Pod Insights The Rest Is Football Bellingham saves England and sets up semi-final v Argentina and Messi About this episode Gary Lineker, Micah Richards, Joe Cole and Ally McCoist react to England beating Norway 2-1 in the World Cup quarter-final thanks to yet more brilliance from Jude Bellingham. How long can we turn in substandard performances while relying on our stars to bail us out?
We also hear from Alan Shearer who has particularly strident views on Djed Spence being denied a penalty by VAR
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0:38 Speaker 01 Hello and welcome to The Rest Is Football. England have made it through to the semi-finals of the World Cup, where they'll play Argentina. The first time Messi has ever played against England. We'll be discussing that and much more with Micah Richards, Joe Cole and Ally McCoist. And don't forget, if you prefer to watch the show, it's available on Netflix.
1:03 Speaker 02 Superstar.
1:05 Speaker 01 From a neutral.
1:06 Speaker 02 Superstar. Absolute superstar. I mean, you and I were speaking about him, right? I mentioned instantly, he gets the ball, he runs towards the touchline. He's got three players on him. I said to Gary, he'll keep this. And he's got no right to keep it. And he keeps it, gets a free kick. See, when you've got gold dust like that in your team, and Harry Kane is the other one, you've always got a chance. He is a superstar.
1:32 Speaker 01 He is. I would go as far as to say, I think there's a chance that, I think he could well be, or end up being, England's greatest ever footballer. And that is a big shout. We've had some really great players. Some of them have not necessarily done it for their country. Others have. Go back to people like Bobby Charlton, obviously, I would say would have to be up there. You would put Harry Kane in that bracket. And there are other players as well. But I think at this age, to be doing what he's doing, and to grabbing England by the scruff and getting them over the line, that is a superstar reaction. I think it's just incredible, incredible what he's doing, Joe.
2:14 Speaker 03 Yeah. He's definitely in the conversation. I remember when he turned up when he was about 18 in the England squad, and I was talking to a few of the lads. Declan, people like that, they go, this kid's unbelievable. When you hear players talk about it, it makes you excited because media can talk about it, press, everyone else can talk about it. When the players were training him every day and top players are excited by him.
2:36 Speaker 01 Do you remember when he was a child, a child, and they retired his number?
2:42 Speaker 03 Yeah.
2:44 Speaker 01 Everyone in the game's going, what's going on? This is a bit of an overreaction.
2:48 Speaker 02 He sees goals, right? He scores all sorts of goals. You know what I mean? His first goal today, first touch is brilliant, second touch is good, third touch is good, and the fourth touch is magnificent. And then his second goal is a centre forward's goal.
3:05 Speaker 01 Yeah. I mean, he's... I think he's, I think he's got the ability to be a nine. I think he's got that natural movement in the box, we've seen it this world repeatedly.
3:15 Speaker 04 He's played there for Real Madrid.
3:16 Speaker 01 He's played there for Real Madrid. I mean, when I spoke to Thomas Tuchel, I did, and he said that he thought he was, he'd probably, if something happened to Kane, he might play him as a nine here, which wouldn't surprise me. He runs and he chases and he harries and he, but he, you need a player, you need someone such a big personality to drag you over the line sometimes.
3:39 Speaker 04 Definitely. I wanted to ask you, Joe, you've played in that position, he's playing essentially number 10 for England. What do you like about his game? Why is he so good? I, I, yes, Gareth has mentioned his personality, we all know he's got that. He's got that stature, he's playing for Real Madrid, he's got that confidence. But in terms of the tactical and the technical aspect, why does he shine so much?
4:01 Speaker 03 He takes responsibility in all aspects of the game. If you watch him off the ball, he leads the press, and England have been really good on the press. When we got the ball, you can't mark him because I was another 10, I like to come to feet and find pockets. I wasn't really good at running in behind. I used to do it, but almost as like a...
4:21 Speaker 01 A gesture.
4:22 Speaker 03 A gesture. Like, you know, because you have to do it for your team to sometimes make space for other people. When he does it, you see he runs with purpose. Like, in every aspect, he's the most complete. When you, when you said, Gary, is he going to be the best England player of all time? At the moment, you can't really argue with that because you look at his attributes and go, he's actually the most complete player. I love Glenn Hoddle. I think Glenn Hoddle's the best player I've seen.
4:45 Speaker 01 But Glenn can't run like Jude. Yeah.
4:48 Speaker 03 But Glenn, Jude can pass like Glenn. Yeah, I think, not quite like Glenn.
4:55 Speaker 02 Do you know what he can do, boys, right? And arguably his biggest quality. He can pass, his movement's good, he's strong, everything, he can play general. His skills win the game. But do you know what he has more than anything? You watch him. He's a winner.
5:09 Speaker 01 He's a winner.
5:10 Speaker 02 He's a winner, man.
5:11 Speaker 01 Absolutely, absolutely. He's now got seven World Cup goals. I mean, for crying out loud, Kane's gone, I'm gonna be third.
5:19 Speaker 04 On that list, he's looking great now.
5:21 Speaker 01 It's not bad, is it?
5:22 Speaker 04 Oh my god, Harry Kane 14. I'm Poxie 10. Alan Shearer didn't want him to start, I'm the one.
5:33 Speaker 03 No, we need to have a chat.
5:34 Speaker 04 Because I'm the people who are posting for the big man. Before the tournament.
5:40 Speaker 04 A certain Alan Shearer said he shouldn't start for England. Morgan Rogers is a fantastic player.
5:46 Speaker 01 And came on and did really, really well and made the golf.
5:50 Speaker 04 Yeah, but I suggested the potential could start together, he could play up the lead, Morgan Rogers. But he said Jude Bellingham, yes, I'm gonna say it again. Jude Bellingham should not start for England. He's the number one pundit at BBC, by the way.
6:07 Speaker 03 It's taxpayers' money as well. It's taxpayers' money.
6:10 Speaker 04 The one that paid Alan. The one that money paid. Hurry up and get back here, will you? So you say you can defend yourself.
6:18 Speaker 01 Then I ask a really important question. Is it a silent H in Bellingham?
6:22 Speaker 04 But what is it?
6:23 Speaker 01 You said Bellingham and it's made me think.
6:25 Speaker 04 Bellingham? I'm from Birmingham, that's what I'm saying. Bellingham, is it? Well, I'm born in Birmingham.
6:31 Speaker 02 I would have to say that, but.
6:33 Speaker 04 He said it. He said it.
6:35 Speaker 01 Bellingham from Birmingham.
6:39 Speaker 01 He's also joined the Golden Boot race. Six, same as Harry Kane.
6:43 Speaker 02 No pens.
6:44 Speaker 01 The first time two players have scored six goals or more, I think, in World Cup history, which is... Look at that list of players on there.
6:52 Speaker 04 You know what's good about that? Everyone's turned up, Kylian Mbappe, Messi, Haaland.
6:56 Speaker 02 Absolutely.
6:57 Speaker 04 Bellingham. Kane, Dembele. He was saring well, Vinny Junior. To be honest, I really liked him.
7:05 Speaker 02 You've got six left in it, I think, yeah. Six left in it, that are up there.
7:10 Speaker 01 He's amazing. Shall we get a little comment from Alan Shearer? Give it, yeah.
7:16 Speaker 04 Do we have to?
7:17 Speaker 02 I think it's long overdue after what you've shown.
7:21 Speaker 04 He's miles off the pace, isn't he?
7:23 Speaker 01 He was actually at the game and after he spoke to Rob Jones.
7:35 Speaker 05 Just four remain then at this 2026 World Cup and England into the semi-finals for just the fourth time. Alan Shearer has watched them win in a very warm Miami today. Thomas Tuchel speaking after the match, Alan, about being not happy with almost any aspect of the performance apart from the mentality. The one thing he can take though is the results.
7:54 Speaker 06 That's the big picture. That's what they had to do. They had to somehow win the game. They had to get through to the semi-final and they did that. But there are other things to look at, clearly.
8:05 Speaker 06 They somehow found a way without playing well, particularly second half. I thought they were really poor. Norway came out with much the better team. And then I was thinking, okay, even after the hydration break, Thomas can get into his players again and they can go again for another 20 or 25 minutes. But it never really happened at all. But you have to say and give him credit, his substitutes worked again. I thought Spence came on. I thought he was absolutely magnificent up and down that left hand side. I thought the decision to deny him a penalty was a joke. Rodgers obviously played his part, albeit with a shot. The keeper should have saved it. But the brilliant thing about Bellingham is, you know, if you make 100 of those runs and you're lucky if you just get one, but it's that one.
8:49 Speaker 06 One that you go for in the hope that the keeper spills it and his eyes must have lit up when he seen the keeper spill it and he was able to tap it in and give England another victory courtesy of two goals again from him and he's been absolutely outstanding. Again, I think that, what, four, five man of the matches now, he's been brilliant.
9:06 Speaker 05 Shall we take a rough estimate of the amount of times Micah has mentioned that you wouldn't have started him at the start of the talk in the last few hours? How many times has he brought that up?
9:14 Speaker 06 I'm sure he's mentioned it a few times.
9:15 Speaker 05 Not to you, though?
9:15 Speaker 06 No one listens to him, Micah, anyway, so it's all right.
9:18 Speaker 05 But he does, he does have this incredible ability to seize the big moment, Jude Bellingham, and we've both watched guys like Messi, Ronaldo, not just doing World Cups, but time after time Ronaldo in the latter stages of a Champions League would arrive on the biggest stage. And Bellingham is doing that in his young career.
9:33 Speaker 06 Yeah, I mean, I've heard people say, goodness me, we're relying too much on him and Kane. I haven't got a problem with that. The big clubs, the big countries rely on the big players. That's why they get paid the big bucks. That's why they're the superstars, because they turn up when you need them most. And he's done that in this tournament, as has Harry Kane, and hopefully he'll have another moment in that semi-final.
9:55 Speaker 05 Interesting that you mentioned Rodgers and the shot that leads to the mistake. Do you find sometimes that a lot of teams don't shoot from distance that much? And Rodgers, I know, works very hard on his long shooting back at Villa, and it's one of those, particularly when you get into extra time, it's worth a crack.
10:11 Speaker 06 Well, I actually pleased it was him on the ball, because I think if it was someone who had been on the pitch for a long time, i.e. started the game, I think they would have taken the option of passing it, because I'm not sure they had the energy to take that shot. Albeit, as I said, the keeper spilled it. He should have saved it quite easily. But Bellingham was there to stick it away, and we're all thankful for that, aren't we?
10:30 Speaker 05 Give me a sense of the occasion. The Norway fans certainly played their part, didn't they?
10:34 Speaker 06 Yeah, they were brilliant. It was a really nice stadium. It was a good atmosphere. The England fans were pretty quiet in the second half, as you can understand, because they had very little to shout about. But once that goal went in, goodness me, they lit up the place, and it was great energy from them. So, yeah, a bit of a frustrating night for large periods, but it ended well, and that's the most important thing.
10:56 Speaker 05 Let's talk about some of the big officiating incidents as well. You've had a lot to say about VAR this week. So we'll start with one-word answers on the three big ones, I guess. To your mind, was the referee right or the VAR right not to feel it was a foul on Kane for the first Norway goal?
11:13 Speaker 06 Yeah, it wasn't a foul, they won the ball, clearly, and I was quite happy with that decision, albeit not the goal, but I've got no complaints with him not giving a foul.
11:21 Speaker 05 Right call for the disallowed Norway goal?
11:23 Speaker 06 Yeah, it was a right call because the ball wasn't in play, hence him starting again from a replay for a corner. He'd already pulled them up a few seconds before that as well, so clearly the ball wasn't in play, so that has to go back for a retake of the corner.
11:38 Speaker 05 Right call for the penalty to be overturned?
11:40 Speaker 06 No, I thought that was rubbish. I thought, honestly, I thought it was so bad. I mean, what is Jed Spence meant to do? He's well within his rights to step across him. It's not for the referee to decide where he puts his leg. He put it across him, which you're taught as a forward, as a kid. I know he's not a forward, he's a full-back, but he did everything right, he did his job perfectly. And if the defender is stupid enough to make the challenge, as he did, then you're running the risk of giving a penalty away. So the ref gave it, but then for him to say he's got it absolutely wrong and a howler, I thought was nonsense, again.
12:11 Speaker 05 And that call, it's similar, it's the same VAR as Egypt/Argentina, and again, you're going down the route of re-refereeing the game a little bit.
12:18 Speaker 06 Well, I thought the referee was a really experienced referee, he's played, he's managed big games before, so I was really surprised when the VAR sent him over, but then for him to agree with them, I was really surprised. I just, I thought it was nonsense. It was, for me, it was a clear penalty.
12:36 Speaker 05 Back to New York, is it next?
12:38 Speaker 06 Back to New York in the morning for a couple of days, and then heading to Atlanta with everyone on Tuesday for the game on Wednesday.
12:44 Speaker 05 We shall find a social thing for both of us, Enders, you didn't come to 50 Cent last night.
12:48 Speaker 06 How was it?
12:49 Speaker 05 It was very good, very enjoyable. The good news is that Flo Rida is on at the same venue tonight, so I reckon we've just about got time.
12:54 Speaker 06 Oh, she changed her white trousers then.
12:56 Speaker 05 Well, it's the nerves of watching England, that's why. Thank you very much, indeed. Flo Rida had a great song with the Saturdays once, and England have had a very good Saturday in Florida.
13:09 Speaker 04 Can we just have another look at what they're wearing, please?
13:14 Speaker 04 They've come with tweets! They've definitely texted each other before coming in. "We're a beige top, we're riding awful, terrible."
13:22 Speaker 03 What did he say? Hugo Dross?
13:24 Speaker 04 Yes, exactly that!
13:26 Speaker 03 Ralph Laurenus?
13:27 Speaker 04 Honestly, he's had a bad night, Al. He's had a bad night.
13:29 Speaker 01 Tommy Hilman is his other one he likes to use.
13:31 Speaker 04 No, no, Bellingham, the dress! And he's talking about the penalty we spent!
13:36 Speaker 01 I know.
13:36 Speaker 04 I know, I know your fault.
13:38 Speaker 02 I agree with him.
13:39 Speaker 04 You agree with him? Yeah, I don't think that's a clear obvious error.
13:42 Speaker 03 I disagree, because what Jed Spencer's done, he's sold it to... He didn't have to go... He's not in that position usually. He's already in front of him, he's panicked, they've gone... I've gone the big leg in front of him and given the referee an opportunity to go across.
13:57 Speaker 01 What you've got here is the classic piece of very slow motion that makes it look like he's put his leg out deliberately to get fouled. What he's... No, no, no, what he's done there, which every striker would do, and Ali would have done this himself, is if you're going through, and whether it's from a wide position like Jed Spencer, or going through on goal, you see it loads of times a season, the foul is always given against... So what you do, when the ball... You've got the ball, so then, if you get slightly ahead of the defender, you beat him, then what you do is you get yourself in front of them. Now, if they've sold it too much, he's gone the leg, stuck his leg in.
14:38 Speaker 02 I think it's very nearly a free kick to the defender.
14:42 Speaker 04 Yeah.
14:42 Speaker 01 Well, I do. I'm sticking up for Al because he's had a tough time today.
14:48 Speaker 02 I think what happens is, he's well within his rights to try and put himself in front, but he doesn't do it, because I don't think he's really at that stage, close enough to the ball. I think he's actually obstructing the defenders right away. I know what you're saying about getting your body in front, right? And then normally look at a savage.
15:09 Speaker 04 I totally agree with Joe. I totally agree with Joe. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's done an amazing run. He's been unbelievable and he's thinking,
15:16 Speaker 02 Yes.
15:16 Speaker 04 I can't, for this year, how can I get a foul? And he's put his legs, wrapped it round. It's not a penalty. He was outstanding when it came on.
15:23 Speaker 01 He was.
15:23 Speaker 04 But it wasn't a penalty.
15:25 Speaker 01 Interesting post-match interviews. I saw both Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham. Slightly contrasting views. I don't think we should read too much into it. Tuchel said, "We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic. We are in the last four. It's amazing, but I'm not happy with the performance in every sense. The commitment is there, but we made life difficult for us in the way we played and how we played. Sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. We were lucky today." In the mix zone, Jude was asked about that and also saw in his post-match interview. And I think Jude was a little bit shocked by it because I think sometimes, you know,
16:09 Speaker 01 managers' quotes are not always put to you in context. So Jude said, when he was asked, he said he doesn't know how to play in the heat and conditions.
16:22 Speaker 04 What, referencing Tuchel?
16:23 Speaker 01 References Tuchel, yeah. So I think that was, Harry Kane actually agreed with Tuchel's comments that they didn't play well. But I, in, talking about Bellingham, this is a classic case. We've talked about it in the last couple of weeks about when managers have a little bit of a dig at, when they're not satisfied and you go, well, you try playing out here in 100, like 34 degrees centigrade what it is. And pitches are not great over here generally. So, and I think, you know, you run yourself ragged for 120 minutes and then you get in, you score two goals and then somebody tells you that the manager is not that happy with the performance.
17:04 Speaker 02 But do you know something? So what, right? So what, they've got a different opinion at the end of the game. They managed to get through, that's all that matters.
17:13 Speaker 01 Exactly.
17:13 Speaker 02 And do you know something, if you look at it, Thomas Tuchel was right, and so was Alan, right? Because England did not play well second half and they kind of lost a week even the first half after the first hydration break.
17:24 Speaker 01 I agree, but what they didn't tell Jude Bellingham was that he also defended his team when he was asked about their mentality. They didn't play well because of their mentality. He's gone, "No, no, the mentality was incredible and that's what got them over the line." So, you know what journalists are like, they can stir things up. So they've not given him that bit of the information.
17:46 Speaker 02 Of course.
17:47 Speaker 01 So, there won't be a problem between them.
17:49 Speaker 02 And not should there be.
17:50 Speaker 01 No, of course not.
17:50 Speaker 02 I mean, that kind of sums it up. I mean, that's you looking for things that aren't really there.
17:55 Speaker 01 Correct.
17:56 Speaker 02 Right. I mean, it's a nonsense effectively, it's an absolute nonsense. And if the headlines tomorrow are "Bellingham disagrees with Tuchel", that's a bigger nonsense.
18:04 Speaker 01 Big fallout between the manager and the ball player.
18:06 Speaker 02 It's a lot you should be united.
18:08 Speaker 04 But don't you think you should look at the whole game? So if you look at Croatia, they played well in the second half.
18:15 Speaker 02 Yeah.
18:16 Speaker 04 And then the next game was Ghana, they didn't play well in that game. The game after that, they made a few changes, it was Panama. Then it was DIA Congo. They've not played well all tournament. But where I think England have done well, going to the Azteca at Mexico, when everyone was talking about the altitude. They were talking about, you know, the heat, the record. The passion and desire that they showed, the courage to get through there, then to go into this game. And I picked apart England, haven't I? Tactically, I've said they've not been good enough. But I think these two last performances, it's not really about how you play, it's about getting over the line. We've talked about Messi, they play for Messi, they get over the line with Messi.
19:00 Speaker 04 Mbappe is a star, Dembele is a star. We have two genuine superstars in our team, sometimes you're not going to play well. You just need your top players to perform in the big games and they've stepped up in the big moments.
19:15 Speaker 02 100% and knockout football, how you play secondary.
19:19 Speaker 04 Correct.
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19:55 Speaker 01 They're in the semi-final and now it's Argentina. That is a test, that is a test. You know, we've just watched that game and I mean, they're another side that finds a way. They weren't particularly brilliant in the game, but they've got moments. Players, obviously they've got the maestro himself, but they were helped by a moment of madness from Ambolo. The red card turned, you know, it's 1-1, anything can happen and then they're down to 10 men. Was that the right... I mean, this is a new law, obviously, that they can now intervene on... They call it bizarrely a mistaken identity, but it was basically a second yellow card.
20:36 Speaker 04 I didn't like it, but I understand it.
20:39 Speaker 01 Yeah.
20:39 Speaker 04 Because it was, probably was a yellow card. He tried to buy a foul, he's basically put his leg next to him and his dive like his...
20:47 Speaker 01 Well, he dived actually before he put the leg out. It was already in the air. The dreadful dive. I mean, it was a bad dive and I've, you know, I think we all want the game to look at this, the diving situation and eradicate it, right?
21:01 Speaker 02 We can't have it both ways.
21:03 Speaker 04 Yeah, correct.
21:04 Speaker 02 It's a red card because it's two yellows. It's simple as that. Do you feel sympathy for him? Of course, because the boy's made a mistake. Stupidity.
21:10 Speaker 01 Heartbreak.
21:10 Speaker 02 It was stupidity, it really was.
21:12 Speaker 04 But could we have a common sense in that and thinking...
21:14 Speaker 02 But he never showed any.
21:15 Speaker 04 Quarter-final, the World Cup, could we just implement a little bit of...
21:20 Speaker 02 He can't. I changed the rules. It's the same game.
21:23 Speaker 04 I understand it, but it just felt harsh. He was crying after, wasn't he? It just felt like a big moment. He's let his country down.
21:30 Speaker 01 But was he cheating? Was he cheat... You know, that is cheating, I'm sorry. You throw yourself on the ground. It irritates us all, doesn't it?
21:37 Speaker 02 Yeah.
21:37 Speaker 01 But I...
21:39 Speaker 04 Not get booked, we'd have been all the same. Hundred, hundred percent, yeah.
21:42 Speaker 02 I say that's a disgrace.
21:43 Speaker 04 I, I agree with you, yeah.
21:44 Speaker 03 Absolutely. I think they got it right. And, yeah, I, I agree with you. It's horrible for him. He's crying and all that, but, listen, he's a big boy.
21:52 Speaker 01 Obviously, they won three one in the end, but the, the all-important one was the Alvarez.
21:57 Speaker 04 Oh, come on, Coystock is coming now. Come on.
22:02 Speaker 03 Brilliant.
22:03 Speaker 04 Brilliant. Get it to Coystock's mode now, come on. Describe it to us, Coystock.
22:07 Speaker 01 What we need here is the Ally McCoy's bingo card.
22:13 Speaker 04 Brilliant. I swear to God.
22:16 Speaker 02 I think I'll empty it. I think I'll empty it. I'm telling you. I'm telling you. Stand by me.
22:25 Speaker 02 See if he comes on, right. We all know he's gonna do it. And by the way, the keeper.
22:31 Speaker 02 And the keeper knows he's gonna do it. But he just meets it, and I'll tell you, we'll watch it again.
22:36 Speaker 01 I'll tell you, we'll watch it.
22:37 Speaker 02 It just bounces.
22:39 Speaker 01 Yeah.
22:40 Speaker 02 As he meets it, sweet as a nut, and you can see it, goalie's got no chance. It's one of the strikes of the tournament. Similar, it's not beating the Cape Verde boy though, but what a goal it is. What a goal.
22:52 Speaker 04 You know the Scottish voice? It's just brilliant, isn't it? It's just brilliant. I just love it. Brilliant. Everything you say. I just want, I just, I want me to talk more. What a, what a hero.
23:07 Speaker 04 What a hero comes, and that voice in there, your energy and everything about it.
23:12 Speaker 03 I love it.
23:13 Speaker 04 Can you say that? What a hit, son. I love that.
23:14 Speaker 02 What a hit.
23:19 Speaker 01 Micah, get a room, you.
23:22 Speaker 01 He's, he's now, he's Messi, we're talking about Messi as well, because, I mean, he just, obviously, didn't score the first time in this tournament. He's, he's not scored. But he, he's there, isn't he? He's, he's so dangerous, but he, obviously, he had an assist for the first goal. McAllister's header, and his, his, his corners are superb, but he's now assisted 10 times in World Cup, which is two more than the next best, which is...
23:47 Speaker 04 Is it not, is it you, is it?
23:47 Speaker 01 It's Maradona. No, it's you. You're joking, aren't you? I'm not sure I've got one.
23:53 Speaker 01 But best layoffs, maybe.
23:55 Speaker 03 Layoffs, layoffs.
23:57 Speaker 01 Yeah, but the thing is, he's, 10 different players he's assisted as well over the years.
24:01 Speaker 03 There's, there's names on that list as well.
24:03 Speaker 01 Some great names. Crespo's up there, Tevez, Imarria.
24:08 Speaker 01 Agüero's in there, obviously. Enzo Fernandes, Julio Álvarez and now Macassar as well. So, I mean, it's gonna be... Do you know what, when England play Argentina, I checked this before, it will be the first time that Messi's ever played against England.
24:26 Speaker 04 Really?
24:27 Speaker 01 Apparently, yeah.
24:29 Speaker 03 Yeah, we'll have to put him to bed, mate.
24:31 Speaker 04 No, I'm not... Hey, don't say that!
24:33 Speaker 03 No, we're gonna put him to bed.
24:34 Speaker 04 No, no, no.
24:35 Speaker 03 No, we are.
24:36 Speaker 04 We can say that at 8 minutes.
24:37 Speaker 03 I'm saying it now. I'm saying it now. We're going to the World Cup final.
24:41 Speaker 04 No, I agree with you in terms of, you're talking about the runners, you know, the energy that England have. On that transition...
24:48 Speaker 01 They're wily and they're winners.
24:50 Speaker 03 Yeah, we've got too much pace for Argentina's strength and we're gonna beat them. I feel it in my bones.
24:57 Speaker 02 Do you know where England are at the moment, I think? I'll give my honest opinion.
24:59 Speaker 01 I'll give my honest opinion. That's on the bingo card.
25:02 Speaker 02 At this moment in time, England are the third best team left in the tournament, right?
25:05 Speaker 01 Yeah.
25:06 Speaker 02 But the good news is, you're playing a team that you're better than, I think. Right? I think England are better than Argentina. I think Spain and France are slightly... Well, France look the best team in the tournament for me.
25:16 Speaker 01 Good.
25:17 Speaker 02 So you've got to concentrate your semi-final.
25:18 Speaker 01 Yeah.
25:19 Speaker 02 And it's gonna be really interesting because defensively, Argentina, I mean, Messi, for example, non-existent. He'll just stand up there, right? Completely different game where if it's Mbappe standing up there, but Messi can do things that Mbappe can't, blah, blah, blah. Messi is capable, as we've seen a hundred teams, are just going like that. So that's the thing you have to gather against. And it's the bit of brilliance, because let's be honest about it, I thought Switzerland, down to 10 men, defended...
25:49 Speaker 01 Really well.
25:50 Speaker 02 Magnificently well. They're shape-having about it and it took a piece of brilliance from Álvarez to beat them. Messi's got that. But what a game, lads. I'm looking forward to it.
25:59 Speaker 01 That's it for this episode of The Rest Is Football. We'll be back soon with the semi-finals and England are in there.
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