- 5 hours ago
Hosted by Ng Chia Yin, and answered by S. Saktesh and T. Avineshwaran, the team from Star Sport share their take on the “Golden Generation” of Belgium, who are growing into their roles as leaders, England’s chances for the World Cup, with their first task being Croatia, and also how Cristiano Ronaldo will fare in his sixth World Cup. The panel also share their favourite World Cup songs!
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NewsTranscript
00:07Welcome back to Star Sportscast Episode 2.
00:10I'm your host, Chia Yin, and today we have the same guest again, same faces.
00:14Say hi, Aryeh Saktesh.
00:16You may look like you're wearing the same clothes, but it's actually not.
00:20Okay, so today we are previewing the matches that all football fans are buzzing about.
00:26Whether Mohamed Salah is about to have the World Cup moment of his life,
00:31whether England is finally, finally bringing it home, or...
00:36Probably not.
00:37Where Ronaldo win the only elusive trophy home.
00:43Okay, so maybe we can start with the bigger match.
00:47Belgium versus Egypt.
00:50You want to take first or I take first?
00:52My, again, even as an MU fan, I just want to see Salah perform well.
00:57He's a good player, but Belgium, I mean, there's a good amount of players in the squad as well.
01:04We'll be tied, I think.
01:06We're seeing a lot of African countries perform, surprise a lot of European teams nowadays.
01:12So, maybe Egypt, but Avi, what are you looking at?
01:16I'm going to go against them.
01:18I'm going to say that Belgium are the favourites for this time.
01:21Because Egypt may have Mohamed Salah, but you can't rely on one talisman to get things done.
01:27Right?
01:27That's true.
01:28And, okay, but they also have players like Omar Mahmush, and then they have the 18-year-old Hamza Abdul
01:32Karim,
01:32who was actually training in Malaysia once upon a time with that team.
01:36But are they good enough to lead this team forward?
01:39That's a question mark.
01:40Because Hamza is only 18, and Omar Mahmush is still behind the shadows of Mo Salah.
01:47That's Egypt.
01:48But Belgium, a lot of people are saying that this golden generation is no more.
01:53I mean, they're old, they're ageing and all that.
01:55But I've watched some of their friendly matches.
01:57They don't look like they're old, really.
01:59No, they look good.
02:00I watched their last game against, I forgot what team is.
02:02They look old?
02:02Yeah, no, they look old and good.
02:04I mean, like, they're playing well.
02:07Visually, they...
02:08But why I'm saying that Belgium could actually spring a surprise is because of their coach,
02:12Rudi Garcia.
02:14So, Rudi Garcia is a tactician that always looks at what I can get from this player to help my
02:20tactic.
02:21So, that's Rudi Garcia.
02:23I mean, you have the oldies like Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Cotua, Romelu Lukaku are still there.
02:28Lukaku.
02:29But you remember, they have Jeremy Doku.
02:31That's true.
02:32And then they have Charles de Cattellare.
02:33And then they have this young midfielder who looks so small, but he's so nippy.
02:37Diego Moreira.
02:38He's really, really good.
02:39And then Yuri Tillemans is coming at his peak.
02:42I think as you listed down, Avi, Belgium look...
02:44Now you want to come to my side, Pula.
02:46No, no.
02:47For this match, I'm still fine with going for, you know, rooting for Egypt.
02:50Just look for the underdogs.
02:51But in the grand scheme of things, Belgium look quite deadly, actually.
02:55And though some may question Belgium's defence, but they have a solid goalkeeper at the back.
03:00Like, even if he's injured Thibaut Cotua, they have semi-lemmons.
03:05He's good as well.
03:06He had a really good season with Manchester United.
03:09So, Belgium will go in without any form of expectations.
03:14And that could be their blessing.
03:16So, usually, when they don't have fragile expectations, maybe they can perform better.
03:19Exactly. That's what players actually want.
03:21Don't expect anything.
03:22Let us do our own motivation to get things done.
03:25So, I think Belgium, if they win this game, then the confidence will slowly come up.
03:30And the old guards there are to guide the team.
03:33Yeah, that's my take.
03:35Yeah, they're not there as the key players.
03:36So, they all age like fine wine, I guess.
03:39Age like fine wine, able to give good advices like a good bourbon whiskey.
03:43Not all wine tastes good, so.
03:48Okay, so what about former champions France versus Senegal match?
03:54France are just looking.
03:56I looked at the line-up.
03:58You can't find a name that you don't recognize.
04:01From Mbappé to Dembele to Kante.
04:05The list goes on and on and on.
04:07And they just look strong.
04:09We watched Qatar World Cup.
04:10We saw what France can do.
04:12We saw what France can do to a team like Argentina also.
04:16But yeah, Senegal, at the same time, I feel like you cannot just brush them off.
04:21They have very strong players.
04:22They have two Sars in there, I think.
04:25Two Andiantes.
04:26Three in there.
04:28Strong players.
04:29Yeah.
04:30Remember 2002 World Cup?
04:32Oh.
04:33I barely can, actually.
04:34France versus Senegal.
04:35I was six.
04:36Oh, no.
04:38I was 12.
04:39I watched that game with my dad.
04:40And we were like, France is going to win.
04:41France is going to win.
04:42Suddenly, Papa Boba did your squad.
04:43I was like, wow.
04:44I was three.
04:46You guys are so young.
04:47I'm feeling old right now.
04:49But yeah, that game was like a stunner.
04:51It said nobody expected Senegal to win.
04:52Because they qualified for the first time.
04:54And at that point of time, they had plays that were not really world stars.
04:59After that tournament, he had plays Al-Hajdu of Papa Boba Dia, who became top players in the Premier League
05:05and so on.
05:07With that in mind, I think France would be thinking about that game when they face Senegal.
05:11And this time, this Senegal team is complete.
05:14Complete in the sense that they have balance in every single department.
05:18They have Mbaye.
05:19Yeah, I mean, their keeper is Edouard Mendy, who has won the AFC Champions League twice.
05:23With super saves in the tournament for Al-Hali.
05:28And then in defence, they have Khalidou Koulibaly.
05:32He is, for me, on his day, one of the best defenders.
05:35You can't get past him.
05:37He is that good.
05:39But yes, he is this.
05:40That's Khalidou Koulibaly.
05:41But in the Senegal side, he is the leader, so to speak.
05:45And then in midfield, oh my god, they are mobile.
05:47Well, imagine a 36-year-old guy is manning the midfield.
05:52Idrissa Gueye, Everton's midfielder.
05:55He is so, so good.
05:56And then you play like Malang Saar.
05:58And then you have Sadio Mane there.
06:00You know, and then...
06:01Do you see Mane as the figure to sort of...
06:06Still leading figure in the team?
06:07He is the leading figure.
06:09I wouldn't expect lots of goals from him, but he is going to say,
06:11hey, do this, do that.
06:12Because he has got a lot of talent with players around him.
06:14One fellow that I am looking forward to is Iliman NDIA.
06:18If he performs well in this World Cup, I believe he will get a bit more.
06:21This is one of the three NDIAs in the team.
06:24Who is the other two?
06:26I cannot think of the first one.
06:27There is no NDIA, NDIA, NDIA.
06:29And then there is two Saas in that.
06:30In France, you mentioned about the players there, right?
06:33I mean, in the last World Cup, Mbappe was the key man.
06:36He scored eight goals, if I am not mistaken.
06:37But this one, I think he is not going to be the key man.
06:40You know why?
06:41A few days ago, I watched a few matches.
06:45Involving Michael Olis here.
06:47What a player.
06:50Last friendly, he scored a hat-trick.
06:52Mbappe was struggling.
06:53But this guy was so nonchalant, so cool, able to score all the banging goals.
06:58I think he is going to be the star of the World Cup.
07:00But you think Mbappe has been sort of, not struggling, but hasn't been on his top form even in PSG
07:06lately?
07:08Mbappe, you're a Madrid pro.
07:09Oh, sorry.
07:10In my day.
07:11But you think he's going to change things up when he plays for France?
07:15He would.
07:16He would.
07:16Because I think right now, he has a point to prove.
07:18A lot of people have said that PSG did not win the Champions League because he was there.
07:22Now Real Madrid is not winning the Champions League because he was there.
07:25Because he's on the other side.
07:26Oh my god, that sucks for him.
07:27For him, yeah.
07:28Because he scores a lot of goals.
07:29Yet, he's not bringing the trophies that these teams want.
07:33But you don't think that they can say that France will win the World Cup because of Mbappe?
07:38You don't think he's the reason?
07:39There's definitely others.
07:40Could be.
07:41That he has to tell it to himself.
07:42Because they are blessed with lots of individual talents in their team.
07:47Desired way.
07:48But with all those talents, Mbappe's name is always a highlight in the team.
07:54You think if he is not performing at his peak, do you think the skills around him will be able
08:01to keep the team afloat?
08:03Yeah, yeah.
08:03Capable.
08:04Yes, they're capable.
08:05I have no doubts about it.
08:06Because they have great individuals in their team.
08:09My only concern is their fullbacks.
08:11That is my only concern.
08:12But other than that, even in defense, they have William Saliba, Dayot Upamakano.
08:17Both players have just won their domestic trophies with their respective clubs.
08:20And even their keeper, Mike Mignon, very good shortstopper.
08:23So, in terms of strength, France is there.
08:26But the problem is France is the mindset.
08:28If they lose this first game, I think they will have a very torrid tournament.
08:34So, they have to win this game.
08:35Then, you will see them going strength to strength throughout the tournament.
08:40So, now we can talk about England and their first match against Croatia.
08:44I'm going home then.
08:45Unlike the cup, it's not going home.
08:48So, what do you think?
08:50Like, will they finally bring the cup home?
08:53Basically, for me, this game is a team playing with pressure.
08:56Another team that's not playing with pressure.
08:58But what the first game for England though?
09:00Against Croatia.
09:00Against Croatia.
09:01I saw that.
09:01I was like, this can't be the first match England are playing.
09:03And it is.
09:04I was like, oh, it's so unlucky for them.
09:06For this English place, it's baptism of fire.
09:08They have to go all up.
09:09Every World Cup is, I guess, for them at this point.
09:11Every World Cup, they can't be like, this is it.
09:13So, you have to do it.
09:15And you also have the shadow of Southgate.
09:16Because they qualified.
09:17The last two tournaments, they qualified for the finals.
09:20I think it was the Euros.
09:21Yeah, Euros.
09:22They qualified for the finals and did not win it.
09:24They were that close.
09:25So, this particular tournament, it's under a new coach.
09:28Under a German coach called Thomas Tuchel.
09:31So, they have to show that they really won this.
09:36Because Croatia is going to go in without any pressure.
09:38Because they have lots of veteran players there.
09:40It's going to be Kane against Modric.
09:43One really tall and one really short player.
09:45And one guy named Perisic.
09:46I don't know how long he has been playing.
09:48The Croatian team is Sitch.
09:50All Sitch.
09:51Every Sitch will be there.
09:53But yeah, I mean, Croatia also is a team that relies on tactical organization.
09:58So, in that sense, you know, I think England has to be a bit more enterprising.
10:02And they need the creative players to tell themselves,
10:05hey, let's have fun and let that fun turn to goals.
10:08That kind of thing.
10:09When was the last time they won the World Cup?
10:12I think it was 60 years ago.
10:14Obviously, none of us were born by that.
10:16None of us were born by that.
10:17None of the players were around.
10:18Most likely their parents were still very young when that happened.
10:22But not an England fan, like not a diehard England fan.
10:25But it's...
10:27England is the, you know, unofficial birthplace of football.
10:30In China or whatever.
10:32But everyone has a...
10:33I feel like it's one of those.
10:35You have a soft spot for England.
10:36If you like Premier League or what.
10:39You secretly root for them.
10:41But you're always prepared for disappointment.
10:43I don't have that soft spot.
10:44I don't know why.
10:46I really don't know why.
10:47I support Arsenal.
10:48I like all the English players there.
10:51But when it comes to tournament, I just don't want them to win.
10:54I don't know why.
10:55It's horrible.
10:56Usually, I'm not that kind of person.
10:59Are you sure?
10:59I don't want it to come home.
11:02Yeah, but we'll see.
11:03I feel like they have a lot to prove.
11:05England definitely have a lot to prove.
11:07Like every World Cup, the pressure just gets more for England.
11:11Which is very unlucky for them.
11:12Each World Cup, they don't win.
11:14Which will be another one after this one.
11:16It's just more pressure for them.
11:17Yeah, the media will go hard on them.
11:19It's very unlucky for them.
11:20But to get into the squad is tough enough.
11:24So if you're there, you deal with the fire that comes with it.
11:27You're playing for the three Lions.
11:29There's a reason why.
11:30So deal with it, unfortunately.
11:33So what about Cristiano Ronaldo?
11:35He's making his sixth World Cup appearance.
11:37Uncle playing.
11:39But then, he has won a lot of titles throughout his career.
11:43And do you think this is the only title that he hasn't won?
11:46So do you think he can do it this time?
11:49He has the team.
11:50That I have to say.
11:52Because they have got very good midfielders like Vithina, Yor Neffs, Bruno Fernandes.
11:57And then they have wingers who are really good.
12:00If I don't know, his name is Sergio Concesao.
12:04The player who plays on the right.
12:06And then they also have players like Petro Neto.
12:08And then their fullbacks are also good.
12:10You've got Joao Felix.
12:10Joao Concelo.
12:11Yeah, Joao Felix is there.
12:13Bernardo Silva.
12:14So, they have players that are capable of winning tournaments.
12:18No doubts about that.
12:19But it's always that Ronaldo shadow.
12:21Do you think this is their best chance to win it?
12:24Because everyone said that for Argentina the last World Cup.
12:26That this is the best chance for them to get it.
12:29And they did.
12:30Do you think with the squad and taking into consideration Ronaldo's age and performances?
12:35I mean, he's still performing well.
12:36Roberto Martinez needs to tell himself the team comes first.
12:41Not the persona that has always been the talking point for Portugal.
12:46I'm not saying, for me simple.
12:48I know Ronaldo is always driven.
12:49He wants to be the greatest of all time.
12:51And you have a lot of debates.
12:54Like if you win the World Cup and your domestic South American tournament or European tournament,
12:59you are considered the good.
13:00So, that's why for me, in my opinion, Messi is the greatest of all time.
13:04Not just because of his trophies and all that.
13:05But he is one of the best talents I've watched in my life.
13:09I've not watched Maradona.
13:09I've officially made his stance clear.
13:11Ronaldo, Messi is like, Ronaldo, yes, but...
13:14Messi.
13:14Messi is always better.
13:16Always better.
13:16But I do know for a fact that a lot of Ronaldo fans want him to win the World Cup
13:20so that they can say that he's the greatest of all time.
13:24Because the amount of goals he scored, the way he's performed in the Champions Leagues,
13:28and then how he...
13:29When he first came to United, how he was.
13:31Amazing player.
13:32And then when he came back, how it was.
13:34I think it's like, it's a fairy tale.
13:37You just want...
13:37You want it to come full circle.
13:40And I feel like...
13:41I mean, I love both players, Ronaldo and Messi.
13:44There's no debate.
13:45Sometimes it's hard to debate.
13:46But I feel, if you are a Messi fan,
13:49and this goes for any sports, I feel.
13:51If you are a Messi fan and you are not a particularly fan of Ronaldo,
13:55don't shy away.
13:56Keep watching it.
13:57Watch him play.
13:57Because if you don't, you are literally letting history happen in front of you.
14:03You get to witness history happen.
14:05A machine playing his sixth World Cup.
14:09I mean, that's...
14:10I wish I could see it with my own eyes.
14:12But to be able to just watch it...
14:13The goal was for playing in his sixth World Cup.
14:15Two of them playing.
14:16Just to say that I was alive doing that, that's good enough for me.
14:19But, I mean, if Ronaldo, for me, I've enjoyed his games.
14:23Like, for example, when Spain and Portugal played the 3-3 draw.
14:26Remember this individual performance?
14:28He scored the fricking and all that.
14:29I enjoyed that.
14:30That is the Ronaldo that I know.
14:31But now, I think the narrative should not just be on him.
14:34He should be on the team.
14:35And I think a lot of the players would be telling themselves,
14:38let's play for Jota.
14:39The player who passed away in an accident last year.
14:43So, I think that would be the...
14:45Do you see the attribute for him in the World Cup sport?
14:47Yeah, beautiful.
14:47So, they listed out all the World Cup team.
14:49And then, they had his name in semi-translucent.
14:52But they left his name down there.
14:54Which was quite cute.
14:56Correct.
14:56But, Portugal's first game is against Kongo.
14:59Kongo, I believe, is going to be super defensive.
15:01That's my take.
15:02And they have players who are known for that.
15:05And two players are playing in the Premier League.
15:07One of them, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, was Ronaldo's teammate.
15:10So, for sure, they would be playing a very defensive game.
15:12How they can unlock that, that's going to be Portugal's problem.
15:16So, if Kongo gets a draw out of this, for them, it's a celebration.
15:20If Portugal loses, it's going to be...
15:23The headlines will be...
15:25The biggest upset at the start of the World Cup.
15:27Yeah.
15:27Because, yeah, Portugal cannot afford to lose.
15:30Cannot afford to lose.
15:31Cannot afford to lose.
15:32So, like you said just now, you hope Messi...
15:34You prefer Messi over Ronaldo, right?
15:36My greatest of all time is Messi.
15:37I'll put it on record here.
15:38Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:40But he has just recalled from an injury, right?
15:42Who?
15:43Messi.
15:44Yes, but I watched his last friendly.
15:46He came on for 18 minutes.
15:47He made a superb throw pass and he scored a goal.
15:49What's an injury to Messi?
15:51Yeah, that's Messi.
15:52Yeah.
15:53So, that's justifies...
15:54It's not about his injury.
15:55He's not playing in the MLS, you know.
15:56Not even a top-tier league.
15:58But when he plays for Argentina, somehow you feel like...
16:01How is this fella doing all this?
16:03How is he doing all this?
16:04The ghost of Maradona just gets into him and then we're like, oh.
16:07Oh, my God.
16:07I think he is on his own now.
16:10Yeah.
16:10Yeah.
16:11But if you ask any Argentinians, they'll be like, oh no, it's Maradona's.
16:13I wish I would watch Maradona during his prime.
16:16My dad also told me lots of stuff about Maradona, but for me, it's Messi.
16:20Okay.
16:21Let's talk about culture.
16:23Because the World Cup is never just about football.
16:25It has their own anthem and everything.
16:28So, 1998 gave us Ricky Martin's Cup of Life.
16:31Still unmatched energy.
16:33True.
16:34So, 2020 gave us Waka Waka from Shakira.
16:36True.
16:36And entire planet was dancing back then.
16:39So, what about this year's anthem?
16:41Is there any...
16:42It's Shakira again, isn't it?
16:43Yeah.
16:43It's called what?
16:44Dai Dai?
16:45Dai Dai.
16:45Dai Dai Dai.
16:45I keep confusing between Dai Dai and Gai Gai.
16:47Why Gai Gai?
16:48I don't know.
16:49It's close enough.
16:49Like, D and G is close enough.
16:52But it's a good song.
16:53It's just, I may be biased.
16:56Maybe it needs time to sort of sink in because like Waka Waka.
17:00That was on a different level.
17:02But I think I remember when it came out, it took me a while to sort of warm up to
17:05it.
17:05You have to relate it with the World Cup.
17:07You see videos of it.
17:08You see people singing.
17:09Then it sort of becomes more meaningful.
17:12But there are a few more World Cup songs.
17:15Actually, now that I think of it, I know the 2014 World Cup, I like J-Lo's song with Pitbull
17:19and others.
17:19But I remember Kata.
17:21Tuku-tuku-ta-kata-kata-tuku-ta-ta-ta that song.
17:23That was brainwashing the Kata song.
17:25I tell you, that song was in my head for the whole world.
17:28Like, whenever I went to the metro line or I was going out, that song was in my head.
17:32It was really nice.
17:33It was catchy.
17:33But I think this time, Aisha Speed did a good job.
17:36Yeah, Speed song is called Champions and then World Cup 26.
17:40I think, yeah, very underrated song.
17:42He paid tribute to all the teams.
17:43And I think right now, a lot of kids are resonating with Aisha Speed.
17:48True.
17:49They really love him.
17:51And a lot of people call him eccentric.
17:53But the guy is actually spreading culture around the world.
17:56Introducing new cultures, new songs, new vibes and all that.
18:00So I think him being part of the World Cup now, doing his life.
18:02I believe he's going to go to live stream the whole tournament.
18:05He definitely will.
18:05Yeah.
18:06So that will be something to watch as well.
18:08But the song was also catchy.
18:09But this will be the first World Cup.
18:10We have a halftime show.
18:11Yeah.
18:12Are they doing the halftime show for the opening ceremony and the closing only?
18:15I'm not too sure.
18:16But they are planning for a few games as well.
18:18And there will be a new workout as well.
18:20New style.
18:21I think they are trying to make some changes lah, FIFA.
18:23So that's something to look forward to.
18:24We'll see how it's received.
18:26Yeah, we'll see how it's received.
18:27Because initially, I saw they wanted to bring out players like one by one.
18:30I think that has stopped.
18:32Initially, that was the plan.
18:32Initially, that was the plan.
18:34Which is now not happening.
18:35Everyone just wants them to do the standard.
18:37You know, just come out, shake hands and start playing football.
18:39But it's called soccer.
18:40So we don't know what they're going to do.
18:42We have to see what happens.
18:44But yeah.
18:45It's all about advertising.
18:47So thank you so much, Avi and Saktej, for being here today and sharing your opinions.
18:51So that's all for today.
18:53I'm Chia-Yin from Stars Podcast.
18:56Okay.
18:57Is this again?
18:57Okay.
19:08Okay.
19:08Okay.
19:08Okay.
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