WORLD CUP Bonus Episode: Quarterfinals

This episode is brought to you by Verizon. As an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Verizon is bringing once-in-a-lifetime experiences to their customers. Free tickets to matches, pitch side access during gameplay, and meat and greets with soccer legends. If you're not with Verizon, no sweat. Stop by a Verizon store to get in on the action and learn about their offers for new customers. No one gets you closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 than Verizon. This is what now with Trevor Noah. Well, welcome to it. The final week of the World Cup. And what feels like the final week of our lives. I have to say this is probably my least favorite part of the World Cup. You know when you're turning to us then I already. I don't know that you're feeding the same thing, but I'm having the blues. When you go on a competition and then it's about to end two days away. And I have to go back to my normal walk. I have to go back to the plantation. It's just like fading away from all the joy, fading away. I almost wish they had a come down routine from the World Cup. They should have the World Cup. And then what they should do is they should replay or reinvent some of the matches that we didn't get to see. Just to let us, you know what I mean? You don't want to quit Coltucky. Yeah, but for the World Cup. I mean, when you put it that way, yeah. I'm accepted as I am addicted. But yeah, like I wish they just had like a, you know, let's have a few other games. Could we see Brazil versus Spain maybe? Could we see Argentina versus. Yeah, just like, you know, for fun, for fun. They can play for Holland's raccoon. No, I'll tell you one thing, that Monday, next Monday is going to be rough. Yeah, it will be, man. Next Monday is going to be rough. Because you're going to be looking back like, oh my god. There are people who are going like, we can't wait for next Monday. There are probably spouses who are like, we can't wait for next Monday. Yeah, spouses and family members. Yes. Everyone in the house who didn't have access to the TV. Yes. Who didn't have access to their own family member? Who is addicted? Who has been thinking, Holland, Messi, Ken, Mbappe. Now they can finally give the kids attention. They can finally, yeah. I mean, this is why, this is why Infantino is proposing 64, expanding the World Cup. I feel like, I feel like Infantino is his end goal. His end goal is to expand the World Cup to the point where it's just the whole year. No, I think to expand it to the point where it's the World Cup where every nation can play. Yes. Because he knows. And I think I told you this before. Infantino is both, you could say, corrupt and evil. In a very cartoonish way. Yeah. Like in a very doctor evil kind of way. Yeah. But he knows he has that thing that you're called. He knows once the ball is kicked. Like you can complain and more. But I think the ball is kicked. Yeah, but I think to call him a villain is to, is to simplify it too much. I don't think Infantino is a villain. I think he's just in charge of a thing that we love more than anything. Yes. And just like any organization, especially like a multinational organization. Okay. There's elements of it that we'll disagree with. Okay. Some of us can deny the expanded format was better for the fans, was better for the World Cup. And was better for the world. I'll give it up for him. We'll give it up. There's an I call him a villain is because he's using this thing that we love. Like doctor evil. He's using it to achieve his dreams of global domination. That's what Infantino is doing. And the thing is everyone's in a wire. He gets proven right. Like you can't argue. We, we complained bitterly about the expansion. Yeah. A lot of people. Yeah, a lot of people. Nations not as much because we're like, oh, this is our chance to are getting. But the bigger countries really wind. And then look what happened. He has been proven right again. Yeah. Infantino has gone and done it again. If it's if it's expanded to 64 nations, I think it would be. There would be no third place. Yes. It would just be we just go straight into knockouts. Yes. We would be more efficient actually. Yes. But they were just like. But that's the thing. Let's let's let's talk about this for a second. Okay. Isn't this what we always argue about? Let's take it out of football. Okay. Right. The thing we'll often argue about in societies. We'll say we want to try and make things more accessible. Yes. We're like, you know, why aren't they more grocery stores in poor neighborhoods? Yes. And why don't we give poor children access and blah, blah, blah. Now. Right. There's a thing that we say something. I just come in my mind. Go go. No, because we talked about more access to food in poor neighborhoods. I said, I think of Uganda and Kenya and Tanzania. And I'm like, oh, my God. These are like food deserts. But football. If these are football. Football deserts. Yes. Infantino is like, I'm trying to bring. No. And what we always argue in societies will say we've got to bring it now. A lot of people will say that's charity. That's come on. Let them. But economists who often step into the fray will say the same thing. We are neglecting X amount of dollars or euros or whatever currency you want to use. They'll always say by neglecting these markets. Yes. By underserving them. Yes. By not providing them the services they need. By not making sure that they have trees and parks and all that. They will show you a dollar amount that you're losing. I think I've taken it completely out of football. But think about it. They'll show you a dollar amount. So they'll show you how much money traffic is costing you. They'll show you how much money bad health care is costing you. They'll show you how much money not having maternity leave is costing you. Do you get what I'm saying? No, I hear you. So if you can, if you can boil access, equitable access down to money as well. The upside, they should be an upside. They should. And don't get me wrong. I know I'm playing devil's advocate here, but I go shouldn't the reward for including. I don't know when you said devil's advocate. You're literally playing devil's advocate with infantino. No, but no. But go and show them what you're saying. But think about it. Shouldn't they be a reward for inclusion? No, inclusivity should be a reward. No, there should be. And the thing is, and again, I hate being on your side and I hate being on infantino's side. But people said the workup would be diluted. Join us. We don't use. Embrace the dark side. Accept it. No, he's a thing. People complain. And I was among them, but because I've come from a small country, I also saw where infantino was. How it would benefit me. Yeah. But what complained about how this would dilute the world cup. How this would devalue. It hasn't. It hasn't. And look, the smallest teams give us the greatest. Yeah. The greatest storyline as well. Keep quiet. Like, could I sound scoring that goal against Germany? It gives us. They give us the moments that make you fall back in love with football. The romance of it all. Yes. The only thing I might disagree with. Look, I don't know how I feel about it yet. Because I'm, you know, recency bias is obviously in effect right now. A lot of people have been confused as to why Argentina had a quote unquote easy run. A lot of people have confused us to like why England had a quote unquote easier run, France, etc. They're going like, but how are these teams meeting? So a lot of people don't remember that FIFA changed the way they created their draw for this world cup. Yeah, this is it. They've seen it. They've seen it. They've seen it. And so what they said was, we're going to change the formats. Their goal was that the top four seeds wouldn't meet before the semi-final. Now, on one hand, some people can argue what it's done is it's created a world cup where the big teams bump into the small teams more frequently, which creates better games for small teams. It's the gym for the small teams. Yeah, as you've seen, like the team from Cape Verde all said, this was our dream. We never imagined this. Right. On the other hand, people say it's insured their path to the final because they don't have to eliminate each other. I think both arguments have merits, you know, because I like how you are literally like the evil angel on infantinoist one's shoulder and then you're the good angel and the other shoulder. You're like giving him props. You're so good. Yeah, but both things are true. No, I'll say this because in tennis. And again, I know people struggle with the seedling system. So in tennis, our cars and Sina would either meet in the final or they won't meet at all. That's how they make it. They go like the top two seeds. Don't get to meet to the final because it's spoiled again. No, no, it's they're trying to go like if they if everything happens, the way it's if it's in our dream scenario, the top, they finally should be the top two. But then remember, the top two are for me, the top three and top four. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They got me to like slightly stronger opposition as they go on. And that's how it should be. And so for me, I understand people. I suppose we go like, oh, but Spain, top their group, but then they end up facing go. FIFA is not rewarding you for just last year's performance. It's rewarding you for over five years of performance. That's how they see it. Yeah. So Argentina is almost one in every competition they have been in. Okay. Two Copa Americas, the World Cup. Then the top seed in South America. They should be meeting France at any point. France has been playing so well in Europe for the past five years. Yeah. They shouldn't be meeting Argentina. So being rewarded for the good work you've put in over a considerable number of years. And for me, I'm all for it. But don't you think it robs us as the fans maybe? And it robs the smaller teams of the opportunity to pull a Croatia in the semifinal. To pull a who else Morocco. Yes, no, no, it doesn't to pull a you know, no, it doesn't you don't think it does No, because for me if the small teams overperform and one or two of the big teams and a perform then the tropes it's You meet somewhere doesn't make sense they'll meet before for me the white look at it Because you're talking about with the top four, but remember England, Brazil, Portugal those themes will meet at some point They're not the top four for us. Okay. Yeah, but they're top heavyweight. I hear what you're saying So Argentina, I don't even think they did this because Argentina in 2018 remember They messed up and they lost their game against Croatia. Yeah, yeah, and what was their reward instead of taking the easier path that Croatia ended up taking they ended up meeting France in the next round. Yeah, and then but they knocked them out So for me it works for me. I like the seeding. It works in basketball the number the top seed in basketball in the hopes meets number eight The golden state warriors are not going to meet the lakeers. Well, yeah, I guess I guess it also sets up The idea behind it is and and I think we forget this sometimes the idea is also that we don't end up with a lopsided end of a tournament Yes, thank you. Yes, you know, we're a chorus. I was playing Cape Valle. Yeah, yeah, you don't not even chorus. Okay Curacao Cape would would actually be a great game. Yes, I think you you actually what they don't want is it to be Curacao versus Germany somehow Curacao versus France. Yes, you know when it comes in going like oh, this is yes Yeah, you know with that with that final game Doesn't seem like people go you know, we always say this even football would be like that was the real final. Yes Yes, the final before the final it was the final before the final You don't want you don't want that in the round of 16 the big teams in the Champions League will meet in the quarters or the semis Yes, and then on the other side. There's like a random team that's coming in from you know Yeah, exactly good for them, but I would argue on a business side and there's a spectacle Yeah, people are less inclined to watch because everyone expects one team to win and if they don't People are just like ah what happened people head tried to meet it welcome not sports fans because we are very we tend to be very realistic People want George Foreman Muhammad Ali. Yeah, that's what they're gonna make every way. It's just throwing haymakers at each other. Yeah, they don't want like George Foreman just is versus Jopio and then Jopio is knocked out in the first two fights How long do you think you could lost? I think our last five seconds by running around the ring running as fast as possible And then I would last a bit longer if I just run out of the ring and then out of the stadium and then just continued on my way home back back home to Uganda Let's talk about some of the big games that we saw leading up to this England Norway Your you know, I can I tell you why I feel bad for you You predicted Norway would win to one. Yeah, yes, and I sometimes think predictions can be undone by Random acts of god. Yes I was on a good run as word by the way You were on a good run just predicting scorelines, but you're going to run to one. You're on a good run Yeah, just going to Brazil. No way to one. Yeah, England. No way so Morocco France to it. I was on a good run and then yeah, they keep what happened. Yeah, the well Okay, no, but let's talk about this. Okay, so let's break the game down There are a few storylines from the England. No again that I think I have still got people talking One is the the cable. Yes, the you know, the this guy got the the the mysterious cable that did or did not happen You recorded the cable of God. I called it the cable of God. That's what it is, you know We've got the Harlan soloth incident. Mm-hmm. I think those are like the big ones in the game. Yes, right? And then my first instinct, I'll say the I don't think the penalty call was like a no No, that was a good thing. I think the only other thing we could talk about was in New Zealand who was incredibly when they're game against Brazil Actually, not pushing that ball away and gifting a bearing arm and easy Winning go. Oh, yeah, but that's a technical thing. So okay, let's start let's let's do it in sequence then let's start by first talking about the the the Soloth incident because that's the yeah, you see this is so this is the thing that I that I wish more fans would be honest about okay, right? More fans would be honest about When it's Egypt, Argentina, right? It's easier to blame the refs for the results and In my opinion the refs made many decisions that I think could have gone another way on another day against Argentina I think no just like just like yellow cards and like harsher penalty. No, no, there were a few. No, no That's my opinion as I'm saying you can disagree I can't I can't think of a single decision that of course you can no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that's okay Won't really get that we don't have to litigate Okay, but you're saying it's easier for fans, but I'm saying it's easier for fans to focus on those things Then it is for them to focus on the moment where they failed to take a game, okay? So for me Egypt, Argentina It's the moment when our Egypt gets the ball the scores two two. I think it's the 90th minute In at a time Egypt goes on a break. Yes, I think it was two the ball gets passed to Salah and Very quickly it becomes three versus two or even four versus two and then Mamush out of nowhere comes running from behind Salah yes, and takes the ball off of his feet And Salah by the way had led to incredible break up Yes, and someone ended in course one of them. Salah's also these guys got the record for goals and assists in one season in a Premier League You've seen what he can do assist wise already in this game He takes the ball off of Salah's feet also compresses the field and what I mean by that is you know You know this when you're playing football when you when you're on a counter attack the best thing you can do is spread out your Players because now you the the the opponent. Yes. Yeah, the team within fear of players have to think about who they're gonna cover Now what's happening is The attack is compressed because Mamush is literally on Salah so one defender can mark both men He takes the ball. I think it was paradez who was running back on Argentina incredible block by paradez as well. I don't think it's an incredible block I think it's a bad pass and I think it's a pass from a player who doesn't pass regularly and I go Why would you take the ball from Salah he could have curved his run? He could have made it to another outlet and I'm telling you Salah would have found him so for me I focus on that moment. I go. That's for me. That's what you know why because fans often go backwards in time as if we're As if calls are cumulative, but they're not how do you compare that? How do you compare that with Salah? No? So listen to you get on saying yeah, I get the Mahmush one. No, no, but I'm saying fans will do in football oftentimes. They'll go if We were awarded that penalty then the score would have been four no then I'm like no that but that's not how games work So Egypt was up one no, right they go to no up The goal gets taken away Then they still come back immediately and score now it's to no now someone go then it would be three no That's not how games actually work, right? It's like it's a linear timeline It's a butterfly effect one thing can completely change it's how he's so so it's a linear thing, right? So now when we come to the England no way game. I know a lot of fans would love to look at the cable incident as the incident that Rob's no way of their opportunity to go through to the semi-finals But for me the the moment where no way loses their game is the moment where Soloth is on a break 2v1 with Erling Harlan 2v1 and like yes and and we've got to be clear about what kind of 2v1 There's a 2v1 where you have like men right behind you someone on your shoulder touching you pushing you in no Then there's a 2v1 where you're unencumbered Completely free to look up to play the game to make decisions that is back peddling furiously back peddling Yeah, John stones was not the fastest defender and so Loth not only like Stumbles and doesn't look up and doesn't pass to Harlan. He also just doesn't make a decision himself Like it's one of the strangest moments I've ever seen Tooki tooki sweet time as well and everyone has a different opinion some people go It's because he's jealous of Harlan. You know, they've played clips of him saying I've got more experience than him Whatever people are people are saying like oh, that's why you shouldn't have a striker up top because a striker doesn't look up Because they think they are the person who has to finish it some people are saying yes Yeah, people have all look the bottom line is for me when that happened in the same way you call it out I remember yeah in the same way yes in the same way when Bruno Grimer I shouldn't score his goal and Andrew misses the one and the same when Andrew misses I blame those moments For the losing I'll say the funny thing about that moment is we washed it and you Because sort of got mad at online obviously and he got mad at in the press But the thing is you immediately went like this is why you don't he went like he has to know vision All right, I'll be he didn't even know that the pass was on. I'll be honest with you I'll be honest with you. He's not like the receiving end of the items get the coaches decision. I don't understand why he's playing solace there And not Oscar Bob. The worst thing is it went from potential is too near. Yeah, that's my point though going into half time Yeah, to one one and that's my point is changes the tactical talk as a coach that you're going to give to your player It also changes the tactics of the team. Yes, right? If we're up one no We're in a skittish back and forth It's a skirmish, but like It's it's not comfortable because at any moment you can get back and you're in the game when we're to know up We can sit back differently. We can counter attack differently and you have more pressure on you as the opposing team because you need to look for good You need to look for two goals not one goal. You know what I mean? So so so that that pressure creates something and then The goal comes from a moment that I'm like it's funny. I so you must see I have so many English friends who have. completely blown up my phone hating me. Oh really? Yeah. What a bad take Trevor. There was no ball that hit a cable. See, that's why I can talk. That's why I can talk about England. I have no English friends. So no, you are very vocal though about it. You are very vocal. I'm very interested in why. Because you pointed it out even during the broadcast after the live stream. I'm interested here, what you really think should and could have happened. Because the Norwegian players went and told the rave. So what do you think could have because he didn't stop the game and the girl went in. So what do you think would have happened? Because normally you stop the game when the ball hits an external object. Yeah. And it's happened before, by the way. It's not the first time a ball is hits the sky cam or the cables. Okay. So it's happened before you just stop the game. Okay. So no, but they didn't stop it. And the Norwegian rather the coach and shoulder up, rain up to him. Yeah. Do you think they still recourse for him to cancel the goal? Oh, is it too late now? Okay, but this is what I don't understand. All right. So there's a few things FIFA comes out and says the sensor in the ball was not triggered. Yes. Yes. Okay. Now I'm going like guys. Okay. That sensor has been having a moment. Yo, man. Here's the most important thing for us. Why are we bringing a new technology to a world cup? If you look at every other technology, right? If you look at every other technology in football, when we're trialling a new rule or a new technology, they trial that for four years in other leagues, smaller competitions, women's four years. Exactly. They go, let's take this to the low stakes, low level tournaments before we get to the highest levels of the men's and women's games. Before that, let's try it in like under 16s, under 20s, they try new offside rules, they try new like VAR, they tested VAR for a long time in different leagues in different ways, in different subsections of other league, by the way, they'd say like, okay, for this competition, we're going to be using VAR, but we won't expand it fully. In different formats as we're full of, exactly, exactly. So my thing is, why, oh, why, are we bringing a new chip that I don't know of being used in any major league? Why are we bringing that to a world cup with the stakes are so high and there are so few games for you to remedy the situation? That's that's my first issue. Okay. I guess my question then would be, again, you've said, what I see the sky come before, right? Yeah, but it was still unprecedented at this level, the ball hitting a sky come. Like, you know, when the corrosion player, I think it happened in the Premier League. Yes, but I'm saying at this level, yeah, okay, okay, yeah. So when you talk about, let's say, the hair follicle, you know, the corrosion player, the ball that you say, yeah, that you can understand. Right, right. But like the ball precedent, yeah, so when the ball went up, I think what I'm playing, and again, I might be wrong, when the, when no one kicks that ball high, I think the ref naturally didn't track the ball all the way. Yeah. His eyes were focused on the players just looking for, because the body's full sense. Yes. So he didn't see because the refs, because the refs, because the refs is, the refs job is not to look at the ball. Yes, no. The refs job is to watch the players. Or even when they're taking corner kicks, refs are not watching the front of the ball. No, they're watching the players. Yeah. So I see why he missed it. But then as you ask him, why didn't we are supposed to come in for clear and obvious errors? Yeah. Why didn't they come in? And if they come in, how come? Yes. They relied apparently on the, what do they call it? Sniko. Sniko. Yes. Okay. Sniko in the ball. Now, some people are saying there's a possibility that because the, the pitch has the four antennas around it for the ball, there's a possibility, just like microphones, like we're using now, or you know, when you're on a TV show, you have a mic pack. Yes. There are, there are antennas situated around every single sound stage. And those antennas are responsible for picking up. So here's a wired mic. So it's not the same. But there's an antenna. And if that mic, mic pack sometimes goes above. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. That's the thing that people forget above. Because when you're in in line with the thing, you find your frequencies are fine. But sometimes when you go above, that's the issue. I don't know that they've tested that technology way up in the air. Because it's unprecedented. Because the antennas are down on the ground. Because everything happens on the ground mostly, unless you're playing in the light. Because remember, they did the 40s or is it there? That's funny, because they did this for VAR. I mean, for, for offside. And offside is generally about a ball kicked on the ground and where a person is in relation to the kicking. Okay. Quick question. Do you think if you've had come out and gone like guys, our bad mistake instead of trying to gaslight the football loving public, do you think that would have been better? Yes. I think it would be better. Instead of going like, oh, there was no, I think it would be better. So I think this, yeah, but as we said, corrupt evil villains. I think there's no, no, no, I think this for everything in life. I think what's that old saying? The cover up is always worse than the crime. Yes. Right. I think it's the same thing that happened with governments around COVID. If it, if governments were more honest, we're taking this thing out of football. No, but it, but I think that's why I love football. The reason I love football is for me. Football is the ultimate reflection of life. Yes. It's a reflection of life. It's like how we live it, how we exploit. I can learn all my lessons on a football pitch for life. And so for me, it's the same thing that happened during COVID. It's the same thing that happens during major disasters, during an economic crisis, whatever. The government thinks that they are protecting a system by obscuring or lying to the people about what's happening or withholding. But then what happens is the people then go, there's something I notice here. My eyes, my eyes, my eyes are not matching up with the reality. And then the government says to you, no, don't worry about that. Don't worry about that. And that thing builds up steam builds up steam builds up steam. And then what happens at some point? Yeah. Yeah. But at some point, some, some, some subsect of conspiracies are shown to be true. Yes. And then, and then what happens? You've now created. Yes. You've lost all credit for me. It's better if FIFA just says, hey, y'all, the sensor didn't go off. But upon further review we've seen, it does look like the ball touched the referee didn't see it. And in every game, if a referee doesn't see it, if no one catches it, sorry, guys, we play on. But does the thing because there's many matches where we can go week, Joe, we can go back and literally rewatch every micro moment of it. Messi, for instance, who are they playing recently? Messi. We don't care. Vade, Egypt, Egypt. Egypt, I think it was no Switzerland. Messi gets a foul by the box. No one touched him. Like, oh, rather, it wasn't he didn't get foul. No, no, no, no, I think it was. Was it bad? Was it a player wonder ball? Yes, the player wonder ball. Yeah, but Messi gets the foul by the box. The player wonder ball. Yes. No, we could go back and go. That wasn't a foul. But that's not the point of sport is not to be 100% accurate. It is to be fair. Yes. Yes. You get what I'm saying? No, I think even when it comes to like marking, who was holding? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Whose shirt was being tugged? Was it your tattooed shirt? Yeah. It was hard on its push enough. I'll say this. I agree with you in a sense that it was very oedian. Like, when you, you know, when you talk about 1984, don't believe your alien, it was very oedian in that way because everyone was like, oh, but we can't see the ball unless your English because the English became blind. Many English fans became like partially blind when it came to that. Which I would argue is your job. Yes. Yes. Yes. As a fan. Yes. As a fan, when they referee makes a decision on your side, I mean, that was very amazing. When they referee, yes. So I get where the English are coming from. The last thing you want to be as a fan is Ronaldo putting up their hand when their own team makes upside. No, no, no, you never want to be. All right, let's take a quick break to thank our sponsor for today's episode. That's Verizon. Now, we all know the FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest events on the planet, right? Everybody wants in, which means scoring tickets is hard, like, really, really hard. Well, there's good news. Verizon is providing their customers with unmatched access. They've given away thousands of free tickets and even given their customers pitchside access during matches. If you're not a Verizon customer, I've got good news. Right now, more people than ever can get a better deal at Verizon. If you have a bill with AT&T or T-Mobile, all you've got to do is bring it in. And if you have a bill with Xfinity or Spectrum, bring that in too. And Verizon will give you a better deal. Plus, you could get bucket list experiences like free tickets to the FIFA World Cup. Must provide a very recent post-paid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal, additional terms, conditions, and restrictions apply. I also, for me, the thing, the biggest talking point from that game. And again, for me, it's good bidding, I mean. Yeah, I mean, it's hate. It means I love big players who show up in big hype. You've always said this. I love, I'm such a huge love of the game. And when I see, so I'll say this, for me, when I look at the World Cup, great players always impose their personality on the World Cup, great players always bend the World Cup to their will. The greatest players, actually, don't just grace the World Cup. They don't just turn up the decorates. The dynamic of the world, yes. Yeah, it's not all the 2002. No, you can't go back. You can go back 1934, 1930s, when let's say fascist Italy hosted the World Cup 1934. Obviously, Benton Mussolini tried to hijack the World Cup. No one remembers Benton Mussolini. Everyone remembers, you see, for me, asa. Cos i hop itali win, that's why Esi Milana and Inter Milana named their stadium after him. No, I didn't know. When you go, yeah, you say Pemiasa, when you go back to 1954, Frank Pushkas and the that dazzling Hungarian team, that's why the Pushkas are wide for the best goal every football season is named after Frank Pushkas, 1958, 17-year-old Pele, scores two goals in a final and the legend is born. Every World Cup 62 Chile hosts, Pele gets injured, he's the hope for Brazil, guess who steps up? Garincha steps up. Every World Cup, a great player, every World Cup must be defined by a great player and I don't want to hear any excuses. Cos I don't care, the football world doesn't care. We don't want to hear, oh, I got double marked and triple marked, all the opponents were kicking the crap out of me. No, great players always find the way to exploit their God-given gifts, to actually define the greatest tournament in the world. And if you look at what Jude has been doing, yeah, drugged England, past Mexico, single-handedly has played high altitude. A few days later, played against Norway, didn't show anything about altitude sickness. Again, imposed his will and you got to recall it, we called it, you know, taking your balls out and slapping them on the table when the pressure is on. Damn, yes. What's happening in your game? That's what drives players. What is happening in your game? That's what good players do. Trevor. And for me, that's the one thing when it comes to be the person taking minutes at that meeting. And then it took out his balls. Ball slap occurred once again. No, think 1986, Diego Amando Maradona. Yeah, no, you're right. They said the better. For me, that's what I want. Look at you know, Messi, this World Cup. Look at you know, Messi, the World Cup before. Look at R9 and Zinedine Zidane in 1998. Yeah. I want, because you know, always remember the play, the Battle Bad Gio, 1994. You remember Battle Bad Gio, you remember Romario, I want players showing up. And that's one thing you said you've loved about this World Cup. At least all the greats. All the greats are showing up to be showing up. And so for me, the white look, actually, you love taking things out of football. Think of cinema. You're not going to be considered a great on the big screen, unless you have at least one career performance. Daniel Deleu, show me something. Leo DiCaprio, show me something. Robert De Niro, Mary Strip are, but you know, show me some. There's to be a performance of yours that defines your legacy. And funny enough to keep it in cinema. In many ways, that's how we define the greats is that regardless of what movie they in. Yes. To your point, they bend it to their will. Yes, you know what I mean? They take a role or a moment. How small? How are the small? And they go, wow. Yes. You know, like you're watching it and you're like, well, man, when they come on screen. Yes. You know, that's what I want. And so for me, that's why. And I keep saying this. And with this, I grew on this. You think Kareken is a good striker. I think he's an okay striker. I think he's a good striker. I think he's okay-ish. And I'm not talking about club. Let's, let's. So I've been, I've been actually, I've been thinking about this. I've been thinking about this. I'm not talking about club. No, he has a way. I've thought of a way for us to bridge this gap. Maybe, maybe there's a, there's an extra definition we need to think about in football. Maybe sometimes we need to define a player's greatness for their position. And then sometimes we need to define a player's greatness for their ability to be a clutch player. More than just a clutch player, but rather like a, like an architect, somebody, somebody who can design and create something, somebody who can make things happen. They're the catalyst is a good way to put it, right? Yes. Because I can think of many players, you know, like Jude Bellingham. Is he the best midfielder? No, no. I don't think he is. Sedri Vistinia, Jawaneves. Many people will come with many names, but in this world cup, there's no peddry, there's no vitinio. There's no, uh, Jawaneves. He has taken his balls and slapped them. Yeah, but my point is that he has not done that as a great midfielder. No, no, no, he has done it in his role. I don't think of him as, but no, but what I'm saying is he's done it as a player. Yes. Because if you look at where Jude Bellingham's been on the pitch, if you look at how he's gotten the goals, if you all of those moments are agnostic to the position he plays, but that's true, but that's what I'm saying. No, no, no, no. That's what I'm saying. You don't have to do it. When I said defining a World Cup, I'm saying that you do it as a player. So 1982. No, but listen, that's also off is a goalkeeper. Yeah. Is a goalkeeper who defined the 1982 World Cup alongside Zico and Power of Rossini? You don't have to, we're saying you have to stand up as a player. No, but let's just look at what I'm saying. So now do you understand? Come back to what I'm saying. I don't think it takes anything away from Harry Kane's greatness as a striker. Okay. Right? But then when we talk, like, I try and do this with my friends all the time. I do it with Slebza when we chat. Sometimes we try and like change our paradigms for how we think of the game just so that we open up the possibility for more than just one category. You know, greatest. Who's the great, oh, who's the best of the, it's like, no, no, no, no. No, sometimes you can say, who is the best defender? And what we mean by that is who is the best player at defending a ball when the opponents are attacking and they, okay, that's the best defender. Okay, but then you could go. When you are down one nil, and it is the 90th minute, and you need to get a goal, would you rather have Sergio Ramos, or would you rather have Virgil Vendike? Now I, in my world, there is no world where Sergio Ramos is a better defender than Virgil Vendike. For me football fans can disagree, we always do. But if you're asking me for like that thing, someone is going to grab the game and Virgil has had his moments, don't give me wrong. But I'm talking like the extreme. Who's going to chop? Yes. I'm talking the extremes. That player, you're like, where did Sergio Ramos come from? Where did he do? How did he do this? How many times has he done this? For me, that's what I'm talking about. And that to me does not diminish another player's position. Okay. Excellence in any way. Okay, let me counterpoint. Counterpoint. And I hear where you're coming from. For me, Harry Kane has disappeared way too many times in big moments. That's why I have him on front watch. He has disappeared. I've given him. I've given him leeway so many times and he keeps disappointing. Harry Kane, by the way, I've given him so much leeway. He's a thing. Harry Kane. And he's fans who say, oh, but you won the Golden Boot in 2018. Yes. But why did he win the Golden Boot? He scored a heart attack against Panama. He scored, I think, another two goals against Tunisia. And then he scored the one goal he had scored. I think in the knockout stages against Colombia. He's the thing. He's where I struggle with Harry Kane. And he'll make so many excuses for him. And I said, great players. Yeah. I don't hear you excuses. Okay. So you won. Listen. Okay. I'm with Romario. Yeah. He didn't go like, oh, no one is serving me. Oh, mind me. No, Romario took the World Cup by the squad for the neck. Godmoreler took the World Cup by the squad for the neck. Paolo Rossi took the World Cup by the squad. Aranne, El Fenomeno, the original, took the World Cup by the squad for me. Miroslav Krosa. He didn't even have the most spectacular club career. Why do we think of him as one of the greats? He took the World Cup by the squad for the neck. They didn't make excuses. These are pure nines. Now, Harry Kane fans will go like, oh, but you see he opens up space. Hogwash. I'm not interested. Great nines don't open up space. They're not Walmart Street. Walmart greet us. Then they will say, oh, you know, Harry Kane defends extra hogwash. My striker shouldn't be defending. I jagged my striker purely. Is he putting the ball in the net? And so for me, when I look at Harry Kane, this is where I struggle. I know English fans will go like, oh, being hash on him. Club football. He delivers. Week in, week out, Harry Kane delivers for his club. I'm talking just international football. Harry Kane, we were there in Russia. His first World Cup 2018. Harry Kane scored six goals in the group's one in the knockouts. Their biggest game against Krosa. What did he do? He went missing. We scored the goal. Kill and trip here. He went missing. Krosa came back in that game. I went like, okay, his first World Cup are giving grace. Euro, the next euros, 2020, 2021. Where was Harry Kane in the final? Look sure. Score as a goal against Italy. Third minute. Harry Kane shows us something. Harry Kane disappears. Italy comes back wins. Next World Cup 2022. Harry Kane plays well in the group stages. He meets France. Disappears the whole game. Gets a penalty towards the end. He scores it. Gets another penalty to send the game to equalize. What does he do? High pressure moment. He skies it. I go like, okay, now this guy is on real front watch. Euro, 2024. That's when I broke. That's when that's when I give up on Harry Kane. Because they play against Spain. Harry Kane disappears the whole game. Hope how much goes the equalizer on 68 minutes. What does the English that go set up? What does the coach do? Hooks, Harry Kane. Subs him out when they need a goal. That's when I went like, this guy only appears. When the nights are brightest, he disappears. So question I have for you. So from this World Cup, have you put Is Lamine Amal on front watch? Lamine Amal won. He's still young. No, no, I'm just asking. No, no, you don't have to. Give me, you don't have to give me just yes or no. Okay, so no. No, just yes or no. Okay, then that's fine. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Trevor. I can't advocate. No one defends someone. No, no, no, no, we're going to run out of time. Joe, Joe, we're going to advocate. I'm moving on. Let me just finish this. No, you can't. I'm moving on. I'm moving on. I can't. Let's talk about Thomas Tutu and the team. Let's move on. Let's move on. Let's move on. I think he's a great knockout. Try. Do you think, you know, no, I should ask you. I think I should ask you about him fast. Why? Because he and Beningham came out with very diffiring accounts of the game against Norway. Took a thought by the Gotlucky. Took a thought they didn't play well and uh, Beningham went like, uh, clearly doesn't know what it means to play at this level. So, so what do you think about that? Okay, so here's what I'll say. I think that the English media and the media in particular sometimes will portray themselves as being on the side of the people or its people at any given time. And oftentimes we forget that a lot of the media is on its own side. Okay. And the side it's on is the side of clicks and views. It's not the voice of the people. Okay. Okay. Okay. So Thomas Tutu, what he was coming out and saying, I love it. Keep calling him Tutu. Yeah. He's too cool. Yeah. I know. But I'm saying it in English. No. Satan German. Why do you want me to say that? You're the famous black Hitler. No. Why are we gonna, well, we're gonna, people who have no context for that. What the hell are you talking about? No. Yeah. Okay. If you go, um, if you look at Thomas Tutu, right? He's got, um, he's got his views on the game. If you listen to what he's saying when he's asked about England, he's saying, listen, man, I don't like what we did on the field. And he's right. Yes. I think we were sloppy. I think our pace wasn't good. And I think we were lucky. I don't want to keep being lucky. I want to win games definitively because I also understand the team that I have. Right? If I look at the individuals on the field, we should be performing better than us. Okay. And then a commentator says to him, oh, do you think it's a mentality issue? He says, no, he says, oh, we have right now as mentality. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Which is him praising that he's saying, he's going to, he's going to go to us. He's praising Jude Billingham. He's basically going, we're taking games and making, you know, something out of shit essentially. But, but you can't continue to thrive on mentality, right? Mentality is something you use. You know, like Argentina, a lot of it has been mentality. It has really been mentality. But man, a lot of it has been brilliance. And like, there's many parts of the game where we're watching them going, oh, they've got this. They've got this. Then the mentality is when they're down or when they're even in its extra time. And then you go, they can still do it. That's mentality. You need your mentality to help you when your tactics way or when your tactics let you down. I think that's what he's saying. The journalist then goes to Jude Billingham. Yes. And they phrase it as if Tuchal's only opinion on something and the game was disappointment and criticism. Jude is fresh out of like his exhaustion. Adrenaline is still pumping. He gold. You see him shot. Also, remember, this is something that people forget and there's a key thing. How long has Tuchal been the coach? No, no, it's been a short time, it's been a water yard to a man. Thomas Tuchal doesn't have like a history with these guys. He doesn't have, he doesn't have a legacy that he's built. He doesn't have like a deep understanding. I think people shouldn't take that for granted. People shouldn't take for granted. What it means when people trust the coach and know the coach. But then because I'll tell you this, after a game, if Alex Ferguson said something like that about one of his men United teams. Yes. If Pep Guardiola said something like that about it, not even if I'll let's go. They're giving the benefits. Yes. When Alex Ferguson criticized his team after winning a game, but not winning it the way they wanted. When Pep Guardiola criticized his team, when you're going to club criticize his team, when those coaches did it, when more in your criticize his team, when they did that, the players went benefit of doubt. The players knew what the coach was saying. So they would say, yes, I hear, I'm also, I can see why the coach because Harry Kane came and said that and maybe he has a different relationship with the German coach. No, no, no, no, no one understands the word. But Harry Kane came on and he said, he said, yeah, I agree with the coach. I don't think we played well. I don't and maybe like, maybe, maybe, maybe Jude was conflating from that question. He was conflating, putting your heart out there. Yes, but you're very doing well. You're always very good at timing and context. You're always going like, is it the right time to say something? Is it your place? Don't you think maybe it be hoved or maybe it should, being the manager, he should have known better than to say that at that time. Say it back in the dressing room instead of saying, no, no, you're not, you're not wrong. You're not wrong. But then I think there's also like, there's also going to be a debate. People say there's some coaches where people complain because it feels like they don't know what's going on. And then the fans, you're right. And then the fans are very well, the whole title was a hundred. You keep blaming yourself. You never call the team. You're right. You see, so now when a coach blames themselves, fans go, yeah, why don't you blame the players? And then when a coach walks away from a game going like, yeah, all that matters is the result. The team go, the fans go, we don't want results. We want a game. And so I think, I think that's the thing. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see how they perform. I think I think I think I recognize winning that game three nil. Easily. That's your prediction. That's my prediction. Yes, three nil. Yes, I'm pulling, I'm taking down my bars, slapping them on this table. Three nil. I think I get to know, I think I get to know people, people have been analyzing, you know, who's perfect for you is the, you know, you want to talk about a world cup of controversies. Did you see the story that's just come out about the Senegal team? Oh, yes, yes. Where they said apparently the team doctor, who's meant to be like sports science and all of that apparently trained as a gynecologist. My favorite part of the story, my favorite part of the story was it said the team found this out too late. Yeah, but I went like the way it was phrased, it made it seem like one of the players came and said, I had a hamstring issue. And the doctor said drop your pants. Yes, only one solution. Yes, drop your pants. Let's see what's happening. Drop your pants. Let's hamstring. Yes. But this is what you remember what we're talking about. African football. Why does Morocco do well? Why is this doing? That's my thing. That's the, this is a small thing. No, to go back to Argentina, the reason I think they're going to win that game is I think one, you talked about it, are they a team that has character? They're a team that is beautiful to suffer. They're a team when the chips are down, they don't fold, and we've seen it in this workup with so it in 2022. Yeah. There are what? 45 minutes are you from getting knocked out? No, you've got to look, look, look, look, every episode of the podcast is you going this team is forged in fire and that's what they made for. And they have, it's a Spanish phrase. They have a thing we call malalece. It's when it's a, the English translation. They have a competitive fire that few other teams have. And I think they've been a bit unlucky in their knockout games. They're played, they could, they've created enough chances to win by five goals. But Vosignia, Shobaya of Egypt, Gregor Cobo of them. They've made some great cool people. They keep us have been playing out of their acts. No, they've made some great people. I don't think, I don't think pick four is going to do that. And that's why pick four. Pick four, pick four, pick four, pick four, pick four. This is a tiny tiroux arms. No, it doesn't matter. I can't wait for three nil. Yeah, three nil. Three nil. Let's leave it there then. Let's leave it there. I want to leave it right there with your balls on the table. Yes. I also want to call Spain because we're doing this before Spain, before Spain, France. Call it. Yes. Everyone thinks that all France is going to win. I think Spain is going to win it to one. Because I think Spain is a team built to actually beat France. Because France normally beats teams because France is more dominant. And for the first time, they're going to be forced to defend. Well, this is coming out. Okay. We'll see if the pressure. And so they are in Bappé, Dembele, Dewey, and Olysee are going to be forced to do something they hate doing. They're going to be forced to do something that all attacking players hate doing, which is just the ball. And you know, when in boxing, we have the phrase styles make fights, because normally you can do it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You can be the greatest fight. I'm throwing this as a style slash. Yes. Throw it me with her. Always beat everyone till he met what's his name. Makos Maynard. Makos are at the Argentine. Makos Maynard. No, I don't know. Makos Maynard. Yeah. He always struggled against him. Manipakia would beat everyone till he met one Manuel, one Manuel Makis. So every time you, there's always that one team that's almost built and you think Spain is that. Spain is that team when it comes to France. All right. And I think they're going to struggle. Yes. All right. Let's see. So yeah, for me, it's been good. Maybe if I go, I just want to say one thing. I would like great player standing up. And again, it feels like I'm moving and emphasizing it. But I hate what we call in cricket, flat track bullies. I don't like players who put up big scorelines against small teams, who put up big scorelines against them. All right. We have a game to watch. Yeah. I'm going to go watch the game. Yes. Thank you again so much to the sponsor of today's episode Verizon. They've given their customers unmatched access to the FIFA World Cup 2026, including thousands of free tickets. People meet and greets with socket legends and the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch a portion of the FIFA World Cup from the pitch, from the pitch, all just for being a Verizon customer. Stop by Verizon store to get in on the action and learn about their amazing offers for new customers. the World Cup for bonus episodes of What Now with Trevinoa.