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Hello, hello, everyone. It is Monday, so you know what time it is. It's time for some football of America's Alexis Eunice here alongside my crew of Hercules Gomez and Alemorena looking very cash, very soft, very ready for a Monday. You're going to cut it like ranch after that. Just because of my Canadian, was it a Canadian accident? Don't be mad. It's showing what you're working with. Break out the cake. No, we're not going to show the cake today. You know, I'm going to fix what I'm going to show you. I'm in my hugs. It's comfy Mondays, guys. We work hard on the weekend, so Mondays we're going to take it easy. But I'll tell you who's not taking it easy all the way to the bank. Leonel Messi, man's is cash in. He's taking it very easy. He's taking it very easy, and he probably can for the rest of his life, we're going to tell you exactly how much he is making a year thanks to Inter Miami later on. Plus, some ugly scenes in South America, Ale, not in Venezuela, but in Brazil. Is it good old South American football or should we be worried? We're going to talk about that too. Plus, Haji Wright, Flow Balagun, cannot stop scoring. But first, we do start speaking about the US one's national team specifically about Mauricio Pochettino, because according to ESPN sources, Pochettino is on real Madrid's short list of options to become manager next season. Now, Alvaro Alvello, we know is currently the interim manager after Madrid parted ways with Shavia Lonso earlier this year. Now, it's not the first time that Pacha's even been linked with the Spanish club. He was actually linked with the move back there in 2019 after he had that big run with Tottenham to the Champions League final. Now, Pochettino's future with the USA past the World Cup has been a topic of debate. We've talked about it a number of times here on this show. But let me just say that being linked to Real Madrid is not something I had on my bingo card. So, initial reactions when you saw this news, Herc. I'm stunned. I really am. As many, I did not have this on my bingo card. Mauricio Pochettino, I did not think would parlay his very brief, very brief success of five games undefeated with the USman's national team two. Catapult himself into the platform of a Real Madrid. That's really how it works. Back when he had a run with Tottenham Hotspur and they were runners up in the Champions League and he was one of the hottest coaches around. That made sense. After a failed stint with PSG and where there were many reports, even our own Julien Ruant reporting that he had issues managing a locker room like PSG where they had a very embarrassing loss of league one at the hands of Leal where they had a very embarrassing exit where they were up by two goals and had Karim Benzema in 17 minutes turning around with a hat trick bounced him from the Champions league and he was fired. After those reports, it would have been less likely than he goes to Chelsea and at one point had Chelsea what 12th in the Premier League had a very good second half of the season but every big game that came his way, Chelsea would lose. And that's already been the mantra. So when you look at who Mauricio Pochettino has been in his club career which is not a serial winner which is quite the opposite to think that he can get on the platform or the orbits of a Ramadrid it's quite shocking for me especially when you think of how he exit at Chelsea and the reports of he was clashing with the sporting director because of control. Well I tell you what you go to Ramadrid you're going to have zero control. Florentino is going to run this show. You go to Ramadrid you better know how to run a locker room with stars at PSG he proved that wasn't the case. He's a project manager. He's not a results manager. So this to me was very very interesting and then the rest of it when it comes to the US men's national team at no point in time that it crossed my mind he's leaving the US men's national team for Ramadrid. It was pretty much more the shock factor of wow he's in that conversation. Yeah Aleo how did you take this news? Well anytime that reports like this come out and the sources are ESPN sources or that source or that source but it's not specific it makes you wonder who's actually putting out this information? Who's putting this out into the media? Usually when Ramadrid is involved and they're not happy with the current situation it's actually coming from inside the club but they just put this guy in charge. He's essentially a substitute teacher that's the way that I've described in the past and I'll continue to describe that. He's a substitute teacher he's hanging on as it is. But regardless that's a guy that was hand picked and just a month later we're now putting out reports again that the rumors about this guy this guy or that guy. So let's assume that it's not Real Madrid that is putting out this reports that is leaking this information out to the media. Then who's the other option? What's the Pochettino camp? Of course and his surrounding group of friends and people and whoever may have some sort of influence and access that then sort of leaks this oh there is maybe interest from Real Madrid and what it does are that he puts Pochettino's name out in the news and is linking him to one of the most important most significant jobs in club football. I don't think this is coming from Real Madrid just yet. I don't have proof. It's merely me reading the situation. So if it's not coming from Real Madrid then where does this sort of random reports that stun you and stun Hercules come from? Well the only person who actually has interest in this happening would be Pochettino and Pochettino's camp. No I'm not accusing him of anything. I'm just saying that this thing just come out of the ether. They don't just come magically they appear. If it is based upon performance of his teams to Hercules Point then he would not be in the conversation. Now here's another thing to talk about and another angle to take on this conversation. Let's assume that Arveloa does crash and burn quicker than they expect and that means hey Manchester City comes around and champions think over the next couple of weeks and that doesn't quite work out for Real Madrid and let's say they continue to play as poorly as they have in the league over the last few weeks and they are sort of barely hanging on to the race with Barcelona and all of that falls apart and so now you are Real Madrid and you have to make a decision and you know you know as we all know that Arveloa is not long-term the solution. Are you then going to Pochettino if indeed this is all true? Are you then going to Pochettino and say well but we're going to need you to be around here sooner than later? We are. We're not waiting for you for the World Cup and does this then become a Julian Lopetegi situation in which he was coaching Spain, Spain, World Champion, Spain, World Cup Champion, European Champion, World Cup Champion, Spain and he put them to the side to go and take the job of Real Madrid. If Real Madrid say tomorrow goes and knocks on the door of Mauricio Pochettino, does he stick around for the World Cup or does he go to Real Madrid? I'm only going down the path of the same conversation that they're trying to create. This is not speculation, simply asking the question. If we are to believe that Pochettino is indeed at top of the list of Real Madrid and they know that he's with the United States national team but they need him and they need him sooner rather than later, is he leaving the United States national team to go and coach Real Madrid? I'll ask the U.S. International Hercules go. You know, Ali brings a very good point. I don't know if I'd correlate it with Ramadrid because worst case scenario for Ramadrid, they lose the league. They're out of it. They're not going anywhere. They're not getting relegated. Champions League is not a viable option. They're out of Copa del Rey. There's nothing. It's another flip. There's nothing else. They don't need Pochettino before that. But if you're spurs and this is the prodigal son. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. There you go. It's the same scenario Ali's planting. It really is. Yeah. And that's a more realistic scenario. I do not know. I do not know. Lopategi and the Spanish Federation had their own trust issues. I have to assume that Matt Crocker and the powers that be at U.S. soccer have full full trust and there's transparency between the two camps. And they know he is not leaving right now. I have to assume that Marisa Pochettino to squash all these rumors, all these reports, which is come out and say, I'm not going anywhere. This is where I'm going to be and we will talk about what comes next after the World Cup. I have to assume a good coach, a good person would do that. But he has had ample opportunity because he's going to say we've got for this because his name has been out with everyone from Manchester United. Yes. Right. And again, are all the teams putting out this his name? I'm with you there. I've got yes. Are all these names are all these clubs leaking his name? See, if the constant name that being gets thrown out there with multiple clubs is Marisa Pochettino. He is the common denominator. Then he has to be coming from somewhere around him. Can we put the curtain back for second alley? Explain to people why that would happen. It's to create the leverage for himself. Yeah. These things don't come out of thin air. What Ali is saying is not something that's crazy. This is what they do. Excuse me. I didn't think that needed explanation, but I think they could be people out there. You don't know. That's how these things work. Managers camps they want to create leverage reps. They want to create leverage for their clients. But he's had ample opportunity and he has not done it. He has not taken the chance to say, listen, US of A, baby, America. I'm here for America. He hasn't yet said that out loud. And I don't know whether we need to hear that from him, but the more his name is out in the news with every other job except the United Statesman's national team. And there's a World Cup coming up. I may want to hear if I'm an American fan, I may want to hear. My heart is here. My soul is here with this team. I'm all about the United States and the World Cup and we'll talk about my future after the World Cup is over as Hercules was just talking about. But he hasn't said that. All it takes is 30 seconds of a sound bite. Put it out on social media. That's all it would take. And yet he hasn't done it. And the longer this goes on, the more speculation comes about. You know what Ali, you've got to keep your options open. I keep options open in this big world. I don't know what you're talking about. But it was regardless of this and regardless of what we have been thinking and how surprised we were with this link. There's a lot more details on our article over on ESPN.com. But according to our ESPN sources, is that Florentino Perez doesn't really care about what he has or has not achieved with the other clubs. He is just a fan of Mauricio Pochettino. And more with the US at the moment, he's just a fan of Mauricio Pochettino and how he conducts himself. So do you think eventually he could be a good fit for Real Madrid? What do you think, Florentino? I'm asking you a tough question to get into Florentino's mind here. But what do you think he could like in Pochettino from what we have seen in his managerial career? I don't know. And what state of mind Florentino Perez is in if he's thinking this is a good fit. And I'll explain myself. He just saw Shavi Alonso come in and try to manage this group of players. A legend at the club too. Very big profile, successful manager, briefly, but successful manager and could not, man manage, could not deal with the players in that squad. Something that Pochettino has had an issue with, a reported issue with, with players like Neymar, with players that can bop it. Who, by the way, is that Real Madrid? With players like Messi, he himself has stated, Messi got angry when he took him out. He came and spoke to him and then laughed about it. Maybe I shouldn't have taken him out. He's seeing what it's like to not have a manager who was respected at that club as right now without a bella. As he had with Shavi Alonso. And he wants to go back to the same type of well. Real Madrid is for winners. When you have the sort of power that Florentino Perez has, you believe in one thing and one thing only. His truth. I believe in what I think. I can have people here that help out. He, people there that helping out with logistics and set up the flights and set up the meetings and stuff. But when he comes to making that decision, Florentino Perez is known as a guy who makes a decision by himself, for himself. And if this is the name that he has between his eyes, you better believe it that this is the manager of Real Madrid in the future. What we must understand is that they're better options. And somebody has to put those options out in front of Florentino Perez. But this may just be, this is my ball. And I'm going home and nobody's playing without the ball if I have it. And at Florentino Perez, when it comes to Real Madrid, he has the ball and has had that sort of control for a while. And so if somehow Marisa Pocetino is at the forefront, at the top of that list, you best believe it that he's going to be the manager right now. I just did it with this. In Marisa Pocetino, you've got a few things I think he's done very well throughout the clubs that he's been at when he has been able to implement it. Want a culture to a pressing style of play? Yeah. The culture around Madrid is not that of a manager comes in and implements his authority over the big players. And the style around Madrid has not proven to be one where they press you. And we've seen this with Chavillalonso. So in terms of it being a fit far from it, if we go back to managers that have been successful at Real Madrid for a long period of time, you think about Cidán, for example. The first thing about that Cidán has that Pocetino does is respect Cidán. It's an all-time great Pocetino, not quite that. And so Cidán just walking in the locker room, if you're Vinnie, you're sitting back and you're like, who's coming in here? And then you see Cidán, you're like, whoa, wait a minute, wait a minute. The legend of self. Cisoo, Cidán. The big suit. Cidán coming in for the first time, that's literally how the players were. They stood up. Cristiano, everybody. And Chavillalonso as well have that respect. And of course, these are not only players in the case of Cidán and Ancelotti, but they also have had success that obviously, obviously the players can recognize. In the case of Pocetino, if you're kidding about that name that Hercules brought up, and you experience what you experienced with Pocetino at PSG and you're sitting back and you're locking and Pocetino walks in, you're like, what is your reaction? He's like, oh, no, no, no, no. And so there are many arguments against Pocetino being the guy. There are many arguments that you can put together. But if it is, Florentino Betis making this decision, then that's it. However, the players, he handed the power back to the players when he does. When Chavillalonso walked out the door and he came out of the door, how do you wrangle that player power back? You don't. And whoever steps into that locker room, whether it's Pocetino or somebody else, has to have the attention of the players right away. I don't think Pocetino would have that attention. And one quick final one for you, Hercules, and just thinking from the US perspective now, because when Pocetino was announced as the next US manager, we all were like, wow, there was so much excitement. People believed, yes, this is the big name manager that this program deserves. If he does eventually leave, whether to Real Madrid or Spurs, is this just a big blow to what the US men's national team program is trying to achieve in terms of elevating them to that next level with a big name manager? No, not at all. Let's see how he leaves. Let's see how he leaves one and when he leaves. And when that happens, there's no going back with the US men's national team. You reset the market on the men's side. As you did on the women's side with Emma Hayes, you made money, said, but you know, one of the highest paid international coaches in the men's game. You got to keep going down that route where you get tried, improvement names. Names. He's by far the most accomplished coach that's coached the US men's national team. I shouldn't say by far, I don't want to be disrespectful to Jurgen Klinsman. Jurgen Klinsman did good things with Germany when he was there. And I said it at the moment, they hired him. You picked a coach that if Manchester United right now needed a head coach, he'd be on a short list knowing what I know of Manchester United and how toxic you know how toxic the situation has been for Manchester United. There is a difference between the short list for Manchester United and the short list for Ramadrid these days. And that's also a stark reality. So it's not a blow for the US men's national team. It's now what you do going from there. I do think that matters more. Can I just very quickly just tell you if I'm taking the perspective of somebody within the circle of Pochettino. Instead of putting out information about Pochettino being the top candidate for this job, this job and that job, I would actually go to Maurizio and say, Maurizio Enaca, Papito. Look, we can coach this national team for as long as we want. And we're going to win a lot of games. And we're probably going to win our continental competition. At least we should be favorites to do so. And I love that competition is going to be played at home. And if we have a great world cup, man, that is just going to open up doors. Well, doors everywhere. But more importantly, doors here, where you can have longevity in this job if you so decide. And there are worse things than being the national team coach of the United States. Because you don't quite have the pressure that you have in other places. You're allowed to work so much so that you're allowed to experiment with a whole big group of players to create your team and build your culture culture. Let's not forget that word. Very important. You can continue to build that culture. And you're getting paid very, very well. I don't know what's a hurry to go elsewhere. Especially to your mother. Oh, that's a lot more headaches there indeed. A new podcast series from ABC Audio in 2020 goes inside a case that has captivated the nation. To many people, Luigi Mangione is a modern day Robin Hood. People were cheering the demise of this person they'd never met. It was a father of two and a husband and had a life and was just doing a job. From the manhunt, ending in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to what authorities are saying about a possible motive. I'm ABC News Legal Analyst Brian Buckmeyer. Listen to Burn in a Proof. Luigi Mangione, wherever you get your podcasts. All right, well, we're going to stick kind of speaking about the USman's national team, but talk about a player now because oh, Serginio deskt yet another injury scare for the USA and Serginio himself because the defender looked at picked up a hamstring injury while in action for PSV over the weekend. You can see there he pulled up clutching his hamstring. He went off after looking like he was in quite a bit of distress. Well, he then took to Instagram, as we all do, to kind of hear things up and again is well, most of us under the age of 50 just kidding. I said a little while to do what I love the most, but one thing for sure, this is not the end of this season. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that I'm coming back ASAP on the right timing. Thanks for the messages. Won't let you guys down. All right, well, we know that Serginio deskt is just one of the players that we have seen for the US that has quite the injury history. So we almost want to wrap him in that bubble wrap. How alarmed are you with this hurt? Pretty alarmed. Yeah. Serginio deskt is the one player that you want on the ball for the USman's national team. He's the player with the ability to unlock the offenses. The players who are good 1v1 who have the ability to eliminate players, change tactical schemes. They put numbers in your favor. The USman's national team, they don't have a lot of those players. They don't have a lot of players where they want to build out. They can trust with the ball. We'll get to defending in a second, but that's Serginio deskt. Yeah. He's a guy that you're going to slot in to that right wingback roll automatically. And with Serginio deskt going down to a muscular injury and we don't know how bad that injury will be. He says he's going to come back before the season's over. When the season ends, the World Cup starts. So how soon until you come back, how ready will you be? That should worry about his subpochettino. Also because Alex Freeman, who was showing promising signs, he's not playing right now, Vieira. He's a player who went and hasn't really broken into that line. He hasn't really played that much. So you're you're hoping that Serginio deskt would be that guy. And for a personal standpoint, I saw Alex Freeman being more of a center back. And that's something what those two on the right hand side that actually kind of enjoyed. So this is going to throw Marisa Pochettino and the coaches to have for a loop. They're going to have to restructure and and maybe that means a Joe Scally comes back into the mix. But it definitely changes the way the U.S. misnash team plays going forward. When you have a player who is so skilled on the ball, deficit for sure on the defensive side, but with the ball at his feet is who you want. It's going to hurt if he's not on the field. Alex, would you make up this? Because we of course got cases and hurts and even Jeff Carlyle's ideal eleventh for the U.S. at least when it comes to this upcoming international break or for the World Cup. And a lot of them did have Serginio deskt in it because Jeff specifically said he loves the fact that he brings something else because he can go forward. Not so much for his defensive abilities, but mainly adding that extra ability to go forward and create something. So how big of a miss will this be for the U.S.? The first thing I would say to Hercule Calmante Papito. Oh, at least a hamstring injury. Tranquilo Papini. First of all, first of all, we're not talking about cafu here. Everybody calm down. Calm down. Everybody calm down. U.S. is cafu. Well, then the U.S. got has to get better. Yes, but that's the issue here. Because you don't have we're not talking about cafu calm down, right? And it's a hamstring injury. So calm down. You'll be all right. He'll be back in a little while. We're still not in the time in which you need to be freaking out about some guy having a muscular injury because we're like two, three weeks away from the international break. The last window that he could have to play with his move. And he won and he won't be here and he'll be fine. Listen, no, no, no, if he's as important as Hercule is as making him out to be, he'll be there. He'll learn to learn and he'll be fine. Yes, but when condition that's the hamstring injury, unless that muscle tore off the bone and he has to have surgery, then we're having a different conversation. But clearly, that's not the case because he just said he'll be back in a little while. And if he's going to be back in a little while, that means, hey, three, four weeks on the hamstring injury, you make sure you're fully recovered, you get your minutes in, you get your repetitions, you'll be fine and you can be cafu for the United States if you're so sorry. The truth of the matter is that kind of what follows. Let me ask you a question. Obviously, no, with players that are potent, that are fast, that are of a different type of ilk when they go forward. How long is too long for him to be out with the hamstring injury for you to get worried? Six weeks. Six weeks. If this thing is lingering, and six weeks time, and this thing is still lingering, then we can have this conversation and we can all start freaking out. But until then, cafu, hamstring injury. And listen, I'm with you on the timeline and but I do think reading through the tea leaves, oh, maybe we're thinking about something like that. And he only brings me back to Tyler Adams and Tyler Adams who went through that hamstring injury and it was asked to you what you said, completely off the bone surgery and he was out for four plus months. This isn't, if you had to give, if I had to give you right now a top four players that the US men's national team cannot lose, surgeon your desk will be one of those players. And that's why for the US men's national team, which is a pool that doesn't have the luxury, you know, saying this guy is not that important. That's why for them. How dare you. How dare you say that? Look at the culture that we have built in this untreated. Look at the pool that we can play against Uruguay and destroy Uruguay with a second with a, with a not even a beat team, a sink team. Wait, you were telling me you were telling me you were telling me you were telling me to believe then and now you're saying because this guy has a hamstring injury that now that's it. The dream is gone. I don't know. We have lost consistency of thought in this conversation. Do you have any minutes he's played under Puchatino? 24 minutes. And you said chemistry, consistency. What are you saying? Chemistry's important. He's coming off an ACL tear. I've been there. The rest of the body starts following suit because it's still not strong enough. And I'm hoping that's just the case as is right now. As it was with Ricardo Pepe and he'll be good for the World Cup. But certainly, Sir, Gino does an important enough player for the US men's national team for them to worry. If you're looking at, we just saw the pool there. If you're looking at someone, if you're Marisa Puchatino and you're thinking at least even now for the international break, when you're trying to at least get us close to what your World Cup team will be, what other player would you bring in and what are you prioritizing? Someone that has his ability to go forward even though you may, it may come at the defense of defending. Oh, hold on, but wait, wait, wait. I cannot believe I'm regurgitating this conversation. When this team beat Uruguay like a thousand to one, right? And everybody was just dreaming of what the United States could be. The basis of that argument was that that team was a sea group for the United States and they spanked Uruguay. And so much so that Puchatino was insulted that when he came to the press conference, he was not everybody just paying homage and clapping for him because of what he has done with this, with this team. Look, if it isn't in your disc, it's not available. Then you go and find another solution. Maybe you play a different formation. Maybe you don't play with a back three. Maybe you play with a back four. Maybe you have Joe Scali. Maybe you're limited in what you're doing down the right hand side and you hope that Anthony Robinson is the outlet down the left hand side. There are many solutions to this. The team doesn't stop playing because this guy is not there. You would want him to be there. It ideally so. He is important to the team. I'll give you that month. And the United States would be better with her Dino desks on the field. But there's going to be many teams in the World Cup that a week before the World Cup, somebody's going to pull a hamstring, a calf, something is going to happen in training, and they're going to have to resolve an issue. It may be the United States. It may be Netherlands. It may be Switzerland. It may be whoever. But here's the thing. You just resolve the issue. That's why you call you have this massive pool that he's apparently created. 7080. Well, okay. Well, if you cannot find one right back or one right winger type player in a three five two out of that pool, then you haven't done your job. You do have that player to Ali's point about you finding that player. And honestly, it probably takes money to put your Dino out of a headache. Because he's probably thinking, where do I put Timothy Wea? I was just going to say. Timothy Wea is a player that can seamlessly slot into that right wing back row. And I think going forward would give you a different profile, but an effective player. And also, I'll tell you another player who's played right back center back defensive midfielder 10, 9. He's been the perfect player according to Luciano Spalletti and that's Western McKinney. So you have a few options if you wanted to play there. But I'm a little disappointed in Alejandro Moreno. Oh, wow. You're not the first. You're not the first. I'm going to try to sell us. He knows what would wise been lately. He knows what would wise been. No, I'm not trying to sell anything. I sat in this studio. I sat in this studio and I had to hear all the nonsense of like, how important this result was. Can I just say, can I just say, none more than five minutes ago, this guy was about to shed a tear because what's their genius says? Yeah. Shed a tear. Well, that too. But you weren't tears because their genius desk was injured with a hamstring. And then five minutes later, you're saying, well, we have multiple options. So we go back to what I said at the very beginning of the tranquilo, papi, calma, calma. All right, relax. That's what we're going to do today. We're going to try a big smile. Well, you know, we have a flare for the dramatic because we all grew up on novellas. All right. Well, speaking of novellas, this was probably as exciting as it. Let's run it back, shall we? Because Flo Balagun remember what I said? This man can't start thrusters. Trust us. And don't worry, it'll come. Trust us. Yeah, no, yeah. He's about to score. Yeah, he put it in the left. Yeah. Well, good, good, good, good, good, good. That's good. Back to Flo Balagun. Ignore this. Flo Balagun. All right. He can't stop scoring. He got an assist and a goal against PSG yet again as Monaco's stunt Frenchman. We count that as an assist, dude. In the league. We count that as a con. We're going to get excited. He's going back to looking for himself. Up like this one. Oh, my deflection. That's all right. You take it. Go last. You take that all day. All day, all day, all day. Well, it's, there's a third goal and as many games against PSG. Yes. I want to name lately. It's a goal. I'm telling you. All right. Yes, G. I don't know what to say there. Monaco's a real PSG. Taking the tool. Go last. Take it. I wouldn't say go last. You score against PSG. He said go last. Go last. All right. Well, he's not the only one that can't stop scoring. This is this is the right game now. Ricardo Pepe's amazing return since his mangled arm injury as Alec called it. Continues with a winning goal against AZ Alkmar in the area to visit. This is what he can do for you in the World Cup. This is the sort of Pepe goal that you expect him to score in the sort of position to be in. While others made his corner a bunch of goals, he may be the most dangerous player the United States has in the last minutes of games. Well, someone else who's looking pretty dangerous, Haji Wright, he also can't stop scoring. His 17th goal in all competitions this season with Coventry City and a lot of them have come. How would you say Alec? Optional defending bullies him and just nice easy lane, put it away. Well, it was more than optional defending, but you can tell him to hit the weight room. You can do that. All right. So, you know, we got to bring back this debate, of course, because these guys are making it a little bit hard at least. We spoke about this last week and everybody once again still said Balagun is their number one choice, but if you look at the stats, everyone's putting their names in that hat. Mauricio Pachatino, are you watching? I'm sure he is. All right, let's talk about Lionel Messi, shall we? Because he's been in the headlines this week for a whole lot of reasons. So, we're going to start with what he did in this game. He, again, kept up scoring. Let's be honest, he's Lionel Messi, but he scored gold number 899 out of his career in Inter Miami's win over DC United. In Baltimore, by the way, record crowd there, a good ball by Sylvetti and a silky finish by Messi. There you see, in terms of the most goals of all time, he's still the ways behind Cristiano Ronaldo, but at the rate he's going. I thought Romario had a thousand. Oh, okay. Yeah, I'd be honest with you. The record keeping of goals, a fed in pushca's ass. Who really does know? Who really does know? All right, well speaking of that and speaking of 1000 goals, could Lionel Messi reach there if he continues at the rate he's going? Plays a major league soccer for another three years, yeah. I don't see why not with all the competitions he has got. He's got going. He won't do it because I don't think he's going to play past 40. I don't think that's in his cards for Messi. Just enjoy him right now. 899, 900, 903, whatever it is, just enjoy what you're watching because you're probably never going to see a player like Messi ever again. And that's a reality. And the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi shared an era is almost a justice to the other. Think about how many Ballon d'Or Messi would have had without Cristiano in the picture. And Cristiano without Messi in the picture, it's you almost take for granted how good each one is because they were in each other's era. Just enjoy it. Ale. I don't know why you had to bring Ronaldo into the conversation. I just want you to enjoy it. It's just a time Messi made it. Top two. In the run for a thousand. So your question is whether he can make it to a thousand. Is that it? Yes, he can. Payment is simple. Will he? I think so. Oh, I think so. I think at this point he's enjoying himself to if physically obviously that's going to be the question as to whether the body holds up. But I don't think anybody can take care of his body as much as Leonardo Messi does on the field. He is very intelligent to know when to move, where to move and how to do it. So he sprints when he wants to. He's not chasing unnecessarily. The balls are coming to him. If you watch him play right now, most of the time is a slow jog at best, up until he feels it's necessary for him to sprint. So let's just say he's been very economical with his physical effort. And he's using it when he thinks it's going to have an impact on the game and an impact, meaning an assist or a goal. Beyond that, there isn't a whole lot more movement coming from in on Messi. And so if he can continue to do this for a couple more years, you have to imagine that yeah, a thousand goals is very much a realistic goal. It's funny what Ali is saying. I think it was a bank in Kramaski, the U.S. national team players with parmer right now. When he was in his early years with Messi, first couple of years, Messi would say, you're moving too much. Staying still. The game come to you and he said everything he's ever been told was to keep moving. So going to Ali said he's so intelligent, he sees things differently. And seeing those things differently, you can serve energy in a way that most players don't. Ali, when you're still watching Messi now, what impresses you the most about him that at this stage in his career? I don't think it surprises many of us that he still is scoring, but the fact that he's still able to play so much and decide games. Well, exactly what I just said, that he will get himself in positions in which he can have that sort of impact, but it's one thing to get yourself in those sort of positions and then still have it in you to have the final product. So when he does sprint, when he does decide to dribble, it's with a purpose and then so being either a shot on target and assist or a goal, there's productivity behind everything that he does. The efficiency and effectiveness of his game. Right now, I think he's higher than what it was when he was about Salona. Oh, wow. And for those of you that are going to take that and say, oh, he's playing better with mean to Miami than he was about Salona. No, that's not it. What I'm saying is he's not nearly participating as much in build-up of play. He is just finding himself in a space in which he knows he can efficiently and effectively impact the game. None of the ancillary stuff. He's leaving the ancillary stuff for other people. He's not throwing himself out into white areas nearly as much as he did. You find him in and around the top of the 18 yard box. And from there, he can still do what he did in his best level at Barcelona and Argentina. Lionel Messi, in that moment, in that space, it's still, in my opinion, the best player in the world. You look at him in games and when he gets himself going, full head esteem and he's running out players, it looks like he's full speed. It's not a slow player you're looking at. Allie and I have played in this league. When designated players come at an older age, they don't move like that. They're not as invested at times. Messi is the opposite. He's invested on the field. He's invested in his movements. He looks like he's still at times very much prime Messi. He makes it look that way. That's not a normal thing for older players coming into Major League Soccer, which I maintain is a very physical league. I had no doubt that Messi would have better touch technique tactically in between the years that he'd be just light years beyond everybody. But I said at some point in time, between the travel, the time zones, the surfaces, turf and whatnot, and how demanding physically the league is, he will slow down. That is not in the case. He's enjoying himself. Yeah. More importantly, he's enjoying himself. And that counts for a lot. I particularly at this point in his career. Well, he definitely is enjoying himself all the way to the bank. Let me tell you that. Shall we talk about how much money he makes? Sure. Indeed. Let's find out how bad we should feel about ourselves and our career choices. Jorge Maz had this to say, the reason that I need to have sponsors and for them to be world class is because players are expensive. I pay Messi worth every penny, but it's 70 million to 80 million a year across everything. Woo. All right. Well, as he said, worth every penny, right? What? With everything you guys just said, I want he brings to the league, including the commerce. Just simple numbers, simple numbers here. What the club was worth before Messi? What was it? 600,000, something like that. And what the club is worth now with Messi, almost double. Oh no, it's 1.7 billion, I think it was, or 1.4 billion, excuse me. 600 million. Now 600,000. Do I say 600,000? I would have bought that team. 600 million. How much are we paying out? It's clearly a sound investment, but also people don't realize this. They're like, well, 80 million. Yeah, it's a lot of money, but aren't these guys inside of your area making over 200 million, making 250? Messi has stake in into Miami. What it will be worth in the future as well. He's made an investment in his future. He's an owner in Major League Soccer now. So it's not just the 80 million, but certainly well worth it. The best investment that Major League Soccer has ever made, because don't do not forget all the rest of the teams are also paying for this. He's already paid for himself, hasn't he? Well, yes, I don't. Whatever hold him eyes to Spain, Leonardo Messi, whatever Major League Soccer has to pay for the Real Messi, whoever is paying Leonardo Messi, all of that money has come back to you and more. Yeah. And has multiplied. So all of that is well worth it. My question would be to Jorge Mas and to Emma Les and to everybody else. Yeah, what happens when there is no Leonardo. Leonardo Messi, because you're not going to have to pay somebody 80 million dollars, but all of this momentum that you've created, all of that disappears in one second. Yeah. Yeah. The moment he says, I'm done. Yeah, Rodrigo de Polo is not going to be that draw. And it doesn't really matter. It doesn't really matter who you talk about. You may have to then sort of start planning for what the next thing is going to be, but there's going to be a drop off regardless. And so what I would say to Inter Miami, Inter Miami fans, Jorge Mas and everybody is enjoy what you got right now and the foreseeable future, but you have to start preparing for what happens next, because there is going to be a drop off. And how you prepare that may just ensure what your success rate is going to be in the future. Ale and I live the David Beckamara when he first got to Los Angeles. From the moment he got to Los Angeles to the next moment, there was something close to it, which was messy, 16, 17 years had passed. Yeah. And Major League Soccer went through a lot of moments where they could have used that. A lot of moments where there was no more Beckam. So what you do post Lionel Messi is vital. And essentially because you may be making headway in getting a casual fan here there to pay attention, but along the way you're losing the court consumer. You're moving games, Columbus crew who have a tried and proven tradition in Major League Soccer, you're moving those games from Columbus, Ohio to Cleveland, Ohio to a bigger venue. And you're telling the season ticket holder, we don't care about you at this moment. We know we're taking the game away from you and putting it into the bigger city because we want in their eyes more eyeballs, but it's really bottom dollar. So at some point, well, this United just did it this weekend. Baltimore. So at some point, you have to factor in where you are going. And if you can maintain that without messing, you have to be prepared for what your actions are going to cost you. Let me just say, and I don't know if you had the chance to do that or not, in going to the White House with a championship team, if you won MLS Cup, you get a chance to do that. And it's great. And I had the opportunity to visit with two different presidents and George Bush and Barack Obama. Oh, right. And neither one of them, although Bush was a lot of fun to be around. Obama was far more ceremonial about it. Neither one of them weren't nearly as invested in talking about, well, Alejandro Moreno is here, as Donald Trump was with Leonid Messi and having like a back and forth with Leonid Messi. You're not getting that kind of treatment. No. And for the next guy is what I'm saying. Messi, Messi, he moves everything, everything, even when he doesn't want to move it. Yeah, him just standing still. And the world is moving around him because of him. That's how important he is, not just to enter Miami, to MLS, to there, to how they present their product, to how they sell their product, him just standing there, not having to say one word, not kicking one ball, standing there, it makes Major League Soccer a whole lot more appealing. All right. Well, I mean, the best part about that segment is that I found out that if into Miami were worth $600,000, Alejandro could afford it. I didn't even know our paychecks run that deep. Would have taken a couple loans. Alejandro, we didn't even know that. Anyways, we're more football talk. Make sure to check out ESPN, FC. There's a fresh episode up to date. All right, let's head to Liga Mekis, shall we, for a couple of classic goals. We're going to start off with Atlas up against Chivas. By the way, I think I've decided it is my new team in Liga Mekis, guys. They were founded on my birthday, May 8th, great day. 12 minutes in though, it's Atlas that goes up one year after a shock-a-strophic home in Dalle. Well, it's not a good ball to the midfield. The midfield wasn't helping, not coming and actually meeting the ball and so being a good finish. Why nothing? 48 minutes now, Chivas will find a way to tie the game. Yeah, and it's Armando Larmiga Gonzales who gets a fortune right here, deflection, catches the goalkeeper, and he'll take that. 68 minutes across into the box, and Daniel Aguirrez brought down by Jorge Rodríguez. No penalty though is the original call, but you can bet that there would be a VAR check, and they say Penn. Is that it? Is that enough to even go to a VAR check? I don't know, man, that's who knows these days. Larmiga! Gotta put that away! It's a classical! He didn't get the memo. It's all right, it's all right. Right down the middle Camilo Vargas is a specialist. Stay strong, big hand there. He tries getting the second bite of the apple no go. 80 seconds minute now, long both forward, and we're going to have another penalty here. I like would this be enough? Yeah, now this was a penalty. Yeah, it was, and if you, the the trailing leg steps on the attacking player. It's a penalty, it's a foul. They were complaining about it. Larmiga said no, you know, you know, you know, I said pull with that. You got it, bro. All right, now I got it. You got it. No, I got it. You know, you got it. Okay, so pull with that take it and do it so beautifully. That was a calm, cool and collected finish indeed, and chives will win this one, two, one. Let's go to the classic o'Regio, shall we? Digress against Monterey to pick this up in the 90th minute, really, in stoppage time. I'll keep playing a through pass here to, oh yeah, the big Frenchman, he's still got it. 100 billion! Go ahead. Yeah, you said the big Frenchman, you're right about that. It's under Andrew Piergignac plus now. This man needs a bigger shirt as a chain. Yeah, well, not for long. Not for long, not for long. This guy is not passing a beep test any time soon. Well, the big Frenchman extends his record as a player with the most balls in the classic o'Regio with 15. He's got me beat by 14. It's all right, it's all right. Well, here's a look at the Liga Meki's table as it stands right there. Crucesoel at the top, ahead of Toluca. And when you club Chivas there, rounding out the top three. Oh, look at America. Sorry, Mao. All right, let's get some in case you miss it. Oh, there's a lot to get to in this one. All right, first tackle, second tackle. Double knee back to the face, then a three point take down and then all hell breaks. Okay, all right. Okay, the flying kick, the flying kick usually it will start something. It's the back of goalkeeper that gets me. He's going to come in flying right now. Just to add some conjects. This happens in Brazil. Crucesoel is one new win over at an ethical. This was in some days. Where's all this whole whole quiz involved and was one of the players that got one of the 23. Look at this. This is a good idea. Hey, guys, settle down. Settle down, guys. He's trying to calm things down. Settle down. But he's going to end up kicking. He's going to end up kicking somebody. No, please don't, don't don't worry about that. He's going to kick that guy. Look at him. Hey, I thought I almost was sitting in a month, sitting in a month, sitting in a month and then he never threw the punch, man. No, no, no. Look at that. Look, he's starting to point. No, it was that guy hit me. Oh, dear. Look at this. Look at the coach right there. He's like, guys, settle down and then he kicks him. Unbelievable scenes. Oh, take that. Take that. Take that. Take that. I missed one. Come on. 23 red cards. Is that what you mean? If your name is Hulk, you got red cards. If your name is Hulk, you don't want to see a man agree? Well, I know, but you're going to have to, you got to take three or four players out yourself. All right. Well, as much as the boys sounded like they thoroughly enjoyed that and obviously watched it time and time. Again, we do not condone violence on the pitch or elsewhere. I do not. But that wasn't the record, though, right? Of most red cards in the game. That's a good question. No, no. It was an Argentine team for tradition. Oh, yeah. The record, yes, it's still 32 around in Argentine. So I, listen, I say this with respect. I'll let you help me out. What competition was this? And in the Brazil's regional tournament? Yes, it was. They have so many. They do. Sunday's Minero Championship final. Oh, okay. Man, it's a state made out. Oh, I mean, eight hours. Sorry. Sorry. I'll be here all day. I'm going to worry about it. Sorry. I made everything as much as we would. But realistically, I mean, when you have a rivalry like these, these are not scenes that we're familiar with, especially in South America. Is this just, I don't know. You're suggesting parts of the game, the beautiful game I suppose can turn on. I don't, I know, I know some people out there may be offended by this, but don't care. All right. If, if you know what I really don't like, the posturing, right? When people start just pushing and showing, pushing and showing, I'll see you outside. I'll see you outside. This guy said, all right, at least it wasn't the, I'll see you outside. Let's do it right here and right now. I'm not all for fighting, but I'm not all for posturing either. And if you give me a choice, I'll take the fighting over the posturing. And so I, you know, I don't enjoy this all the time. But every once in a while, a flying kick coming. It's entertaining. We're talking about it. Otherwise, we would not be talking about this game. So it's not the right attention. It's not the kind of attention that you want. It shouldn't have been all the time. It is embarrassing. But I prefer this than the posturing. Yeah. I mean, it's sad. But there is a moment where there are players in that scrum and it's like self preservation. They have no idea what's going on. And they just know that there's a bra. So they're thinking self preservation. I don't condone it. But I do understand it that time when it's escalated to that man. See, you don't have to give it the full sort of disclaimer that you don't condone it. Of course, we don't condone it. We're, you know, because there's always that idiot out there. Why don't you see? But why do you care about that idiot out there? We don't care about the idiot out there. All I'm merely suggesting is when that's when you've been in one of those, right? The thing that you know first and foremost, head on a swivel. Head on a swivel because you don't know where the punch is coming. And you know what ends up happening when you are the peacemaker, you end up catching one. So I've been in a few myself and it's like this. You're learning, yeah, you're kind of scattering, but making sure where it's coming from, just in case, just in case, because you've got to throw down, then you've got to throw down. And every, obviously, everybody here was involved. Everybody got thrown out. So everybody will have their consequences. At least I got it out of their system. At least I got it out of their system. Well, after, with all that said, don't worry, South America is not the only place you'll find Ruckus in football. We go all the way to Scotland for this one. The old firm rivalry that we know there is no love loss between Celtic and Rangers. This was in the Scottish Cup and it went to pens and Celtic managed to win this one, but the fans invaded the pitch. Yeah, these things got ugly. This is scary. See, this is different. Yes. This is a different combination. All together. Because now, there's no way to control it. No. And you don't know who's actually coming on the field. And if you're a player, that's where you're most exposed. Because you really have no idea what the intentions are of whoever just came on the field. There are masked individuals on the field. That's a scary thing. He's in Deared himself to the, he's in Deared himself to the Celtic faithful, but you certainly don't want to see things escalate to this manner where the fans are on the field. And as a player, security as well, you feel like there's a sense of danger around you. Of course, of course. Well, now, the Scottish FA has launched an investigation into that. And as you said, I like, this is just a different kettle of fish altogether. How bad should the sanctions be for both Celtic and Rangers? Well, I mean, it's going to be a whole little finger pointing. Yeah. You are celebrating too much. It will be one of those things. The all your celebrating too much. And so you are taunting our fans. And apparently at that point, the fans are entitled to come on the field, which is obviously nonsense. Yeah. If you can celebrate because you just won, then when can you celebrate? You have to imagine, and there were there are enough people around the stadium there that seem to be the security. All with their little yellow vest vest. Yeah. Where were they? Where were they? Isn't their sole job and their sole purpose to jump ahead of the curve here to know that this is possible, especially when it's something like Celtic and Rangers. And you know the historical significance of the match and the rivalry and the feelings of about one club and the other. If you are not on your toes, in terms of the security measures that you take to avoid this happening. In this game, then you haven't done your job. And that's where I would start. It's simple. There are games across the globe that are high risk in terms of the rivalry, in terms of what can happen, how it can escalate, and not having proper security at a game like that. It's unacceptable. All right. Well, I suppose one good thing if you're looking at it from our football America's perspective is that he had a decent day out. Of course, he was ended up on the winning team. And this is how he celebrated as you do in the pub. Okay. All right. That's that that's good core work. I thought it was a ping-ponging club. That's good. Oh, hello. Okay. So what? I'll let you you you you do frequent there. No, no. I only heard of some coming. EG. EG. EG. Could I take a look? I mentioned it briefly. He's a player who's on loan right now, a selfie. Yeah. And every time I open my time, he's a cold figure. Yeah. And so he's showing deer himself to that fan base in a way that I've seen few Mexican or North American players, not just Mexican, but North American players, you know, have at their clubs. It really is a sight to be seen. He is truly loved there. Remains to be seen to be stays, but so far so good for Juliana Rao. Look, when the image of you has a player for Celtic is the fact that you are saying whatever you're saying to the ranger fans after and kissing the crest. Yeah. And all that, then it doesn't even matter whether you can complete a pass from here today. You want to be you you're yes, you've already gone through the threshold, right? You've already walked into what Celtic would be or would consider our own. Yes. He may be bad, but he's our bad. Yeah. And that sort of thing. And so and that at times is the hardest thing to do for a player coming into a club, and especially a foreign player coming into a club that they take you in as one of theirs. Clearly, he has done that and having achieved that, if he can then complete a pass from here to there and then assist here and I go over there, then obviously his impact with Celtic is going to be as big as he wants it to be. I mean, it started off with the goal. Yeah. And then him jumping into the fan. So it gets it gets no bigger than being with the fans celebrating and everything else that Ali just mentioned. That's what took him over the line. It is them seeing that he'll fight for you that that he defends you. How much of that is pandering to the crowd? I'm sure a lot. That's what players do. They want fans on their side, but he's done no wrong at the moment. We love that. We need to get our Stevie Nicole on. Have a little chat about this. Was it wasn't Craig Rangers? No, Craig was Celtic. Stevie, Stevie, Stevie is a fan of Rangers. Craig is Celtic. We need to get both of them on. I'm sure they'll be excited to come in before the medics. It's time I know. I think only one will accept the invite. They'll there. Yes, they're definitely not essential workers. They're not essential workers. All right, let's move on. Shall we and have our little parting shot with some goals here. Have a look at this one from Paulinho. I mean, he's the ultimate nine. He's having himself a very good time in Mexico. That's a ridiculous finish. Just think over the goalkeeper here. I haven't heard Alex. I feel for a goal in a while. That was like that. Like that. Pretty calm cool and collected after that. Classy. All right, next one. Estudiantes de Mérida against Flamengo. Néstos sembranos. This one. Estudiantes de Mérida. There's only one thing to be said. Vamo Venezuela. Yep. Yep. And that's the under 20s. Well, in the same. Oh, no. Yeah, Alex, sorry. Anything you can do. Oh, Ryan Roberto. Roberto. Or maybe Ryan Humberto. Ryan Humberto. Ryan Humberto. Where was it? Where was it? The back of goalkeeper coming in with a flying kick. Where did he use that man? Alex. Where's Humberto? Where's Humberto? Humberto was disappointing in his performance. Where did he eat it? All right. This one from Victoria against Genesis. Juan Garcia. This is from Honduras's first. Yeah, this was the beginning of the bad joke. I'm sorry. Oh, man. No, no, I got it. Yeah, and it wasn't good. You're right. I just got it. And neither was his first touch, but he ended up working out quite well for the volley. Next one, shall we? This one from Technical U. This is an Ecuador. That's a defender's goal. That's a defender's goal. That's a goal. That's a goal. Smash, isn't it? Look at this. Oh, that is rough. I see sliding this up. Everybody's sitting on the bench. It's like, what is this guy going to exactly hit me? Are you joking? What? What? What? Look at that man. Well, my grandmother hangs her clothes. This is now coming from John Castillo. Ok, yo, this is in Don De Ale. Mama with a swell. Hey, he got two today. Look at the technique on that. Oh, he catches that nicely. I don't actually, you know, I actually grew up watching some good players. I'm going to show them the same. Yes. All right, this is much younger than me. I'm from Liga, this one's John in Mexico. Oh, that's a epic name. Can you see what he Lenis? Blascala. Look at that little way catches this right here. Okay, outside the foot, little bit. Oh, my absolute days. That's sexy. That's sexy. That's sexy. That's sexy. That's our thing. You want to, you want to, you want to, you want to, you want to, you want to, That's her three, three, three, four. All right, was that one your favorite? No, the Venezuelan on the left, like the way he catches it, it's not lace, it's, it's almost catches it with like the part of the, he hit that the way he wanted to, it was a golazo. Well, this is controversial. What? I'm not picking Venezuelan. Oh, which way are you picking? That last one. The defender scoring from a thousand yards out. I like the perfect builder, but he's like, everyone in the bench is like, oh, God. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Ryan Roberto was against, he scored against, he's definitely not getting in the, my vote, no. You going with the defender goal? Yeah, absolutely. Well, that was a great goal. That was a great goal. It was irresponsible that he took the shot on. That was, like, I don't want to be lying in the up right there. That was nice. That was nice. I like the last one. I'm not going to well. That one was, I love a little sexy goal, me. A little bit. All right. There's a first edition of football, W coming your way, manana, Tuesday, 9.30 p.m. Eastern time, our Christine Alexander will be with Ali Krieger and special guest, Crystal Dunn joining us as an analyst. All right. Well, that's going to do it for this edition of football America. What we going to do, guys? We're on an hour later today. So we're probably going to go hang out, right? We're a little night crew. No, it's, no, there's a kind of like ride. I know, you're a big Monday night, Monday night, so the kind of like, Ryan, so I don't think so. I've got some baby Yoda socks as well. I got kids. You got kids? Yeah, something's waking up rare early these days. They're all sleeping. All your kids are sleeping. That'd be a waste, guys. We will be, we're going to find something to do and we'll be back on Thursday. Hope you can join us then.
