Analysis of World Cup Performances

Lead us through let's start off in the back with the goalkeeper.

I mean enough said Unai Simone.

Of course he wasn't tested as much as some goalkeepers but when you've

only conceded once in an entire tournament you deserve to be that credit to him

or the center back right. Either way.

Well look at my next line because you could go from Virginia you could go you know

you could go I mean Martinez there's a number of keepers that did well but for me.

With a home back for you.

Now Colombia is another

team that played five matches and only conceded once.

But again Spain eight matches one conceded.

And by the way everyone here was fantastic. Yeah everybody.

So for me I'm going with.

This is a team that went to a fought won the World Cup trophy,

but they didn't make any flaws.

They were just class in anticipation in,

you know, whether they played a high line, intercepting passes, keeping the ball,

Pedro Poro and Cucaracha as outside backs were just so involved in the attack.

For me, it was a complete performance.

Can I name one moment that I

think is going under the radar on this entire Spain win?

One of the very last corners that Argentina gets

is a ball worked from the right mess.

He puts it in, Cubarsi anticipates,

and it almost goes in his own goal, and he wins.

The ball goes out for a corner.

That tackle is worth a World Cup.

I could also throw in here, as honorable mention, not in the XI, Coutinho Romero,

I thought he had a good tournament and Daniel Munoz from

Colombia They didn't play enough games to make a World Cup squad, but he was great

My back my back to you. Nice on the second For kukuraya.

Do you guys think maybe he's entered the conversation when in terms of left

backs in terms of being the best

In that position after I think it was I think it was kind of always there Yeah,

he elevated himself though

in terms of being a world class left back I

think he's proven now that there are a lot of questions mark question marks around

his performances with Chelsea

But I think we've seen him mature into being a consistent left back and with Spain.

He's he is world class He was good at Brighton.

He was good at hit a fit and reality bought him before the World Cup started Yeah

fair enough all right let's move up the line take us to the midfield.

Yeah I don't think we have any debates here.

Rodri Golden Ball winner

Bellingham he was sensational.

He was the best player for England a third

place team and I just love everything about what he

was able to do especially against Mexico and Azteca and that only say seven assists

seven assists in this World Cup competition.

So he missed a chance

for France to tie that up for four.

Oh big world. I'm just saying what in the in the third place.

I know I'm just saying he didn't score.

I know I expected him to score in that position. No I want him in the team.

OK I'm just saying I'm just bringing up a moment where he could have elevated that

even for I'm taking very little consideration in a team of the

tournament for a third place match although you did mention it for Jude Bellingham.

I think Jude Bellingham makes team of the tournament. Without the third place match.

So what did Lisa? Yes.

Yeah, you wouldn't have swapped anybody out. No, I'd like this.

Okay Yeah, and then the front the front three also speak for themselves

We're talking about Erling Holland and Bob Bay and messy

So Harry Kane would be Harry Kane would not

make it over Holland in my opinion given.

Yeah Hurricane you'd have Harry Kane over Holland.

No, no, Harry can't have seven goals in five games

Yeah Holland Met the moment like only Holland

can and I think there's a lot of off the field stuff field stuff,

too I think a lot of non football fans Started to understand who Holland was We

always knew who he was and he could have not met the moment with an inferior team

in theory Right that Norway's had it been at the World Cup He owned the stage,

he took out the most winning team in football history, which is Brazil,

all on his own and in a very Holland way.

He deserves so much credit and I love the World Cup that he had.

There are going to be a lot of Manchester City fans after this World

Cup with people who enjoyed seeing Holland,

learning about him for the first time.

So, prepare for that when we enter the glove season.

By the way, do you see any issues with this team?

Yeah, anyone you guys would take out,

take in, anyone you think deserves a shout?

I think the biggest

controversy would be not including Kane, but where do you work him in?

I mean, Simone, you could have an argument there. Yeah, Simone also...

Just because he didn't have a lot of work to do. Like, that's that.

But then, talking back, you could say...

from his organized organization as a keeper to say

I'm I'm I'm putting out fires before they happen as a keeper his decision making

off of his line excellent especially early in the

final when Messi broke through and he was like just good anticipate I mean Bosnia I

think is more of a romantic romantic choice to go in there

but the stat that you gave I think says a lot to what Spain is defensively.

Martinez had more saves

in the final than a nice one in the entire tournament.

That's crazy.

So I'm trying to think like which goalkeeper put their team on their back and like

was outstanding.

Kind of like Debo in two thousand twenty two.

Right. He deservedly won.

This is a it's a different type of choice.

It has a different connotation putting when I see him on there

but credit to read that a foreign day.

He's stuck to his guns from the very beginning because behind him was a John Garcia,

but more importantly David Raya

So many questions were asked about these goalkeepers and

when I see more and and Luis de la Fuente said I'm gonna go my

goalkeeper That I've had since the you 18s when I see one.

I trust him He's my guy and he hasn't changed him if I'm not mistaken I think

even Yesterday after the game when I Simone said anybody could have been

in that goalkeeper position and they still always want They've asked him constantly

Spanish media throughout the entire tournament has asked him constantly about

you know depth even When they mentioned pedigree,

you know What are we saying about pedigree drops to the bench is like listen I

play a position that it's only one person and there are two of the goalkeepers that

easily could be starters on this team But it's the reality of our situation

and and I feel like that's the right mentality to have

I don't think pedigree drops to the bench You know amazing players in front of me

it's a different role and he came into the game yesterday and he came in well and

that's just a testament to how cohesive this Spain is on and off the pitch and

low he goes football of the players

here is there one player that stands out that you would

never have expected to be in this team.

Porro Porro without a doubt Porro Laporte for

me yeah I just thought maybe he'd been

past it mm hmm didn't have this way to Saudi with the Saudi

back so yeah I've been impressed with those two players in

particular him in 26 years old playing for Spurs I didn't think he was gonna start

for this team let alone be a key think about that World

Cup team of the year this if the things go the

right way you It just needed a little bit of a different outcome at this World Cup,

and this team would have been Jed Spence,

one of these is Kuti Romero, and Pedro Porro.

Three of the four for Tottenham's back line.

Tottenham that almost got relegated this season.

2026 World Cup team of the tournament. By margins, that didn't happen.

I think a lot of people would also say Messi as a 39 year old in this tournament.

Dembele reigning Ballon d Or winner, not in this team. How many questions?

Do you remember the conversations we had on this desk, and not only here,

in media throughout the world?

What is Messi's role going to be in 2026?

Is he going to come off the bench?

How, you know, he's going to be a squad...

Brother of Argentina wins the World Cup, Messi wins the Ballon d Or.

We are 90 minutes away

from that from a 39 year old player from Major League Soccer winning Ballon d Or.

Argentina with two MLS players beat England in a World Cup semi final.

I don't think anybody expected that.