Will Neymar make an impact in the knockout rounds?
Will Neymar make an impact in the knockout rounds?Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans reflect on Neymar's emotional return for Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.1:37Now PlayingPaused
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Will Neymar make an impact in the knockout rounds?
Christian Polanco·Alexis GuerrerosThu, June 25, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTCChristian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans reflect on Neymar's emotional return for Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.
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And, and then another positive note, to see Neymar return to a World Cup- Mm-hmm was also kind of cool.
He played a few minutes.
and, and th- but I, you know, outside of, I think he did well in the 15 minutes that he did play, but I think the, the bigger story is just how, how excited the fans were, to- It w- reminded me of when Pirlo came on for NYCFC that, that- Okay.
Ah.
It was like all of a sudden- Yeah.
Yeah just like, "Wah," you know, took over the stadium.
You know, it was like an emotional, moment- Yeah for, for fans because he, you know, he hadn't, played for the national team in a long time.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAnd, and his inclusion in this World Cup, I, given that he couldn't even play the first two games and, you know, I kind of thought maybe don't, don't bring this guy, you know.
I don't think how nec- I don't, I don't see how necessary it is.
But, uh- They gave him a moment.
They gave him a moment, and they- We're not really having the conversation about this is also probably his last World Cup.
Sure.
And we're not really talking about him.
We're talking a lot about Ronaldo.
We're talking a lot about Messi.
Mm-hmm.
You know, there was a, if you're Brazilian, that moment meant a lot to you- Yeah and you could see it.
AdvertisementAdvertisementYou could see it the way the, the fans reacted.
And then, and, and reminds me of, what, the, the, the game, Mexico, against Czechia.
they gave- When Neymar came in when Neymar came, um- I was like, oh, exactly Memo Ochoa got, like, a- Yeah, yeah, yeah they did a c- almost ceremony retiring him.
Mm-hmm.
The players, threw him up in the air- Yeah and everything, and it was like a, a sweet, experience.
Not, not obviously not similar to, you know, Nay- Neymar is not necessarily definitively his last World cup, but maybe we'll see how far they get and w- if and if they get knocked out- Yeah or whatever, or if they win the whole thing, we'll see what the, kind of celebrations are like and appreciation for him.
But it was great to see, that for sure, so.
- Will Neymar make an impact in the knockout rounds?Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans reflect on Neymar's emotional return for Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.1:37Now PlayingPaused
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
