfway line to cap off Scotland's qualification for the World Cup against Denmark in November? Oh, I don't know this. Despite watching the game, I'm very much enjoying it. Very forgettable goal this one. And four really good goals you've had. Like Tom and A scored, Terni scored. At the one from the corner. Here wasn't that. No, I'm struggling. I'm going to have to do one of those guesses where I know it's wrong. So I will say John McGinn, even though I know it's not John McGinn. It's not John McGinn. Kenny McLean. Right. From the halfway line. Magnificent. Well then, Colin. It's early doors. But the slender advantage is yours. As I ask you, your fifth question. Four teams made their Champions League debuts this season. Can you name two of them? You two Champions League debuts, aren't you? So when the league fears onwards, essentially. From the league phase onwards there were four teams. Yes. Making their Champions League debuts. Kyrat Almati. Kazakhstan would have been one. Oh yes. And the Grips D-H-O-N, which would put a glimpse of being at that stage before. Trying to think of who else had been. That maybe a rogue shoy. Oh, I'm aware this is quite a long, alongside. Well, I think of I just feel in the blanks by doing some counting down from tension. That allowed me to think significantly easier. Now listen, I'll. Who's gonna say Colin? I'm gonna say Budwe Grimpt. You're correct! They were Champions League debut on this season along with Karah Almati, Pathos out of Cyprus and Union San Gilles Waz. Michael, to stay within a point as a so far perfect Colin Miller, who won the Premier League Manager of the Month Award in October? October's Premier League Manager of the Month Award, who won that? That's weirdly specific. In October? Hmm. God. I think he has a funny answer. Probably someone who's got sacked. Oh, there's someone who's got the bottom of the song got sacked. Amorim got sacked and actually they had a good run at some point. He got sacked in December, didn't he? Would that be a funny enough answer to be. In the question? Would it be Mariska? He had a good run at October. So many managers were sacked this season. Ah, erm. I must say I've played absolutely no attention to Win's mandra, so I'm slightly struggling with this. But I'm guessing it's one of the two. Don't particularly recall having Chelsea great run. Chelsea having great run. Why don't you just do another decent run? At some point. I'm gonna say Amorim. Michael. You're correct, it's Ruben Amorim. So the scores five to four at the end of that first round of questions. Colin, how do you feel? I'm happy with that, obviously. Of course. I do think that was probably gonna always be my stronger on the nature of my role on news. Means that these moments tend to tend to stick in your memory a little longer than they would for most people. So true. Whereas Michael shifted more into the think piece, the sideways take, the historical perspective. Perhaps he'll be favoured by the general knowledge section. Still to come. One point, the gap, that's very doable, isn't it, Michael? Yeah, hopefully. Hopefully. But yeah, okay with that. Do you give me four at the start when it's taking it? Obviously not knowing Colin would have got five. Yeah. But I wouldn't, I mean, Kenny MacLean, I was nowhere on that. So I'm not tearing my hair out for the sake of that one. Okay. We're at half time. I'm hearing Coldplay, they've not come. We'll go straight into the second round of questions. Then the theme here, very much general knowledge. I, there is no theme. Colin, have a swig of water. Hydrate. And then let's launch into the decisive concluding round of this is intertodally cup. You're listening to the totally thoughtful show with James Richardson now with you four times a week. Keep up to date with us on Insta and enjoy us in glorious technicolor on YouTube at the totally show. Michael, let's start with you. Question one. One player and one player only, featured in both the Euro 2000 final and the 2001 Champions League final. Who is that player? Scrival, scrival, scrival. Euro 2000 final listener and the 2001 Champions League final. There's one player who featured in both. So that was Bayern Valencia in 2001. Is that right? Yes. I first thought it would be Lizza Rase. He would have played for France in year 2000 final and then presumably. Play for Bayern in 2001. Final let me just have a quick thing. So France, Italy. Don't think there's much Italy, Bayern overlap. Valencia had. Cobb only, but he went by for Italy. French Valencia. I can't see anyone there. So yeah, I'm going to go Lizza Rase. Correct. Absolutely spot on. It's five points versus five points as we hand Colin. His first question with the general knowledge round, which is. One player or one player only featured in both the Euro 2008 final and the 2008 Champions League final. Who is that player, Colin? Two solid and eight Champions League final. I was minding on Chelsea and it was being against Germany in the Euros. Um. I can't think of any Spanish obvious Spanish starters. At that time for manion, I didn't Chelsea that was sort of before the Spanish influx into the league. Yes. The one name that is in my head is Michael Balak. Um, would he have started that final? For Chelsea, he does definitely his error at Chelsea. Let me just quickly run through my head if I've missed anyone else obvious, which I tend to do for these things. Okay, I'm going to, I'm not going to try to be too small, also Michael Balak. It's correct. So with the scores six to five, here comes the second question of the general knowledge round. Michael, which club links Rivaldo, Patrick Cliveard and Antonio Casano? Hmm. My first thought is Milan here. So Clover had a quick spot in Milan. Casano definitely had a spot in Milan. There was the first one Rivaldo or. The first one was Rivaldo. I was going to say it was a Rivaldo or a Runao Dini, but they both had a spot in Milan. Absolutely spot on. His level again, Colin. At least until we ask you your second general knowledge question, which is, which club links Patrick Evere, Nicholas Annelka and Danny Alves? Patrice Evere, Nicholas Annelka and Danny Alves. Um, Danny Alves. Sophia, or the PSG. And Elka was definitely a PSG. Patrice Evere, Nicholas Annelka, Danny Alves. What you wouldn't give for a pen and paper right now. I knew it would come in handy at some point. I mean, Patrice Evere didn't play for PSG. He started his career in Monaco. Oh, you certainly out Monaco before you went in Mon United. Ah. And Elka played for so many clubs. Doesn't know what dying very much. Okay, now to press you for an answer, Colin. On a perfect score at this point. Nicholas Annelka, Patrice Evere, Danny Alves. Correct. Do you have an answer? I know it's wrong, but I'm going to go PSG. It's wrong. Do you know the answer there, Michael? Uh, you're ventless. Oh, you ventless, of course, yes. Yes. Well. Ah, what a turn up. We level. Six points of peace after seven questions. Colin, straight away, here's your third one from the General Knowledge Pile. What was unusual about the gameplay that Brahma Lane on March 16th, 2002? Uh, that was the shepherds United Arsenal FA Cup. Um, it was about the game being. This is, ah, it's a little bit, a little bit before my memory of exactly what happened. But the game was being stopped. And there it is. It is very much me thinking, I know what you can tell. The game, there was definitely some sort of stoppage involved and a goal. Or the ball had gone on a play and then it'd been a goal and the game would stopped. The game went to a replay at highway. I know all these professional details are on it. Um, what makes it unique? It is, it is, there's an overlap with this, but I don't know the definition of the answer. I'm afraid that's not correct. It was a lead game between Shephard United and West Brom and it was abandoned because Shephard United went down to six players after red cards and eight. - The Battle of Bramolane. - Oh, okay. - I know I had. - Has a Wikipedia page in that. - Okay. - Michael, this to take the lead. What was unusual about the game held at the Santiago Bernabéu Madrid on December the 9th, 2018? December the 9th, 2018. A game held at the Santiago Bernabéu. What was most unusual about it? - It's annoying 'cause I would have got Collins on, right? - Ha, December the 9th, 2018. Struggling to remember this at all. Oh, what angle? Was that the. Was that me? Was that the Cop of the Lips of Doro's final? Would they move to the Bernabéu? Was in December. Was it 2018? - Can't date that at all, but was that the super classic that they moved to the Bernabéu because of the rights getting the first game called off? - I think I can certainly accept that it was the second leg of the Cop of the Libba de Doris final between Bocca Juniors and River Plate. Following the enormous disruption to the fixture back in Buenos Aires Magnificent Stuff, Michael, you now have a one-point lead with two questions to go. Colin, here comes question number nine for you. Five teams have appeared in one Champions League final and one only. Can you name three of those five sides? - Tottenham, what's it? - Correct. (bell dings) - Just one, two Champions League final. Would any other English clubs be in that? - Champions League including European Cup finals. - Champions League final. - Okay, specifically. - Okay. - Thank you too much. Monaco is correct. Looking for one more. There are three other sides, need one of them. - What must be, one of them must be Porto? I played Monaco. Porto, I've ever been on other Champions League. You know, European Cup finals, but I think I was pre-92. Any other safer bet that I can think off off the top of my head. I'm gonna stick with Porto. - It's correct. (bell dings) Do you know the other two, Michael? The two other ones you could have? - Masay? - Yes. (bell dings) - Don't know the other one. - Bayelevacuzon. - Yeah. - Michael, here's your ninth question. Who was the last team to win a Champions League final in their own country? - Some fairly short document. Does it in '97? You know, '97. I'm gonna have to try and very quickly go through all the subsequent finals to work out if anyone's done it. Oh, five, six. Colin, how's your debut in just one, Michael's working out? - The first one. (laughs) - Yeah, I was trying to go backwards in the finalists. So yeah, maybe we could reach a midpoint. (laughs) - Rembley. Right, I'm on the verge. - Just going for Dortmund, 'cause I can't remember it happening recently. - Mm-hmm. - Okay, I will. I'm not gonna take the Mickey Lutton Williams and think for about three minutes. I'm gonna say Dortmund in '97. - Your answer is Dortmund '97, while the last team to win a Champions League final in their own country, was British at Dortmund in 1997. Correct, Michael. (bell dings) Correct. As we head into the final question, Colin, this is for you first of all, and a correct answer here to gain the chance of a tiebreaker. Can you put the following events in chronological order? Honoliginho wins the ball on door. David Beckham, science-ferral Madrid. José Moreno is appointed Chelsea Manager the first time. Manchester United and Arsenal's 49 game on beaten Premier League run. Can you put those in chronological order? Once again, they are Honoliginho wins the ball on door. Moreno appointed Chelsea Manager the first time, and United ending Arsenal's 49 game on beaten Premier League run. Okay, so David Beckham joined Madrid in the summer season as three. Marinho joined Chelsea in the summer of 2004. Manchester United would have beat Arsenal at November time. So that's the three in the order. And I was run on the news. - We're in the ball on door. - Ball on door, what year is he in the ball on door? (soft music) Okay. My suspicion is he won the ball on door after that from my memory of him peaking to 05.06. So that's a little bit of a guess. So I'm gonna go Beckham to Madrid. Marinho the Chelsea United beating Arsenal, Ronaldinho's ball on door. Well, you got the first three right. And the fourth one too. You pulled level at the crucial moment. Are we on for a tiebreaker? It's now all down to this final question for Michael. Michael, can you put these following events in chronological order? Luis Figo signs for Real Madrid. Manchester United don't play in the FA Cup so they can participate in the club world championship. England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich. And the United States beats China on penalties in the women's World Cup final. Do you need the list again? Yes, but yeah, so Figo to Real Madrid, correct. Was June or July 2000? Was the next one so? Manchester United not playing in the FA Cup and doing one for the club world cup championship or club world championship. Well, that would have been January 2000. We're December, December 99 maybe. The next one? The other events were England beating Germany 5-1 in Munich. So that was, I'm thinking I was September 2001. And lastly, USA beating China on penalties in the women's World Cup final. Well, that would have been. Yes, I'd been trying it in the women's World Cup. So that was 99. So that must have been. some of 99. I just think it wasn't 2003. No, that was fairly sure that was 99. So I think the first one is the women's World Cup. Then Manuited. Sounds like I'm applying causality between these events. Then Manchester United withdrew from the club world cup in about January 2000. Figo signed for rumoredrids in about July 2000. And then England bit Germany in about September 2001, I think. Colin? Any thoughts on that? I think it's correct. Yeah, absolutely correct. And so is Michael. Both of you absolutely magnificent performances there in this final. But Michael Cox, you are for the fourth time champion of the Inter-Totally Cup. Good stuff. That was quite stressful that. There's good questions as well. And Colin very much pushed me all the way. So, yeah, good final. I hope for the lessons. Undoubtedly, Colin, what a magnificent performance. and this your first tournament, what's the big lesson you take away from this? The big lesson is whenever you face a challenger like Michael Cox, you really can't afford to make any mistakes. I thought it was a really good final, really good quality questions. I think I slightly let myself down on the event this connection. I should have got that, but the the chevin United game, I just had no memory of whatsoever. I think the one Michael got wrong the first half as well by McQueen and scored from the halfway line. I would have been between two or three of the central Mcfielders for that too. So yeah, I mean I think overall it's the right outcome and I'm glad we all give it a good kind of ourselves I think. Well it's a new trophy for Michael but a new challenger perhaps for future titles in the shape of yourself, Colin. Michael, how are you going to spend your winnings? I wasn't sure there wasn't where there was a cash prize. I'd like to hear that. Well I think last time I did actually, you could have got over. I did get a nice little trophy last time. Oh there you go. So uh, Michael's held a loss of small. That was quite cool. A small bronze effigy of a footballer such as might be given to a gifted six-year-older, the school tournament. Yeah, if there's anything similar in the in the pipeline, I'll gladly take it. But yeah, enjoyed the quiz. Thanks a lot for the invitation and to Nick for the questions it was good from. Excellent. Well thank you Michael for providing such an impressive performance and an all-round entertainment. Colin once again, magnificent stuff on your debut and thanks to everybody else who took part but wasn't quite as good as these two. Many many thanks especially to Nick Miller and producer Charlie and you listener for sticking with it. All the raw drama will be back with you soon with another totally football show into Totally Cut. But for now from all of us here, it's goodbye. You've been listening to the Totally Football Show part of the Athletic FC podcast network for more great podcasts just like this one including the Athletic FC and our dedicated club podcasts search for the Athletic on Apple Spotify and all the usual places. We're also at the Totally Football Show on Insta and at the Totally Show on YouTube. The Totally Football Show is an athletic media company production. The Athletic FC