Vanni Sartini: Review of the World Cup semi's, preview of the finals, and Messi is the GOAT?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Secure some price from the historic wall center.
Who is Vanni Sartini and why is he our World Cup insider?
We go to the opposite coast, Blake, where Vanny Sartini is the head coach of the Halifax Wanderers of the Canadian Premier League, the ex-coach, of course, of Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He has served as our World Cup insider. Down to the final weekend, two matches to go. Vanny, good to see you. Thanks for the time. How are you doing?
Very good. Thanks for having me, guys.
Yeah. Well, this World Cup started with the world ridiculing your beloved Azzurri, Italy, for not making the tournament. England yesterday said, hold my pint. A collapse for the ages against Argentina. And suddenly we have a Argentine-Spain final. They have not played competitively for 60 years. This is the reigning European champion. and the reigning world champion. Before we get on to the English collapse, just your thoughts on what we should expect Sunday in a match that will be watched by a billion-plus people, right, in the World Cup final.
Yeah, fantastic game. I think, you know, you were saying World Cup champions against European champions, but also Argentina, they are the Copa America winners, the last Copa America winners in 2024. So let's say statistically they are the two best national teams of the decade, basically. At least of the last four or five years. And yeah, we're going to have a great game. I think that, you know, if it would be like a normal game, I would say Spain would be the favorite. I think Spain is a team that is more solid. They're playing really well. They have a very good possession game, but they're also a very good defensive game. They're able to really control the game like they did, for example, all around the tournament, but especially in the semifinal against France without risking too much.
But the story of the tournament is like... how Argentina is always coming back from 2-0 against Egypt and then winning. Against England, they were losing. It seemed like England was in control. And then they win against Cape, where they almost lost. And then they won against Switzerland. They were losing. And then a red card put them on the front foot. So... It's going to be very, very interesting. I imagine Spain being more in control of the game, Spain being more having the possession of the ball, and Argentina trying to rely in some form of either counter-attack or direct play that try to involve Messi up top. So if in a normal game I would say 65-35, Because it's the World Cup, I would say 55-45 for Spain.
Yeah, and there it is. 2-2 versus Cape Verde at 110 minutes. Yeah. Down 2-0 to Egypt in the 78th minute. 1-1 with the Swiss in the 111th minute. And, of course, yesterday down 1-0 in the 84th minute to England. Argentina has two goals in the knockout stage before the 79th minute. They have nine goals after the 79th minute in the knockout stage. And, Vanny... I watched the game yesterday with this fella and a friend of mine who's a big basketball fan, and we're walking off Granville Street just trying to compute what we had just seen. And we basically just said, Lionel Messi is Michael Jordan. For anybody who remembers Michael Jordan in the championship era, if they needed a basket at the end of the game to win the game or to win the championship, he delivered time and again.
Tom Brady in the two-minute drill, right? Time and time again. except this guy does it in the sport where it's hardest to score, Vanny.
Less individual.
What should we expect from the Spain vs Argentina final on Sunday?
Yeah, and less individual. Talk to me about how that game got away from England yesterday and how the great Lionel Messi was able to orchestrate a couple of goals and get his team through to the final.
Yeah, there's two things. First of all, Messi is amazing. I think this tournament is the definitive, for me, statement to the GOAT debate. Messi, Maradona, Pele, whatever. There's nobody like Messi in the history of the game. That's the point. Like, that is the... Someone that was doing this fantastic thing, I don't know, 15, 20 years ago, and he's still doing it. So... That's actually crazy. About yesterday, yes. I think yesterday Argentina has been helped a lot by England and by the decision that England
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:02–0:05
2
Who is Vanni Sartini and why is he our World Cup insider?
0:05–4:10
3
What should we expect from the Spain vs Argentina final on Sunday?
4:10–10:08
4
How did Argentina stage late comebacks throughout the tournament?
10:08–22:47
5
Why did England collapse against Argentina and were the tactical changes justified?
22:47–23:04
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Sekeres & Price Show
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