The most thrilling game of the World Cup so far, plus ‘Ted Lasso’ star Cristo Fernández!

I mean, the amount of messages I have from people who don't watch football, okay?

“But Messi was playing, and they get, "Oh, Messi's playing, we've got to watch Messi."”

When is Messi upstage? Very, very rarely. - I'm Rebecca Lyle. - And I'm Brendan Hunt. - And this is after the whistle from Apple News. - We're gonna talk about the game of the tournament. Cape Verde holding their own with World Champions Argentina.

And then we'll rank the round of 16 games from least to most interesting. Plus, we're welcoming Ted Lasso's Crystal Fernandez, the pod to talk all things Mexico England, including the very interesting way England might be dealing with the altitude in Mexico City. It involves the eggplant emoji. Reminder, there will be a dot language.

This podcast is brought to you by Verizon, an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, 2020. No one gets you closer to the FIFA World Cup than Verizon. - Well, hello, so we are back. - I'd be. - Hello. - Touch grass. - Touch grass.

“- In our little hetero studio in LA, and for those listening not watching, you are wearing what?”

- I am wearing my trusty Cape Verde shirt that was gifted to me by the good people of the Cape Verde football association. And I wear it today, attribute to what was today quite possibly the game of the tournament so far. - I think it was definitely the game of the tournament, and I think it was one of the great World Cup matches, stroke moments. It's so much has been said already, Brendan in terms of their half a million people there in Cape Verde,

and they should never be able to push the World Champions away.

They push them, and they play it smaller clubs around the world. And then you've got Messi and the fact that won against 67 in terms of FIFA rankings is the biggest gap in FIFA rankings on record in the knockout stage ever. And yes, they lost, right? It really doesn't feel like they lost. - It does not. I mean, they came back twice. They came back, twice, including, you know, they make it all the way to extra time at one one. And you know, I know we're skipping over here some things, but we'll go back and look at some things.

But really extra time is where things happen, because that mean the whole time, you know, we're talking about this with a Germany game like we've seen the story before. Like, you know, the the plucky Mino gets their heart broken and sure enough, two minutes into extra time, the Sandra Martinez, of all people scores damn near a duplicate of Messi's goal in terms of the shot anyway. And it's like, oh, okay, well, this is where you can be broken. - It was two minutes in, so exactly the same as what I thought.

I just thought, okay, so they made it to extra time. Great, two minutes in and now it's like job time. - We're not at their sales. Yeah, that's over now. - But, but no. - Right in. - Enter Sydney Lopez Cabral.

- Who will go, remember the name? - Yeah. - He will go down history. This is a player I said on the broadcast that 14 months ago was playing in the third level of German football. Okay, he then scores not just an e-crieser in the 113rd minute against the World Champions. Oh no, an absolute cracker, a pitch of a goal out of almost nothing.

Oh, I said, nothing. They kept trying, it wasn't like they were, they were giving up, they were going.

- Never for a moment, they were going to go all the game.

- But he scored a rocket from past the left side of the box, into the right side netting, just hypnotizing. Every Argentine player who watched it go by, you know, he's been on the books at Benfica.

“Just since December, I believe, and he may regret that just before the tournament, he had a transfer to Trebson's Ford,”

because that would have been a far more lucrative transfer if he'd waited a month. My heavens, what a shot and the incredible celebration. I want to find a quote here from the great Barney Rene, who writes for the Guardian in his rundown of this match, that incredible celebration. Which, by the way, I straight away, because I'm just so sort of cynical and old and skeptical these days. I'm thinking he's going to get you out of the card. He's going to get you out of the card, right?

He's going to go into the horizon and get you out of the card. - No yellow card? - Yellow card? - Well played Raff, and he saved Barney Rene. - The stadium erupted in small pockets of delirious disbelief and entire looming stands, a very abrupt silence. Cabral just ran, veering off back to the touch line, leaving the pitch, vaulting some stairs, waiting a bit.

Then embracing what was presumably his girlfriend, or at least someone who is now his girlfriend, or very keen to be. [laughter] - That is perfection. Because at eight in the polls, you're right. He did stop for a minute. He's sort of... - Am I doing this? Am I doing this?

- Yeah, I'm doing it! - Oh my gosh, it's magic. And so then it was a case of like, now what?

Now that was in the hundred and third minute, and a half time in extra time, I said to the guys, when I threw back to John Strong and Stuart Holden, I said, the question now is,

Because by the way, if they bunk it down and tried to play for penalties, nobody's going to have a go at them doing that.

- No, no.

“- No one is going to criticize them one bit, but they didn't.”

- They didn't. - Oh, friends, and I love them! - They didn't! And Argentina has to count themselves. Lucky!

Because that goal, not only was it on goal, it wasn't the on goal, like the ones the US have been so good at scoring, where, you know, someone's driving in from the wing, and an unstoppable ball comes into the box. This was a headed pass, basically, that happened to go not only off a cave-ready player, but off his hand as he's jumping, like, this was an all-time bailout. And again, it feels like a win, because cave-verday have announced themselves to the world, not just as a football country, but as a country.

Like, tourism for cave-verday is going to go through the roof, compared to what it's been so far. So many of these guys are going to get jobs. Now, I mean, there's got to be a, you know, Portuguese, league, top-flight side that's going to, you know, sign Vizinho. - Well, he's, but then he's 40. - He's 40.

- And I was having this conversation with the guys. I said, he's free agent, like, someone's going to sign him, and they're like, he's 40.

I know, but here's the thing.

Even if you're, you know, USL team, okay? In the United States, or even MLS, the PR, you're getting, oh, you want to come and see the hero of the World Cup, come and see us play. You want to come and see Vizinho? That, that, even just for a season. - Come on.

- I mean, Pierre Schilden was still 40 playing for Stoke, if I recall correctly. I mean, Vizinho probably, it's going to be, you know, not so crazy for him to be starting for Bolvista. No offense to our, to our fine friends, who, in whatever part of Portugal, Bolvista is. Not enough has been said about the coach Pedro, like, Tupri Toto, aka Boobista. - Amazing name.

- Amazing name. - An all-time grade world cup name. But Kudos to him, because again, as you say, there was no bunkering down. You know, not, not today, anyway. You know, they got their three draws in the group stage, which, again, one of them, the hero I won, was also come back.

Like, this is an incredible, incredible performance. And, yeah, maybe it was lighting in a bottle and everything, but like, but after today, I don't think you can say it was lighting in a bottle. It is more than that. - I think it is, they have gone out of this world cup without losing a game in 90 minutes. That's insane.

- 500,000 people. - 500,000 people. - Incredible.

“- But I think you're right, first of all, have you Googled Cape Verde?”

I did do a little Google, just to have a little check out why do we could go looks absolutely beautiful. I mean, I might be part of that tourism situation that you were talking about. It looks so gorgeous. But now, I feel like this expanded world cup. We all thought that those teams were going to just, it was going to be an upside-aid and 12-nil.

And it's going to be a problem that we're going to like bring shame on themselves. None of them have. I wouldn't say, you can't say any of it. Well, certainly not for the four debutants, have not brought shame on themselves at all. Jordan has back us down fine.

Curacao, great. And Cape Verde have announced themselves on the world scene. Of that, there is no doubt. Now, yes, they would have qualified for a regular size world cup anyway, because they did top their group.

- Yeah. - But it's why we love this game. It's why we love the world cup. It brings a crazy amount of joy. I mean, the amount of messages I have from people who don't watch football.

Okay, but Messi was playing. And they get, oh, Messi's playing, we got to watch Messi.

And then they got caught up in this incredible narrative of this,

which, you know, Jon and studed a great job of telling the story about this. This tiny nation for them to understand the picture of what this means. And you and I do, and a lot of people listen to this too, but there are lots of people who watched this game today because Messi was playing. When is Messi upstage?

Very, very rarely. - Yeah, it is, you know, in terms of the expansion of this real cup, I have, I have to make a begrudging admission that Cape Verde are currently a very strong argument for the 48 team situation. Again, they would have qualified normally. But then again, the groups in Africa would have been different because it wouldn't feel responsive.

- True, true, true. - True, true. - True, true. Okay, I see. And all that, but like, their story is, is what the world cup is about.

To the point of Messi, however, I mean, Messi scored first. And like, a goal, like, so casually great, you know, that it's like in his sea list of goals. You know, like we don't, we hardly even talk about it. But it was a, it was a fantastic control and credible timing.

It looked like, you know, him and Barcelona back in the day. But he played the entire 120 minutes. And he did not have all that impact anymore after that goal, which Bernie Roney notes in his, again, lovely, right now, again.

“And is that going to be something they regret coming up against Egypt in a few days?”

- Well, I asked both Satan and Terry as we were heading towards into the 90. And I said, do you think he'll play? How much of the 120s are you going to play? How much of the extra time? And they both sort of looks me like I was mad.

They were like, he doesn't run. He just walks, he's fine. And I was like, but that's still a long time. Just have adrenaline pumping, right?

- And they know better than me, but this is why I did not have them in my final four,

“because he's got to play every four days now.”

And he's got his, you know, he walks because that's him pushing himself to the limit. And every four days for eight games, not just seven, like I used to be. I just, I have my concerns and today is a start of why. But speaking of Argentina, Egypt, we are now getting into the round of 16. The business team.

- I don't like my bracket. - I know, so we're going to have a day off. - No means off. - The worst. So let's do a quick whip round.

Here, we'll talk about some of these little more than we'll talk about. Oh, there is, but Rebecca, entirely, subjectively, I have made a list ranking these round of 16 games in reverse order of how interesting they are. - Okay. In reverse order of how interesting. - Yeah.

- And the least interesting one. - Yeah, so I thought that. - And they're all fine. - So that took me a second. - It's like, it's late.

As noted on the previous podcast, you do longer days than most people. - And coming in at number eight, France versus Paraguay. And it isn't just because it's the July 4th in Philadelphia game. I think they were hoping probably would be different teams competing in July 4th in Philadelphia. But I am looking forward to what I assume will be a Tom and Aldi.

Thought provoking report on the vital but stealth presence of French envoys in the months before July 4th, 1776. France is coming to the birthday party, but they've been here all along. - Oh, I know, but he's, can I say one thing? So I know about Tom Reynolds eight. Not only is he the nicest human on the planet.

I've never seen him stumble.

- He's a fucking legend. He's the best. Like, every time there's one of those coming from Tom and Aldi, I'm like, everybody shut up. Like, this is gonna be great.

And then always is. - I had to do generations. - He's at the Portitino one with his parents. - No, no. - Do you see it?

- No. - Oh my gosh, because you were the game. And you've got to find it. Tom went down to Murphy, Argentina, and met Mr. Mrs. Portitino.

Mrs. Portitino was in tears. I was in tears, and I'm on air. It's not helpful, Tom. Tom brings me to tears most days, and it's not good.

“But anyway, you must see that, for anyone who didn't see that,”

please Google that. But he so lovely. So welcoming to me, can I tell you. But also, I watch him in actual awe. I mean, I stumble my way throughout the day

on air, off air, in and out of brakes, I'm all over the shop. He literally speaks, as though he's an actor on a stage. - Yeah. - But does it so naturally so beautifully he's on air?

- It's like an American version of the Roger Bennett thing. You just spoke in a poem. - Yeah. - You're acting like you didn't. - Yes.

- So Paraguay France, which we all consume, is gonna be a France victory, but maybe Paraguay or Greedy or yet coming along. Number seven, again, just my opinion. Colombia versus Switzerland.

Colombia has not been defeated. They have not been behind for a single minute. This entire tournament. And yet Luis Diaz, arguably one of the top 10 players in the world, has not had a signature moment yet.

Like, is he just not got to have a tournament or is he laying in the weeds and he's gonna start exploding in this next round? - Good, quite all good questions. They are so under the radar.

But if you speak to the ex players that I'm working with, they are massively big on Columbia.

“So I think we need to bring them up over the radar a little bit.”

Let's raise them over the radar. I think seven on your list. I think that's actually where they want to be, because that's a little under the radar on your list.

On second to least most important,

is about where they'd want to be right now. I think they could go to the semi-finals. - Well, Daniel Muñoz. - You'll call that, I predicted that very thing. - You did.

- No, you did. Along with Ecuador, right? - Hey, let's start. We're not doing a complete recap here. - Just a half recap.

- But they will play the winner of the number six. Which is, again, not going chronologically. The number six is Argentina Egypt. And again, if Messi is starting to wear down and he gets worn down again by Egypt,

I mean, Argentina should be able to handle Egypt, fastened by the Messi versus Salat Sterlino, who have not played very often in the turns out. But that would lead to a quite possible Columbia Argentina game in Kansas City.

- No. - And like, I think Columbia shades that. - I think you're right. I can't take this, Brendan. - From here on in, it's Banga.

I know we've got a list here of order of it, but still, France Paraguay being the least of the Bangas. It's still a great, it's a really good game. - Yeah. - But the idea of that, what you just said, Argentina Columbia.

No, I'm sorry. This is at a hand. This is, this is, I just love the World Cup. - Okay. - Number five, Canada Morocco.

- It's good. - Good game. - It's fascinating that the winner likely gets France and both of them have some kind of history with France and what some of it footballing,

some of it other. - Correct. - But like Canada Morocco. - It's a mismatch though, isn't it? And quality?

- You would think, yes. And Canada does not have the full home country support anymore. One would think. But, you know, they've been plucky as hell.

Damn. Has that been said before? That's fucking great. I love myself. We'll see.

We'll see. They are Canadian heroes, you know. - Yeah, they are. To the children growing up.

“I think that Jesse, there's, we haven't had enough Jesse.”

We need more. I'd like Jesse all the way through. As much Jesse Marsh is possible. I will take partly because it annoys everybody. It's just great TV.

But I feel that this is a, this is quite a big mismatch. - I think so too. - And the Morocco scores are really especially, like, I don't know how much-- - Good.

- And it's really good for us. I liked my lot. - Number four, because I was trying to be very objective here. Number four, putting USA Belgium. Because not, you know, from my heart, but for the world.

Again, revenge game for USA fans of a certain age. But also, this is the official borderline match of whether not the US can look back at this as a successful tournament. Because, like, yes, we want a knockout round match. But all that did is get us into the 16, which has been, you know,

the glass ceiling for quite some time now. And, of course, Belgium was one of the teams who, who shut that thing on top of our head before. So, if they win this game, it's officially, we're playing with house money.

But if they don't, perhaps some goodwill gets swapped. - This is 100% your World Cup this game. I mean, we'll get on to England too. But this is 100% your World Cup. And there's a bunch of those teams, actually,

“that I think heading into these games, that it's their World Cup.”

One of the many, many reasons why we just love it so much, is the small margins. What you just said, if USA loses game, they're unbelievable goodwill to this team, to reach your pochitino.

It's not going to evaporate. - It depends on the manner of such a hypothetical manner. Yes. I don't know. I just think that this, this team has built so much up.

To go out now on reflection, we'll feel like, and people will say, and I think I said myself,

like, they have to get to a qualifinal, as always,

it's a failure at a home walk-up with the talent you have and with pochitino. Now, I mean it, I feel less like that. Until that happens. And with them, we need to do the same thing.

- No, it will. It also feels like Belgium are there for the taking right now. - I think that'll be Belgium. - It would be, it would really squandered up, particularly if we cannot win.

- I think it'll be Belgium. - I really do. I really think that they've ever taken. They're not all that good. - Very fun if you sometimes.

- Sorry, number three. Brazil, Norway. Hey, Rebecca. Fun fact, you know, that Brazil has never beaten Norway. They've played them four times,

and they've never beaten Norway.

They've lost twice, and they've had two draws. - There's not in front of these and competitive. - And that is all four games that Brazil has ever played against Norway. Norway owns Brazil, including beating them at a World Cup in 1998.

“- Yeah, remember that in the group stage, right?”

I think they've got a chance in this one too. - I think so. I think Brazil are almost as under the radar as Columbia, but they can't be because of their Brazil. But like Brazil are, you know, quietly getting better and better.

Now, we don't know how good a result that Japan game was really because, as fun as like Holland Japan was, like Holland Japan and Sweden, all get out of that group, and now they're all already gone. So, like maybe that whole group wasn't shit, but they appeared to be, again, finding their pluck.

But Brazil, Norway is a real interesting fucking shootout. I can't wait to see that. - Oh my god, told you, bangers everywhere we look. - Alright, number two, staying versus Portugal. - I mean, this is a proper contender match.

Probably our only contender match in this round. Their last World Cup meeting, 2018, three, three game, Ronaldo's, last World Cup, Patrick, a phenomenal performance that I will forever remember where it was when I watched it. Their last big game was in the Nation League final last year,

which was two, two, went to P.K.'s and Portugal won on P.K.'s. Portugal won that penalty shootout by scoring all five of their P.K.'s unisimone. Currently, who was currently not given up at the goal. - It hasn't exceeded a goal for four consecutive games. - And was also controversially the number one goalkeeper

with the likes of David Raer, right? But he's done absolutely fine. This is almost impossible for me to call. I think I would edge towards Spain, based on lack of goals considered, based on slow improvement, based on the game they had the other day.

When they played Austria, they looked suddenly like, "Okay, Spain's here, everyone, everyone's Spain's here."

The problem is the romance, the romance of Portugal,

with Cristiano, with Roberto Martinez, sobbing him off in that game, and his last game, with ten minutes ago at one one, that could have been the last time we ever saw Cristiano Ronaldo at a World Cup, the guts and the balls that that took.

- Well, I'd say that probably not. Pretty brave of Roberto Martinez to make that decision with ten minutes ago of the game, because at that point, they could well have been going out. - Yeah, and he had to do something, I'm glad he did, because Roberto Martinez seems fun.

- He is fun. - But at eight first minute, he takes out Ronaldo, finally, allowing Ramos, who'd been brought on a little bit earlier,

with Ronaldo, absent, Ramos, steps in, and scores.

“I think Spain hasn't played luck in anybody yet.”

I think we don't know anything about Spain right now. And Portugal, however, has gone through some struggles, and they are stronger than they would have before. - Do you think then? - I think Portugal? - Do you? - Yeah, I mean, again, that's another team away.

I had my final four, I had them in the final one track, so we'll see about that. - Okay, I think Spain, but I would quite like Portugal. No, if that's I would like Portugal to be Spain, but I think Spain are going to win.

Okay, so who have you got for number one? - Well, that only leaves one game or back ahead and say it with me. It is Mexico versus England at the Azteca elevation,

incredible home support, a sneaky tough game,

not even sneaky tough game, but like Mexico are in theory, no match for England. In a vacuum, Brad Friedle was on the, was on, I think, Gary Linnaker show, can I agree? He was on somewhere at a time,

they're not actually that strong a team, but their home field advantage is phenomenal. But this, I think, I didn't see the whole interview, so maybe he agrees, but is the strongest Mexico we've seen in a long time,

and that home field advantage will be un-fucking-believeable.

“And people are telling me that the England press”

are not going to be able to cope with that atmosphere. I was talking to London on a day at work, and he was saying that it will be hell. Absolute hell for the England players. I'm thinking, this isn't good.

I'm thinking that, you know, this is, this is, this is not good, but this is a chance to make a statement. It is a chance for Thomas Tucal to do what he's promised he's going to do, be brave. So if you haven't seen bravery yet,

Thomas, we need to see the brave, really. If you're going to be brave, be brave there.

The problem is we haven't been very good,

and they've been really good. And Declan Rice looked out on his feet the other day. Out on his feet, the last thing he needs is altitude. Last thing. But.

We have Harry Kane. Still got Harry Kane. We have, we still have Harry. I just, oh, and the guidance of the great tattoo. And tattoo.

My concern amongst many things is, I'm not sure around a 16 game should be this hard. Do you know what I mean?

“It's like if we were to make it through that,”

you're either dead after that, because you're like exhausted having made it through in the quarterfinals, like best of luck, all the very best, or you're like, go ass, and then you go all the way,

because of what you did at their second. Well, I mean, you get out of, you, you be next to go, and then you get to play Brazil in Miami. Like, this is the real cup.

This is, this is the business end. This is what happens. We're going to talk more about England, Mexico, with our good friend, Christoph Hernandez, right after this break.

And we'll, so we will be back with more. Yeah, after the whistle. I'm really stressed. You are? No, really.

It reads, it reads. It reads. Brendan, the FIFA World Cup is now underway, and it's already going too fast. It's too much.

It's too much going on. How do we find purchase anywhere? We all wish we could get as close as possible to these amazing games, and no one gets you closer than Verizon. In fact, Verizon gave away tickets to the FIFA World Cup

for customers, coast to coasts, and some lucky customers are even getting pitch-side access. Meaning they'll watch a portion of the game play up close from the field. If you're not a Verizon customer,

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and any of the personal redeeming additional times, conditions of restrictions, but nice. No one gets you closer to the FIFA World Cup than Verizon. Or back and after the whistle from Apple News, Sunday is Mexico versus England in the round of 16,

and there's a palpable tension in this room, largely emanating from this area over here. I think there might be a bug, an insect infestation in the hedgeros. But to talk about it,

we thought we should bring on our first special guest of the season. Yep, now you may know him as Danny Rojas from Ted Lasso, but he's also now a professional footballer himself for the USL Championship Club El Paso Locomotive. He is a Guadalajara native,

and here to discuss all things, Mexico, England with us, because he's going. Please welcome to the pod. Christo Fernandez. Christo, first of all, great to see your face again.

Brendan is always great to see your face,

and Rebecca and my sweet friend. So it's an honor to be with you guys. Thank you for having me. Christo, our first guest of this season, we couldn't have picked a better person.

Thank you for joining us. We are so, so grateful, Brendan, after you. We hope you've been enjoying the World Cup so far. We've seen you have attended a few games. Yes, yes.

Honestly, it's been amazing. It's been a dream come true. It's my first work-up in person that I'm properly enjoying. It was always on TV and just watching it with family and friends. But now actually being going to the games and supporting my Mexican national team,

It's been a dream come true. I've attended a couple of games. The inaugural was surreal. And yeah, it's been amazing. Christo, we'll get on to your team and my team in just a second.

Because we have got this impending match coming up on Sunday, which is actually terrifying to me. So I need you to maybe try and make me feel a little better. But before we get to that, football for you,

“does that just go all the way back to when you were tiny?”

Are you football through and through from day one? No, yeah.

Yeah, football has always been part of my life.

And since I was a kid, my mother and my family, they always said priestages, watches, plays, breathes, eats, breathes, football, football, football. And I played professionally back in the day while I had a Mexico. And to make story short injuries, new passions,

and discover fame and acting, one for it, drove my family crazy again. Because my family have never been artists or athletes. But I always chose the crazy dreams. And then, of course, I grateful that I was given the opportunity

to portray Danny Rojas. It's a lesson with my amigo Brendan Hunt and my other amigos, who we say all I am, it's a lesson always. And just the same way, like Danny Rojas, like he says, football is life,

also for Christopher London, football is life.

And it's always been part of my life.

“And that's why these recent years with all these”

Ted Lasso, Danny Rojas, football soccer journey. I woke a little bit again this passion for me, and that I could still play. And I remember even telling Brendan, was it last year, I think I was just,

I was just expressing it out loud as I was preparing for it. But this year, I really went for it. And that's why I'm in a passive Texas, playing in the USL championship with my new family, Los Locos, from El Paso, Locomotive, who we send all as well.

And now waiting also for my visa because that's the only thing I'm waiting for. I'm waiting for my visa to be able to play. But I'm grateful that it's been some intense moments. Months, it's been a process, also to get back to the rhythm of the game,

but also watching this workout has been very inspiring, very, very inspiring. And yeah, just yeah, football so care. Yes, I love it, I love it. Well, I've got great news for you on the visa front.

Our current government and state department is absolutely driven to get visas done as quickly, efficiently and fairly as possible. So anytime now, anytime now. So you are in El Paso right now. Yes.

But you are going to the Mexico game on Sunday. Yes.

“When are you going to, when are you heading down there?”

Yes, your plan. Yeah, I don't know, yes. So my team right now, they're on their way to Las Vegas, but because I'm waiting for my visa, I still cannot play. So hopefully soon, but training tomorrow here in El Paso,

and then flying immediately afterwards to Mexico City, arriving in the afternoon tomorrow Saturday. Have a good night's leap because Sunday is going to be so intense from the very first moment we wake up. Hold it.

Yeah, we'll get there. Oh, we'll get there. That's something people for that a little bit. Football has been your life and your family's life as you say. Yeah.

This has been your first World Cup. Has it also been the first time you've seen El Tree live, or have you been able to go to Mexico games as a younger man? No, I've seen it in the past. I've been to some games from the national team.

But this is my first World Cup experience.

And truly, I've never seen my national team play so well.

Like they did against Ecuador. Because one thing is one thing, I have to be honest. One thing is getting the results, which has been amazing in the first three games. But there were moments where we were not, I mean South Korea. I was surprised it didn't qualify.

They play so well against us. South Africa was the first game, some nerves. Like, you know, it was the first game. Against Czech Republic, we, I think we put it to the next level. But still against Ecuador.

Like, I don't think even, I don't think nobody expected us to play this well.

I don't know. Truly, truly, I'm just so excited. And my sister Paloma, who is Ayola and my friend from Guadalajara. And then I satiros who were at the game against Ecuador. They said that we went all together to the inaugural game.

Mexico against South Africa. And for me, it was surreal. The national anthem, a stick of completely full. Like, there were tears like goosebumps. But they told me that against Ecuador, the energy was even higher and crazier.

And honestly, I don't even know what to expect when we go on Sunday. Okay. Christo, you are not making me feel any better for England one Sunday. In fact, I now feel even more terrified than I did before. The Azteca to English people for obvious reasons, 40 years ago in 1986.

Maradona, hand of God, the great goal, the whole situation. For English people, it's scary anyway, right?

But with you just saying that you've never seen your national team play better.

I mean, I literally can't be more scared.

“Okay, this is, I mean, I, I, you must be confident.”

You must be thinking, you must have looked to England play D.R. Congo and thought, "This law will be able to sweep them aside at the Azteca." No, no, no, no, no, no. I will, I will never think that England is going to be easy. No.

I, I honestly have lots of respect to the British team. I, I think it's level. I do think England has good reasons to be scared. But also, we, Mexico cannot be over-confident because that will be the biggest mistake. Since this is our last game in our country, we truly have to get the most out of being local.

And do you? And yes, we, we have to overcome, so sorry. Right, that's just great. And I mean, let me just ask you one thing about this altitude situation, Christo. Is it really, is it like, is it going to be a struggle?

Well, I, I, have you been to Mexico City? No. No, never. Never. No, are, are you coming on Sunday?

Look at the glee in his face. No, I, yes.

“Another English person to succumb to our environment.”

Yes. I can't come Sunday because I have to go to Seattle for the USA game on the Monday, which I, I'm devastated about because for, let me just tell you real quick, Christo. And you, you know this from living in the UK. Um, this game is being built up to be a game of a generation in England.

And if we were to win it, a victory of almost a generation. Because of how difficult we know it's going to be. I'm very concerned about the players' lungs. Should I be concerned about the players' lungs? I mean, I've been to Mexico City a couple of times.

And both back in the day when I was playing and as a normal person.

The first day is you actually feel the difference in the altitude.

You get out a little bit more tired. But I didn't know, but I don't know if you guys saw this news. But apparently the British team is taking by Agra, which is going to help them. I didn't know that. I didn't know that.

Christo, Christo, you're lowering the tone of this podcast. Oh, oh, he's lowering the tone by reporting the news. Rebecca. I want to know what this is after the whistle. We are brought to you by Viagra.

This is run in hunt and Rebecca low. Here with Christo Fernandez. Or another way of putting it. It's coach beard and Danny Rojas and a blind English lady named Rebecca. Here to talk to you about England versus Mexico.

Putting the Viagra aside. But also remembering that in Mexico City, I'm pretty sure you can buy it on every corner. Where are you? Same place where you buy gum.

“What do you like most about this current Mexico team, specifically?”

That couldn't danger England. Well, honestly, I was listening to a very good friend of mine. There were generations that were probably with bigger names. And honestly, somehow we're playing even a better football. But he even said it.

We play better than ever, but lose like always.

And now this team has been playing probably until now, I quite or but not the best football ever. But they were winning. And it's because they've been having a solid defense. And I don't think we've had this solid defense. I mean, they haven't score any goal.

And that's just insane. And it's just a good balance with the team. Like we have both experienced with Raul Jimenez, who also is a hero and watching him play and scoring after what happened with to him.

It gives you goosebumps immediately. And then this young Gilmoura who is unbelievable. He played like he's been around forever. And we just have a great team. It's a good balance.

But I would say, honestly, even though we have great attack, it's a defense that it's just very solid. And they've been increasing the level with each game. There hasn't been like, again, we started like this, like this and went a little bit better every single game.

“So I think that's why it gives us lots of hope and good expectations.”

Yeah, you spot on and on the defense. I believe it's only Mexico and Spain who haven't given up a goal yet.

This whole tournament, which is incredible for games.

But a quick line on the 17-year-old, Helbert Amora, did you see that he is the youngest player to start a knockout game at the World Cup since 1958 and Pele? Yeah, yeah, there you go. And he plays so well. And Pele only won for a couple of days. He was so close to us, Pele.

And later on, Pele became the first spokesman for Viagra. There we go. It's all connecting. I don't know, 17-year-olds are allowed to have. No, anyway.

But imagine if he did. I mean, like, yeah, what if the Mexico finds out about this England plan? Oh, boy, it's going to be a lot of handball violations. Anywho. Go on.

Do you have something else to say?

So, it speaks for itself down to personal note, Christo.

When you and I have been to football matches at the same time, we're not able to see each other. We're like in totally different sections. I fear that that'll be the case again. But I hope I can at least see you from afar. I'll be wearing an Oasis tracksuit top.

I don't want to go full England. I also don't want to be. Christo, this guy, right? This guy, every game, different country. Let me ask you about the fans, actually.

I just want to... I want to find out. Because you know, the England fans that can be... Very passionate.

“A little bit... a little bit... a... what's the word?”

Ruff and tumble. Sometimes they put battle rockets in their butts. Mexico fans and England fans together in the evening, after a day of drinking. It's been a long time.

Sometimes they put battle rockets in their butts. Mexico fans and England fans together in the evening, after a day of drinking. Do we think, Christo, everything going to be OK down there? No, it's a... it's a... a clash type.

We have some of the... yeah, the most passionate fans. Going to... I know. I know. I know.

Yeah, I was... I don't know if you saw, but I mean, again, I'm a huge Oasis fan too. But he was... I think one of the guys for brothers was saying that we're going to win 5-0. 5-0. I can't say anything.

And that became like for us right now. We were like, "Hi, you see, you see..." Oh God. Do you guys, in the UK, you have the... it's where football soccer started. It's... I mean, for me living in the UK,

I lived in different parts of London, especially two-ting. I worked in the two-ting bar. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. And a restaurant bar called Tacos and the Kila was the only Mexican,

making honor with my margaritas. Wow. But I also lived in Fulham and Chelsea. And I remember waking up with the singing of the fans in the streets and going to the stadium.

And those are things that... That's... Those are true fans. You know, that level of fans and passion for the game.

Therefore, it was something I will always cherish and remember.

“So that's why this game is going to be so special.”

And we Mexicans, it's our religion too. And I don't think we've ever been so hopeful with the team like we are now. So it's going to be an amazing time. And I could hope also the best for both teams. And at the end of the day, it's just bored if it's just a game.

It's not crystal. It's not crystal. It's not crystal. Yeah, nice try, bud. I'm not going to fly here.

No. I think I've got a right back. We could borrow as well. So we need one of them too. Oh, my goodness.

Crystal, I was in Arlington. You know, I was at Dallas for... I think that's for England, Croatia actually. And there's a corner near the stadium that is between two baseball stadiums. And gigantic outdoor advertising screen.

And me and the wife Shannon, who you know well. Yeah.

And we get distracted because we're looking up on that screen. And it's a giant fucking crystal. It's a giant crystal. I don't know what you're selling, but you're selling it. They're beautiful close ups, beautiful long shots, beautiful close ups, beautiful long shots.

Just the biggest head of anyone I know I've ever seen. And I know. We've come a long way. But also, on a smaller scale, have you noticed there is now official FIFA World Cup merch that I've seen.

I hoodie, perhaps a t-shirt that says football is life. Wow. You can't be any more legit than that. No. You can't be any more legit than that.

Yeah.

I always say that it's been a crazy journey all of this.

People always tell me that don't know me.

“The first thing is like, you should get annoyed when people tell you football is life.”

But to me is the complete opposite because, again, I am so grateful that first of all, being part of something like that last and something that meant so much to so many people. And the fact that Danny Roh has also gave so much hope and brought us my to so many people. And when they say football is life, they say it with a smile. And to me, it means the world.

And I am grateful for that. It means we did a good job. And this is the sport I love. And it's true. And again, I will have never imagined that back in the day, those injuries, those bad situations.

And that are becoming the best thing that can happen to me. But later in time with lots of hard work and discipline. And it all makes sense. And that's why I always tell people that everything happens for a reason, both good and bad. And we don't understand in the moment why, but later with time we will understand.

And it's called football soccer journey. It's been like that for me. So yeah. I saw that sweat, sweat, teacher too. Good, I should hope so.

Well, Christo, first of all, we've been spending time here with Christo Fernandez.

Soon to make his debut for El Paso locomotive in the USL, which I cannot wait for.

“And against before we let you go for one thing, score prediction.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, I'll start? Yes. Yeah, man, yeah, and finish. Okay, we're going to be...

Okay, this is going to be... It's going to be... It's going to be a hard attack. That's for sure. It's going to be a...

Oh, God. He's going to be a 3, 3 draw in the... Oh, God! Oh, my God! I'm not going to be alive at the end of that.

It's a time. And then I'm so sorry Rebecca. But when I'm panoramic like... Christ from Kilmora, that we're almost succeed to...

Kignones and Kignones pass it to Raul Jimenez and Kiemenez scores. We win the game. Someone's been thinking about it. 4, 3. So, you know, there's such a good flipping player.

Extra time, yes. What a nice game. 4, 3, it... I can't... I won't be able to handle that. I don't... I don't... That's... that was hell on earth.

If that happens... I'll be Mexican by the end of that. That's going to blow my mind. Christo, Christo. You are a gent as ever.

Thank you so much for joining us here. So, love it to me, Christo. Thank you. Thank you so much. Your story is unbelievable.

It's so inspiring. It's so incredible. I just love it. And you are just such a joy. Thank you so much for coming on the show.

Yeah. No, thank you, Rebecca. Thank you, Brendan. And thank you all the fans out there after the whistle. It's a...

It means a lot. You guys invited me. Thank you very much. And I hope everything we're doing, regarding football and aside from football,

inspires everyone to always dream big.

“And to always remember that it's never too late to go for it.”

And go for whatever you dream is. Amen. We'll be back with more after the whistle. This field world cup Verizon is turning dreams into reality. They're giving away free tickets and pitchside access.

Some lucky fans are getting the chance of a lifetime to watch the action up close on the field during gameplay. All for just being a customer. If you're not with Verizon yet, now's the time to make the switch.

This feeville world cup 2026, no one gets you closer than Verizon. Okay, everybody. We are back for our final little bits and bobs chat. What have you got today?

Two things about the USA Belgium game. One, the big thing that we all need to be waiting for with baited breath is what will the line up be without fuller in balligan?

We'll be hudgy, right? Getting a shot.

We'll be some crazy new Punch Tunnel plan that we don't even know about yet.

But that's the thing to sort of have in your sights. What would you like it to be? What would I like it to be? What would I like it to be? I would like it to be peppy and peppy having his moment.

“But I think if he's not having his moment.”

By 60 minutes, he got to find something else. By me, depends on what else going on in the game. Of course. But I think false nine. I think time.

Because we got so many, so many good midfielders. Like maybe we go false nine. Maybe just go four, six, zero. Or five, five, zero, I guess. I don't love a false nine.

I like to talk more of a target, man myself. But I like switching stuff up to confuse people. That is true. And I'm really want to say false nine. That's kind of what I mean.

Like some, some different.

Some we don't expect because he's been pulling some stuff.

We don't expect time to time. I know. I can't have two strikers against Australia. We didn't expect that. So.

But the other thing is, is will I be alive? Because what I have decided to do with the resources at my disposal is tomorrow, I'm going to go to Mexico City. And on Sunday, I'm going to see Mexico City England. And then in the early, early hours of Monday morning,

I'll be on my way to Seattle. And at five p.m. that night attending the matchup. aforementioned between the United States and our good friends in Belgium. So hang on. You'll stay in the night in Mexico City after the game.

You're going to fly Monday morning from Mexico City direct to Seattle. I wish there was a direct flight from Mexico City to Seattle. Well, I don't want to give everyone my fucking nightmare. Suffice to say, somewhere between Mexico and Seattle, I'll be stopping at a breakstones.

Okay, you're going to be fine. My only concern is post game in Mexico City. There's not going to be any sleep had. There might be a lot of it's a key lad. Yeah.

Well, I got a very, very, very, very, very flight. Is it really? I might not even have to sleep until that flight. Yeah. It's going to be a thing.

No sleep, don't bother. I've only got four hours between landing and Seattle in the actual game. So there's not a lot of wiggle room.

“In case one of these two flights goes, hey, why are we going to see what happens?”

And that has been mad bit and my Bob together. What has your been in or Bob ago? Well, today was weird day, right? Because halfway through today, we started getting notifications at Fox, but also on X, that the England Mexico game,

the one that you are going to Mexico City, which is kicking off a specific time, I think, 5 p.m. Okay, but I'm nothing at local that 6 p.m. No time. Was all of a sudden going to be early dark, not by an hour.

But by six hours and at one point, eight. I kid you not. The 10 a.m. kick off. Come on. Yes, seriously.

No, I believe that. But that's a crazy thing. It's crazy, right? And it was all apparently because of the weather. But the athletic has tonight reported that it wasn't actually just because of the weather.

It was also possibly because of the concerns over late night shenanigans, the kind of way that you might be partaking in Brendan, which would prevent you from getting on your flight. And FIFA were like, oh, actually, do you know what? Now we come to think of it.

Oh, really? Because we also saw this coming. Now we come to think of it. This could be a bit dicey. England against Mexico after a full day of drinking.

At the Azteca, when there is the entire world cup on the line, this could cause a few problemos. Maybe we should hurry up by six hours. So all the people who bought flights into Mexico City on Sunday morning, but lands at two thinking they've got a few hours.

Oh, all of a sudden they can't go. So all these rumors going everywhere. People trying to change flights. Absolutely nightmare. Then they all got into a room because apparently,

Harviya Aguirre, the head coach of Mexico, was absolutely enraged by this. And for this so. Right. And as I'm sure, the England team were in the air,

apparently when this was happening on their flight. Apparently, the English FA were involved as well.

“And they both push back and said, what is going on?”

Absolutely not. So they've now reverted back to the aforementioned kickoff time of 5 p.m. Pacific, 6 p.m. local. Here's the thing. When it was going to be switched six hours earlier,

everybody said to me, London, none of them was one of them said to me, "Oh, England are absolutely in massive trouble now." And I was like, no, no. Hang on a second.

Hang on a second. I think that the massacre at 6 p.m. Absolute disaster, right? Amazing. Amazing that the sunset, incredible scenes,

nighttime just brings about it.

We always talk about under the lights, right?

You've got this incredible stadium pack to the rough as Mexico found to the pocket of England fans and all day long, everyone's been drinking themselves into a frenzy. And the atmosphere's just going to be off the charts. That's not good for England.

What's better is a lunchtime kickoff in the sunshine. It's not even that hot right now there. I've checked it out, 71 degrees. So we're chilling. Right?

A different type of atmosphere, alcohol wouldn't be as involved. And they wouldn't be able to sort of conjure up this unbelievable atmosphere. So foot, my point is, for about an hour to there,

I thought, oh, I think we've got chance.

Midday, I love them. I've got chance.

Unfortunately now, we've gone backwards.

Six PM. Absolutely no chance. Great.

“I think that's being harsh, but I respect your objective fan output.”

I'm very invested in your going. Oh, thank you. That's very sweet. And I'm going to take me a little video, too. I may.

Please, could you?

So I would like, I mean, I will have something else

to watch on television, but I would like it from your phone. Thank you. It's slightly, slightly crisper picture on your, on your, on your television. Uh, which is, of course, not at all a minus toward the excellent Apple products. So I will be employing in my pocket.

So much technology that we have in our lives today. Thank you to the good people of Cupertino. Anywho, uh, books, big round of 16 coming up.

Please enjoy the hell out of it.

After the whistle will be back after the whistle. The review is a Belgium and Monday night. I am after Mexico City. Yeah, absolutely you are. And hopefully on to Seattle after that.

And we are on socials everywhere. So make sure you look for at after the whistle. Apple Instagram ticked up the whole show back.

“And remember you can now watch us on Apple podcasts and on YouTube.”

But around the top tournament news, schools standing, check out the World Cup hub on the Apple news app, where available. It's rather nerve wrecking this part. It's horrible, isn't it? I actually, should we stop it now?

The World Cup? Yeah. Or does the, just buy a cast? You may have even been there to talk about it. We'd be fine.

“Can we just go back to the beginning and start sort over again?”

Not podcast. I mean, the whole World Cup. This is after the whistle from Apple news. Thank you for listening. Oh my god, next time I see you.

It could be bad. Or it could be great! Let me cry! Ahh! How do you know it's bright?

I like to. I like to.