England Excel Again & The Cristiano Ronaldo Saga

England rounded off a hugely positive international break with a 3-0 win over Czechia. Thomas Tuchel’s side scored 15 goals across the three matches, but beyond the scorelines, it was the style of play that really caught the eye. When was the last time England played with this much energy, intensity and positivity? And can Tuchel take this team to the next level by finally getting them competing with and beating the biggest nations? Gary, Alan, Micah and TRIF’s England reporter Rob Jones also discuss the Cristiano Ronaldo saga and ask whether it’s finally time for the Portuguese legend to hang up his boots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

• 0:00Speaker 00

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• 1:52Speaker 00

  Hello and welcome to The Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, me Gary Lineker and joining us from Wembley, just after England have beaten the Czech Republic, Rob Jones. Welcome, Rob. How was it?

• 2:06Speaker 04

  It was good, yeah. I mean, the natives went home happy, didn't they? And it was, I think, pretty comfortable from an England perspective. I think the one thing you'd pick up just from talking about the crowd right away, the manager's name sung at the start and at the end. So maybe people have just started to get over what happened in that World Cup semi-final.

• 2:22Speaker 00

  I would think so. I mean, overall, it was another very good display, lots of excellent football, some brilliant moves and much to enjoy, I would have thought.

• 2:32Speaker 05

  Yeah, I totally agree. I think it's been a very positive four games, three weeks after what happened in the, in the World Cup. And I think in the main, it's been very positive. I think the way the manager has sort of changed it around and brought players in, left players out, the players that he brought in have all given him something to think about.

• 2:53Speaker 06

  Who stood out for you, Al?

• 2:55Speaker 05

  Tonight?

• 2:56Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 2:57Speaker 05

  Lewis Hall again, obviously Harry. What are you laughing at?

• 3:01Speaker 00

  Straight in my Newcastle, immediately.

• 3:04Speaker 05

  Can you remember the discussion we had, Nico O'Reilly or Lewis Hall? I think Lewis Hall's been a huge positive the last couple of weeks, don't you?

• 3:13Speaker 00

  I thought both fullbacks were excellent. Neither of them obviously made the squad for the World Cup. I thought Trent was, was really good, particularly in the first half. He was very dangerous. I think Lewis Hall was, was really good as well. Mars Lewis Scully was really good in this. What about that bit of play, Micah? When he turned, went through, knocked Meg someone and then, then put in and Harry Kane hit the bar. It would, I mean, that would have been some goal. God, he can play that kid.

• 3:43Speaker 06

  He's one of my favourite players. He's technically very good. He's strong, he's fast, he's got football intelligence and he's so young, he's still 19 as well. I remember their performance against Real Madrid and for someone that young, I'd not seen a performance quite like it. Obviously, Calafiore's playing left back for Arsenal and then they brought in Bruno, obviously Declan Rice is going to play. I know he started the season and Odegaard's been in really good form, but he's too good to be on the bench.

• 4:11Speaker 00

  Yep.

• 4:12Speaker 06

  He's one of the best players I've seen at that age and I'm not even exaggerating. He's unbelievable.

• 4:19Speaker 05

  I can't believe the oracle didn't say, I told you about him 13 years ago, that he was going to be an England midfielder.

• 4:26Speaker 06

  To be honest, I can't claim this one. I can't, I can't, I can't claim. There'll be many more, don't you worry, there'll be many more. But I can't, I can't claim this one. He is such a delight. Wow.

• 4:38Speaker 05

  Hey, what about Morgan Rogers' ball across for, for Harry? Oof.

• 4:43Speaker 00

  First time cross.

• 4:45Speaker 05

  How good was that?

• 4:46Speaker 04

  I thought he'd wasted a couple earlier in the game, hadn't he, Rogers? Where he'd got himself into, into good positions and then the final ball just let him down. And we just said that. And then moments later, he lays that one on the plate. It's a brilliant ball actually, had a great angle of it out from Elliot Anderson and then Rogers and obviously Harry Kane does the rest quite simply.

• 5:04Speaker 06

  You've played out on the wings as well. You've played on the right, haven't you, Gaz?

• 5:07Speaker 00

  Well, occasionally, when forced, when forced to.

• 5:10Speaker 06

  When forced to, yeah. When I put you in a team of the year, anyway.

• 5:15Speaker 06

  And I think it's an interesting conversation with right footers playing on the right wing. Obviously he's the number 10 or he can play on the left like he does for Chelsea. But you, you mentioned there, Rob, in terms of he, he sort of was in an area and he wasn't used to, when you're going down the right hand side, especially as a winger now, you're sort of just looking for that cut back. And it was interesting to see a right footer play on the right side. And it was all of, when he was going to connect to the ball, it was going at speed. So he didn't have control of the ball, but because he's not used to it, it was strange seeing him on the right, if you know what I mean? And the assist, he didn't think about it, it was just first time, wasn't it? It came over and it hit it first time.

• 6:00Speaker 06

  But every time we had to think about, when he was going on that right hand side, what type of ball? And a lot of people say he's a professional footballer, he should be able to put the ball in a box, but the technique, when you're running, is, is difficult to do when you've not been used to doing it for so long, if you understand what I mean.

• 6:16Speaker 00

  I think as strikers though, you'd encourage them to just hit those early balls in.

• 6:21Speaker 06

  Correct.

• 6:21Speaker 00

  You can time, you run off it and you know, when they check back and it goes out, they might, you know, they might hit a nice cross, but by that stage, the defence is in position. There's no kind of corridor of uncertainty between the keeper and his back four. And it just makes life more difficult for a striker. But that early first time ball that he hit for Kane, Harry doesn't miss those sort of chances. I mean, we should have a word on obviously Harry because he's equaled Peter Shilton's appearances record, 125. He's now got 90 goals. Two more goals, he hit the bar as well and he's just been so consistently good in front of goal for such a long time. Amazing, Al.

• 7:02Speaker 05

  Phenomenal, Gaz. He keeps on going, keeps on scoring, keeps on putting in performances. You can see how much goal scoring means to him. It's his life, it's what he lives for. It's just, I just look at him and think, I know, I know how you're feeling because it means that much to him to score when the ball hits the back of the net. He's just, his record is just ridiculous.

• 7:24Speaker 00

  I know. Only three players have scored 12 goals for England in a calendar year. George Hillsden in 1908, no Micah, I didn't see him play. Dixie Dean in 1927 and Harry Kane, three times, 2019, 21 and now in 2026. Very special.

• 7:45Speaker 06

  So wait, wait, come on, can he admit now he's better than you, Alan? I've given you up to the last.

• 7:49Speaker 05

  Well, he is now, I've been retired 20 years, yeah.

• 7:55Speaker 04

  Do you get a say as a striker when you're on a hat trick to stay on a little bit longer? And I think we might go on to touch on the lack of contribution and the lack of minutes maybe that Dominic Calvert-Lewin's got over the last four games. But is there just a, a little nod from, from Kane to Thomas Tuchel to say, look, leave me on as, as long as possible? Because we've been talking about injuries and welfare and the length of the break. He just wants to stay on to get that hat trick.

• 8:18Speaker 05

  I remember when we beat Holland in 96, me and Teddy both got two each and he took us both off. And I remember thinking, what are you doing? Want a hat trick, man? We've got like 50 or 20 minutes to go. That's the mentality though, isn't it, Gaz?

• 8:33Speaker 00

  Oh, absolutely. You never want to go off, but if the manager wants you off, you have to go off. You don't, you know, regardless of what you think. To be honest, even if he'd not scored, you're thinking, oh, I need to play another 10 minutes to score a goal. So, but particularly, I think for the hat trick thing, because it's always a special moment. So even then, Harry, Harry wouldn't have wanted to have come off. He would have wanted to equal Peter Shilton's record, scoring his 92nd England goal, because he's now on 91. And I suppose a hat trick as well, we're at that. I don't know whether they've voted for the Ballon d'Or yet or not.

• 9:08Speaker 05

  It's got to be Harry, hasn't it? It's got to be Harry Kane.

• 9:11Speaker 00

  Well, the betting is very, very equal. It's him and Lamine Yamal are pretty much even money on the bookmaker's odds.

• 9:21Speaker 00

  I mean, he's so difficult. I mean, Harry Kane's had an incredible year. They, he won the double with obviously Bayern Munich. Lamine Yamal though, won the double with Barca Alona and a World, a World Cup to boot. Although he probably wasn't his absolute best in the World Cup, but he still had some great moments. Winning the World Cup might make a difference.

• 9:45Speaker 05

  He's got plenty of time on his side.

• 9:47Speaker 00

  I'd love to see Harry get it. It would, I mean, he's coming to, not towards the end of his career because he still seems to be banging in more goals than ever. But you know what I mean? Compared with, well, he's pretty much double the age of, of Lamine Yamal. So I'd love to see him get it. It's been a hell of a long time since Michael Owen won it and. Obviously, back then, it was European Footballer of the Year, wasn't it, rather than, you know, World Player of the Year. So it would be a special moment and a fitting tribute to not only a great player, but clearly a really good guy.

• 10:21Speaker 06

  In the Ballon d'Or, who would you go?

• 10:23Speaker 05

  Harry.

• 10:23Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 10:24Speaker 05

  Ball de.

• 10:25Speaker 06

  It's so hard, isn't it?

• 10:27Speaker 00

  The number of goals he scored this year is...

• 10:29Speaker 05

  It's outrageous, I mean.

• 10:30Speaker 00

  I mean, to do, as a job as a centre forward, I mean, he's done it as well as anybody. But, I mean, they always take into account, you know, whether you win the Champions League or the World Cup or the Euros, whatever it is that particular year. I just think that means if you're a player playing for a club that are not particularly great that year, and you excel, that should also be taken into account. But, so I don't, I don't, I don't, I think it's, it's a tough one to call. I'd love to see it be Harry, I really would, because Lamine Mau is going to win a few of them.

• 11:02Speaker 05

  Agreed.

• 11:03Speaker 00

  But I don't think that's how they think, I don't know. What do you think, Micah?

• 11:06Speaker 06

  It's a difficult one, because Olese was probably the best player, wasn't he, in the Bundesliga last year, although Harry scored a lot of goals and he was...

• 11:15Speaker 00

  It's that thing, isn't it, goalscorer or footballer?

• 11:18Speaker 06

  Or football, exactly, exactly.

• 11:20Speaker 00

  Harry also does amazing things on the ball. I mean, when he drops deep and he plays like the quarterback, but I know what you mean.

• 11:26Speaker 06

  But then Mbappe was amazing, even in the World Cup. But then he didn't win anything for, he didn't win the league with Madrid or the Champions League, did he? So, obviously, Mbappe is probably not going to get it. Then Lamine, you mentioned, he's been outstanding, but he was going into the World Cup with an injury, and like you said, he had great moments, didn't he? But he wasn't on fire the whole tournament. So I think this year, it's actually quite difficult, I would say.

• 11:52Speaker 00

  It's a tight one, it is a tight one.

• 11:54Speaker 06

  But for Harry Kane, like you said, because he's, because he's an Englishman, yeah, I'd go with Harry Kane this year.

• 11:59Speaker 05

  His numbers are insane.

• 12:01Speaker 00

  I think only Messi has scored more in one year, didn't he? Isn't that some kind of record? What, he got 91 once a year, didn't he? But, I mean, Harry's been, I mean, he's finishing. He's finishing, he's so good, with both feet, with his head. And he's also a really, really good footballer as well, incredibly intelligent. And England have kind of really, I think, now learnt how to play.

• 12:27Speaker 05

  I think that's also, I think that's key as well. I think that's key. I mean, I listened to Thomas Tuchel before the game and his interview saying that when him or Jude are coming deeper, they've learnt and they've worked on it a lot, that others have to get in there, and perhaps that's why they're scoring so many goals, that's why other people are getting into the box and scoring too. And I think because, I mean, we said, didn't we, a couple of years back, or whenever it was, about, he didn't look as great, he was carrying injury, players weren't getting beyond him. I think that's totally different now, and everyone can see that.

• 13:02Speaker 00

  Yeah, they've certainly worked it out. I mean, and I love the way playing high, the pressing, the two full backs were playing so high. I really think that's a style, they've got to show that they can do that in a major tournament, when there's game after game. But I suppose this has been a bit like that, but you're playing in nice conditions rather than, you know, severe summer heat, as summers seem to be getting hotter and hotter as well. So, really encouraging, Rob, and I think, I mean, you know, you mingle amongst the press. I think even, even those guys are probably caught mildly encouraged at the moment, aren't they?

• 13:40Speaker 04

  Yeah, I would say more than mildly encouraged. I think if, you know, you play Spain, Spain and France are the two, and with the Euros coming, and if you're going to get to the knockout stages of the Nations League, if you finish second in the group, there's a chance that they could play France if they go on and win it. Maybe Spain later, if they get semi-finals and finals. It feels significant, particularly if England is to play France maybe over two legs. If you can prove you can do it in two legs against a team like France, and that's, that's really where you start making a big...

• 14:08Speaker 00

  That's the next step though, isn't it? Winning against a big country with, you know, one of the top two, two, three teams in world football at the moment.

• 14:17Speaker 04

  But I felt that, that, he said it after the game against Croatia at the weekend, that he liked the relentlessness and, and that sort of swagger to not just stop at four and then just start knocking the ball around the back, try and go, and they did go five, six, seven. And the same again tonight, that at three, only really when it got to stoppage time did they just sort of stroll through it, and Czech Republic had a couple of pot shots. But there was that sort of desire from, from guys like Eze, particularly when he moved infield, which I think suits him more than, than playing out wide, from Morgan Rogers to have an impact on the game, from, from young Rio when he came on, that, that wanna, they wanna have a bit of relentlessness about them to keep the momentum going. And I think, I would say it's, it's more than, than mild encouragement at the moment.

• 15:00Speaker 04

  And as you said, Gary, I think the next step now, France and Spain, you would say, are the two teams that are probably in and around and a touch better than them. Go and beat one of them, go and win in Madrid to get yourself top of the group, and that would be a, a big statement in itself next month.

• 15:16Speaker 05

  I think after, after what's happened in the summer, I think the last three weeks have given, I mean, Mike has mentioned Lewis Skelly in midfield, obviously he spoke about Alex Scott the other day. You've got Rice in there, you've got Anderson in there. You, we mentioned Lewis Hall coming in at left back, wasn't in the squad. We mentioned Trent, mentioned James Trafford playing the two games. So I think what the last three weeks has given, has certainly given the manager plenty of food for thought and plenty of options, which perhaps we didn't have that many when he wanted to change it up in the summer.

• 15:52Speaker 00

  Sort of by his own choice, but I think the depth now is really showing itself.

• 15:56Speaker 06

  What is the next step, guys? You know, when you said, okay, well, yes, we want to beat a France, we want to beat a Spain.

• 16:02Speaker 00

  It's that, Micah, to believe, because once you do, you, you believe it, and I think even if it's subconsciously, it's that, that sense of, we own, we're the bosses here, we are, because you know what it's like, when you're playing and you're winning things, you just feel superior, and even if it's a mild arrogance, that's what I can see in their play at the moment, but they've got to show that against the big teams, and, and winning, that's ultimately the next step, is, is not only winning against the big teams, which if you can do that, that's, that's just the difference between where England are at the moment and winning a major tournament.

• 16:40Speaker 06

  But what are our weaknesses, would you say? So we've always talked about maybe defensively. I think the role of Anderson, especially in these four games, I think he's been outstanding. I think his timing, the way he starts attacks, he's always in the right position now, he's grown into that position, just to give that back four a little bit more protection, that I would say, I'm looking at it from a defensive point of view. But then when you look, when you compare us to the likes of Spain and then France, so we know what France are, they're unbelievable in attack, probably the best attack in Europe, maybe, we would say. We know how Spain are going to play, and even if they don't play a certain way, you've

• 17:22Speaker 06

  got people like Moreno who comes on and scores, and can be the difference. I think going forward, England will always score goals. In midfield, I think the balance is a lot better now with more options, like the guys have said. I just think defensively now, we, although we were chopping and changing, which is really good, Alan's mentioned all the players there, but it'd be nice to have a, a consistent back four, which you can then go forward with, and everyone knows what they want to do to build that chemistry and build that cohesion, I think is, is the last little step. And you don't have to be the, the, the best in the world, people have won tournaments having the best defence, but they have to be more organised.

• 18:05Speaker 04

  What would be your four, Micah?

• 18:06Speaker 06

  What would be my four? I, I think I would go with Gay and Konzer for now. Maybe in two years, I said, maybe introduce someone like Bramfway, who come on tonight. I think he's really good, I think he's got all the ability to be whatever he wants. He needs to stay fit for a long period of time, so I'd go with Gay and Konzer at the moment. Alan mentioned Hall the other day, I would go O'Reilly, but I wouldn't mind Hall, e-e-every all, because I think the way Hall's played in the last couple of games, he showed that he's, he can do it at this level.

• 18:35Speaker 00

  Brilliant.

• 18:36Speaker 06

  I, I would then introduce someone like a Trent, just for his confidence, and I, I thought he was outstanding tonight. You know, it, it's a different, it gives England a different dimension when he's going forward, and he's just got that quality. Although, I want to give a shout out to Konzer, whether he's playing right back or whether he's playing centre back, he's not letting England down. Once, I know he had the, the problem with the World Cup and he got, he got sent off, it was against Mexico, wasn't it?

• 19:02Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 19:03Speaker 06

  He got, he got sent off, and he's got to make them mistakes. But for all the doubters of Konzer being in the squad and then starting, he's never let England down, so I think, yeah.

• 19:12Speaker 00

  I thought he played really well.

• 19:13Speaker 06

  Yeah, I did, I did.

• 19:14Speaker 00

  Whenever he's played. Yeah, Thomas Tuchel has reached 20 wins in the fewest games of any manager in England's history, in 26 games, not bad. Just got to beat those big teams, that's the difference. Let's take a break and we'll be back shortly.

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• 20:51Speaker 00

  Welcome back to The Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Rob Jones and me, Gary Lineker. Rob's at Wembley. So you won't be able to do, because we're doing this just after the match, so I presume you're not going to be able to do any interviews for us.

• 21:05Speaker 04

  Yeah, not unless there's anyone really late lingering around down in the tunnel.

• 21:09Speaker 06

  Hold on, so are you just, are you just a pundit now? I thought you were a reporter. I'm supposed to be getting these interviews.

• 21:15Speaker 04

  Just sort of a glorified jolly. I've had a tight green curry, Micah, cooking at half time. Come and chat a bit of rubbish and clear off. Very good, very good, yeah. Would recommend. Looking forward to what they're serving up against Croatia next month. And of course, the trip to Madrid for the decider.

• 21:30Speaker 00

  You need to be a really good player to score a few goals in the Bernabeu for England. We know when we had, we had a little discussion, didn't we, in the last episode, talking about comparing Jude with the big three of Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard. And we did a poll on social media and let's say Jude came out on top, 72% of the vote he got.

• 21:53Speaker 06

  It's not really fair though, that, is it?

• 21:55Speaker 00

  Because it's on the moment and he's just done it.

• 21:57Speaker 06

  Jude's relevant now and Jude is unbelievable. I even said, how good is Jude? He could be anything he wants. I said that the thing, a line about Palmer and Foden and I was actually giving him praise. People was like, oh, he's not better than Palmer. I didn't say that. I was basically saying their attributes are different. He comes with something different. If everyone had the same confidence that Jude has, then they could go win the Euros. That, that, that's what I'm saying. His mentality is like nothing I've ever seen.

• 22:29Speaker 00

  He's incredible.

• 22:30Speaker 06

  He's incredible, he's incredible player. But yeah, of course, when you do a poll like that, Jude was always going to come out on top, wasn't he? He was always going to come out on top.

• 22:39Speaker 00

  Can England win in Spain? Can they win in the, in the Bernabeu?

• 22:44Speaker 05

  I think that that's, that's, that's what is next.

• 22:47Speaker 00

  It's a tough one. Forty games unbeaten, aren't they?

• 22:50Speaker 05

  We mentioned about England defensively. After the first game, we were all saying, well, they can't afford to make that many errors, they're going to get punished. And of course, we saw, we saw what happened. But it's not until they do it against that opposition that, that will give you the belief and the confidence that they can, that they can do something like that, you know? Because it's very difficult to judge when you're playing. I mean, I'm not taking anything away from them because they have been brilliant in the other, in the three, other three games they've played. But they weren't really tested, were they? I mean, tonight's opposition, I thought, were really poor. Having said that, you can only beat what's in front of you. But until they go and do it against the big teams or the favourites, then we'll all be, we'll all be thinking, well, okay, that's, that could be the issue.

• 23:33Speaker 04

  And just to pick up on what, on what both Gary and Micah said about, about the attitude and going there with the swagger, I think that's what you need to do. And it was interesting, Bellingham tonight, it sort of typified that. There was one moment where he was in a really good pocket of space at 3-0 up and Eze doesn't give him the ball and he sort of throws his arms in the air, which was used as a bit of a criticism of, of Bellingham last year that, oh, he's, you know, the body language isn't right. But actually, to me, a lot of the times, that, that is an elite player because even at 3-0, he's not satisfied. Just, just a quick correction, it'll be Atletico's ground, the Metropolitano, rather than the Bernabeu.

• 24:06Speaker 00

  It's not at the Bernabeu, it's at Metropolitano, is it? Okay.

• 24:09Speaker 06

  Ooh, Metropolitano.

• 24:11Speaker 05

  So take that back then, no one will be scoring in the Bernabeu again, then, will you?

• 24:17Speaker 00

  That ground didn't exist either when I was playing, otherwise I'd have banged a few there. Overall, what do we make of the, this kind of new, let's call it a format of having a big break? I mean, there's been a few complaints because I think obviously there's been a number of injuries, a little bit of a tete a tete with England and Bournemouth with the Alex Scott injury. What's the latest you can give us on that, Rob?

• 24:43Speaker 04

  I think Thomas Tuchel was asked about it a couple of times in his press conference yesterday and said, look, our medical team is in conversation with, with Bournemouth's medical team. I get it, I feel sympathetic for, for Alex Scott as a player because he would have played having been so good in that game against Croatia. I get the frustration from Bournemouth's perspective, but he's got to play someone. And Alex Scott hadn't felt any pain and he actually, I think before the Croatia game, went out and did a little bit of extra work. He was asked, I think after an hour, if he wanted to come off and, and stayed on the pitch. So you can obviously get the club's frustration, but it doesn't sound to me like there was a huge amount more than England could have done about it. And I guess, I mean, you guys would know better than me, when you're getting your chance,

• 25:28Speaker 04

  particularly when Alex Scott is in that part of the pitch where there's Rice, there's Anderson, there's Koby Mayne, there's Adam Wharton, who we haven't really spoken about too much, that even if you're feeling a little bit of a niggle, and Thomas Tuchel made some, some sort of pointed remarks at those who didn't choose to be part of the camp and didn't play, that someone like Alex Scott, even if he is a fraction sore, he's going to try and soldier on, isn't he?

• 25:51Speaker 00

  I think Arsenal look like they've had the worst of it from the injuries in the international break. Kai Havertz, Esri Konzer and Chris Tossolis as well injured, although Sunderland particularly bad. Dan Bollard and Brian Robby, two very important players out for quite some time, it looks. Van Hecke for Spurs, O'Reilly, Erling Haaland got injured as well.

• 26:13Speaker 06

  What?

• 26:13Speaker 05

  Haaland, yeah.

• 26:14Speaker 06

  When was this?

• 26:15Speaker 05

  Yeah, he did, two or three days ago, I think it was, when he came off.

• 26:18Speaker 00

  Yeah, I think soon, soon as he heard the guilty charge, I think he got injured. We'll finish this episode talking about, we've, we've not really discussed it and I think it's, I think it's a bit of a shame really that, that what's, I mean, on the, on the night that Lionel Messi is finishing his international career and it's, it's all beautifully done, the turnout is unbelievable. It's all got a little bit messy between, I didn't mean that as a pun, by the way. It's all got a bit untidy with Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bit of a shame, you know, the last two or three tournaments, it's been kind of building up to this, hasn't it?

• 27:00Speaker 00

  Kind of four years ago, fell out with them with the coach and then obviously two years ago as well, there was the tears and, and this tournament didn't really turn out that brilliantly. I look at it and I think, he's been so great, Cristiano. And I know he's, he's, he's uber confident, let's say, in his own abilities. But I think it is a bit of a, a shame that if it ends, I hope they find, you know, the coach has obviously said things, Cristiano said things. He's now issued an apology, Cristiano, and says he, and it's, it's a very long worded sort of apology. But I think it'd be a bit sad if it ends badly.

• 27:41Speaker 00

  It'd be nice to have a similar thing to Messi because he's been incredible for football, incredible for Portugal for a long period of time.

• 27:49Speaker 05

  It's the hardest thing though, isn't it? Is to accept that you perhaps weren't as good or not as good as you have been over the years. And I think in his statement, didn't he say that he told them in the summer, the Federation, that he was going to retire and it was them that sort of persuaded him to carry on? Did I read that right in the statement?

• 28:07Speaker 04

  Yeah, he'd written, he'd written a, a letter at the end of the World Cup and said that that was where he wanted to finish and that, yeah, the Portuguese Football Federation sort of convinced him and, and spoke to him about who, who the new coach might be. But it was one of those very long, sorry, but sort of not sorry actually, in a way, wasn't it?

• 28:26Speaker 00

  Yeah, it was a bit, yeah.

• 28:27Speaker 05

  Wasn't there apology in there to the coach or was it just for walking out of camp?

• 28:31Speaker 00

  Just for walking out of camp. You made that very clear.

• 28:34Speaker 05

  I didn't see the apology to the manager, yeah.

• 28:35Speaker 06

  He's still got a couple of years left in him though, hasn't he? Come on, guys. You know, he can still, he can still score. He's got a couple of years left. I'm not having his done yet. I don't, I don't, I don't want to see him done, Ronaldo. Obviously all this sparring is not great, is it? But he's a ghost, he's still scoring, isn't he, in Saudi? He's still banging them in, mate. He can still score.

• 28:55Speaker 04

  Micah, he didn't, he didn't score from open play in Qatar, he didn't score at all at Euro 2024 and then at the World Cup, he scored twice against Uzbekistan, so.

• 29:05Speaker 06

  Oh, we're bringing teams into it now. I guess we scored against, look, yeah, I'm not, not Gas, Al, Al. Gas scored against.

• 29:15Speaker 06

  Gas scored against top teams back then. Al scored against some terrible teams.

• 29:21Speaker 00

  Luxembourg.

• 29:24Speaker 05

  It is, it is such a, I just, it, it shouldn't, it shouldn't be happening this way for someone who's been a giant of football and still is one of the best players we've ever seen. It's, it's not, it's not nice seeing what, what's happened because I think, I guess the questions are always going to be there with a coach that goes in to manage Portugal while Cristiano's there. I mean, Roberto had it, didn't he as well? And yeah, so it's a really difficult one, but there's, there's only, there's only Cristiano that's going to decide when he's finished.

• 29:57Speaker 00

  Yeah, Jorge Jesus on Ronaldo leaving the squad said, I pick whoever I want. I said to Cristiano that he couldn't end his time with the national team by losing and crying in the World Cup. He came here to play, he was supposed to play here today, but everything turned out differently. If Chris wants to play and he's playing for Al-Nassr, he'll be in the next squad. When asked if he would apologize for the situation, Jesus said, apologize for what? To whom? What was the issue? I was supposed to apologize for? How many players warmed up today but didn't come on? Will there be a problem? No.

• 30:32Speaker 06

  How many appearances has he got now?

• 30:34Speaker 00

  Seven thousand.

• 30:36Speaker 04

  Of course, I think it's in and around 200, isn't it?

• 30:39Speaker 06

  That's what I mean. You can't just be going and going and going. I just say to the manager, right, okay, every time we're a couple up, just put me on.

• 30:47Speaker 00

  I'm coming on on my Zimmer frame. I'm 83 years old, just on the off chance I can get on the edge of the six yard box and bang one in. It's hard letting go of football. It's hard. It's, it really is.

• 31:00Speaker 04

  Do you, do you think his, his, some of his teammates will be having those conversations sort of behind his back saying, God, we, we might be better off without him or this, you know, Gonzalo Ramos has come in and he scored a couple of goals and some of them are thinking, well, maybe we, we function a bit better when, when he's not around, but no.

• 31:16Speaker 00

  They did look really good without him, but they may have played really well as well. 234 appearances.

• 31:22Speaker 06

  200, that's what we get to 250, get to 250 at least.

• 31:29Speaker 00

  I could see him now in the Euros.

• 31:31Speaker 06

  He's going to the Euros, mate. I'm backing him. I'm backing him.

• 31:35Speaker 00

  All right. Well, let's, we know when to end it. We know when to end, Ash. That, that's one thing we have learnt. So goodbye from me.

• 31:44Speaker 06

  Goodbye from me.

• 31:45Speaker 04

  Goodbye from me.

• 31:46Speaker 06

  Goodbye from me.

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