Episode 11: Debate d'Or

On this weekly review me and Irish Dave discuss whether this is FINALLY the year that Lewy receives the favour he is owed by the (France) Football gods and get his Ballon d'Or. A few things would have to happen first, of course: at least a Barcelona Champions League win, maybe a LaLiga title too, and who knows if they can in fact complete a Treble. Also within his own club Robert has competition within his own dressing room from Yamal and Raphinha.

But then again, all Footballer of the Year awards are fraud. Just look at those that Ronaldo gets in Qatar or the FIFA vote from 2000 when they gave one to Pele just because Maradona got the public vote. This is turn sparks our inevitable last orders at the pub debate on who's (used to be) the GOAT.

As for Iga, she is right now at that stage in the movie when the iceberg has been hit the and the captain is learning about the inevitable. She is now 0-6 against Jelena Ostapenko and could soon lose the World number two to Jessica Pegula, which would no longer mean the shortest possible route to tournament finals.

Hapilly, for a rebound on her beloved (outdoor) clay courts, she won't need anywhere near as big of a miracle as Speedway rider Tai Woffinden achieved when just 10 days after what could've been a fatal crash, he started walking again. No wonder there's next to no free TV coverage of that sport...........

And since were on the subject of life and death, Leo Benhakker has died at the age of 88. Poland's first ever foreign manager might've ended his tenure in tears but before he somehow helped us win an eight-team Euro qualifying group featuring Belgium, Serbia and Finland, while beating Ronaldo's Portugal at home and drawing in Lisbon.