Should Neymar Be At The World Cup & Why England Will Disappoint | SI FC
Lyes Bouzidi, Luca Dallolio, and Alessandro Eremiti run through a host of questions: Who will make the final? Who wins the golden boot? The surprise package? The biggest disappointment? Is there something missing in the French squad? Is England's squad coming in a little cold? Will Neymar be there? Can Cristiano Ronaldo successfully navigate his last dance? Will Lionel Messi be able to have the same effect in the States as he did in Qatar? Where will the USMNT get to? And the most important of all: what is the best World Cup ball of all time?
Video Transcript
I don't think they're gonna win it, but I don't think they're actually gonna come close.
But I think anything but winning it now that they have Thomas Tuchel at the helm is a disappointment for England.
Neymar being in the team takes so much pressure off the other players, the Vinnies, the Rafinhas around him.
I mean, it's injury.
I'm worried about him, to be honest with you, right, cause he's entering the tournament having, it's gonna be weeks without playing football.
So would you start Cristiano Ronaldo?
Over the last few tournaments, I would have said no.
I think Cristiano Ronaldo is holding back this Portugal team.
The world champion will be.
Welcome back , welcome back, welcome back.
This is Sports Illustrated Football Club, your weekly show here on Sports Illustrated.
World Cup vibes in the studio.
I'm Alessandro Amiti, and I'm with a Colombian today, Lea Buzziti.
Come on brother, I feel like James Rodriguez today, man.
It's 2014.
You feel James Rodriguez, 2014.
Ace feeling, Roberto Baggio, 9090, all nostalgia for Luca, Luca, you refuse to wear any other jersey last time Italy were in the World Cup, that's why.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ah.
I don't know, we, there, there's nothing we can say, Luca.
How, how do we survive this month?
See, uh, um, Alessandro, he just, you know, he's taken too many digs.
I just like ignore him, you know.
I don't even know he's there.
I'm talking to you right now.
Don't even know who this person is.
I'm wearing this Italia 90 t-shirt, very nostalgic, of course.
I wasn't even alive, but you know, good.
It's a nice shirt though.
It is a nice, it is a nice shirt.
Throw back the better times for you guys.
Good old days, good old days, uh, Luca, we, we plan to, to support any team in this World Cup.
This is the thing, I think I'm just gonna be there as a neutral.
We are gonna enjoy it.
World Cup as long as Germany, France, Argentina don't win, it's fine.
It doesn't sound like much of a neutral to me.
There's, I'm a neutral with a few exceptions, cause I can't have Argentina match Italy.
In reality as well, Brazil, they can't really go one above, but if Neymar wins it, lesser of two evils, I'll accept it because it's Neymar.
Then there is a separate conversation for Germany and France.
We don't want.
Yeah, Germany can never win, no, no, no.
They go above us, and in France, you know, France.
You know what, can't, they can't win.
That's why, that's why in the background I have a great solution for ourselves.
Put a star on their jersey, they deserve it, Daniel Malin deserves it deserve, that's why they deserve it.
They deserve it, Daniel Malin deserves it, um, great performance, and everyone is happy.
Exactly, as long as Argentina don't match us, it's fine.
Portugal as well.
Portugal can Portugal can win it too.
Do we gain anything from this Dutch team winning the World Cup?
I'm not gonna lie.
There's no storylines.
There's no players to really, oh, he's gonna what, Memphis Defi's gonna captain, no, no, I, I found the storyline for you immediately.
Our producer is happy.
Is that?
No, no, no, no.
The producer is happy and Daniel Mallen is gonna win the Ballon d'Or.
At this rate he might, at this rate he might.
I'm looking at Portugal, man.
Hey, you're talking about the first star on their badge.
This is the best chance they're gonna have in a long time.
That's a very, uh, all due respect down here in Holland.
Not a very high chance.
The time was 2010 for me.
Yeah, Portugal have a really good chance.
They have a great team.
Yeah, yeah, they're, they're coming into it, everyone in good form.
That's what's important for me.
Guys, is, um, it's a call to you.
Let us know in the comment what team we need to support Luca and myself at the next World Cup.
We are looking for a team brother, Algeria, we, we take you Algeria, Algeria, we're gonna support you and you unite.
I'm not supporting anyone he supports.
There's a lot of teams that.
Is a lot of teams.
This guy supports 4 nations.
I support everyone against him.
Yeah, it's easy, it's easy when you'relia, uh, like, subscribe, leave us a comment, uh, we are also in every podcast platform.
5 stars, comment, follow us, guys, it's important.
It's important because we are gonna have some surprise with you too.
We're gonna announce in the next week, but you've qualified Italy.
Yeah, surprise, not a miracle, man.
Continue, uh, guys, we, we broke down in the, in the last international break.
We broke down the France and, and basically we say they are there, they're probably the favorite.
Uh, if you didn't watch the episode, I'm gonna leave it here for you, but.
Uh, now I want to play a little game with you.
I prepare some, some sentences.
I'm gonna read it and you two are gonna complete it with the first thought you have in mind.
First thing that comes to mind then, uh-huh.
I'm gonna start with you because you don't, you are a neutral.
Is is emotionally involved.
What, what team is this?
Who are you representing then?
Colombia today.
Today I guess Colombia, today I feel Colombian, so tomorrow I feel James Rodriguez 2014.
Is Rodriguez.
The World Cup final will be Spain versus, I would love to see Portugal there, honestly, I would love to see it, but the World Cup final will be, that's a tough question, man.
I need to see a bracket, they are the best two teams, so it's probably France versus Spain, but I have this feeling Portugal are gonna go really, really far, so I'm not sure.
You're changing it.
I I don't know what side Portugal's gonna be on, nor do I.
Those were the first two teams that came to mind, I guess is the easy answer, yeah.
Uh, Lia, the world champion will be.
Portugal.
I'm going to Portugal, man.
I would like that.
Luca, the world champion, will be Spain.
Spain as I was a bit of Spain unfortunately.
No, no, no, how can I say France Spain's gonna be the final.
Portugal versus France is the final, that's what I'm gonna say.
No, no, no, I, I am Portugal.
The reason I don't know the final is because it could be anyone, but I think so.
If I say Portugal's gonna win it, Portugal's gonna play in the final.
Portugal, Spain's the final.
There you go.
What is it?
Iberian rivalry.
There you go in the final.
Luca, the Golden Boot will be Mbappe.
Lia, the golden boot will be.
The golden boot will be hurricane.
Yes, the surprise will be, the surprise will be.
Colombia d'Ivoire.
Oh Luca, the surprise would be Turkey, uh Turka, uh, turkey, and, and why?
Got a lot.
That's who he's supporting, by the way, exactly, um, look at the disappointment will be.
Brazil, man.
I just don't see Brazil living up to the expectation.
I don't, I don't really think they'll go too far.
Yes, your disappointment will be.
I have 2, is that OK?
Mhm.
The first one is the team that you're wearing.
The US will be a big disappointment.
And the second one will be the country that we live in, England.
Oh wow, it's not coming up.
No.
Let me ask you this, what's the disappointment for England then?
Not, not, not winning, arguably, arguably not winning it , honestly.
I, I, well, I don't think they're gonna win it, but I don't think they're actually gonna come close.
But I think anything but winning it now that they have Thomas Tuchel at the helm is a disappointment for England because they brought him in because they couldn't get over the finish line of Gareth Southgate.
Now they have what's Of a self-proclaimed winner, like a, a top class manager, they should be better than they were before, and I don't think they'll get closer.
Is it not the same as the Champions League though, in the sense, OK, you, you can, you can start your tournament planning to create your chances, but you cannot start the tournament to win it.
No, but you can give yourself the best chance to win it, and I think England will look at it and say the players that we have, the generation we have, the coach we have now, it's never been more ready than now, and I, I think the fact that England.
Hire Tuchel to improve on what they had, and I don't think they will, will be a disappointment for them.
Fair.
I think if you're looking at it from that perspective, I think being deemed as a disappointment's considered a successful season for England for the World Cup.
Well, of course, like a hyper, the thing is with the English media and the English fans losing in finals is, it's a failure.
So success is winning.
Like that is the definition can be considered like an acceptable tournament.
Yeah , but realistically for me, if you're England, you need to wait semi-final, exactly, you aim to reach the semi-final.
And then, and then we'll see semi-final, but then it's like, who do they lose to?
So here's the bracket this is the bracketology.
So, so I need to change my final because France, Spain are most popular.
There you go.
So I was right, Portugal, Spain, unless you have, you never know though.
One of them could finish 2nd in the group or something like that.
You can have Portugal, but you, you can have your Portugal, France though , your I go Portugal.
I think France are gonna be good this tournament, but I feel like with France, you said Spain.
Yeah, so I, I have that, but I'm saying I think France will still go far, um, but the reason I don't think, I, I just think with France we say every single tournament, oh, they have the best team on paper.
They could put out three different teams.
They've won it once since 2018.
So despite having the best team, it doesn't always translate to success.
And, um, yeah, I just think this Dehaan's last tournament, they'll go far because they have really good depth and they got really good players, but I just think there's always something missing for me with these France teams.
Do you want me to, uh, hold on a minute, I don't like the fact that Italy are there, so who's done this whole graphic against Algeria and Italy going through.
This is the only time Italy can go past Algeria in a fake reality.
Luca, it's all against us.
It's disrespectful to me.
Italy versus Algeria.
That can't happen.
It's all, it's all against us, and, you know what, it's interesting, if I, if I look at something real, I see a Mexico, England, and if it happens, it's gonna be played at the Azteca Stadium.
That would be brilliant, tricky game, yeah.
That one is a tricky game.
I struggle to see a back to back Argentina, to be fair.
I think I'll go Spain, England, Euros repeat then I'll be a bit different, but I would love to see Portugal.
Spain, England, a whole European final.
Euros 2024 final all over again.
Wow, um, England would have to have a really favorable bracket, which to be fair, they typically look at it, Mexico, then Brazil, bro.
OK, the semi-final would be tough, but the run up until the semis, Brazil versus England, I'm not so sure that's, I don't really rate Brazil that much, but a remake of 200, you know something about England right now, I think they have a better.
Team than Brazil in terms of individuals, but I think you have to take into account the form that the players from England are going into this tournament with.
I think Kane is obviously in the form of his life, and so is Rice, but I look at the form Palmer is coming into this tournament with Saka, Jude is coming off an injury.
The defense is largely unproven at this level.
I'm not, I'm not in, and I don't think Thomas Tuchel's friendlies and qualifiers have been that convincing when I watch England play.
I'm, I'm a little worried for them, to be honest with you.
What, what do we expect from, from Brazil ?
I don't, I don't know.
I don't, I don't know what to expect, to be honest with you.
I, they're for me the most confusing team because I, again, Ancelotti's come in.
I think they've been better under Ancelotti, but there's still a question mark about who their center forward is.
There's still a question mark about whether Neymar is gonna make the, the, the bench.
That , that was my.
There's a lot of question marks Brazil.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't think they're gonna win it though.
Neymar is in the pre-tournament list.
55 players.
If you're Carlocelotti, would you bring Neymar?
Yeah, of course, absolutely.
And even, even to protect yourself, because if you go out, then they're gonna point at you and say, why, why 100%.
You're spot on.
And I also think like Neymar being in the team takes so much pressure off the other players, the Vinnies, the Rafinhas around him because whether we like it or not, and despite the form he's in, he's always gonna be the most loved or most hated person in Brazil, with whatever he does.
So I think it will massively benefit the squad.
And also out of respect, you can't not call Neymar up to his last World Cup.
I don't care.
You have to.
I agree, I agree.
Uh, also, Lionel Messi said, I mean, I say I'm emotionally involved here because he's my friend, but this World Cup needs Neymar, of course, yeah, and like we've spoken about before, 2006 was like the last dances of so many legends.
2026 is the same.
Ronaldo, Messi, I know Ronaldo, he might try to force another one in Portugal, but realistically, Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar's last World Cup, 26 players.
I, I just think it's, it's a travesty if you can't even.
Bring Neymar along for the ride like that would almost feel like, and I know people will say, well, it's, it's Brazil, it's not Neymar, it's about the country, but it would almost feel like petty to leave Neymar out of the tour disrespectful.
200, you know, I'm not even saying he has to start him I feel like he feels like he has a better team, but 26 players, you can't find room for Neymar.
That, that would feel disrespectful to me.
Now, since we, we spoke about Neymar, I have a couple of more questions, then I, I have to finish with the sentences, so stay with me, we stopped the sentence.
Yeah, yeah, we stopped the sentence I mean guys, it's, it's, you know, you know, exactly freestyle today.
It's freestyle.
If you were Roberto Martinez, would you start Cristiano Ronaldo?
You know, I've, over the last few tournaments, I would have said no.
Um , I, I genuinely have said no.
In fact, I've said, I, I think Cristiano Ronaldo is holding back this Portugal team.
And if they had a better center forward, I would still say no.
But I think the issue for Chris for, for Portugal is that you look at the other options and There aren't that many names that scream out to you.
You're talking about Gonzalo Ramos , who, with all due respect, isn't anything to, to, to write home about.
And to be fair to Cristiano Ronaldo, I think over the last few years for Portugal, he has started to understand his standing in the team, whereas before, I used to think Cristiano Ronaldo is still trying to like make it all go through him.
I don't think he's accepted where he's at, but I actually look at Ronaldo in the last Nations League, for example, really important, and, and, and I think it was important.
I think it was good because he understood that he can't play the same way he does anymore, and I, I think that you still go Cristiano Ronaldo, which is crazy because World Cup ago I would have said no.
Do you agree, Luca?
Yeah, 100%.
I think the striker options are pretty poor actually for Portugal.
I don't think there's much competition for him, and I was literally gonna say before.
He brought it up, the Nations League, he was so important in that, so I think he's understood his role well in the squad and I think he's the main man up front.
Uh, Luca, if you are Lionel Caloni, would you plan your tournament around Lionel Messi?
Of course, man.
He's still their best player.
If they have any chance of retaining it, it's through Messi.
The team has to be built around him, the team has to play through him.
Messi's the main man.
Agreed.
No, no doubt about it.
Then, then we, we complete our sentences.
Yes, the best player of the tournament will be.
The best player of the tournament will be.
Between Michael Olise.
And Bruno Fernandez, oh , what a surprise, Bruno Fernandez, uh, Luca, I mean.
Oh, Luca, to be fair, I forgot about Lamin.
Hold on a minute.
I forgot .
But the thing is, I mean, it's interesting with his injury.
I'm worried about him, to be honest with you, right?
Not that he's tore his hamstring.
It's just a, I think he pulled it, right?
But I'm worried because he's entering the tournament having, it's gonna be weeks without playing football.
So how does that affect his rhythm?
That's my only worry for him.
But he is still the best player in the world.
So yeah, La Mel, I'm sorry.
Yeah, look at the Golden Globe of the tournament.
Golden Glove, he's gonna be the best defense at the at the tournament.
I think maybe Martinez, you know, who is Portugal's goal Diego Costa, uh, yeah, Diego Costa.
Interesting.
Yes, the emerging star of the tournament would be.
It's tough to say these days because it's impossible for a player to almost come into a tournament under the radar.
We know so much about so many of these players.
So for a guy like I mean, Hamas was, was pretty well known, but like he took the tournament by storm.
Who's gonna do similar in this tournament?
I'm going to say.
Hm, I mean, Mike, well, Michael Alisa is already a star, so you can't even say that.
Yeah, that's the thing, how are we defining it, yeah, because Ali hasn't become a star at the international level.
I think he's gonna take this tournament by, by, by a hold, um, the emerging star, that's a tough one.
Do you want me to go first?
Yeah, who do, who do you think?
I'm thinking, I know he's, everyone knows him, but Nico Paz.
I just think he's gonna be really good for Argentina.
How does Nico Paz fit into an Argentina team if Messi's playing?
You play in the midfield, him in the midfield.
He can do that.
I feel like when Paz has played recently for Argentina, it's been in Messi's absence.
I don't know if he's gonna play Paz.
I think the way Argentina play with Messi, it's like they surround him with workers, Enzo, De Paul, MA.
I can't imagine if Messi's playing.
They're going to put in a player who's really good, but of the profile of Paz Madrid.
He works hard as well though, Paz, but they put like soldiers in there, you know what I mean?
I get what you.
I don't know if they, I, I, and even from that point, I think Scalloni is a trusted group, and I, I don't know if Paz has kind of broken this is, this is again, but he got, but this is international football.
He'll go with McAllister.
This is the key to failure, you know, even Marchell Olipi in 2010 as a trusted group and And, and we made a disaster.
McAllister's season's been so poor for me.
I understand what you're saying.
He has to.
I just don't know if he'll be, I, I think he's good enough to do that.
I just don't know if he'll be trusted by Scalloni, to be honest.
Let us know the emerging start of the tournament in the comments.
The US men's national team will reach Lia.
The round of.
32, 16.
No, I was gonna say 1616 .
Lionel Messi will.
We'll score a lot of goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo will, well, I say score a lot of goals.
I, I hope he scores a knockout goal at the World Cup.
That's what I, that's, that's my challenge to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Can you score a knockout goal at the champion at the World Cup, because that, that is for all he's done in his career a blotch on his resume.
So I hope this is the, the, the tournament he breaks that duck.
La Mamal will win it.
Oh, England will flop.
Spain will, why not?
Brazil will disappoint, OK. Last question before we do a game, and Italy will be back for the next one.
Yeah, hopefully, fingers crossed .
er last question before we, we do that game.
We have first timer, Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
Who will have the best tournament?
Well, hopefully not Jordan, man.
I hope Jordan finished last in their group because Algeria's in their group.
You said Uzbekistan, Jordan, Khoraca, and Cape Verde.
Cape Verde.
Yeah, I was gonna say Cape Verde They play, they play some really fun football.
OK, OK, that's interesting.
Now, before, before leaving you to the comments and stuff, I prepare a little, little game.
I'm gonna give you the ball, you need to guess the edition.
This is easy.
The last one, no?
This is easy.
This is the last one.
The last one for me isn't memorable.
No, but I think it's 22.
Yeah, I, it's either 22 or 2018.
Look at the design, bro.
It's 20.
No, no, 100% 2022.
I know what 2018.
2022, correct.
Al Richla.
Yeah, boom, OK.
This is 2006.
I think this is the best World Cup ball, man.
Not for me, bro, not this ball, because I had it right.
It was so good, especially because the, the final edition was gold, and it's it's simplistic, but it's beautiful.
The, the, the ball wasn't, it wasn't like the Jabulani where it's going everywhere.
This is for me.
Classic, right?
If I had a, a game tomorrow, the best players of all time are playing.
I want this to be the ball.
But this is a nostalgia thing because my favorite World Cup ball of all of course is nostalgia, yeah, yeah, but this ball is beautiful.
It's a beautiful ball.
Well one for you.
It will come up.
Yeah, Don't you think it's a beautiful, that's a beautiful ball though right there, team guys.
0, 90.
This is for me it's for me this is a little older than 90 if I can say some 86 maybe Mexico for me people look the same before 90, that's the problem.
People just look the same.
I look 86 maybe.
I'm gonna give an earlier, I'm gonna give probably uh let's see, let's see.
94 is the US.
This is the US's close to 94.
The ball skied by Bajo.
Wow, this is yours.
This is your greatest.
This is like some B-tech Jabulani, man.
I'm not gonna lie.
They just, they remixed the Jabulani.
The Brazuca, the Brazuca in 2014 is the greatest footballer of all time.
You reckon 100%.
This is a remix of Jabulani.
No, no, this is the goat.
Oh my gosh, it's beautiful.
Uh.
This is for me this one is the the the revolutionary book.
This is this is the book, heh, this is 2002, the Favor Nova 2002.
It even looks even like it screams Korea and Japan it's cool, it's cool.
Yeah, it's a nice book.
Oh, and now 90.
This is a classic.
This is, this is all a classic, a classic tango, this is, this is the one you get on the beach.
Honestly, this is 78, the beach, the beachzuka man, it's 78.
I'm gonna go.
Is it 78?
82.
0 20, honestly, in a way this is the goal, right ?
It's it's, it's, it is the goal because it's the most memorable ball, right?
This is the ball that will live for the, the rest of infinity 100%.
This is 2018.
Yeah, that's a terrible one.
This is the worst ball he made.
This is, this is like this is so boring, man.
Yeah.
How can you make a gray and white ball?
That's terrible, man.
Honestly, in all fairness, 2018 World Cup was gray and boring.
Yeah, this is something, yeah, honestly, if you got like Russia, Russian World Cup, I would choose this ball.
Yeah, this match is over.
This has gotta be 19896 Azteca, Mexico.
It has to be 986.
No, this is a Mexic this looks like a Mexican 90.
I, you might be Azteca, yeah, or it's let's see.
Yeah, you got that you can talk about everything, design, architecture, man, come on, ladies and gentlemen, Les Buzzii .
I'll be here all day.
This is more Italy 90 then you reckon?
Yeah, it might be, not 98, I don't know, 78.
Unico Unico, yeah, this one's nice.
Is it might have been on your, on your shirt.
Is the ball under?
No, no, it's a, it's an old fashioned, uh, this 10, right, surely this one is France, yeah, yeah, this is France, yeah.
They didn't hide it.
Nicco.
That's a nice one to be fair.
Yeah, it's good.
That is it, guys.
So let us know in the comments what, uh, what is your, your, your favorite ball for the World Cup 2014 Brazuca.
So we're, we're gonna go with uh 2006, 2014.
And what's yours?
Um, between the 2002 and 2006, 2002, yeah, because it was revolutionary, you know, seeing something completely, completely different, uh, less than 30 days, less than 30 days to kick off.
We're gonna win the World Cup.
Now, yes, the pitch will tell the truth, we're gonna stay with you and thanks, Lia, thanks Luca, see you next time.
