Football Daily - World Cup: Rick & Lloyd Best Bits

Episode Date: July 4, 2026

We're now more than half way through the World Cup and Rick Edwards and Lloyd Griffith have quite rightly earned themselves a day off, so here's a chance to listen back to some of their best moments on the podcast so far. TIMECODES: 0'27 - Lloyd's opening question in the BBC's first interview with an England player 4'40 - Rick & Lloyd on a tandem bike 8'37 - Steve Bracknall's appearance England v Croatia 13'42 - Ronaldo Humble Pie

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the score lines. More than the score from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. All daily podcasts at the People World Cup 2026 with Rick Edwards and Lloyd Griffith. Hello, Rick Edwards

here without Lloyd, which I have to say is a blessing. We have had a lot of fun over the last few weeks, though, and given that Lloyd is away. I thought we've put together a few of our favourite bits of the tournament so far. And where else to start other than when Lloyd, in the BBC's first interview with an England player, decide to ask Jordan Pickford. How long have you been in Dallas so far? We're in Kansas, man.

How have you been in Kansas? That's a great question. I was just seeing if you're paying attention and you know what fair play to you. You haven't put me to sleep yet. So it's well known that you're in canvas on camp there. Lots of floor in this, are we? Oh, my. He's had you on toast here.

You're having yourself on toast. We can edit this, I'm sure. We're not going to edit any of this. No, put this straight. So you're in Kansas. Keep going, Jordan. No, no. No, no.

So you're in Kansas at the moment. How long have you been in Kansas for, Jordan? Oh, God. There's been a lot of talk, Jordan, about the heat and the heat and the hydration brakes have been introduced. How is a lad from Sunderland dealing with these temperatures? It's been good. Like the heat and that, it's not really not getting you out of breath.

It's more than probably, you're sweating more, more for me. But now I've adapted well. You know, I had a little family holiday and went to the Caribbean. And so got acclimatized early and got out on the golf course over there on the morning. So that was a good little touch then, trading hard in Miami. You know, that was the main point. of it so we get used to the climate early and I feel fine I feel mint who's the who's the sweatiest in the squad Lloyd thank you you got a late

call up boy yeah well yeah no I mean if you need me if you need me I'm not a I'm not really watching how much lad sweat to be honest with you hey each the room each the room look I you might not be noticing how much the lad's where I notice quite a lot of things I watch a lot of the training videos a lot of the I watch a lot of the goalkeeping training videos I absolutely live and breathe them I love them what I have noticed and even now your hair it's quite like naturally like scraggly like no gel in it and then when you go for the games you stick gel in it and it's proper slick back even for the photo shoots can I ask what's

what's the reasoning behind that like why is it slick back for the games but like quite ownatural in interviews and training for games probably just like a game face isn't it bit of superstition and in training probably I would talk don't really do me buying it every day. So, yeah, it's probably more game face and just ready for it and ready for action, really. I think you look fantastic. I mean, natural, I just want to put it out there.

Yeah, this has ended up slightly flirting, and I thought it was going to. It's definitely not. Yeah, no, it's one way. No, it's fine, but we'll let it that way out. There's been a lot of conversation about the stuff that you guys had nicked. I think, mercifully, most of it has been returned.

And I have to ask, whose was the Lego? I think it was Jason from Nike. I think Jay's got a lot of stuff sent over, you know, for lads to do when they're bored. And I heard I got a couple of pairs of boots, but I got them back, so that was good. You're not into Lego? Are you?

I'm not. I'm not. No, I'm not either. No, no, no, I'm not. No, no. Not at all. Not at all. Jordan, good luck with it all. Nice chatting team.

Cheers guys, thank you. Appreciate it. Cheers, nice. Take it. Yeah, enjoy yourself in Canvas. I thought we're in Dallas. Oh, just leave it out. And reply to my messages, reply to my message, Jordan. Don't reply to me messages on Instagram. Well, I'm going to ask you something here, and I want an honest answer.

Are you pleased with how that went? Absolutely. And I'm going to give you some context. That is the first interview that the BBC have had with an England player at this World Cup. And I think that's beautiful because I don't think you're ever going to get a footballer

from the England squad saying to anyone else this tournament isn't that a flaw. So I think, look, we're getting stuff that other... We're definitely getting stuff that other people wouldn't have done.

Yeah, so I think... That's not necessarily a good thing. This is an exclusive. We're getting insights that, no offence, none of the other team can get. So I am really happy with how that went.

I just wanted to mention that we went And I had lovely lunch with producer Jonathan. And then we went for a little mooch around some shops nearby. And then when it was time to come home and watch the Iran-New Zealand game, we were obviously looking for some electric bikes, which we call hogs, which is our sort of favoured mode of transport while we're here. And we realise that some of these hogs will actually take two.

So you can have one person on the front and one gripping from behind. And I said, well, we need to both hop on here. and you were absolutely categorically against it. And it was a bit of back and forth and you were really resistant. And in the end, you relented and we rode together all the way back to the apartment. And I'm not exaggerating when I say,

it's the best thing we've done since we've been. So I want you to publicly apologize for moaning and questioning when I was right and it was fantastic. Is anything I've said there unfair? Well, no. Yes, because... Oh, go on.

Well, I was a bit apprehensive because, you know, we're riding on L.A. roads here. And I've ridden... I've ridden a bike on my own. Absolutely. But I haven't... We've done it the whole time. We've done it the whole time, but I haven't ridden with anyone on the back before. I'll accept.

It was snug. It was very snub. It felt like we were in the Winter Olympics in one of those toboggons. The thing is, I would have loved maybe five minutes in an empty car park, just to kind of go around, get myself used to... Get on the freeway. See you, salute. And it was very...

No one saluted. No body saluted. It was really good fun. I quite like the fact that... We'll do it again. We will see what happens. We will do it again. There was a moment where you really did grip on and I felt like I was in a massive...

Well, that was when we were trying across the... Yeah, quite a big road. It was quite a large road and even Jonathan on his own was like, oh, crak it. This is quite precarious. And then there's us two with, I think, a combined weight of 33 stone, I think we realized. Yeah, that's right. It was really struggling to accelerate. The Hulk was...

I think... If there's a situation where we need to get back from somewhere and there is only one hog, okay? We can do it. Fine. But there were multiple hogs around, which we could have got on. And you decided, no, we're going to recreate Titanic, but in LA, but on a hog. And I was right, so we actually just, because it is the way we get around, we just arrived on separate hogs. And I wonder if you just wanted to share what your app said immediately you got off.

There are some things I think that maybe we shouldn't share on the podcast. I think it's quite nice. Well, basically there's two types of hogs, as mentioned. There's one where it's just for one person, then there's one for two. As I got, that's not helped. As we got off, Yoder King's head. The app said, is there a second person on the bike? He's like, even producing the Lizzie just put a hand over her mouth there.

The saddest thing to read. Oh, is someone else on there? No, no, no. just me but I think it's because I've been going to I've been going to Gold's gym and muscle is heavier than fat

yeah you're packing on the muscle yeah so I'm packing on the muscle so I also do think it is because at one point as a little bit of joke I ferried my bottom towards the back end to kind of look like I was behind you I did wonder what you were doing and I just thought oh that looked quite like I'm on a Harley

but essentially it is an obese man on a hog it didn't look cool at all so you asked me what it looked like and I said you look quite squat. I mean, I think that's probably the politest way of putting it. So, look, these, to be fair, they're great ways of getting around LA. Fantastic.

You could probably do without the body shaving. I might walk tomorrow just for a little bit of, well, I guess less fat shaming from an app. And also to get me steps up. The football day at the People World Cup 2026. With Rick Edwards and Lloyd Griffith. Live from LA. Steve Racknell, Royal Oak Manager, joins us now, direct from... Good Lord, direct from his bed.

Why are you in bed? I want an answer to that question. Well, I don't know what time it is in Los Angeles, but Fort Worth, Dallas, it's getting on a bit. Are you starkers? No, no, I've got boxer shorts on, but I've got air conditioning on and it's freezing in this van. Van?

I'm very confused. Are you in a van? I've had. The greatest day of my life today, and it's ended with me laid in a double bed at back of the van. Can you remember when you went to school as a kid and they had Greek day

and your mother would wrap you up in a tablecloth and put a crown on you and said to school? I don't like that. You do actually. Certainly very regal. Toga, that's it. A toga. A toga. I knew they were a name for it.

So talk me through your day then, Steve. Greatest day of your life. Oh, for years and years. I think I came out of my mum. mum's will be mum. Yeah. Oh God. Dreaming of World Cups. I've loved football since I were, since as old as I can remember.

And today, first time in my life, I saw England play at a World Cup finals. I were crying as soon as I got in ground. I were crying when I left it. If I carry on on this call, I might cry now. Steve, can you talk us through the vibe? What is it like in Dallas, what it was like in the stadiums? Well, I've been here for the way. week and I've immersed myself

in local culture. I went horse riding, I went line dancing I had Texan barbecue really nice, really nice welcome but then last 24 hours England fans arrived and it just felt like I were in Blackpool

to be honest but Blackpool and I like Blackpool no wrong with Blackpool but I don't I've never been in Blackpool when it's 110 degrees or whatever it is over here. Are you getting a lot of attention?

A lot of people recognising you, Steve. Oh, I'll tell you who like me. Mexicans love me. I don't know why. But Mexicans, I think there's a real niche at market for a Sunday League football club, a Mexican branch at Royal Oak fan base. They seem to just really understand me.

But it's been, honestly, it's been fantastic. We had a vote this morning. Should we have a Mexican breakfast or waffles? I felt waffles were a bit too heavy for this eat. So we went for a Mexican breakfast. And then we walked to what they call Texas Live, which is a big complex opposite the stadium. And there must have been 7,000 English fans.

I think I've heard Wonderwall about 25 times today. But there's never too many times to listen to Wonderwall. You won't? I'll hear you bring on down. I've heard angels six times. I'm sick of that. Age you 20 times. There's a really beautiful walk from Texas Live across a bridge.

into the stadium, but walking into that stadium today was absolutely breathtaking. Did you, as we did, very much enjoy the commentators dancing around the fact that at one point Harry Kay made a block in the six-yard area with his nether regions? Meat and veg. Is that what happened? Did he do it with his private? He did do it with his private. He did. And the commentators were sort of saying, oh, he's taken that in.

Chest. That is not his chest. Weird chest. That's what I tell you. He wishes it where it's chest. That's a mark of the man. It is a mark of the man. And I'll bet you what?

Thomas Tuchel's got that much attention to detail. He'll be having had a cane checked out down there after again. Well, let's hope so. How are you enjoying, I know you're in your double bed now. How are you enjoying living on a bus or in a van or whatever it is? I'm missing our Nicky, my wife. She said, Steve. miss you, but she did

say to me, Steve, do you know you, we're a tan. You look a little bit like Pep Guardiola, and that cheered me up. Oh, yeah, it was great. I've got to be honest,

it's a little bit more Pierre-Louisie Kalina for me. Oh, wow. All right, I'll take that one fair enough. Steve, are you managing to do the podcast while you're out there? Someone basically dragged me to an hotel rooftop,

put a cowboy out of my head, and said, talk about Will Cut for half an hour. So there is an episode, Art, Game's Gone, the Steve Bracknell podcast, just to plug it, but we've managed to turn it around.

You always do, Steve. It's a really big sound. Hey, I'll tell you where I recorded podcast. Go on. 100 metres from where JFK got shot. I'm a culture vulture. Very interesting. It's actually, it's like talking to John Murray.

Yes. But with less clothes on. Well, look, we're going to have to discuss the Portugal result. What happened? They won 5-0 against Uzbekistan. And, well, Ronaldo scored a couple of goals. He did, yeah. He scored two goals.

And I'm just looking over some of the things that we said about Ronaldo after the first game. Should we read each other? Should we read each other? Yeah, yeah. So you said, he's a shadow of his former self. It's really sad to see. He's gone 10 games without scoring a goal at tournaments for Portugal, and you don't see it changing any time soon.

Rick said he's a pathetic little man. I didn't say that. Here's your humble pie, fellas. Oh, it's our humble pie. Thank you so much, Josh. You look lovely, by the way. Cheers, mate, thank you. Rick, you said it's a vanity selection.

Yes, I did. Well, let's get stuck into our pie. Actually, it looks fantastic. Basically, I think Ronaldo listens to the pod. You think there was a motivator, don't you? I think there was a motivator and we'll disgust the goal. Go straight on the ice cream. Well, I want a little bit of moisture.

It's moist enough as it is. It's apple-briene. Sorry to speak with my mouthful. Don't mute us. They need to hear this. Thank you, Cristiano. Thank you, Christiano. It's very nice, actually.

And apologies. That's a big spoonful of, what are you doing it? What's that? What I'm eating the humble pie. Are you going to get any of this? Sorry. If they're going to give me pay, I'm going to eat it. I've got to inhale it.

The first goal. is really well taken. It's great movement. It's a really good finish. And also it was the same kind of goal that he could have just sped humble pie all over the table. I'm so sorry, guys.

I mean, it's a podcast. I probably need to mention it. The goal that he scored today was very similar to the chances he missed. Yeah. The other game. And again, he's obviously listened to the podcast.

He's taken it on board and he's put it away. The second goal, well, look, I think almost, The free kick is my favorite that he didn't score. Because he's pulled our pants down. Not just us. He's pulled down all of the opposition pants, the goalkeeper's pants, our pants are down. Because we're all just staring at him doing the approach of the free kick doing a...

He's desperate to score another. He is desperate to. He's definitely taking it. What's Mendez doing? Oh, he's scoring. Also, just to point out for the editors, can we use Rick doing that as the thumbnail? That would be absolutely fantastic. Just Rick with his...

Why do they hate me so much? I think you've done something to them at some point. But I don't think I have. I think it's the way you speak to them. This is from yesterday where I've done, I'm just talking about Hart. I'm not going to do it again because I'm terrified. They're going to use it. But I was just doing my impression of Harlan chasing after a defender.

And they freeze frame that as the cover of this Instagram post. It was absolutely beautiful. Your face when you saw it come up on Instagram. Why have they used that? It's beautiful. And then the caption they put is, what is it? that nobody more terrified than this man it's out of order

it's absolutely not out of order but you think it's in order to the BBC sport team at home yes well don't do me doing the you know this business please well thank you but that was lovely and then the third goal

was just a fantastic finish I mean I thought he missed it we both thought he was going on oh he's oh dear that's he's rusty I mentioned it last time and then as it slowly went in both like okay Yeah, it's a good goal, that.

Very good goal. He's back. He is. We take it all back. It's good for the narrative. It's fantastic for the narrative. There were quite a few angry Ronaldo fans on that Instagram video that we popped out the other day. I think we might hear from them again, actually.

Oh, I think they're coming back. Yeah, and we're eating the pie. My favorite one was like, look at this 100 kilogram man slating Ronaldo. Yeah. That's a compliment. I was like, I'm 106. Yeah. So, fair, fair place.

I'm probably. Back up to 107. Probably heavier. So. There we go. But it was good to see him. And obviously, clearly, you know, I talked about how the team were elated when the Argentinian team were elated when Lionel Messi scored. The Portuguese team were obviously very.

Also elated. Oh, great, he scored. Yeah. Maybe you'll stop shouting. He'll be less grumpy. We'll get our old mate back. And I think he's shouted into the camera at the final whistle. I'm back.

I mean, you know, he enjoyed it. I'll tell you what, whilst we're having this party, it's great by. Rinaldo broke a record today. I mean, there's been a lot of records broken the last two or three days. Obviously, that's how records happen. You don't know, I mean, time elapses and, you know, people score more goals and stuff. He was the first to score at six World Cops.

That's not bad, is it? What, the pie or the record? The pie. The pie is fantastic. He's the first footballer to score at six World Cups, which, again, I mean, we may have given him a little bit of a chip in the last episode about Portugal, but... And we shouldn't have done. We shouldn't have done. And we take it back.

And Cristiano, I know you do listen. Thank you for subscribing and thank you for the and for putting notifications on your phone but we take it back

and keep going you're doing really well did you see this quote from him yeah do you want to read it out yep should I do the accent please do the accent

God helps those who work hard it was a difficult dark week I listened to the football daily and it felt like I'd already retired yeah he didn't say that bit

it felt like I'd already retired from football but I held on as I always do because I believe more in hard work than in football. It was difficult, I have to admit, but we're back. I mean, it does feel pointed at us. And also, every single.

I mean, everyone else. Every single thing was saying exactly the same thing. Well, it was humiliating, but that pie genuinely was delicious. I hope you enjoyed those best bits. I'll be back with Dion Dublin for a full episode tomorrow following the Canada, Morocco and France Paraguay Games. And make sure you subscribe to the Football Daily Feed on the BBC Sounds app. 23 Ballandor, France footballer is Lionel Messi.

The winner is Chrysena Ronald. This is the story of the greatest rivalry in the history of sport, a rivalry that split football into two fates for a generation. There could be no, oh, Messi and Ronaldo, are both great players. There had to be one that was better. They 100 million percent pushed each other to the next level. You know, we were the lucky ones who got to see it. I'm Steve Crossman.

This is Sporting Giants, Messi. V. Rinaldo. Listen first on BBC Sounds. 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 at 250.

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. What happened the first time the World Cup came to the US. International soccer was basically unknown to the average American sports fan. A tournament full of showbiz, star names and two missed penalties that became famous around the world. It was very, very unfortunate for both Badesi and for Bajil that they missed the penalties. That was an injustice, really. Join me, Lee James, on More Than the Score, as we step back in time to USA 94. For the stories beyond the score lines, more than the score from the BBC World Service.

Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.