Football Daily - World Cup: David Villa On Spain, Messi & World Cup Glory

Episode Date: July 3, 2026

World Cup winner and Spain's record goalscorer, David Villa, joins Rick Edwards to reflect on Spain's impressive 2-0 win over Austria and explains why he believes they can go all the way at this World Cup.The former Spain striker also discusses Mikel Oyarzabal's importance to this team, shares memories of playing alongside Lionel Messi and reveals what it takes to win football's biggest prize.With Lloyd Griffith away in Las Vegas, Guillem Balague and Dion Dublin join Rick to analyse Spain's latest statement victory and debate the dramatic finish to Portugal's clash with Croatia after a late equaliser was ruled out by VAR.TIMECODES: 0’00 - Guillem Balague alongside Rick 1’53 - David Villa on Mikel Oyarzabal 4’33 - David Villa on Golden Boot 6’09 - On what it was like to play with Lionel Messi 7’22 - What does he think on this Spain team? 8’50 - A word on England “I believe in them” 9’20 - On the new ball for strikers 17’40 - Dion joins to recap the Spain game & Portugal v Croatia madness

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the global story podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story, and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States,

2.50. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The 2026 World Cup started with 48 teams and we've now reached the knockout stage. Records have been broken the way that Messi has been able to score all these goals late in his career. He's happy to play football and broken records is the consequence for him. And new heroes have emerged. This country's caught the fever. casual fans are now die-hard fans. And The More Than the Score podcast

is bringing you the stories beyond the score lines. More than the score from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. At the People World Cup 2026, The Football Daily Podcasts with Rick Edwards. Hello and welcome to The Football Daily with me, Rick Edwards, and Guillem Ballagay. Yeah, I'm not loyal.

Sorry. I'm not as funny as him either. You don't need to apologize for that, yeah. Let me tell you. And you wear much better shirts. That is, there's no competition there. Have you ever done stand-up comedy? Yeah, I have actually. It's a most terrifying, I think.

It's about 25 years ago. Yeah. I wouldn't want to do it now. You? No, no, but I know Yoidos, and I've seen him, and he's a master of dominating the stage and the audience and all of that. Yeah, but he doesn't bring any of that to the pod.

Is that right? That's what frustrates, man. How long are you in L.A. for? A couple of days more, I think. And then I'll go to Dallas. Spanish is going to try to base themselves in Dallas until the final one. They go to New... Oh, no.

Sorry. Yeah, but I know that's what you think anyway. So we'll be in Dallas next after a lay. One more day. So what should I do around here? I've seen like there's a place that does jazz music about... I think... I mean, it depends what you want.

What you're after? Yeah, a bit like cocktails, talk, music. If you want cocktails anywhere, along here is right okay have you have you been to see yet I went to Manhattan Beach oh it's nice down there very nice and just by pure accident because I was late I meant to go there for many hours and film few things I just saw the sunset so I got at the end of just before the light went sunset was lovely so pretty down there we were looking at the little beach houses and being like I mean how much can these be and we looked it up

it's too much it's quite a lot too much so We had the pleasure a bit earlier on of speaking to World Cup winner and Spain's all-time leading goals score. Yeah, a lovely go as well. Lovely man. David Villa. Here he is.

Davy Villa. How are you? Good, good. Very good. I want to talk to you, first of all, about Mikhail Oyathabal, because he feels like a player that, I don't know about in Spain,

but outside of Spain, people don't really talk about him. Like, people, he's sort of like this kind of invisible man and he just sort of pops up and scores these goals. What's the perception of him? in Spain? No, I think he's a great player. He's one of the best striker right now in Spain. For Spain, the people know that he's one of the best or the best right now in Spain. The problem is like he play in Real Socialia. He doesn't play the Champions League. Champions League

League outside of Spain has a lot of impact and if you didn't see him, he's normally that out of Spain. If you don't see the national team, it's not a player that the people love him, you know because it's important to play the Champions League but in Spain he's one of the the player and the people know it for Real Sofida when he play as a club and obviously when he play in Spain that he's

doing very well is he one of Spain's most crucial players in this tournament do you think? Right now yes yes he's talent in the box he play very well because he combined with the number 10 today Danny Olmo sometimes Pedri sometimes Marino he combined

very well playing the middle of the central backs that makes that the central back don't go to the left when la minyamal or nico or vienna has one by wiena against the left back in the box he's a shark yeah yeah today i think he has three chances one chances the keeper of the austria austria did very well uh stop and the other two it was inside yeah he is quite low profile and unflashy. He basically, he just scores goals for you. He's humble. He doesn't like a lot the focus in the focus of the media and everything.

But again, he's a great player and he's one of the best scores that Spain did in these years. I would probably make the argument he's the most prolific Spanish striker since you. Can be. For numbers, yes. I mean, you know, the people can. If you look in the numbers after me, Morata did very well. The numbers of Morata are amazing. The numbers of Iran are amazing also,

and the number of Oja Savaar are very well. So the three these kind of players, you know, the people can like more one player or other player, but if you're talking about numbers, these three players are doing very well when they put the Spanish national team jersey. The race for the Golden Boot at this tournament is fantastic.

As someone who's won a Golden Boot at a Euro's euros and come very close to winning a golden boot at a World Cup. Is that something that you are thinking about during the tournament? Like in 2010 were you keeping an eye on Mueller what Mueller was up to? You know, when you are a striker, when you leave for the goal, you're always thinking about to score goals to be the top scorer because if you are top scorer, your team can do very well things, you know, because you need to score.

But, you know, when you are playing, you are not thinking about the trophy. The trophy that you're thinking about is that the team, the World Cup trophy for be the winner. But you know that inside you, you need to score goals. The teammates

and the team are waiting for you score goals and if you score the most is better for the team. Who's your favourite striker at this tournament? You know, it's difficult to set Oyer Tawal is doing well.

I like him. He's Spanish. Mbapé are doing well. But I think he's not number nine as a striker Messi are amazing but Messi is not a Messi is everything you know

as a striker is number 10 is winger is everything he can play in everything and if you ask me about the traditional number nine Hurricane is the traditional number nine and he's doing very well too you mentioned Leonardo Messi also I forget Hallan

Hallan and Kane yeah don't forget Holland the regular the regular the theoretical number nine in the box Halang and Kane are the best You mentioned Lionel Messi there. You obviously played with him for three years at Barcelona.

He assisted you a bunch of times. Does it amaze you that he's still playing at the level that he's playing at? When you're talking about Messi, I always thinking about that he is capable to do everything. Doesn't matter the age, doesn't matter the difficulties of the tournament, because he's the best all time, in my opinion. But he's 39. He's 39.

So he surprised me a lot for the level that he's doing. His quality, he has teammates around him that cover him the things that he cannot do as when he was 25 years old. And they are doing very well. When you were playing with him, were you kind of aware of just how good he was? Yeah, he surprised me every day because he's the best.

He's good in everything. Has the opportunity and the lucky to play with him was amazing because for me is the best player all time. But in the position that I take in Barcelona, I received a lot of good passes from him. So it was a great experience to play with him, yes. And what about this Spain team? Because all of the conversation for the first few games,

particularly in the group stages, was about France and how potent France looked. And not that many people were talking about, Spain there was that frustration against Cape Verdi but then the game that you've just been to against Austria it felt like Spain were just kicking into gear

yeah he they did very well today and it's good for the team because I know that they are not happy for the way that they are playing they are winning the games but they are players that want more and they know that they can do more today is totally different

they did a great game they play very well. They score three goals, but they make a lot of chances. And for me, it's a step today, very important for the next, because Spain again, you know, play as Spain. Yeah. And what's the expectation at home? Is it that you win it? Yeah. I think, you know, winning the World Cup is always difficult. But knowing that and see the Spain, the way that the Spain play, you say, okay, they can win. Of course. what team can stop them French can be

Portugal you know winning the World Cup is difficult because it has great teams they're here but if you look Spain obviously they are one of the

best teams yes I've got to ask you what you've thought of England generally speaking we've been I think disappointed in what we've seen no I love a lot

they play strong they have a strong defense they have hard again they have good strikers and I believe in then I think England can do a great World Cup because they have a great team. Who else has impressed you? Probably Morocco.

Morocco is a team that they play well in the African Cup. They are playing well. They run a lot. They are a team that is not easy to play against them. And we will see because they can have a chance to. One thing I wanted to ask you about is the ball, which I actually got here. I've spent to a couple of goalkeepers and they've said it's difficult for them. It's moving quickly.

But they've also said, in terms of a striker, it's a dream. Because when it stays hit. Have you had a go? No, I didn't shoot a lot now the balls. But I remember in 2010 that happened the same. Always the keepers has problems with it. And the striker, we are happy with that. You know, it's the difficulty of football.

Adidas always did very well. The ball is amazing. But the difficulty of this sport is that you need. to accommodate yourself before the interview we're talking about the difficulties playing in Mexico for every team but you need to accommodate yourself. It's not easy to

play this sport because it's not a rule that every day you play in the same space in the same weather you need to change the most faster you accommodate yourself as a team and as a players you have more opportunity to win and this is the difficult to this sport. Did you use to

notice variation in the board? Did you use to notice variation in the ball? Yeah, sometimes. No with this because I didn't play with him. With this, but in 2010, yeah, we realize that depends of you shooting. The ball can help you as a striker. And you know, you accommodate yourself

to that, as I mentioned. And just finally, who's going to win it? I hope Spain. I believe Spain too. But again, it's a difficult World Cup and winning the World Cup is always difficult. They always surprise something. But I believe. I believe and I think Spain and do it again.

Really nice chatting to you. Thanks so much, David. Thank you so much. Really interesting talking to David about Ojasabal, who we've spoken about. And he does just kind of go under the radar, but he's so effective. Yeah, he's got to copyright, The Invisible Man. It's good, isn't it?

That's what he is. And the radar, I guess if you want to be in the posters in, you know, LA, New York and all these places where you see Laminyamal and Vinny and all those. You have to want it. You have to play for a big side and you have to be very good. And it's only one of those three things. He's at Real Society as always been, will always be one move from there. There are rumors that Barcelona won, they do want a striker.

And they say, it's Julian Alvarez of Aletico Madrid or Yerzabal. I think they put Ojerzabal, they just to try to bring the prize down on Julian and Alvarez. He won't be Mikkel, because Mikkel wants to stay where he is. It's his boyhood club. Yeah, yeah. And he was on loan a few months as a youth man for Evar locally. But it doesn't, you know, he was interviewed after the game. I was like, can we do this quickly, you know? Oh, who'd you want next? Croatia, Portugal.

I don't care. You know, that was the kind of interview. Lovely, lovely, intelligent guy. His mom is Ivanka. Dad is also a businessman. run his stuff and he doesn't want in any other way and he goes back when he goes back come he goes back to his mates from you know school keeps him grounded in a way but is the quiet leader of that side and somebody that is the most one of the most intelligent players I've ever seen being invisible in such a crowded place is a sign of it I really found the contrast today watching spain

who are excellent by the way we come on to that between Lamin Yamal, who, I mean, we know is a fabulous player, but felt like he was trying to do a bit too much to me. You're trying to be too much Laminia. Right, right, right. And then Oyathabar, who just, very simply, just scores when he gets opportunities. That's true.

And that's it. No frills. Do it needs to be done. That's me. David said it, didn't he, is just he had three chances. One, almost a score, but needed a big safe and two goals. and he is elegant in the way he does things, and he's got no problem in hitting with his right foot,

like in the second goal, even though he's clearly left-footed. So he's got talent. But how did he appear in that position for the second goal? It's what takes us all back while we keep looking at Laminia Mal. And today, he wanted the ball from the beginning. He's determined to be our leader, the man that wins is the World Cup, and all of that. But it was a bit too much.

He was also picked for the mix in to mix on at the end and he was a bit down. It was on his moment. But he said something very nice. All he does is for his mom, who's having the life that she always wanted. And for his little brother, cute three-year-old. I've seen a lot of stuff on Instagram of him dancing at the side of the pitch. It's great. I actually spent three hours outside the hotel of the players yesterday because I had a meeting and it was three hours late.

But you get to see a lot of things. like his two mates, Lamintu mates, who are with him all the time, who are super famous, all the kids wanted pictures with them. And they came empty-handed, and then they went with big backs, I suppose, of things signed by him. His mom, who wasn't a glamour girl, but now she is, and I loving it with the big sunglasses, and when people were clapping,

there was about 150 people outside the hotel, clapping her coming in, she was just very quietly, just raising her hand and saying hello to all of them. they're having a well of a time and I think Lamine loves the fact that they're doing all of that It's funny to think that Oyathabal probably could have walked in and no one would have noticed him

I don't know what's that? Yeah, nobody knows anything about him Going back to Ayatabal, does he score a lot of goals in La Liga? So he scored 15 goals last season 9 the 1 before and 9 the 1 before that And not particularly No, about 4 or 5 the 1 before that because he actually got a cruciate ligament injury

that made him miss the Qatar World Cup but he would have been a squad member and he was a number 10 or maybe a winger not the fastest but he had some pace and he had to adapt to these cruciate ligament injuries and his last two years at the two best years of his career Immanuel Awazil at Real Society cannot play him there every now and again if there was nobody else

but Real Society keeps signing strikers they just don't shine. But it was Luis de la Fuente, who after Morata realized, you know what, I can see it. You get into the right position. You finish well. I mean, you just have to remember,

sorry, Rick, the Euro's final in 2024 and his second goal. But since then, if I'm not mistaken, I think he scored 17 goals in 18 games or something like that. But in the last 10, it's like something like nine goals and seven assists, something crazy. He really is involved in 1.5.

But goals became with the Spain. So it's become something else now. Internationally, since the start of season in 2025, I think he's scored the second most amount of goals after Harland. Contributions. Yeah. Contributions. Okay.

That's right. So how did that happen? The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the Global Story podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of a men. American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive but not well.

From the BBC, it's the United States at 250. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The 2026 World Cup started with 48 teams and we've now reached the knockout stage. Records have been broken. the way that Messi has been able to score all these goals late in his career. He's happy to play football and broken records is the consequence for him. And new heroes have emerged. This country's caught the fever.

Casual fans are now die-hard fans. And The More Than the Score podcast is bringing you the stories beyond the score lines. More than the score from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcast. Five Lights for... I'm Steve Bracknell. Host of Games Gone, the Steve Bratnell podcast. What's my favourite World Cup moment as a fan?

I have to say, Michael Owen, skinning the whole of the Argentina defence, and cracking it in top corner. For the very short space of time, I believe. My favourite World Cup player in history, it won't be popular, but I'm going to say Diego Maradonna. All right, he unballed it. But the guy was a complete genius.

The People World Cup 2026 Listen on BBC Sounds The football day At the People World Cup 20206 Listen on BBC sounds Well Dionne's just joined us Hey Dionne How are you?

You two were both at the Spain game And you've arrived independently Even though I know that you chatted at the game Yes but I know now That you came with your mate's car And we're going back to the same hotel You could have got a lift We're going back to the same hotel, you know?

Yeah, are we going back to the same hotel tonight? Yeah. Oh, fantastic. Can I jump in with you? Actually, no, because we are going. Rick is telling me a couple of places to go to after these. Okay, good. So should we do that first?

Yes, yeah. Giam's interested in cocktails. Cocktails and jazz. Cocktails and jazz. I think you would do cocktails in jazz. I know where to go. I mean, I'm literal music to this guy's here, is that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That is beautiful. It's just run the corner. I love that. Cotils and jazz. Okay, beautiful. We will do that 100%. Let's plan this later.

and talk about the Spain game. I think, and I know you've sort of made this point to me already, that people have been so sort of impressed by France and Messi and Argentina that people are sleeping slightly on Spain. And I think this performance today might wake a few people up, Deon. Yes, and I said this in my comms as well today, that I just think it was incredibly professional.

It was just, they were just well organised. They played football when they needed to. If they needed to just miss the press out, they would. And I don't know, it was just like they were going through the gears, Rick. They weren't phased at all. They looked so comfortable. I mean, Austria had a proper good go, to be fair. They had a little 25 minute period where we think maybe they could have scored

and if they had a proper touch and they could have struck a goal. But I just think Spain were just, they looked so professional and comfortable. It was amazing performance. And also looked like if they needed to find another gear, they easily could have. No, they had to find it because before the, in the first quarter, are we already talking like that? No, but we have to. No, we do, we do. Yeah.

No, no, not quarters. No, but I'm sorry. But what are you calling it though? Yeah. You have to call it a quarter. A, the part A of the game of whatever. That's a very good point. Part A is better.

A, B and C.D? Well, the first quarter. The first quarter. The first quarter, sorry, the first quarter, we didn't play well. And at the break, Luis de la Fuente went, Oi! And they all went like, yeah, okay, all right. And then we started adjusting the pressure, passing the ball faster.

So yeah, there was a gear that was needed. And then the amazing thing I found with a temperature, it was 22, 23 degrees, but I think there was the, how do you say? Humility. The humidity and the whole thing fell much, much than that. And they maintained, from minute 20 or two, they maintained the level until the end. Orja Tharval made a sprint in the minute of 93 from side to side to the pitch

just because for the pressure, just to actually continue the pressure. We're the best ones statistically at pressuring high and recovering the ball early, the ones that have considered the least amount of shots. We have not considered goals yet. And the expected goal is zero point four. He's so proud, isn't he? He's so proud of his team. He's right to be though.

He is right to be. He's proud of his team. Tell me this day, Dion, did you ever do sort of running, chasing down in the 93rd minute? No, no. When you're team with 3-0 up? Running, did you say?

I stayed in between the sticks. Deion, get after him. I stayed in between the sticks. Cross it to me, cross it to me. But, you know, that's just the mentality of the Spain team. It's just the way they were. I said this in Coms again, that they made it look

easier than what it was because of the hard work that they put in and the graft and out of possession they squeezed together and they went together and when they got it back

because they worked so hard to get the ball back it looked easy their first touch was amazing and every time a person in a red shirt had the ball they had three or four options

it was just bizarre to see like a clinic in football on the world stage also I was reminded You told me the other day, Gia, that this will be and was the first time that Spain have won a knockout game in a World Cup since 2010. Yeah, we've only beaten in World Cup games.

We've only beaten Iran, Austria, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, obviously today Austria and in Uruguay. So not impressive names because it's explained very, very quickly. I can remember I did it last time, but Del Bosca takes the same team that won the World Cup. It's like, do whatever you want. This is Brazil.

Have fun. And they had fun. They did not play football. They did have fun. And we were knocked out in the group stage. And then Lopetegi comes in and two days before the World Cup, he gets sacked. And then Luis Enrique, we didn't have patience with him.

There was a lot of tension. The players didn't fully buy it. Didn't work out lost against Morocco. So that's the last three World Cups having won it. but do you know how old La Miniamal was when we won the World Cup? Well, hang on, was he one? He was three. So he's got no memory whatsoever of any of that.

So he can say whatever he wants, like, we just want to win the World Cup. You know today, when I was watching the game, I looked at all the players, and they all had sort of one and two touch, maybe three touches max. The only player really that was allowed to sort of do what he needed to do was Laminia Mali. He just went through the 10 position, then he went back to the right, to the left. And all the players that were in his team knew what he was doing and allowed him to do it. Sometimes he'd lose the ball and wouldn't track back.

But then when they get it back, he'd be the outlet. And everybody else was allowed to, normally you have a luxury. Back in the day when I played, you had a luxury. Ryan Giggs was possibly a luxury at Manchester United. Do what you've got to do because you're brilliant. Laminia Mali is that for Spain. And they allow him to do it because when he gets the ball, Everybody goes like this.

It's just amazing to watch. And another thing happens. So he's got two or three players defending. That's the thing. He sucks people towards him and then suddenly there's space everywhere else. Kukorea. Kukorea had a lot of space all the time.

I've got to say, Guillem was very good today, by the way. He wanted to do a little bit more of a celebration on the goals, but he was very sort of fist under the table. I've just got to be careful here because people are watching the cameras on us and it's like, oh, what do I do?

And we had... They were standing up, but, you know, sitting down quickly. We had Austria, didn't we, on the left of us and we had Spanish on the right of us. And the noise from the Spanish commentator was just genius. You know, Vicky Sparks was doing the comms

and the Spanish commentator whose name is. Alfredo Martinez, a legend. Yes. He was still saying gold. Go, go, go, go, go, go. It was just genius. Amazing comms, amazing comms. So Spain are going to face Portugal

in the next round after what was a, well, quite a dull first half and then an absolutely cracking second half. Croatia, in the end, losing 2-1, after they'd gone 1-0-0 up, then Ronaldo equalising with the penalty, then the sort of very badly received

him being taken off in the 81st minute when it was 1-0. That proving to be potentially a good decision when they get the 93rd minute goal. Unbelievable ball in from Raphael Liao, by the way. And then at the end, and this is the thing, I think we have to talk about first.

It looks like Croatia has scored, and we go to this snickometer thing to demonstrate that the ball has maybe grazed a hair of the Croatia player, meaning that the other guy, the other Croatia player, is offside. I don't like it. I get that to the absolute sort of letter of the law and with the technology, they're saying, well, he has touched it,

but the flight of the ball isn't affected. the spin of the ball isn't affected like he would not feel that he has made contact with that ball deal obviously for you it wouldn't have been a problem because it would just yeah we're straight pass but but with

but if it grazes your it's a goal Rick it's a goal if it grazes your hair it's a goal it's stupid it's a goal okay so so what's the rule then what will be the rule for you

so that's the thing it's I accept that there are going to be sort of these edge cases and you have to draw the line somewhere. But it just doesn't feel like in the spirit of it. Like that guy has not in any meaningful way made contact with the ball. We're going to a deeper thing. What is technology doing in football?

But it's too late for that. You know, once we introduced it and VR and everything else and there's semi-automatic automatic offside. The thing is Oguyen, if he'd actually headed the ball on the to the goal scorer and the ball had deviated. That's the thing. It's a complete lack of deviation. There's no deviation in the ball at all.

The ball comes from the foot of the cross into the person that scored and there's no deviation at all. And if you watch this back, just watch the ball. The ball spins, doesn't move. Well, and then it comes off a Portugal head. Correct. So you want the technology to show that it doesn't deviate the ball when he heads it and then you'll be happy.

So you want the technology to be used for something else. I'd be happy. Because the human eye, probably that. Human eye, like, it just not see it.

No. You can't see it, but you can't see that nothing happens to the flight of the ball, I think. Now I'm with you. I'm with you,

I agree. I've looked at it. And I only look at the ball. I don't look at the player. I look at the ball. As it moved, has the rotation changed and the answer is no.

Yeah, but that's a, rules of the, yeah. No, I know, the game. I get it. It teaches it. a little bit or a lot

and the guys offside the guys off side yeah yeah you just don't like it because we like Croatia's 4 million people playing an amazing football they were better in the second now

it just doesn't feel fair but you know that probably is part of it but it's not the whole thing I think whoever it was even it was a team that I hated I would still think that that seems very very harsh all I'm looking at is

when the ball's kicked on side and the ball and the flight is not deviated at all. Does it matter who's playing? That is definitely a goal. You're not having it. Are you here? No, because if you're going to change the rules depending on what you fell about that game, imagine.

Rick, Rick, Rick, what's the rule this week? You know, this team actually looks like fairly. What do we do? If it works for me and Rick, then it's allowed. But is it, would it be better then to have it, that you have, and presumably we probably do have the technology, that tells you whether the ball has deviated. I'm not sure we have that technology, but don't worry.

But what we're doing is we're trying to, it's like technology on top of technology. As a centre of fall, the centre half, I miss chances, I made mistakes. You've got to allow officials to make mistakes sometimes. And you know,

for me the whole thing about technology is that he was introduced partly to correct mistakes. The linesman on the last World Cup got it right 97 and a half percent of the time for off-sides do we really need a technology for the other two and a half percent

I don't think we do and then you start taking off and it goes back to a lot of debate if actually that goal we didn't have the technology that goal would have been given or not given it would have made us talk but not about the machine but about you know

the human who took the decision how it affected the teams If we didn't have technology, it's done, isn't it? It's done, isn't it? The decision is done whether the referee gets it right or the assistant gets it wrong. It doesn't matter what happens. You kind of accept that it is or it doesn't. No, you don't matter.

Correct. No, but it's always that we are more, like we have the argument for sure, but we are more forgiving, I think, of human error. Correct, I agree. Because we understand it than the same machine error. Players make mistakes. as well. Missed Jantz,

get things wrong. So, you know, you got to accept. Coddies and send it to a FIFA. We've got to get rid of technology. I'm going to call him Vantino. Sadly,

probably the last time we'll see Luca Modrich in a World Cup. Yeah. Because they're all sort of... Exactly. Genius. Genius. I mean,

come on. Come on. True. Carver. Absolute genius. Genius. Genius. He did.

As I was watching it, and he looked. like he was quite warm. I was thinking he does look quite old. Still, he was there until the end. Intervening, affecting the game. I think it was a hard season for him at at AC Milan and he had injuries as well. And he was invited actually to join

an Italian manager. I can't remember exactly who he was. To be Real Madrid next manager. Him as an assistant. And he considered it. Allegri. Allegri was. So somebody wanted to put that together. Modrich and Alec, going to Real Madrid and then Jose Morino came and it's like, no. And Joseph is looking for

a number two who has been at Real Madrid before. So there was Pepe, there was Cadira, let's see who it is. Modrich will end up at Real Madrid as soon as he retires and I wouldn't be surprised if he retired this summer. So we'll love to see. The one who

needs, who has one more game is Christiano. Why don't we get game on all the time because his knowledge is mental. I mean, you know. Mental. This is such a big upgrade on Lloyd. On everybody. Crucially on Lloyd.

I'm trying to think what I'm missing about Lloyd. And I'm drawing an absolute blank. Yeah. Yeah, Ronaldo, he is going to play another game now. And people were disappointed when he came off. But I think realistically, you have to try and preserve what legacy's got left. for another game don't you roberto's replaced him that is you know a big step with the need to score which is the excuse that he's reberto's used all this time to keep him and he was shaking his

head wasn't he coming off he was shaking he wasn't happy he wasn't totally happy but then we're expected to be happy were we the player that comes on uh gonzalo ramos is the one who actually scores the the winning goal and uh i think ronaldo did that thing they don't forget did Do they? Since the time of David Beckham, the players don't forget there are cameras. You know, David Beckham used to, when there was a goal scorer, one of the Galactical scoring, he'll make sure that there'll be a moment where he'll, to celebrate one of the goals, him and the goal scorer and the Galactico together. There's always a picture of him and Zidand.

Him and Roberto Carlos. And I think Ronaldo went at the end to Gonzalo. You got my approval. Just to make sure. You got my approval. Guillaume, is there a, fear is the wrong word, but are Spain thinking, how do we get over this next game against Portugal?

Or is there a, if we play how we can, we'll be okay? I think it's about Spain doing the Spain thing. But remember that we lost against Portugal, the National's League final. And that was the last time we met. So generally, we're ahead of them. It looks like, apart from the first 15, 20, the minutes of the game in which Portugal were outstanding.

The best Portugal we've seen in the tournament but lasted that bit. They are very good competitors. Having Christiano Ronaldo, I think it does work against them in a way. But they have alternatives on the bench and it will be a very, very tight game, I think. Maybe, but I think they probably got away with one against Croatia.

Like an age in Croatia. That's the fact of it. I don't think explain it or go into that. With any panic at all, any fear? No. I think Spain, having said it, and we've all said it, that, you know, they've got gears to go through. They won today, not at a canter. That's rude to Austria, but they just knew they were good enough.

They knew that the way they played was more than enough. I was so impressed. Possibly the team I've been most impressed with is Spain because of their hard work without the ball. They work, they work, they work, they work, they get the ball back, they calm. And they pass and they pass. They go back if they have to go back, but they don't want to go back, and they don't want to go sideways.

They want to go forwards. So they wait for the right moment, and then they go forwards, and then they all go forwards. It's great to watch. And I found out one thing working on the Messi biography is that his heart rate goes lower than most people.

Just pick that name up there for the game. I'm actually, will you pick up Messi? I'm amazed that we've made it this far through the podcast. Listen, I'm the only authorized biographer of Messi. Do you think I'm not going to say that? Do you think I'm not going to say that at some point?

But he's hard-race. You know, Lloyd spent a day with Messi. That's true in 2015. And he bangs on about it the whole time as well. One day. Yeah. Oh my God. I was the percent of at least eight commercial events with him.

I sold. I like that. I sold races. I sold phones. I sold perfumes. We sold a lot of stuff together. You and Leo. Yeah, that's right.

In fact, I won Argentina to do well, but winning it means updating the book for the seventh time. So I'm not sure I want that again. It's a commercial opportunity. But yeah, I suppose so. So you're saying about his heart rate. The heart rate is slower than most in the most tension. Do you know that because you've had your ear at his chest? No, because we are.

Listen, my books are two doctors, psychologists, sociologists, historians. And yeah, they told me that. So by having the rates at a slower rate, you are able to take better decisions because you come at the moment, in that moment when you've got the ball in the penalty sport and I guess that your thought might be a little bit like that. Well, any of us, apart from you, of course, Tegan,

we just get the ball there and say, what do I do? It's like, oh, right, like the whole world goes slow into the head. And it's like, I think I'm going to put it there. And you're talking about Messi as well. Messi, you know, we all watch Messi, we love Messi, and he just walks. He just walks around. What was the percentage of him walking services? So he covers about 6.6 kilometers per game, out of which 62% is walking, which means that

he will be in the next World Cup, because you raise 62% or 63% to 75% and still will make it. By the way, walking 62% of that 6. something kilometers is the best goal in the World Cup, Best goal is scoring the MLS for two years. Best goal is scoring the qualifiers. So he still got it. I tell you, I want somebody that needed to take about five breaths in thinking, I cannot miss this penalty. Christiano.

I've never seen him like that. It's like history, history is going to be made. It's my last game. Otherwise, it will be done to me. I cannot finish the story like that. So I was happy that he scored. Really? Yeah.

We're good. Yeah, we want a bit more of Christiano. Yeah, we do. Absolutely. One more game. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is that all you're allowing him? One more.

Dion, you're going to be with us for the next couple of days. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Lloyd is away in Vegas. Yes, sir. In Vegas? He's in Vegas. Is he?

I'm marrying. No idea if he's going to come back. How come I didn't get that gig? Well, I don't need to do. I don't think he's a gig per se. I don't think he's working. Okay, okay. Even better.

Yeah. Fair play to you. Yeah, I'm always a play. Roger, thank you for joining us. My pleasure. Dion. Always. Thank you very much.

Kiem, legend, sir. I'll see you at Cocktails and Jazz. The commentary's coming up for you on Five Live Sport later today are Australia, Egypt from 7, Argentina, Cape Verdi from 11. Come on, Cape Verde. And Columbia, Ghana from 2.30 a.m. To get new episodes of the Football Daily as soon as they drop, make sure you are subscribed on BBC Sounds.

Messi. Hey, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8. He wants to cover over the two reading. Bye. I mean, if anyone else was doing that, I know it was a joke with GM. You're like, hold on a minute, what's he doing? Subscribe on BBC sets and you know all the rest.

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