Rio Picks His England XI… Mainoo over Anderson and Rashford starts too
3/30/202644 min
With only 90 minutes of international football before Thomas Tuchel names his England World Cup squad, Rio Ferdinand sits down with Joel Beya and Ste Howson to break down the real decisions facing England - and it’s not as straightforward as people think.
From inside insight into the England camp, to the big calls Thomas Tuchel has to make, you’ll hear Rio pick his starting XI for the important knockout matches and the truth about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s absence from the squad.
There’s analysis on whether Harry Maguire really is England’s 5th choice central defender (behind Trevor Chalobah) and why Luis Enrique’s impact on Ousmane Dembele will help France in the summer.
Rio also reveals why he would not go to Tottenham if he was Roberto De Zerbi and which African sides could cause surprises at the World Cup.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAlex Abnos0:00
Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup? I'm Alex Abnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian. Whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, we've got you covered. From one of the fastest growing soccer newsrooms, The Guardian brings you in-depth World Cup coverage that gets into the winners and losers on and off the pitch. Read, watch, and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures, and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, a global perspective, and a squad of Americans, including me, on the ground with the US national team. Plus, if you wanna test your soccer knowledge, try On the Ball. It's a game in The Guardian app, and it's really, really fun. And if you're into stuff like this- Well, I think the problem is, if you give footballers an inch, they will take a mile.
Joel Beya· Host0:44
Is it too much when it's this close?
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:45
It's a bit much.
Joel Beya· Host0:46
Right, okay.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:46
It's a bit too real. Maybe you could just talk with a slight delay.
Alex Abnos0:48
[laughs] Be sure to listen to our football weekly podcast for On the Move expert analysis. The Guardian, bringing you the whole picture on soccer. Search Guardian Soccer for more.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:58
[gentle instrumental music] Uh, there's gotta be more to this story than that the manager thinks there's better right backs around. There has to be. Um, there must have been more that's gone on. There must be, must be part of it, must be something to do with group dynamics, um, or the way he's carried himself when he's been there before that the ma- just rubbed the manager up the wrong way. It has to be something like that, because his ability is too good for it to be down to just ability. [upbeat instrumental music] Yes,