Make Football Great Again

Same old England? Just when we thought the Three Lions were building serious momentum after defeating Croatia, Thomas Tuchel’s side turned in a ponderous, frustrating 0-0 draw against a resilient Ghana side in Boston. In this episode of Make Football Great Again, Harry Brent is joined by the Mirror’s Chief Football Writer John Cross straight from the stadium to break down where it all went wrong. They dissect England's historical struggle with "second game syndrome," ask why the attack looked so incredibly sluggish against Ghana’s low block, and question some baffling tactical decisions—including the inverted fullback dilemma and leaving Ivan Toney on the bench. Plus, John delivers his definitive Match Player Ratings, highlighting a stellar defensive display from Mark Guéhi, an erratic night for Jordan Pickford, and a frustratingly quiet outing for captain Harry Kane. What’s inside this episode: The Low Block Conundrum: Why England couldn't move the ball quickly enough to stretch the Ghanaian defense. Tuchel’s Selection Critique: The weird dynamic of right-footed fullbacks on the left flank and the benching of Marcus Rashford. The Striker Dilemma: Harry Kane’s three-touch frustration in the box and why Ivan Toney was custom-made for this exact game. Panama Preview: What needs to drastically change on Saturday to secure top spot in the group. 00:06 – Intro & Post-Match Reality Check Harry and John react to a very "drab" 0-0 draw against Ghana and the immediate comedown from the opening-day joy against Croatia. 00:36 – The Curse of "Second Game Syndrome" A deep dive into England's historical trend of slipping up in their second group games (2020, 2022, 2024) and why 2018 was the last time they avoided the trap. 02:30 – How to Break a Low Block John explains why blaming a defensive opposition is a cop-out, criticizing England's ponderous, slow, and labored passing. 05:14 – Weather Excuses & "Sunday League" Mentalities Debunking the heat myth in a chilly Boston and why England's sluggish opening five minutes set a complacent tone. 07:06 – The Winger & Rashford Mystery Why was Anthony Gordon so ineffective, and why did Thomas Tuchel leave it so late to bring Marcus Rashford into the mix? 07:45 – Official Player Ratings: The Starting XI John passes judgment on the team, detailing Pickford's nerve-wracking moments, Guéhi’s Man of the Match performance, and Kane's 5/10 display. 10:00 – The Inverted Fullback Debate A tactical breakdown of Jed Spence and the awkward positioning of right-footed players dominating the left flank. 12:18 – Substitutes & The Benched Strikers Rating the impact of Saka, O’Reilly, and Rogers, and calling out the "utterly bizarre" decision to leave Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins on the bench. 15:01 – Are England Genuine Contenders? A sobering look at whether England belongs in the top tier of tournament favorites or the "second tier." 15:57 – Looking Ahead to Panama What England must prioritize on Saturday to fix their rhythm, secure the group, and trigger a much-needed team reaction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Harry Brent is joined by John Cross to react to England's 4-2 win against Croatia. The World Cup opener for the Three Lions featured the "sensational" Jude Bellingham, an "exquisite" finish from Marcus Rashford, "off the scale brilliant" Harry Kane, as well as a defensive unit that did not click. Can Harry Kane carry on breaking records? Will we expect more "white knuckle rollercoaster performances" from Thomas Tuchel's side? And should we be worried about Jordan Pickford between the sticks for England? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England completed their pre-World Cup run with a convincing 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Orlando—but it wasn’t without a bit of classic Florida weather chaos! In this episode of Make Football Great Again, Harry Brent is joined by the Mirror’s Chief Football Writer, John Cross, straight from the humid grounds of Florida. From torrential rain delays and bizarre pitch-watering spectacles to tactical masterclasses on the field, we break down everything you need to know ahead of the 2026 World Cup. In today's episide: • The Match: Goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, and Ollie Watkins seal the win. • The Standouts: Why Jude Bellingham completely owned the midfield and staked his claim for the No. 10 shirt against Croatia. • The Miss: Noni Madueke’s open-goal blunder that he won't want to watch again. • Injury Update: The latest on Bukayo Saka’s Achilles tendonitis and how Thomas Tuchel plans to rotate the squad. • Transfer Gossip: Is Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson really worth a £100M+ British transfer record? Man City and Man Utd think he might be. • Player Ratings: Full starting XI breakdown, including why Harry Kane needs to stop playing like an NFL quarterback. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - England 3-0 Costa Rica: Match Overview 00:32 - Torrential Rain & American Lightning Rules 03:28 - Performance Review: Pace, Tactics & Tough Tackles 05:01 - Man of the Match: Jude Bellingham Locks Down the No. 10 06:00 - Noni Madueke's Performance & That Infamous Miss 07:49 - Bukayo Saka Injury Update & Squad Rotation Under Tuchel 09:25 - Transfer Talk: £100M Elliot Anderson to Man City or Man Utd? 11:41 - England Player Ratings: Why Kane is Dropping Too Deep 14:45 - Predicted Starting XI vs Croatia & Selection Dilemmas 16:35 - Tuchel’s USA Training Camp & Moving to Kansas City 17:53 - 2026 World Cup Kicks Off Today! With the World Cup officially kicking off with Mexico vs. South Africa, make sure you're fully clued up. Check out our 48-Nation Scouting Report available right now on the channel, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts! Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final instalment of our 48-nation roadmap, Harry Brent speaks to his colleagues Daniel Caw and Darren Cooney from the Daily Record about Scotland. Can Scott McTominay become Scotland's GOAT? What are the expectations for Steve Clarke's side? And who is the OAP in the Tartan Army? Daniel and Darren discuss auld rivalries and potential history making at the 2026 World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada, which is only days away. You can watch Hotline Live, the go-to place for unfiltered opinion on the biggest talking points in Scottish football, on the Daily Record channel: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@scottishdailyrecord⁩ Make Football Great Again is the definitive 48-nation roadmap to the 2026 World Cup, combining deep-dive interviews from across the globe with legendary tournament anecdotes from our veteran reporters. Read all of the latest football news: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ Subscribe to our new Make Football Great Again newsletter for everything World Cup 2026: https://www.mirror.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/?view=Solus&mailingListId=c4fc9b20-3be6-4105-9f07-3ae274c4031b&utm_source=solusarticle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Make Football Great Again! 🌍⚽ In this episode, we sit down with Hassanane Balal, host of the Iraq Football Podcast, to explore one of football's greatest underdog stories. From winning the 2007 Asian Cup against all odds to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup after 40 years—Iraq's football journey is unlike anything you've ever heard. Iraq Football Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hassananeIraq Football Podcast on X: https://x.com/IraqFootballPod - What You'll Learn: ✅ How Iraq won the 2007 Asian Cup with players sleeping in airports and no training facilities ✅ The incredible story of national unity—how football brought together Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, Christians, and Arabs ✅ Iraq's dramatic 2026 World Cup qualification journey (including the controversial Asian Cup quarter-final loss to Jordan) ✅ The challenges Iraqi fans face traveling to the US World Cup ✅ Key players to watch: Ali Al-Hamadi, Ayman Hussain, Zidane Iqbal, and more ✅ Graham Arnold's tactical masterclass and how Iraq plans to compete against France, Norway, and Senegal ✅ Why this World Cup is about so much more than football—it's about changing global perceptions of Iraq Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode Harry is joined by Sudesh Baniya, co-host of the Asian Game podcast, as the 48 nation roadmap brings us to 2022 hosts: Qatar. Eager to take advantage of an interesting group, and with an attacking prowess described as "the best Asian football has ever seen", Qatar could surprise fans at this summer's tournament. The Asian Game podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4t1TlqXUhyRVExWcYVD88A - The Asian Game podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Uu7bDa2nIrpLVIeHLBR2E Make Football Great Again is the definitive 48-nation roadmap to the 2026 World Cup, combining deep-dive interviews from across the globe with legendary tournament anecdotes from our veteran reporters. Read all of the latest football news: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ Subscribe to our new Make Football Great Again newsletter for everything World Cup 2026: https://www.mirror.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/?view=Solus&mailingListId=c4fc9b20-3be6-4105-9f07-3ae274c4031b&utm_source=solusarticle #Qatar #Football #Soccer #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #2026WorldCup #podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can Saudi Arabia recreate the magic of Qatar 2022 and navigate past Spain and Uruguay? 🇸🇦 In this episode of Make Football Great Again, host Harry Brent sits down with Saudi football expert Mo Fayed to trace the definitive 48-nation roadmap for the Green Falcons. From their dramatic historical managerial turnovers to the structural realities behind the massive investments in the Saudi Pro League, we explore what it will take for this squad to rise above domestic pessimism and make a splash in North America. We dive deep into the unique fan culture, domestic bottlenecks, and tactical system variables, breaking down: ⚽ The Mancini Walkout: The dramatic, unedited story behind Roberto Mancini abandoning his players during the 2023 Asian Cup shootout. ⚽ The GOAT Paradox: Why Asia's Player of the Year, Salem Al-Dawsari, faces internal club vs. country scrutiny. ⚽ The Cristiano Ronaldo Effect: How training alongside icons like Benzema and Ronaldo is physically shifting local training standards. ⚽ The Athletic Deficit: Why the traditional regional "family night" coffee culture poses a distinct physiological challenge to high-level sports development. ⚽ Roster Hidden Gems: Why breakout full-back Mohammed Abu Shamat is currently tracking as one of the best domestic options in the country. Follow Mo Fayed for expert Arab football coverage: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4t1TlqXUhyRVExWcYVD88A - https://www.instagram.com/fayadzinho/ 🔔 Subscribe to Make Football Great Again on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify to follow our global scouting mission down to the opening match of 2026! The Timecodes 0:00 – Teaser: Roberto Mancini walks out & an audacious Argentina prediction 0:17 – Welcome to Make Football Great Again! 0:46 – Meet Mo Fayed: Tracking the Green Falcons' narrative trajectory 1:15 – Segment: One Truth and One Lie (Managerial turnover volume vs. the shootout abandonment) 3:32 – Analyzing Mancini's 2023 Asian Cup exit controversy 4:54 – Segment: The Travel Log – Who is Saudi Arabia's true football GOAT? 7:55 – Most Celebrated Result: Slaying Messi and Argentina in Lusail 8:39 – Banter Rivalry: Why Saudi fans closely watch Egyptian football 10:32 – Roster Bottlenecks: Are domestic stars losing essential game time to foreign icons? 13:56 – Foreign Manager Bias: Why the Middle East constantly imports tactical celebrity 15:42 – Look Ahead: Infrastructure, expectations, and hosting 2034 18:35 – Segment: The Scouting Report – Roster breakdown & Ultimate Team gems 20:17 – Sizing up the Talisman: Salem Al-Dawsari vs. Firas Al-Biraikan 21:10 – Under the Radar: Why Mohammed Abu Shamat is a proper threat 22:09 – Group H Breakdown: Surviving Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde 23:37 – Managing Expectations: Sizing up the tactical system under Georgios Donis 25:45 – The Pro League Balance: Living, breathing, and training with Cristiano Ronaldo 28:34 – The Cultural Friction: Coffee culture, late nights, and physical peak ceilings 29:16 – The England Swap: Inserting Harry Kane into the attack 29:47 – Rapid Fire Round: 2026 Tournament Winner & Golden Boot 30:39 – Outrageous Hot Take: Lionel Messi's early exit 31:22 – Outro & Next Nation Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fresh from Thomas Tuchel's press conference, ahead of England's pre-World Cup friendly against New Zealand in Tampa, Florida, John Cross shares the mood in the Three Lions camp with Harry Brent. He discusses how rivalries in the camp could beneficial for England, starters for the Three Lions, and whether Thomas Tuchel's side could literally weather the storm. __ Make Football Great Again is the definitive 48-nation roadmap to the 2026 World Cup, combining deep-dive interviews from across the globe with legendary tournament anecdotes from our veteran reporters. Read all of the latest football news: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ Subscribe to our new Make Football Great Again newsletter for everything World Cup 2026: https://www.mirror.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/?view=Solus&mailingListId=c4fc9b20-3be6-4105-9f07-3ae274c4031b&utm_source=solusarticle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can Ralf Rangnick’s tactical rebuild carry Austria past Argentina and the heavyweights of Group J? 🇦🇹⚽ In this episode of Make Football Great Again, host Harry Brent is joined by the host of The Other Bundesliga podcast, Tom Midler, to trace the definitive tournament preview for Austria. We discard routine statistical analysis to unlock incredible pieces of administrative hubris, political friction, and the historical coffee house culture that invented modern tactical movements. 🔥 In this episode, we unpack: The Euro 2008 Petition: The bizarre, true story of tens of thousands of Austrian fans who formally begged their own team to withdraw from the tournament to prevent a national crisis. The Invention of Total Football: Why the intellectual coffee house circles of Vienna’s Ringstrasse deserve historical credit for inventing tactical fluid movement long before the Netherlands. The Miracle of Córdoba: Tracing the legendary 1978 win over West Germany that sparked the most unhinged, emotional commentary in sports broadcasting history. The Rangnick Friction: The ongoing strategic war between a demanding German manager and an old-school Football Association resistant to structural evolution. The Roster Pipeline Changes: Sizing up Carney Chukwuemeka’s choice to acquire an Austrian passport right before a massive international flight. The Scandal of Gijón: The long-standing, bitter historical rivalry between Austria and Algeria rooted in an explicit 1982 non-aggression pact. 🔗 Follow Tom Midler and The Other Bundesliga Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@OtherBundesliga - https://x.com/mid_5 - https://x.com/OtherBundesliga #WorldCup2026 #AustriaFootball #RalfRangnick #DavidAlaba #CarneyChukwuemeka #HarryKane #LamineYamal #SoccerPodcast #RoadTo2026 ⏳ The Timecodes 0:00 – Teaser: Emotional commentators hugging on air & the ultimate fan petition 0:17 – Welcome to Make Football Great Again! 0:44 – Meet Tom Midler: Celebrating Austria's long-awaited return to the world stage 1:12 – Segment: One Truth and One Lie (Alpine yodels vs. the formal withdrawal petition) 2:07 – The Psychosocial Malaise: Exploring the fallout of Euro 2008 3:03 – Historical Context: Sizing up the modern Group J matrix 3:30 – Segment: The Travel Log – Who is Austria’s true footballing GOAT? 3:58 – The Paper Man: Tracing the tragic, mysterious legacy of Matthias Sindelar 4:59 – Slaying Champions: Explaining the lingering passion behind Córdoba 1978 6:11 – Banter Rivalry: Why Austrian fans closely look at German and Swiss football 7:43 – Intellectual Pioneers: The tactical architecture born on the Vienna Ringstrasse 9:09 – Striking the Maverick Balance: Marco Arnautović vs. Bureaucratic Elegance 10:37 – Domestic Boundaries: Why Christian Fuchs' Premier League medal feels distant 12:32 – The Shadow of Germany: Why structural change faces stiff local blockades 14:53 – Segment: The Scouting Report – Roster standouts & Ultimate Team additions 15:51 – Rising From the Ashes: Sasa Kalajdzic's emotional Bundesliga double campaign 17:39 – Meet the System Talisman: David Alaba's core center-back transition 19:06 – Under the Radar picks: Sasa Kalajdzic and Michael Gregoritsch 20:33 – Rebuilding the "Gegenpress": Rangnick's tactical war against the local FA chiefs 22:35 – Expanding the Pipeline: Parachuting Carney Chukwuemeka into the roster 26:11 – Group J Analysis: Facing Argentina, Algeria, and Jordan 28:09 – The Scandal of Gijón: Inside the non-aggression pact of 1982 29:34 – Swashbuckling Forwards: Sizing up massive recent results under Rangnick 31:18 – The England Swap: Giving Harry Kane to a forward line crying for goals 32:36 – Rapid Fire Round: 2026 World Cup Winners & Top Scorers 33:58 – Outrageous Hot Take: Inflationary metrics ruin the modern World Cup viewing framework 34:54 – Outro & Next Nation Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Croatia is a country of just 3.8 million people, yet they have reached consecutive World Cup semi-finals. How do they keep doing it? In this episode of Make Football Great Again, Harry Brent sits down with Croatian football expert Lovre Nikolaicic to map out Croatia’s definitive roadmap to the 2026 World Cup. From Group L tactics against England, Ghana, and Panama, to Luka Modrić's final tournament at 41 years old, we break down everything you need to know about the Vatreni. We also dive deep into Croatia's next generational talent, Tottenham-bound center-back Luka Vušković, and explain why his potential is completely "through the roof." https://x.com/CroatiaFooty https://x.com/CroLovre Who wins the opening match: England or Croatia? Let us know your score predictions in the comments below! 👇 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can the relentless winning machine of French football break the tournament blockades and claim a third star in North America? 🇫🇷⭐️ In this episode of Make Football Great Again, host Harry Brent sits down with ESPN writer and French football expert Julien Laurens to map out the definitive tournament preview for France. We discard routine statistical sheets to explore jaw-dropping tales of international fan folklore, inner-locker room fractures, and the revolutionary academy systems shaping modern tactical profiles. 🔥 In this episode, we unpack: The Baguette Smuggling: The unbelievable true story of how a legendary French super-fan attempted to bypass international livestock laws inside a hallowed loaf of bread. The CONCACAF Hotbed: Exploring the ruthless street football culture of Paris and why French academies continuously produce the most polished wonderkids in world football. The Unbeatable Engine: Why a hypothetical double pivot of Claude Makélélé and N’Golo Kanté would force an absolute international forfeit. The Tactical Mutation: How manager Didier Deschamps plans to trade his trademark defensive conservatism for a devastating 4-2-3-1 setup. The Unpopular Prediction: A bold defense of Thomas Tuchel’s appointment and why a France vs. England final feels mathematically inevitable. 🔗 Grab Julien Laurens' New Book ("Kylian Mbappé: The Definitive Biography"): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kylian-Mbappe-Definitive-Biography-World/dp/1399629565 🔔 Subscribe to Make Football Great Again so you never miss a stop on our global roadmap down to the opening match of 2026! #WorldCup2026 #FranceFootball #KylianMbappe #ZinedineZidane #ThomasTuchel #HarryKane #SoccerPodcast #RoadTo2026 ⏳ The Timecodes 0:00 – Teaser: An unbeatable midfield engine & an unpopular England prediction 0:21 – Welcome to Make Football Great Again! 0:50 – Meet Julien Laurens: Discussing the biography of Kylian Mbappé 1:11 – Segment: One Truth and One Lie (Michel Platini at the Louvre vs. the smuggled rooster) 2:22 – Balthazar the Rooster: Exploring the scale of Clément d'Antib's 1500-match legacy 3:33 – Historical Context: Traumatic penalty shootouts in Qatar and half a century of waiting 4:27 – Segment: The Travel Log – Who is France’s definitive footballing GOAT? 5:48 – Erasing the 50s: Why Zinedine Zidane edges Michel Platini on technical elegance 6:18 – Inheriting the Throne: Can Mbappé surpass Zidane's historical estimations? 7:43 – Border Rivalries: Why French fans closely watch Belgian and Swiss football 8:41 – The "Bad Boy" Gene: Redefining the passion of Nicolas Anelka and Eric Cantona 10:40 – The English Legend: Why Thierry Henry face structural imagery limits back home 13:30 – Incompetence at the Top: Dissecting the catastrophic locker room fallout of 2010 15:56 – Rebuilding the Midfield: Tracing the historical lineage of the French No. 6 18:21 – Hotbeds of Football: How local academy systems handle impatient wonderkids 21:10 – Segment: The Scouting Report – Front four variations and roster setups 22:33 – Striking the Roster Balance: Adapting after Hugo Ekitiké's injury blow 24:30 – The Ego War Illusion: Why Mbappé's modern captaincy protects the inner circle 26:53 – Defending like 25: N'Golo Kanté's unyielding positional utility 28:49 – The Defensive General: Sizing up the modern strategic legacy of Didier Deschamps 32:01 – Winning is the Minimum: Exchanging conservative frameworks for tournament dominance 33:26 – The England Swap: Inserting Harry Kane into a front-four cheat code 34:49 – Rapid Fire Round: Best No. 6 & Historical Ligue 1 Icons 39:03 – Tracing Foundations: Nicolas Anelka vs. David Trezeguet 42:25 – Outrageous Hot Take: Thomas Tuchel carries England to a final crunch 43:21 – Outro & Next Episode Permutations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can the historic kingpins of African football finally break their World Cup hoodoo and make a deep run in North America? 🇪🇬🌍 In this episode of Make Football Great Again, host Harry Brent sits down with African football journalist and expert Ali Howorth to map out the definitive tactical and cultural profile for Egypt. We look past simple stats to uncover unbelievable tales of political activism, historic international grudges, and the intense systemic frameworks defining Egyptian football. 🔥 In this episode, we unpack: The Presidential Anomaly: The unedited story of how hundreds of thousands of Egyptians wrote Mo Salah’s name on their official voting ballots. The Lusail Formula: A granular look at the historic night when Mo Salah single-handedly dragged a struggling Egypt team to the world stage. The Ramos Grudge: Why the entire nation of Egypt has never forgiven Sergio Ramos for his "wrestling move" in the 2018 Champions League final. The Port Said Trauma: Tracing the dark history of the 2012 stadium massacre and how it drastically altered the structural lineage of domestic Egyptian football. The Talent Conundrum: Sizing up Eintracht Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush and how manager Hossam Hassan plans to fit his elite attacking starlets into a back-five framework. Follow Ali Howorth For Elite African Football Coverage: 🔗 https://x.com/ahoworth97 Read all of the latest world football news on Mirror Football: 🔗 https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ 🔔 Subscribe to Make Football Great Again on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify to follow our global scouting mission down to the opening match of 2026! #WorldCup2026 #EgyptFootball #MoSalah #SergioRamos #AfricanFootball #HarryKane #KylianMbappe #RoadTo2026 ⏳ The Timecodes 0:00 – Teaser: A massive voting anomaly & an unyielding international grudge 0:20 – Welcome to Make Football Great Again! 0:47 – Meet Ali Hawa: Sizing up the true power of African football 1:15 – Segment: One Truth and One Lie (Stadium shadows vs. the write-in voting ballots) 2:14 – Analyzing the scale of Mo Salah’s 2018 political write-in votes 2:23 – Historical Context: Missed boats in 1934 and half a century of waiting 2:56 – Segment: The Travel Log – Who is Egypt’s absolute footballing GOAT? 4:51 – Slaying Giants: Turning international qualifiers into national holidays 5:21 – Historic Masterminds: Tracing the iconic Afcon dominance of Mohamed Aboutrika 7:17 – Regional Rivalry: Why Egyptian fans closely watch Algerian football 7:58 – Post-Soviet Trauma: Tracing the dark fallout of the 2012 Port Said tragedy 9:30 – The Private Icon: How Salah’s neutral political stance protects his star status 10:20 – Segment: The Scouting Report – Roster breakdown & Ultimate Team gems 16:23 – Sizing up the Attack: Blending Omar Marmoush with Mo Salah 18:21 – Tactical Blueprint: Exchanging expansive setups for a low-center Back 5 19:36 – The Legend at the Helm: Punditry mechanics under Hossam Hassan 20:33 – Career Milestones: Salah’s driving focus to break the all-time goal record 21:00 – Group G Breakdown: Surviving Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand 22:52 – The Twin Manager Framework: The complete, telepathic connection of the Hassan brothers 24:14 – Defending with Everyone: Core center-back frailty analysis 26:39 – The England Swap: Inserting Marc Guéhi into the back line 27:02 – Rapid Fire Round: 2026 Tournament Winner & Golden Boot 31:16 – Outrageous Hot Take: A climate-induced operational freeze 33:09 – Outro & Next Episode Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could the smallest nations at the 2026 World Cup pull off the ultimate giant-killings against the elite of world football? 🌍⚽ In this episode of Make Football Great Again, host Harry Brent is joined by African football journalist Ali Howorth to map out the definitive tournament previews for Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We look far past standard tactics to uncover incredible tales of geopolitical turmoil, tragic near-misses, and the ultimate unifying power of football across both nations. 🔥 In this episode, we unpack: The Irony of FIFA: The truly unbelievable administrative blunder that abruptly saw Cape Verde disqualified from their first real World Cup dream. The Birth of a Nation: Why a simple football stadium in Praia holds the literal baseline history for Cape Verde's independence. The Rotterdam Pipeline: The fascinating, under-reported demographic truth about where Cape Verde actually sources its top talent. The 1974 Zaire Strike: The tragic behind-the-scenes reality of the player who purposefully tried to get sent off against Brazil to avoid a dictator's wrath back in Kinshasa. A Curfew for the Leopards: How international matches completely suspend military operations and regional blockades in the conflict zones of Eastern Congo. Roster Dynamic Changes: How Premier League names like Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe adapted to a defensively stubborn system. 🔗 Follow Ali Howorth For Elite African Football Coverage: https://alasdairhoworth.substack.com/ Check out Ali's insights on Twitter/X: https://x.com/ahoworth97 On the Whistle podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@otw_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices