Welcome to the total soccer show and our first check-in with the 2025 Club World Cup.

Every team has now played a game, so we're going to take a look at those games, look at the movers and the shakers,

and of course the biggest storylines that are happening off the pitch as well, and there's a few.

My name's Ryan Bailey joining me today. Joseph Lowry's in

the house. Hello, Joe. Hey, Ryan. I'm bummed. I meant to book an Italian soccer team to stand behind me

through the entirety of this show. Couldn't end up getting that done. That's on me. I apologize.

I'm going to be better tomorrow. Just to have interest, what gender would that team be, or does it matter?

Nah, flip a coin. It doesn't matter. Get them in. Cool. Excellent unrelated riff to anything that's happening in real life. Thank you very much. Joe. Graham Ruffin, how are you? I'm very well. Ryan Bailey. I've actually got Auckland City waiting outside ready to come in. They're actually mowing my lawn today.

You know how they're a part-time team?

They have to work in between their games,

so they're busy outside.

I'll call them. Auckland City waiting outside ready to come in. They're actually mowing my lawn today. You know how they're a part-time team?

They have to work in between their games, so they're busy outside. I'll call them in halfway through. Okay, so we're hearing about the jobs that Oakland City do. So is there like someone who works in a bank, there's an electrician, and there's the guy who looks after Graham Rutherland's estate apparently as well. That's great. There's a butcher, there's a baker, there's a candlestick maker.

They do it all.

Bit of a commute, though, to Glasgow, arguably, you should say. Well, yeah, is it any less of a commute than some of the teams have had at this tournament from East Coast to West Coast? That's all I'm saying. It's probably less. Yeah, the polar bears aren't being done any favors by this tournament, and perhaps not the World Cup next hour. The lawn must be cared for, Ryan, at the roughness state. Have some respect.

You make a good point. You make a very good point.

And I hope you make many good points on the next hour or so.

Before we get to the Club World Cup chat, Patreon.com slash Total Soccer Show is the best way to support this endeavor bonus episodes, bonus video, and perhaps bestest of all, access to our Discord.

Most of the cool kids, no, no, no, all the cool kids are hanging out in our Discord.

Come check us out, Patreon.com slash Total Soccer Show.

Please. Anna, thank you.

All right, Graham, we're going to remove out cynicism filters.

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