The Adam Friedland Show (Cumtown) - Everybody Hates Belgium | The Beautiful Pod

Episode Date: June 24, 2026

Today’s episode with Chris Ryan and Ben Foster features Rooney, Ronaldo, God (Messi), and Haaland. Enjoy.Host: Adam FriedlandCohost: Chris RyanGuests: Ben Foster and Erlend MorchExecutive Producers: Adam Friedland, Marc Fineman, and Mason KleinWriters: Adam Friedland and Sam SerxnerProducers: Sam Serxner, Julia Cassidy, Chris WohlersEditor: Jon RoemerStudio Tech: Adam Tarin--See Adam on tour https://theadamfriedland.show/pages/tour--JOIN THE FRIEDLAND FAMILY FOUNDATION / PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION:https://www.youtube.com/@TheAdamFriedlandShow/join--Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheAdamFriedlandShow--Buy our merch: https://theadamfriedland.show/collections/new--X: https://x.com/adam_talkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadamfriedlandshowTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adamfriedlandshowclipsYouTube: Subscribe to @TheAdamFriedlandShow here:https://www.youtube.com/c/TheAdamFriedlandShowSubscribe to @TAFSClips here: https://www.youtube.com/@tafsclips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello and welcome to the Beautiful Pod. I'm Adam Friedland. You're Chris Ryan. Yeah. Has anyone said that to you? You are Chris Ryan. I just realized you're wearing a blazer. Is that because you're men and blazers official now?

You're coated by those guys? This is the first time you've looked at me since we started the show. I've worn a jacket, a nice, I've dressed for the job I want. I thought that it would start rubbing off on you and you could use those hoodies. How are we doing? How are we enjoying the cup? we're loving the cup. And the reason we're loving the cup is because the

stars have come out. Like Cristiano Ronaldo and Leonel Messi and Killian Mbapé, your three favorites? In my opinion, my three favorite players are Leonel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Killeen Boppe. But I'm a hipster.

We're going to do a lightning roundup of the matches. We're going to do some fucking amazing analysis. We have our Gaffer segment. This one is going to be really good today. And then at the end of the show, I'm going to be joined with the Faws himself. Henry Winkler. Ben Foster. Ben Foster. Okay. Well, I'm going to have to change a lot in my interview. Ben Foster, and then we're going to wrap it up. I was at Senegal Norway last night. The level, the level, I would say. You didn't like it. You did not like the quality of play.

Well, I would say that I was Yes, I was there with Two lovely Norwegian men I don't want to put it that way Why would I put it that way? I was there with my two pals that are Norwegian My one new pal who's the Zoron of Norway apparently I'm collecting Zorons

Yeah All over, yeah Next week I have a lunch with the Zoron of Israel Uh Okay Jesus Christ What am I doing? When the monster scores, it's, I can't, I can't celebrate it.

I was wearing their red thing with the cross, with a Christian cross. And, you know, I was there, you know, with them rooting against Africa. The royal family were in attendance. Apparently they have a scandal right now. The royal family of Norway. Yeah, of Norway. What's the scandal going on with the royals there? I guess the stepson did something not so good.

He's a nonce. He nonced. I don't know. Okay? So they're becoming anglophiles. It might be the fact that Holland was born in England. It's really, they're, they're really doing British stuff these days. Yeah, I got to say that Senegal were poor.

I was really excited to see them. They started three sixes, and it was just incredibly, both, you could see both teams were trying to hit the other team on the break. Yeah. And then so it's like, like, well, what, we don't want possession, right? It was just like the first 20 minutes were odd. It was kind of like, what did they say in boxing? Where they're feeling.

Yeah, they're filling each other out. They're trying to find each other's distances. They were feeling each other up. And, yeah. Yeah. No, that's actually the son of the Norwegian prime minister, I think you're talking about. The son of the prime minister, not the king. Nonst.

Stepson. Okay, we're going to break this story later on with a member of parliament and the Nathan Feud. of Norway, which apparently the government just gives you money. You can go to the government and be like, I want to be the share of Norway. Are you going to start collecting Nathan Fielders around the globe, too? Is there a Nathan Fielder in Israel? I don't know.

No, that intimidates me to think of a Jewish guy that's better at comedy. No, but, no, granted, yeah, it was like herky jerky. we had a Mendi injury Sam the producer was celebrating a little bit so loudly it's a man's life okay Sam why would you

why would you cheer for that I don't know I regretted it as soon as I did yeah yeah thank you Sam what was Matt Life like as a as a football arena I gotta say I drove there 17 hours early

and I went to the Norway fan section and I was like, it's going to take forever to get back, and I took the train back instead of getting the ride that I got, and it was pretty convenient. I have to say, from Penn Station, there's a bus to the Succas, and then you take the 4-0-5, and then you change to the 5 and the 10. Yeah, this is really good content.

Anyway, but no, I will say it wasn't as big a pain in the ass to get there as I had suspected. It's cool. It was the first ever World Cup match I'd ever been to, and it's really the anthems and the flags. I mean, it's sick. It's so sick. Have you been to a match?

I haven't. I hope I get to go to one of the knockouts. I've been really jealous of all the footage from Philly because it seems like the countries are really like showing out in Philly especially. And everybody's like gathering on the art museum steps, which is right down the street from where I grew up. So I wish I was there. The rocky, the rocky steps.

Yeah. Is that like a thing in Philly where people are like the snobs about it? they're like, oh, God, these tourists think that they're doing a thing from one of the coolest movie scenes ever. Yeah, no, we suggest that they go running through Southwest Philly, like Creed. Do you throw coins at them, perhaps? No, no, we don't throw batteries. Just as an aside, I know this has nothing to do with soccer, but my friend said he went to a strip club in, like, in Germany, and like a euro is a coin. And I was like, aren't they throw it?

So they have to, like, exchange them for paper. currency, because otherwise they'd be throwing coins at the strippers, which would be obviously terrible. Holland is fucking amazing. And the press conference afterwards where they're like, you got France coming up and he's like, yeah, we're getting smoked. They're going to kill us and they're like, they're the best, they're probably going to win the World Cup. It really made me like him. I was actively maybe a little bit, the Odegaard experience chirping a little bit until that brilliant reverse pass. ass.

Shurping what? Were you chirping? Like, get out of my club? I was like, welcome to the experience, boys. Oh, yeah. I've had 55 matches of this.

It actually hasn't been available. But yeah, apparently they're getting sick of him too, and then he had that brilliant reverse ball. Erland, our friend was like, this is going to be, like the big, the big, e-de-God game or whatever.

Yeah, and we're like, no, it's not, dude. He stinks, and then he was pretty good. Okay. It's funny watching these guys get rejuvenated. This happened with me with Macal. Alistair on Argentina, where I was like, you shaved your head, you look like, like Prime

you, clops down there on the field, dapping you up. Yeah, because they're playing against the Kurds and, like, they're playing against, like, the Canary Islands. I mean, like, what, like, that's why. These guys that we get so frustrated with are playing against, like, a Sunday league team from Blackpool or some shit. I don't know. Blackpool is a team to the World Cup.

Blackpool is in the World Cup. Right. Gianni Infantino has expanded the field to include Blackpool. That would be great if random cities got to have their own World Cup team. Apparently Blackpool is, and I'm sorry if this offends anyone, the most shit place in England. Apparently it's shit. I thought, I don't know, at least they have a pool.

Okay, we'll clean that up. Let's go through. Lightning Round of Games. Morocco, Scotland, I don't really want to talk much about it. than I want to introduce our Gaffer's segment again. Yeah, let's do it. Is Steve Clark on the hot seat, okay? So yes, and I also thought that this was an interesting example

of how sometimes somebody who can be like a beloved cult figure then immediately turns into an incredibly annoying man almost instantaneously after not getting much many goals. Yeah, well, as he said before, it's a new Steve Clark in this tournament. He's considering a 4-4-2 and letting them speak to their families. He's really letting his hair down in this tournament. For those of you who don't know, Steve Clark is the manager of Scotland.

He is a man who has never smiled. That is actually there is in the Guinness Book of World Records longest time without smiling. It's been his entire life. All right, let's keep moving. Brazil, Haiti, Vinny, is he free of the dictator? Are we seeing Vinnie and Jude? Are we seeing these guys who were once just living for them selves, you know, you know, are we seeing them out of jail a bit?

I know they're playing in teams where their positions actually make sense, whereas that last Real Madrid team was like 18 square pegs in roundhold or whatever. It's actually like the coolest thing about this tournament so far is almost every star seems to have the perfect platform to perform from. It's like the team is built to get everything out of Vinny and Jude or whoever. Yeah, I think it's, that is, it's a great point. Like, that is what's really dope about this. And I think we were mentioning this in the last episode. Everyone, that's sick that we want to see Cook, now including Rinaldo, who has,

let's just check on it. Six goals. Stupid his best. Oh, no. Borat scored 2-1. No way! Let's go! Let's fucking go!

Get in. As he's John. Gan Lev. Okay, I'm not, okay. Penaldo got to score the opener. So now all of my favorite players are playing really well. Paraguay Turkey, Chris, your dark horse turkey. I'm in tatters.

In shambles. How many shots through two games? I think it's like 58 shots. They've taken 58 shots. Well, their XG would have been good then. Who are they? Mads-Mickleson? in that movie another round?

Who are they? I thought that was Haram to take 58 shots. They're going home, Montella's getting canned. This didn't work. Sorry. I was my bad. Armenia is having a fucking cup right now, right? Turkey's in the mud, Iraq's in the mud.

The Kurds are having a fucking cup right now. Although Iran the Kurdish goalkeeper was a, or the Iranian goalkeeper was a Kurdish shepherd. He's a wall. He's amazing. He's incredible.

This has been a no-name keeper tournament. I think that is a great subplot. Eloy Room from USL-2's Miami-F-C. Which they have another one. What is it called? Fort Lauderdale FC, I think. Look it up, it's Miami. Never disrespect me in front of Chris again.

Do you know who else is? standing on his head was the Vizina from Cape Verde? He has 5 million followers now on Instagram and apparently he's followed like 2,000 women. That is a true thing.

Good for him. Good for him. If that doesn't work, just like being a hero in public like that, how dare they? He's, yeah, he's dating he's dating, he's in a love triangle right now with

Pepe and Teana Trump Okay I want to get to Pepe Let's go real quick Paraguay circuit Pathetic Just just cancel the country

Listen like I'm a Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big type Erdogan Erdogan guy Yeah I love his supermarket in L.A

I get all my Seamosses there All your suit smoothies I get the Hallie B smoothie from Taip Erdogan's supermarket. Guys, this is

Adaturk just turns in his grave. Suleiman the Magnificent literally would vomit and his boy consort would this would make them sick.

Honestly, a lot of their players do look like Suleiman the Magnificent's boy consort. Can we put that in the episode? Can we make that joke? Can we make that joke? Who are you asking? Erdogan?

I don't know. Spotify? The joke that I'm pitching right now, and leave this in if this is funny, is that I want to say that, what's his name from Rail Madrid? Arda Guler. Artaguller looks like he would have been the boy consort.

Yeah, I see. So it's sort of a Jenga Tower of a joke. If you can't make the first part, you can't make the second part, right? Yeah, yeah. And honestly, out to the Ottomans. They were the only place that tolerated Jews after the Spanish

Inquisition. Why does everything have to be Jew? Okay. Netherlands, Sweden, 5-1. Brian Brabby pre-term and shout of mine. No big deal. The boy, he looks like an RB1. Yeah. He's like, got a little sequoan neck in the neck, right?

And I miss strikers like this. I feel like, you know, this is sort of like, you usually get it in the lower third of the Premier League and then in the championship, but like the top six have kind of dropped dudes like this. Somebody should sign this guy. Arsenal should sign him. Who is that hench guy that was like in League 1? Like, you know what I'm talking about?

Look up buff man. Look up the buff man. Yeah. Aken Fenwa. Aken Fenwa. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. His, like, if you've like leveled him up in FIFA, you could like actually make him into a god. You could like have him like win you the Champions League. Where do you see this team going in this tournament? I think they are for real.

team. I think that we forgot how at the first two phases of play, they are fucking stacked and then they have serviceable dogs up front. I mean, that is a formula for a World Cup success. I'm unfamiliar

with this version of Cody Gakbo. He has not played like this in 18 months for Liverpool, it feels like. Yeah, because he's playing against Sweden. We like Sweden. No, I like Graham Potter, but now he's going three-piece suit. He's trying to do a peeky blindness thing.

Oh, he did. That's the problem. Just pull up the picture of him in the three-piece suit. I, listen, just pick a look. Pick a look, and he's sucking his thumb like a baby. Okay. Germany Ivory Coast, this is one I want to talk about more. Yeah.

I enjoyed the hell out of this match. Ivory Coast, I think, really impressed me despite losing. Obviously, there was a terrible, terrible missed opportunity. right at the end. This is like, when you watch something like that, there's those little, little moments of like, I don't know what you want to call it experience or class or whatever, where it was just like, God damn it.

If that dude just goes one time, they beat the Germans. Yeah, the winning goal, heartbreak for Ivory Coast, the turn so professional. I loved it. Who dished that in? Was it Kimmich? Who gave him the dish? That was it Flo?

It was Felix Nemetcha. Wow. obviously Felix Nemetra's beautiful brilliant line-breaking pass who could forget it I think Germany looked great but like we're going to get to France like do you think that they have enough firepower to knock them out yeah you know it was impressive about them yes I do think they have enough firepower to knock them out and I do think that I do too but I thought that the Germany Ivory Coast game was indicative of how much depth matters Irookers Irook didn't have that extra

extra wave of talent coming off the bench like Germany did. That's really what came across is depth. I mean, that's the top tier nations have just, you look at the bench and it's like city, like when when they, you were, do you

just remember playing those fucking fuckers and then you just see Mares sitting there, they'd be like, you'd be like they also have him? Yeah. It's not fair. Yeah, they have like, I mean, England, we said this when They've made their substitution. Obviously, England are playing later today.

And I think we will find out the level. I think I'm now, I convinced myself after the first England match that it's coming home. And now I've gone through the cycle where I'm like, I'm not sure maybe they peaked, like maybe the, like they had too much juice coming out of that first match and now they have to come back down to Earth. Well, yeah. And also they're on this like Vegas vacation style. They're at the Hoover Dam. and yeah, they're getting electricated.

Did you see Declan and the, like, police officer doing Yokuras out in the streets? Yeah, why would he act like that's a guy that should be his teammate next year? Okay, Japan, Tunisia, her for Nara in the mud. I'm thinking we fire him. I'm thinking he's out,

and I'm thinking Sir Alex Ferguson, one last job. Would you take Tunisia for the last group stage match? Would you, would you manage them? I would, yes. Listen, I would sit down with the boys and listen, I know that it's obnoxious as a yank for me to speak in my...

If I was with the Tunisian national team, I would sit them done. Harry should have fucked them on here. Yeah. Rod had no deal doing that. Ron should have had a gay relationship with Draco, Draco, Malfoy? No.

That would have been sick. Malfoy having been gay and repressed is good. Yeah? Yeah, that would have been. but Ron. Why? Traco's not bumming Ron that. Yeah, he is. Because Ron's ginger. He's a little bitch, you know, is that? So, yeah, I mean, that's the

point. It's like, you, listen, Herr-Vernard is coming in there. He's doing this, like, uh, he's doing this, this fucking French, like, Charles de Gaulle. It's kind of like, I'm, I'm, like, this is Paths of Glory or

something. He's yelling at these fucking poor guys. They've been through a lot, okay? They played their right back, as the he was the kit boy. They had their last, their last guy, their last manager forgot everyone's position the day before the World Cup.

I would sit them down and just talk to them about, do you think Ron would be bumming Draco, you know, you just like relate to them. Try to try to really just keep it real. Do you think Japan is actually a threat? Japan is a real team and I love them. Me too.

I love them. Yeah. I love seeing them play. Sam's Boy Sano, who's like on an early Sam's list of boys. Why would you have a list? Come on. It's like 25.

He's 25? How old are you? 26. Okay. That's inappropriate. It's not appropriate. There's a problematic age gap kind of situation there. I only rank men that are Ronaldo.

He's the only one that's older than me. I think. Okay. Adam, you know how you're like Japan's a real team and a threat? Yeah. You know who's not a real team? Who I never fucking want to watch play football ever again is Belgium. I fucking hate them. They stink.

Honestly, another Adam prediction. They are the worst, most terror. They're mad at Doku for wanting to see his childborn. Swiss are pissing me off too in this tournament. Just choose a fucking language. Okay? Like, what are you? What are you Flemish?

What do you, like just, what do you, Walloon? Okay? Right? Like, listen, they've been through a lot. They fought both World Wars basically in Belgium. That's crazy. It's crazy to think that, just, like, twice.

They were like, I had a friend actually once where I was like, can you do, like, he's a French guy. I was like, what does a Chinese accent sound like, stereotypical? And it just sounded like French to me, right? And I was like, and he's like, I was like, what about African? And it just sounded like French.

And I was like, you're not doing it. And he's like, and then he did Belgian. And he was like, it was the only, it was the only one that. He was the one who was saving any performance. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, he's like, I could do a really good Belgium. And he's like,

uh, I do, but, yeah. And it was like, wow, these people have been through a ton. If I was Doku,

I would go back home to watch literally anyone give birth, rather than play for Belgium. It didn't even have to be my wife. I would, exactly. And it would be beautiful. Okay, yeah, let's just Sam, Sam, I just saw a joke that he wrote in the notes, so let's get your big Iran joke.

Let's do it, Sam's Iran joke. I need a new manager. Just put it, can we get the image? Sam's trying out comedy. He's done writing his dossier on Burnley. Yeah, okay. No, Christopher Maltesanti. That was a really funny joke.

Let's keep going. Uruguay, Cape Verne. What a match. What a team. Cape Verne, listen, they are not products of an exp... Yes, they call them the Shah. Yeah. Yeah.

That was funny. It's funny. Yeah, he looks like the Shaw over in. Reza Polavi. You know, it was an incredibly brutal, you know, CIA. I don't know about that. I just know about Phil. Okay.

You're a guy, Cape Verde. Cape Verde, I just want to say, guys, like, if you think that they're, like, a product of an expanded field, they're not. They are a team that qualified at the top of their group. They would be in the World Cup. We're at 64 teams. Or what, not 64. How many fucking teams? 32.

32 teams. If it was a regular 32, Cape Verde. it would be in this tournament and I love to fucking watch them play. This is the Cinderella story

of the tournament. They play their asses off. They've got a really good keeper. Their fans are amazing. It's been like a deep pleasure to see these guys. Yeah. And all of his DMing

with Lisa Ann hasn't distracted from the heroic save. Marcelo Bielsa, Sam, you put this quote in here. I'm a generator of tension. When I arrive, the atmosphere

becomes tense. And that's why I appear in frequently. I am toxic. Associating with me makes you worse. That's very funny. Honestly, shout out to Sam on that. What is he? Like, he's just like, he goes to a hot topic. He like, wears Invader Zim's stuff?

I'm toxic. He hates being here. He hates this tournament. I don't think he very much likes this team. He seems miserable every time he's on camera. And this is one of my favorite managers ever. Where's their next game?

Can we rescue Marcel Bielsa and make him just chill, live in our Hollywood Hills house with the Scottish guy? Yeah, seriously. I think that's the fourth. He could be a drama. Yeah, no, he could be a turtle. He's like, yeah, tell us about Viking Quest. Tell us about his days with the Chilean national team.

Coaching C. Chessia. Yeah, ask him about the guy that had the Jordan Jumpman neck tattoo. Who's that guy? Gary Medell. Oh, Gary Medell. was an absolute pit bull. He was great. Yeah. And they had Arturo Vidal asking what that guy's deal is like. Does he actually think that that look was good? Yeah. Yeah, he, I guess he has to sit on this blue bucket, right? That is his, yeah. He says it's the best view.

And honestly, if you're watching football, that's one of the worst views. Yeah. I can understand like being an offensive coordinator like up high seeing the formations for sure but like uh sam okay you just deleted you got embarrassed okay sam had sam victory lap on maxi arahuo uh wait did you say that on the show i uh i saw a video of bielsa's sitting with arrahu like where he was like this guy's mediocre and i didn't i didn't pick him he was given to me but i couldn't tell if that was fake or not that's just how we talk Yeah. Yeah.

It is kind of how he talks. And that's why they miss him in leads. This is how Adam feels about doing the show with me. He's like, I didn't pick this guy. Yeah. No, you say that about me? No, that's what you say about me, you know? No, I would never say that about you.

Well, listen, sometimes an arranged marriage can result in love that blossoms for 40 years. And we can announce our Premier League podcast, the beautiful pod prep, yeah. which we are doing every single day throughout the rest of the transfer window throughout the rest of the summer five days a week here we goes we're going to get Fabrizios we're going to be listen

this is this is how I met your mother okay guys Egypt New Zealand don't really care your boy Mo had a moment that's nice That was dope he then partied with the crowd out in the streets it was awesome What was it like rooting for that guy On your team he's truly he is a beautiful person

I love him. And the problem was, I really want to get into Belgium. I forgot this. The Belgium is Turkey is infecting, yes, I want to go back to Belgium. Turkey is infecting the entire world of football. Because any time when Salah got the hair plugs, he started to suck. Can we agree? You're starting to sound like Joey Barton, who was saying that Kevin DeBroin sucked because of his veneers.

Yes. And I would like to play that. clip and I think that there is something to this and I think that Turkey is just infesting everyone with these teeth and these hair arguably the best best player in the Premier League but

got the teeth done, got the teary teeth in, fucking big mad quiff going on and as is normal when you get them teeth done for any young players out there who come into a few shilling, when you get your teeth done all right, your body

compensates for your mouth. You sleep, you run, your body compensate for your mouth. You get the teeth done. As soon as you get your teeth done, it realigns your bite. Once you realign your bite, that starts to offset your spine and your spinal column and your spinal cord. And before you know it, a domino, like a domino's bit, bit, bit, bit, boom, chain reaction goes down your spine into your soft tissue before you know it, body starts coming apart. Kevin de Bruiner's problem at Manchester City was getting his fucking teeth done. Every player I see get the teeth. done within a short period of time soft tissue injury starts out it has nothing to do with

pep making them sprint for seven yards at a point like 100,000 times he's right he's too bad he's a racist gunbag because it would be funny to put him on the pit next season and have him just coming into people's emergency room stalls me it's your fucking teeth can you imagine what it would be like to be fouled by him joey barton yeah like outside of a pub or on the football pitch no in front of everyone. I mean, not quite Duncan Ferguson, but like, it would hurt. I'd be like, hey, man,

come on. I know we're wearing different shirts, but, like, we're wearing different costumes, but you don't have to hurt me so much. Let's talk about Messi. Siempre Mezi. Siempre Leo. Argentina, 2, Austria, NIL. Let's get to it real quick,

and then we got to go. The real question is, does the miss penalty affect his life? legacy, I think. No. Okay. I do feel like I've seen him. Is he like a, is he a good penalty taker?

No. He's a, in fact, I've crunched the numbers. You know, if you want to show the graphic, yes, Penaldo is at 84%. Messy is at 78%. Does this, are we ignoring something big here? Yeah, no, I think he does. It makes me rethink all, all of my priors.

but perhaps there is someone else that needs to enter the goat conversation slide Victor Giocharest 93% 40 for 43 did he take one against PSG yes and he scored buried it he doesn't miss

honestly he is the worst striker in human history other than this one thing that he does the best in the world he's incredible at penalties the other the other best penalty take around I've ever seen is Ainsley, Maitland Niles. I wish we had a clip of it. Listen, I don't care if we keep bringing it up.

What we're seeing, the main thing we're going to remember about this World Cup, I mean, I don't think necessarily that Rinaldo's legacy is affected by this right now, either. Right? But the main thing that we're going to remember about this World Cup is that beyond the winner, maybe even more than the winner, is that this is the end of these two people's stories. I'm going to talk to Ben Foster after this, but who's with him at United, everyone that plays with him says he says that he's a great teammate, for the most part. We don't know anything.

Like most of these guys are friends, yeah. Yeah, not Bruno, but he would die for his guys. Apparently before Ben Foster had a penalty shootout, he's like, this is your moment. Like, he jeeted him up. But the thing is, is like, does he, does Ronaldo realize that he could easily just come on at 75? give a 15-minute cameo every match and ride a very good team deep into this tournament

and potentially have a shot at a World Cup. That is, that's my main question. He would also be a folk hero if he did that. People would be like, this is incredible. If you turned into like late period, Henrik Larsen or something? Well, no. Well, oh, they disallowed fuck.

They disallowed Borat's goal and Ronaldo has two. Okay. I knew this was going to happen. I knew, we knew this was going to happen. Harry Kane's going to like break his leg. England's going to go home. Penaldo is going to go nuts.

Penaldo is going to get the group stage merchant is back in the group. He's playing Borat. Yes. Let's let's wrap it up here. I think let's, what were your takeaways from the messy, the messy goals? That, uh, Argentina is like now actually like a real like back-to-back threat for me. And that like the way that they're playing, feels like incredibly connected

and that they left goals on the table that match. So I'm like, I still feel like their best football is to come and they've been among the more impressive teams. The first goal was just vintage. Straight Barsa.

It was vintage Barsa. It was so cool. Honestly, it was like the Kobe 60 point game. It was like our friend, we didn't think we'd see our friend again. But like he's doing it now. He's done it five times. Like the, the, the,

the, the, the, The rebound, the second goal from the first match, was just like a vintage, like, predatory, like him knowing the future, knowing where the ball would ricochet. The third goal, or the second goal yesterday, was just like he's still so, he's not fast, but he's quick, you know?

And, like, he's still, it's so innate within him. Doesn't matter how fast he is if he's always in the right place. is he still the best player in the world he might be he might be fucking is yeah I think honestly I watch it and I'm like this is still the best player in the world

it's Shohei but I guess show hey pitches he's the best Messi's the best baseball player in the world let's get to Ben that was a lightning round of games Chris we're looking forward to England

today and it's going to be a We know that. Saka's going to just his Achilles is going to explode and he's going to hit two free throws and then he's going to take Percocets and write a Facebook post. Where he's like, God damn it. I'm so fucking pissed off right now. All right. Thanks a lot, pardon. See you. Yes, yes. Backmartin. Backm. Visit BetMGM Casino and check out the newest exclusive. The price is right for. and pick. BetMGM and GameSense remind you to play responsibly.

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thank you for joining me. Absolute pleasure. Lovely to be here. Yeah, yeah. He has no idea who I am. I am the foremost expert on footie in America, in fact. I'm the Ted Lassow of, uh, well, I wouldn't say that. I'm actually funny.

What is this called? What's the name of the podcast? What is it? I'm doing the World Cup coverage for the ringer. So I'm doing, yeah. Yeah, so for Bill Simmons. So it's called The Beautiful Pod. Yeah, I'm Adam Friedland.

I'm a comedian. I'll send you on some stuff before. I like it. You're like that weird, sort of like awkward comedian. It's good. I like it. Oh, yeah. I would say incredibly, just brilliant, fascinating.

Thanks for joining us. I know you have to get back because you're your old mate from Old Trafford. He's doing the. in Tata right now. He scored two against Borat. Like, people are writing him off. See, there you go. He can always score goals. People, I think

you, his stauncher supporter, perhaps, may have said that he should get benched. I think after the last game, then he had a good chance of it, to be fair, but I think the manager might have been a little bit, what's the word, strong arms. He didn't get much saying

that he's playing regardless, all right? Yeah, what is the, what's the kind of the consensus on Roberto Martinez? He just, he just wants to be like, what do you guys doing after the game? Like, do you guys want to hang out? Great ads, Ronaldo, great quads, great, yeah, great belts. Yeah, I think he's like that with Ronaldo, isn't it? I think Ronaldo does the team talk, the halftime team talk, the water break team talks. And he tells Robert and Martin has where to stand as well.

Yeah, Carlos Kiroz takes training. So you obviously You were in the World Cup in 2014 That was the Roy year, correct? Yes, Roy Hutchin, yeah He's managed you a couple times, if I'm not mistaken? Three times, actually. West Brom, England, and Watford.

What was he like? Memories of Roy. He's like a bit of a granddad father figure. He's the loveliest man. Actually, you know what, he's lovely. but in a football setting if somebody does or says or acts a way that's probably

a bit unprofessional oh my God he had a filthy filthy snapping in and he would give it to you and he would not beat about the bush and he would not hold his words and he would be horrible but he needed to but I liked it as well did he ever did he ever chew you out like did you ever

were you ever a victim of the or a target no it's usually somebody who was being a little bit unprofessional so basically he's just being sloppy, not working out enough. If he's doing a team talk, they were talking and mumbling.

That was one of his big pet peeves. If he was doing a bit of a team talk, if it was like on the side of the pitch. Who's mumbling? No, if, say if the manager, say if Roy was doing a team talk, it could have been outside of a training pitch, it could have been in the change.

And you have a couple players sort of sat next to each other, just sort of mumbling away to each other, still talking. Oh, my God, honestly. I just remember watching and thinking he's going to go in minute. He's going to go in a minute. And then all of a sudden he would turn and snap in front of

the whole team, 30 men, and he would absolutely snap at him and give it to him. So I always knew not to do silly things. What's different about the England camp now than what you remember 2014? You guys didn't qualify. Is that correct? Yeah, we didn't qualify. We lost our first two group games against Italy and Uruguay and then the Fidel game against Costa Rica. We were already out, so it didn't really matter. But I'd say the difference, the difference now this team to what we had. We, I feel we've got one, probably a

better team as opposed to what the other nations have got. I think we played in an era where a lot of nations were top heavy, honestly, they were so good, real good teams like Uruguay and Ali. We had a group... For Lawn, right. Yeah, we had a group of Louis Suarez, we had a group of Uruguay,

Italy, and Costa Rica. And Costa Rica topped our group. Costa Rica won our group. We came bottom. So it was a World Cup full of big names and big hitters and big teams. Now, Italy isn't even in the World Cup. Italy's not even in the World Cup. The football landscape has probably changed a little bit to be fair, but we are one of the top nations now. So we go into, there's a lot of expectation in England. There always has been. We've always had, if we don't get past like the quarters or semi, then it's like the world has ended in England,

honestly. So nothing's changed really in that respect. But we are doing a lot better in tournaments. now I think I last three tournaments we've done final, semi-final final so it's not bad to be fair, is it? Yeah. Yeah. You mentioned Italy. Do you worry that they're in Ibiza

right now, chirping, like, chatting your birds? Like, because you guys have to, they have to be here playing football. Yeah, and all the Italian guys, like, I don't know, Califiori might be picking up some, okay, anyway.

in England they say chirpsin chirpsin they do yeah it means chatting to about giving some wrist to the girl that's what the kid's saying now does everyone gets to be on holiday except for Harry McGuire who somehow

he's in Times Square the other day selling a Panini stickers I think yeah he's ready to go he's got his kit with him he's got his molded studs you know you said at the beginning you said that you know your football you're like really big into your football

I've got um if you want I could give you a load of English football sayings if you want and see if you know what they actually mean. I know all of them probably already. You sure? Around any of the ones I don't know. Okay. Continue? Let's go.

Do you want me to give you some? Yes. Okay, then he's had a Reggie blinker. Okay, so it's a stinker. Fuck. I might as try it. Sorry. Very good. You can swear, you could fucking cuss. Yeah, well, it's a cockney rhyme scheme, right?

Yeah, very, very good. You're my china plate, mate. Well done. Well done. He's got a 50p head. It means it's, he's dead. No. No, he's, he's, he's red. Fergie? Fergie, Fergie's got a 50p head. I'll tell you, you know, in it. Wait, wait, let me guess.

That's cheating. He's dumb. He's, he's half a, yeah, he's half a pound sterling. No, right, I'll tell you. Okay, so the 50p coin in England is kind of, it's like, what, like octagon? shaped or something. Yeah. And if you've got a 50 pared, it means you're trying to head it there, but you headed it there. Yeah.

You're trying to score, but it's gone over there. Yeah, yeah. You have a head like a stop sign. Yeah, like a stop sign, yeah. What is the beans on toast? He's hit the beans on toast. He just, he hit the post.

Yes, well done. Well done. Yeah. Do you want me to keep going? No. Well, I have, I've hard-hitting questions for you. about... No, keep going

I mean, we can... No, I mean, it's you're the guest. We could do anything. Right. If I said, he couldn't trap a bag of cement. What would that mean? That he's... He's Harry McGuire.

You know that the Arabic announcer that calls him, like, Virgil van Maguire, like, Uphamaguay. The guy who just has it out for... The guy on, like, be in sports, like, they... I kind of want to see if he's working the World Cup and just listen to him.

Because we don't have Ray Hudson anymore, so it's kind of like he was the always the best to listen to. Speaking of Hudson, you played, you were at Old Trafford famously with Cristiano Ronaldo. What you did by saying he should be benched is you motivated him. I think that that was some, that was like old school, very allerdician of you. but I guess what do you make of like there's this story that I've watched for 20 years and now we're seeing it kind of Ronaldo says he wants to play in the next World Cup

we're seeing this being the conclusion of it we're seeing Leo be perhaps is he still the best player in the world I mean I ask myself that every I ask myself that every time I see him play it's insane. And then we're seeing Cristiano, who, granted, to his credit,

I was saying this earlier, he could just be coming on at 75, making cameos, and then riding a very good team, very deep into the tournament, right? And instead, he wants to be the main man. Like,

what do you make of, like, as someone that knows Cristiano Ronaldo has praised his work ethic, and, you know, and I think you liked him. He was a good bloke. Good lad.

Yeah, good guy. Yeah. What do you make of the story of, you know, these two men right now? Pause. Yeah, I like the, there's always obviously that the conversation of who's best, Messi, Ronaldo. But I think even in this Wilcoop here, you're starting to see, like, the real emergence of all the other big voices.

It's very bad Harlan scoring goals for fun and Embaffe scoring goals for fun. I think if you're going to be the main striker for your nation, a big nation, top nation, you've got to be able to run around very, very hard for 95. 100 minutes. You've got to be able to put a real shift in for your team. I think that's probably just the bit that's missing a little bit from Ronaldo. Now he's not going to be the type. He never really has, really, but he's not going to be the type to chase back and defend

and help his other team makes out. But in fairness to him, we scored two today against us, Becky's done. So Ronaldo's back, baby. He'll score your goals. I guess the question is, is like, from knowing Ronaldo, like, do you think, maybe I'm speculating here because obviously people think they know these guys. Messi seems to be a guy that just likes hanging out with his family. Cristiano Ronaldo seems like a, like they've clearly motivated one another to achieve the greatness. That's why we're also lucky to have watched this.

But like, do you think that they're, I mean, one thing that I have floating around in my mind is like, is there a fear in him of what comes after the one thing you do your whole life, which is banging it in the back of the net, you know? And granted, can you relate to that as someone that, you know, let it into the back of the net? I'm sorry, why did I say that? It's rude of me. The League Cup final 2011.

How dare you? I'd say, Bernardo is a slightly different character to a lot of people. Yeah, he very much has dedicated his whole life and his craft, to his craft, sorry, to be in the, utmost professional, you know, 3% body fat and a lot of people just aren't built like that. Like, I couldn't think of anything worse

of trying to be 2% body fat. Like, you wouldn't be able to have a beer, you can't have a burger, you can't. We went through a Chinese place for crispy duck last night, and it was phenomenal. Do you know what I mean? Like, he doesn't do that. He doesn't get to enjoy those little luxuries of life. Maybe he does get to... Maybe text him a picture of the duck. I'll put it on my

Instagram, he can follow me and have a look at the stories if he wants. But, yeah. But you could text it to Ronaldo. Do you have his number also? I don't know Bernardo's number no. I don't know Bernardo's number, no. I'm just kidding. I think if I followed him as well, I don't think he'd see it. I think he'd get lost amongst his. How many young goods? He's the most famous person in the world also.

It's like half a billion Instagram followers, isn't it? Yeah. I think it is. Continue. So like, so his life is regimented in this way. Like, do you think that there's a consideration in him that like, what do I do after this shit? I mean, like, like, uh,

I don't think Messi knows that he's going to retire. Like, I think Messi's just like I'm going to my job and I'm, you know, just like I have to score the goals. He hates talking about being the best ever, right? And it's nice that he got a World Cup at the last one because he's so relaxed now. And the press conferences, Messi's like, I'm fucking tired. But, but, yeah, I mean, like, what do you make of, like, knowing Cristiano's seeing that process and, like, just speculating, like, where is his head at right now? you know, like, what's he going to do after football, do you mean? I'd say it's probably...

Or do you think he's afraid? Yeah, maybe. You know what? It'd be really good if somebody could ask him and get an honest answer out of him. I don't think you'd ever get an honest answer. We'd give you the top line professional answer of what everybody wants to hear. Whereas if you ask that to Nessie, we'd be like, man, maybe, like, I don't know, I've really thought about it, to be honestly.

He loves his family. And even when that day does come, he'll be absolutely fine because he's got that support network around him. He's got his family. He's got his friends. and it seems like that is the most important thing in his world. Ronaldo still, I'd say he's a very good sort of father. I think he always seen as Instagram for his family.

He obviously loves his family an awful lot. But he dedicates, I'd say, a lot more of his time to perfecting his craft and being the best he possibly can be for as long as he can be. Question for you. When you were at United, Rooney obviously came after Ronaldo was there, right? Yeah. No, that was at the same time, yeah. But yeah, but yeah. But yeah, Rune came from Everton, I think, a year or two after. I think Rinaldo came in 2004, maybe. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was there, was that, like, did they, was that a precursor to the messy Rinaldo thing? Like, obviously, we all remember the wink in the World Cup, you know, like, how did, did that, did that, did that bleed into the culture of the locker room with those two men, like, did that? Like, did that, like, did that? Did that bleed into the culture of the locker room? with those two men like competitive with one another or yeah that's the way of Rooney is um Rooney is like a different beast to any of these guys.

Rooney has got the nastiest side of football to him ever. The reason why Rooney was so good at football was because he was a filthy winner like a filthy dirty nasty winner where everything everything he he did was aggressive based but he was an incredible footballer to boot with it. He wouldn't have been as good as a footballer if he didn't have the aggression but he didn't it was the best I've ever seen. He would always be one of the. of the first people I wanted on my team because

oh mate you'd follow up Wayne Rooney into war seriously he was a sicker absolute sicker the other players have got probably more natural ability but Wayne Rooney my goodness but again that's in an era like you're talking what 22, 2005 mate like

the nations then back then you think about some of those Brazil teams and Italian teams and French teams Dilan and Ronodino and Ronaldo and proper big boys proper big names in world football. That was probably before, like, the Ronaldo and

Messi thing really took fire, didn't it? But having two young star boys, like, both on the come-up with their, like, paternalistic character, like, Fergie, like, were there bust-ups? Like, there were, you know, like, did Fergie, how did he keep that under control?

It wasn't even a thing. It wasn't even a a question back then. I think it was easy back then to try and control players like that. But Fergie was the boss of everything. So it's not like he had to try and step in and put fires out. He had the changing room already set. They knew where everybody

stood and nobody would get too big for their station. Because they're surrounded by massive personalities as well. You know, when you're surrounded by Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville and Roy Keene, proper big, like real strong men,

none of them would have stood a chance of trying to like get above their station. Do you know what I mean? You've got no chance. Sure. Yeah. I mean, if Roy was there, I wouldn't try to go at the dad. You got no chance. You're going to get no other brother's there.

He's going to beat me, beat my ass if I do anything. Question for you. You're an England supporter, but you saw the retake in the first match. Did that hurt as a keeper? And also, what the fuck are you supposed to do if they're stutter stepping? Like, honestly, I support England because we have five Arsenal players there. You know, like, we're getting, we're English. English. It's amazing. Lord Venger would be turning in this great. As a keeper, were you like,

come on, that's bullshit. Or are you like, oh, yeah, come on. We hear we go again. Harry, let's go. That's clearly a great retake. I'd always bank on Averykane score and a penalty as well. But it's just like, you saw it in the, like, Champions League final with the penalties that they missed, the players that missed it, doing that silly stuttering, step up kind of waiting for the goalkeeper. And I think you've got to be some player to be able to execute that. Because if the goal, he calls your bluff and he just stands there and waits for you, you haven't got any pace with your runner to be able to really put it into the corner and really get some pace on the ball. So you can really wait and just, as long as you go the right way, you're saving it.

Leo Messi yesterday did the same thing, didn't he? Horrific penalty. I'm thinking, what are you doing? That's the best player in the world. and it's been proven that you shouldn't be stuttering up to penalties, just run up, well, he is out as you can, and even if the goal he goes the right way, he's got a very small chance to save it.

Unless you're Ainsley-Maitland-Niles, who somehow, I don't know, have you seen his, how he does make? Yeah, he just, he's, he's like, it's like that game where you're like, with a girl at summer camp, you're like, stop me when my finger gets here, and you're, like, going like this. And, like, yeah, the keeper's just like, just fucking kick the shit, kick the fucking ball.

And he's like, yeah, whatever. I mean, what is your mindset? Like, you guys are weird? Are keepers strange? No, we're the strange fraternity. No, we're the good ones. We're the good ones. We're...

I mean, you're getting just fucking 100-mile-an-hour missiles fired at you. You have to be a little bit crazy, no? Yeah, we're the good ones. I promise you we are. The, like, so in a soccer team, I hate saying soccer. It sounds so shit. Yeah, me too, mate. In their football team, right?

You have the goalies at the back who are the good ones. Honestly, we're cool. We're down to work. We can talk. We've got good personalities, approachable. And then you go, your defenders just in front. And defenders are normally good guys, like nice guys, down to work, no egos. And then you get into midfield, and they start to become a little bit of a ball end.

They start to be a little bit like ego. And then you get to the front lads. The ones at the top, the strikers, Jesus, egos are out of control. Honestly, they are massive time, yeah. They go to Saudi for a billion dollars to do push-ups. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I guess last point as an Arsenal supporter, we loved Rambo, top lad, great guy. Do you feel like a little bit like in that podcast you were like a little bit like,

don't, don't, just stop saying it. Just say you pay attention the whole time. Just say you pay attention. To concentrate on the game of football for 90, minutes, I'm finished. I can't do it. No, because I know what that's like. I'm exactly the same as that. Rambo is very similar to myself as a goalkeeper, as a personality. I find, what's they call it nowadays? Everybody seems to have ADHD or something anyway. And I can't sit still. I can't, I love my own

company, but I have to be doing something. So I make sure I'm either running or cycling or something in the gym. I can't sit still. And that's what it's like in a football match because you get bored. You're just watching the game and you get bored. So you either have to sing or you have to commentate yourself or you have to talk your way through the game so that you stay in the game because it is boring sometimes to just stand there and watch. Yeah.

And just final question, like, who are the most ruthless fans in any same you played out to you? Because the other thing about the keeper is that you're stationary, so you have the geysers just having a go at you the entire match. What's the worst thing you ever heard? Oh, worst thing. I had, like, when I used to play for West Brum,

our out-trivers were Wolverhampton Wanderers, and some of the things the Wolves fans used to say to me were absolutely rank. What was you say? You can cuss. Hey, I'm talking about, like, I hope your dogs died faster, because I'd put an Instagram picture. I hope your fucking dog dies faster.

And I'm like, you bastard, mate. You're an absolute bastard. Oh, dang. Because you posted on Instagram, that you're a dog. They hate the fucking dog dies, Foster. I'm like, you're a twat. Like, so they can say anything that they'll be saying stuff about my family,

my wife, my kids, and this and that. But as soon as they said something about my dog, honestly, I was like, you're a dickhead. You're an absolute dick. Oh, man. Yeah, I wonder if, like, it'd be like having a, being a psycho enough guy to have a dossier on the keeper, like, his entire personal life, know who his sister's having sex with.

I mean, you could really get in, uh, into their heads. Ben Foster, it's been great. Let's thank you so much. It's a pleasure, as always. Thanks for having me on. Appreciate it. All right, peace. Bye.