00:00Now we go with our special segment on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup 2026,
00:04Beyond the Game, the World States Bureau.
00:06Welcome again, Luis. It's a pleasure to share the set with you.
00:10Pleasure to be back here once more, Lore.
00:12We have more information about everything that has to do with the World Cup,
00:15especially one day ahead of the first semifinal between France and Spain.
00:20After the break.
00:43Welcome to Beyond the Game, the World States Bureau.
00:46As we were announcing before the break, tomorrow the semifinals begin.
00:49We have a great semifinal match tomorrow between France and Spain.
00:53All rivals that meet once more in the World Cup.
00:55They have only met once in a World Cup title,
00:57but they have made quite a few times in the European Championship and in the Euro Cup
01:01and the UEFA Nations Leagues in Europe, of course.
01:05So, but for more details regarding this match and the second semifinal between England and Argentina,
01:10which has its own history, let's go live to Mexico City with our collaborator, Carlos Montero,
01:15for all details coming from there.
01:17Welcome, Carlos, once more to Beyond the Game.
01:21Hi, Luis Alberto.
01:22Roberto, we are ready for, I think it's going to be the two most important semifinals in the history of
01:28the World Cup.
01:29Maybe I'm wrong, but it's my personal opinion, and I can be wrong.
01:33Tomorrow, it's going to be two powerful houses from Europe, Spain against France.
01:40Spain, they only concede one goal.
01:43They have a very strong defense.
01:45France, France, they have the best offense.
01:48They have what they call the four fantastic Mbappé and company.
01:54So, I mean, it's going to be a very close match.
01:56Those two teams, they know a lot, but there is something funny.
02:00Instead of talking about the quality, that's the last training of the French team,
02:06talking about how they're going to play, we are talking if French people are French enough.
02:14Why?
02:15Mariano Rajoy, a former prime minister from Spain, he said that France has a fantastic team.
02:24The problem is they are not French.
02:34They have a good team, but a lot of people start to think why there are so many players who
02:41they were born.
02:44Most of them, they were born in Paris.
02:46The problem is that it's not the problem.
02:48The situation is the parents.
02:49They are from different countries.
02:51Most of them came from Africa.
02:52But that's what we are talking about today, and I think it's really crazy because it's going to be a
02:57beautiful game.
02:58Then on Wednesday, another match that has a lot of controversy because they are going to face two teams
03:07that they have a lot of history in common.
03:10Argentina against England.
03:13Forty years ago, in the stadium behind me, Stadio Azteca, Argentina and England play for the quarterfinal.
03:20That game was four years after the Malvinas War.
03:24So it was so important for the players.
03:27Maradona was the captain, and we beat England with a fantastic goal of Maradona.
03:33It was called the goal of the century and the controversial goal about the one he did with his hand.
03:40So, I mean, those two countries, they don't like each other.
03:44But even though Lionel Scaloni, the Argentine coach, he said, no, it's only a game.
03:49Don't go crazy, guys.
03:51But, I mean, there is a lot of the players who want to win from one side or the other.
03:56The only problem with England should Bellingham, who is the one who scored two goals in the last match,
04:03which it looked like him and Harry Kane are the leader of the team,
04:08got in a fight with Thomas Tuchet, the coach.
04:11Thomas Tuchet said after the last match that he wasn't too happy the way they played.
04:17He didn't like it very much.
04:20Bellingham, and he said maybe he doesn't have enough experience, the coach.
04:24From Germany, he didn't play football for a long time.
04:27So, it looks like the team is divided.
04:31One are with Bellingham, and the other half are with Tuchet.
04:35Let's see what's happened on the field.
04:38Argentine can take any advantage they give us because, you know, the last two matches,
04:44they were really tough for Argentina.
04:48The last three matches, because Cabo Verde, Egypt, and the last one against Switzerland,
04:53we suffered a lot.
04:54The Argentina couldn't find the rhythm, but let's see for the match of Wednesday against England,
05:02with so much on stake, of course, the one who wins is going to go to the final.
05:07Let's see how the Argentine team does.
05:10I'm going back to you, Luis Alberto.
05:12Thank you, Carlos, for all this information and all the details and your analysis on the two semifinals
05:17that are coming in just one, in less than 24 hours, and the other in just two days on Wednesday.
05:23But this is the information we got from Carlos, so thank you very much for being once more with us
05:28here in Beyond the Game.
05:31And as France prepares to face Spain in the World Cup semifinal, the first semifinal that takes place tomorrow,
05:36defender Ibrahima Conaté insists La Roja's biggest threats extend far beyond La Minyama.
05:45To be honest, you don't necessarily think about that because Spain is an exceptional side with a wealth of talent.
05:52But the aim isn't to focus only on one particular player, because it's the whole team that can cause problems.
06:00It's not just La Minyama, it's the whole team.
06:03To be honest, we don't pay any attention to what's being said about all this.
06:08We shouldn't be afraid of anyone.
06:10We need to stay true to the humility we've had from the very start.
06:13We mustn't fall into that trap, especially at this stage of the competition.
06:18Now, he can say whatever he likes.
06:20We'll try to prepare as well as we can in the run-up to the match.
06:23And at the end of the match, I hope the result will go our way.
06:30We're not worried. I think we knew this would be part of the adventure.
06:36That said, we're going to prepare as best we can.
06:40We've been through some extreme weather conditions and plenty of other challenges that were a bit tricky to deal with.
06:47But we rose to the occasion, so we'll do the same again.
06:53And with the semifinals just around the corner,
06:56it's also time to take stock of the standout performance of the 2026 World Cup following the quarterfinals.
07:02In goal, Morocco's Jacin Bono earns the nod after another spectacular tournament
07:07highlighted by his heroics in the quarterfinals.
07:10The back four features across Hakimi at right back,
07:14Theo Hernandez on the left,
07:15while Cristiano Romero and Spain's teenage sensation Pau Cuvarsi form a commanding central defensive partnership.
07:22In midfield, Alexis McAllister has been the heartbeat of Argentina.
07:25Jude Bellingham has established himself as one of the tournament's biggest stars with England.
07:30And Rodri continues to dictate Spain's play with his trademark composure and intelligence.
07:35The AD attack is a trio packed with world-class talent.
07:38Kylian Mbappe remains France's most dangerous offensive weapon.
07:41Leonel Messi continues to rewrite World Cup history while inspiring Argentina's run to the semifinals.
07:47And despite Norway's elimination, Erling Holland earns the striker spot after a tournament filled with goals and dominant performances.
07:54This is my best 11, of course.
07:56The official one is not given until the end of the tournament.
07:59Feel free to give us your best 11 in the comments or our social media.
08:09And on his football show, La Pelota No Se Mancha,
08:12journalist Victor Hugo Morales harshly condemned Javier Mele's government,
08:15accusing it of using tear gas, batons and police brutality to suppress the people's joy.
08:22Why is it that this, this happiness sweeping the world,
08:27in this case among Argentines at the World Cup,
08:31victory, taking to the streets, singing, hugging one another, jumping for joy?
08:39Why must this be brutally interrupted by a regime that treats repression as a kind of school?
08:45A despicable school, of course.
08:47The government of Mili, led by a minister named Monte Oliva,
08:52took to the streets of Buenos Aires once again,
08:55specifically to put an end to the celebration.
08:58Go home, they said.
09:00Even though people wanted to keep celebrating until dawn the next day.
09:04A situation typical of this government, which Argentines have to endure, unfolded.
09:10Neoliberal atrocities, accompanied by batons, beatings, tear gas.
09:15Everything that debases the lives of citizens.
09:19And following allegations of political interference by U.S. President Donald Trump,
09:24calls are growing for FIFA President Gian Infantino to step down.
09:28La Liga President Javier Tebas has joined the criticism of Infantino,
09:32strongly condemning him over the controversies surrounding the overturned red card show
09:36to U.S. international Florent Palogun, a decision widely believed to have been made at Trump's request.
09:43Tebas argued that the incident is not an isolated mistake or anecdote,
09:47but rather the tip of the iceberg of a governance model that has been undermining FIFA's credibility for many years.
09:53Meanwhile, German manager Jurgen Klopp said that if there was indeed political interference between Trump and Infantino
10:00and the matter was resolved in that manner, in his words,
10:04it's madness, it fools everything into question.
10:06The controversy has also reached the European Parliament,
10:10where lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Walters and Niels Fuchs-Lasson
10:14described FIFA's decision as a disgrace and a perversion of justice.
10:18They have joined 35 other members of Parliament in signing a letter calling on FIFA's Ethics Committee
10:23to investigate Gian Infantino.
10:33And the quarterfinal stage has come to an end, with two matches that left fans speechless.
10:38Social media once again erupted with claims of several officiating errors that went unnoticed by the referee,
10:44putting game officials under intense scrutiny, as football federations and countries have raised their voices in protest.
10:50In Switzerland, demonstrators took to the streets to protest against FIFA and its embattled president Gian Infantino.
10:56Protesters criticized the commercialization of the sport, alleged institutional corruption,
11:01refereeing decisions, match scheduling, and what they described as the modern business model imposed on football.
11:08The demonstrations began during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and escalated rapidly following Switzerland's quarterfinal elimination to Argentina.
11:15Protesters claimed the officiating favor of the Albe Celeste,
11:19pointing in particular to the controversial VAR-assisted dismissal of Swiss striker Brillo Mbolo for simulation.
11:32And that's all for this edition of Beyond the Game.
11:34The Ball State Spear will be back with more information and story shaping the World Cup.
11:38We'll go back to you, Lory.
11:39Thank you so much, Luizzi, for keeping us posted and all the updates related to the world of football.
11:43And with this special segment, we have come to the end of this news brief.
11:47Remember, you can find these and many other stories on our website at telestudyenglish.net.
11:51And yes, it's on social media. We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok.
11:56For Telestudyenglish, I am Lorena Fong. Thank you for watching.
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