The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

Recent episodes

1. Mourinho Gets His Target Man | Espi Arrives, Gonzalo García Sold, Vinicius Rumors Reaction from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 31, 202638 min

   Real Madrid have signed Carlos Espi, sold Gonzalo García, and continued an extraordinary summer of Castilla sales without touching most of the squad’s biggest assets. In this episode, Sid breaks down why Espi’s aerial ability, pressing, physical profile and expected-goals numbers make him such an interesting fit for José Mourinho. He also compares Espi with Gonzalo García, Álvaro Rodríguez, Vedat Muriqi and Ante Budimir before examining the financial logic behind Madrid’s transfer strategy. The episode also covers Franco Mastantuono’s loan, the uncertain futures of Raúl Asencio, Ferland Mendy and Eduardo Camavinga, and the growing possibility of Vinícius Júnior leaving for Arsenal. Can Madrid justify Vinícius’s contract demands? Does Mourinho finally have the target man this attack was missing? And has Florentino Pérez found a sustainable way to fund another major rebuild? Like the episode, subscribe, and leave your thoughts on Carlos Espi and the Vinícius situation below! Timestamps: 00:00 Real Madrid’s summer keeps getting better 00:48 The Castilla sales strategy 02:27 How transfer amortization works 03:15 Nico Paz, buybacks and selling percentages 04:12 Why Carlos Espi is an exciting signing 05:40 Espi compared with Gonzalo García 07:08 Pressing, defensive actions and winning the ball high 08:42 Espi’s aerial ability and target-man profile 10:05 The financial value of selling Gonzalo 11:10 Álvaro Rodríguez deserved a higher fee 12:47 Was Gonzalo really worth that much more? 13:38 Espi compared with Muriqi and Budimir 16:18 La Liga’s relegation-battle strikers 17:20 Why Madrid needed someone to pin center backs 18:40 The value of cheaper, younger signings 20:18 Franco’s loan and the remaining exits 21:01 Asencio, Mendy and Camavinga 21:38 The danger of holding players too long 23:24 Vinícius’s contract demands 25:50 Arsenal’s reported offer and image rights 27:13 What Real Madrid should demand for Vinícius 28:17 The emotional case for keeping Vinny 29:16 Why Florentino cannot break the salary structure 30:42 Vinícius’s production compared with Mbappé 32:06 The weaknesses Vinícius still has to correct 33:05 Why renewal talks have reached an impasse 34:09 Too many attackers and the need for another sale 35:26 Mourinho has been given unprecedented control 36:37 Why the Espi signing completes the summer 37:52 Final thoughts and what comes next

2. Rodri, Diomande & Vinicius Transfer Rumors Reaction from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 27, 202627 min

   Real Madrid's summer is suddenly moving.Sid breaks down the latest reports surrounding Rodri, Yan Diomande, Vinicius Jr., Florentino Pérez, and José Mourinho as Madrid's squad begins to take shape for the new season.In this episode we discuss:Why Rodri could be the missing controller Madrid have lacked since Toni Kroos.Whether an €80m+ move is worth the risk.What Yan Diomande brings and whether he's the right long-term winger.The latest Vinicius transfer speculation.How Florentino's strategy appears to be changing.Whether Mourinho can win if Madrid finally gives him the right pieces.If you enjoy thoughtful football analysis, subscribe and join us for more Real Madrid coverage throughout the season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:37 Rodri to Real Madrid? Why everything changed 02:23 Why one Champions League tie shouldn't define Rodri 03:15 Rodri's elite underlying numbers 05:02 Can controllers age gracefully? Kroos, Busquets & Rodri 06:30 Is €80m actually worth it? 07:27 The only real concern: Rodri's back injury 08:54 Rodri vs Kroos, Xavi & the greatest controllers 10:37 Why Madrid's Spanish core could transform the team 13:37 Rodri's impact on Bellingham, Valverde & Tchouaméni 14:30 Yan Diomande: Madrid's next winger? 16:00 Breaking down Diomande's analytics 18:15 Why Diomande might fit better than Olise 19:40 Vinicius transfer rumors explained 20:50 Who could be sold to finance the window? 22:00 The Vinicius dilemma 23:15 Why every elite team needs young explosive wingers 24:20 Final thoughts on Rodri, Diomande & Madrid's rebuild 26:00 Can Mourinho compete with this squad? 27:10 Outro & subscribe

3. The Psychology of African Football from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 23, 202627 min

   Africa had it's best ever showing at the World Cup, but many teams seemed to have psychological stumbling blocks. In this episode, Cerébrone joins Siddharth Ramsundar to discuss why. We explore whether mentality, federation dysfunction, player development, and post-colonial history all shape African football on the biggest stage. We also discuss Nigeria's football culture, Morocco's rising standards, AFCON's competitiveness, major African rivalries, and why some nations seem satisfied with reaching the knockout rounds while others expect much more. Topics include: • Why Senegal, Egypt and Côte d'Ivoire disappointed• Morocco's changing mentality after 2022• AFCON as one of football's toughest tournaments• Nigeria's football identity and confidence• African football rivalries• Football as an economic pathway across Africa• Colonial history and modern football psychology• Comparing Africa, Europe and South America Subscribe for long-form football conversations covering tactics, history, culture and the politics behind the game. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Africa's World Cup performances00:26 Does African football have a mentality problem?02:05 Côte d'Ivoire's disappointing exit03:12 How Senegal let Belgium back into the tournament04:24 Federation problems and poor preparation05:10 Why Morocco's mentality is different06:43 Mohamed Salah's message after Egypt's exit07:10 North America's growing belief at the World Cup07:55 Haiti, Cape Verde and fearless football08:42 Why AFCON prepares teams for elite competition10:07 Football as Africa's pathway out of poverty11:04 Nigeria's economic reality and football culture12:10 Why football dominates over other sports14:18 Why football remains Africa's most accessible sport15:41 East Africa vs West Africa football culture16:15 Nigeria, Ghana and Africa's biggest rivalries17:44 Cameroon, South Africa and historic tensions20:04 Morocco vs Algeria and North African rivalries20:39 Colonial history and football psychology22:18 Do African teams play with an inferiority complex?24:50 Morocco, Spain and the Lamine Yamal debate26:36 Final thoughts and closing remarks

4. From 1998 to 2034: The World Cup Then and Now from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 20, 202643 min

   The World Cup is over, but we aren't done soaking in the vibes. Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar look back on the tournaments that shaped how they see football, from France 1998 and South Africa 2010 to Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.They remember the players, games and personal moments that made each tournament feel different: Ronaldo Nazário, Zidane, Casillas, Spain’s legendary midfield, Germany’s 2014 team, Brazil’s 7-1 collapse, James Rodríguez, Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat trick against Spain and the strange winter World Cup in Qatar.The conversation then turns to the tournament we just watched in North America, what it revealed about Team USA, the growth of football in the United States, MLS, pay-to-play development and why the sport still struggles to produce elite American players.Finally, we look ahead to what comes next: a possible 64-team World Cup, the future of African qualifying, why FIFA wants China and India involved, the overloaded international calendar, Saudi Arabia 2034 and which countries can realistically host a tournament this large.A wide-ranging conversation about the World Cups we remember, the one we just lived through and the future of football’s biggest event.TIMESTAMPS00:00 The day after the World Cup final00:28 Gerard remembers France 199801:26 Ronaldo, Zidane and falling in love with football02:47 Why USA 1994 felt so different03:34 What the 2026 World Cup revealed about Team USA05:47 Discovering football during South Africa 201006:34 Spain’s legendary midfield and modern comparisons07:56 How club football shapes the World Cup experience08:15 Brazil 2014 through the eyes of a Madrid fan08:42 Germany’s stacked 2014 generation09:39 Watching World Cup games at 2 a.m. in Singapore10:05 Penalty shootouts and the case for golden goal11:48 Brazil’s 7-1 collapse against Germany12:22 James Rodríguez and the stars a World Cup creates12:34 Ronaldo, Messi and arriving exhausted from club football13:21 Sami Khedira’s remarkable ACL recovery14:26 Why injury timelines should be personalized15:27 Courtois and football’s overloaded calendar16:26 Which World Cups meant the most to us?17:11 Why the tournament should expand to 64 teams17:39 Africa’s broken qualification system18:46 How the internet changed global football development19:30 Can a great coach emerge without playing professionally?20:16 Why American soccer needs outside thinking21:08 Messi, MLS and the level of the American game22:10 Pay-to-play soccer and the talent America loses23:44 Childhood football, FIFA soundtracks and summer nostalgia24:45 Russia 2018 and Ronaldo’s iconic hat trick26:08 France leaving Benzema home in 202226:59 Why the winter World Cup never felt right27:27 Recovery, PEDs and the modern football calendar30:42 Looking ahead to Saudi Arabia 203431:16 How World Cup hosting rights are decided32:09 Madrid or Morocco for the 2030 final?33:01 Which countries can host a 64-team tournament?34:10 China and India’s infrastructure advantage35:03 Why FIFA wants the world’s biggest countries involved36:18 Culture, education and developing elite players37:42 Could Great Britain host an expanded World Cup?38:09 Germany, Italy and the future of joint bids38:52 Can South America host another World Cup?39:22 Why North America remains the easiest host40:06 Australia, New Zealand and the problem of distance40:37 Morocco’s rise as a major football host41:07 What this World Cup changed in America41:26 Sid makes his pitch for the USMNT job42:26 Supporting independent football coverage

5. African Nations Breakout At The World Cup from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 16, 202639 min

   Ceré joins The Real Deal to break down Africa’s strongest World Cup showing yet and explain why the continent’s football ceiling keeps rising.We discuss the brutal history of African World Cup qualifying, Cape Verde’s incredible run, Ghana’s surprise performance, Algeria’s decline, Congo’s growing talent pool, and the systems behind Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt.Topics include Morocco’s Mohammed VI Football Academy, Senegal’s Generation Foot pipeline, Egypt’s domestic football culture, diaspora recruitment, AFCON officiating, and which African nations are best positioned for the future.Members get early access, ad-free episodes, and exclusive shows.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro00:30 Africa’s best World Cup showing ever00:54 Why African World Cup qualifying was historically brutal02:27 How Tunisia kept surviving qualification03:02 The African giants that missed past World Cups04:05 Why the qualification pots made no sense04:44 Egypt’s lost golden generation05:20 Cameroon, Ivory Coast and the wild 2006 qualifiers06:12 How Togo and Liberia nearly shocked Africa07:34 Ranking Africa’s World Cup performances08:00 Why Cape Verde’s run was no fluke09:08 Cape Verde’s fearless mentality against Cameroon10:00 South Africa played with too much fear11:00 Cape Verde’s bravery against Argentina12:28 How a country of 530,000 produced this team13:10 Cape Verde’s World Cup run could transform tourism14:03 Ghana’s surprise tournament15:00 Ghana’s decline before the World Cup18:52 Ghana’s AFCON collapse and internal turmoil19:52 Carlos Queiroz’s emergency appointment21:15 Jordan Ayew’s bizarre World Cup role22:19 The Ayew family and Ghana’s nepotism debate23:49 Why Queiroz was never a long-term solution24:13 Algeria and Congo’s place in African football24:48 Algeria’s enormous football heritage25:23 Why Algeria have declined26:18 Nigeria’s dominance over Algeria27:35 Congo’s population and untapped potential27:58 Congo’s diaspora-driven rebuild29:32 How war has affected Congolese football30:24 What makes Morocco, Egypt and Senegal different30:51 Morocco’s infrastructure revolution31:45 Why diaspora stars now choose Morocco32:28 The Mohammed VI Football Academy33:05 Morocco’s succession planning and youth development34:03 Was Morocco’s AFCON the best ever hosted?34:48 Did AFCON referees favor Morocco?37:02 Why Morocco struggled under greater expectations38:49 Senegal and Egypt compared39:02 Senegal’s Generation Foot pipeline40:13 Why Senegal may have Africa’s deepest talent pool41:08 Egypt’s football heritage42:33 Hossam Hassan, Salah and Egypt’s golden generations43:11 Al Ahly, Zamalek and Egypt’s domestic strength44:44 Why Egypt always expects to contend44:59 Final thoughts

6. Bellingham Cooks Haaland, England Survive Norway, Mbappé vs Spain Preview & World Cup QF Reactions from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 13, 202656 min

   Jarod and Sid react to the past week. Jude Bellingham delivered another defining performance as England survive Norway and advance to the World Cup semifinals. We break down Jude’s two goals, his unique role as a two-way forward, England’s tactical evolution under Thomas Tuchel, Norway’s impressive tournament and the growing appreciation for Erling Haaland. Then we look ahead to England against Argentina and France against Spain, including the refereeing controversy surrounding Argentina, Spain’s attacking problems, Lamine Yamal and Pedri’s disappointing tournaments, and why France’s speed can punish Spain’s high line. We also discuss Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup, Portugal’s wasted generation, Bruno Fernandes, the difference between how Portugal built around Ronaldo and how Argentina serves Messi, plus what the tournament has revealed about Mbappé, Vinícius, Rodrygo and the future of Real Madrid’s attack. Support The Real Deal for early access, members-only episodes and more independent Real Madrid coverage. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro and an unexpected Oasis tribute 00:33 Ranking the remaining World Cup teams 01:54 Haaland, Norway and why Americans appreciate raw talent 03:18 Cruyffian football culture versus winning football 04:40 Jude Bellingham takes over against Norway 05:50 Why people struggle to define Bellingham’s position 07:20 Jude as a two-way forward and modern Di Stéfano 10:13 Goals control games too 10:27 The English media tries to create a Tuchel-Jude feud 12:27 Did Tuchel criticize England at the wrong time? 13:16 England’s controversial goals and Norway’s bad luck 14:06 Ødegaard, Norway and Spain’s influence on modern football 15:58 Refereeing mistakes, conspiracy theories and FIFA 16:43 Sørloth’s limitations and Norway’s strange tactical choice 19:03 Argentina, Spain and manipulating the foul threshold 20:17 VAR inconsistency damages the World Cup 22:22 Anthony Gordon, Jude’s technique and off-ball creation 23:05 Bellingham’s Ronaldo-like movement inside the box 25:33 Barcelona bias within football analysis 28:01 Argentina’s controversial World Cup history 29:12 Why every dominant sports team gets accused of rigging 32:02 Portugal collapse and Bruno Fernandes loses our respect 35:40 Ronaldo deserved a team built around him 37:07 Argentina’s Messi religion and the case for Nico Paz 38:25 England versus Argentina semifinal preview 39:07 Tuchel’s substitutions transform England 41:15 France versus Spain tactical preview 43:30 Désiré Doué, Rodrygo and Madrid’s ideal right winger 44:23 Building Real Madrid around Bellingham and Mbappé 46:16 Lamine Yamal, Vinícius and fan double standards 47:35 Vinícius renewal questions and his Madrid future 49:35 Why Spain’s attack has struggled 49:53 Yamal’s hamstring, lost explosiveness and Michael Owen parallels 50:52 Pedri’s poor fit beside Rodri 51:49 Nico Williams, Mikel Merino and offensive rebounding 52:47 Supporting the show and upcoming members-only episodes 54:12 England or France: predicting the World Cup final 55:05 Harry Kane’s intelligence and what Madrid missed 56:10 Outro

7. Bellingham vs Pedri, Gordon to Barça & the State of Flick’s Barcelona from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 10, 202643 min

   Dom from Dom’s Tactics Lab joins Sid for a wide-ranging Madrid-Barça conversation during the World Cup. They discuss Scotland’s return to the tournament, Croatia and Messi, football’s refereeing controversies, the line between institutional influence and outright match-fixing, and why supporting a club feels different once football also becomes your work. Then the conversation turns to Real Madrid’s decision to sack Xabi Alonso, the culture Carlo Ancelotti left behind, Vinicius and player power, Courtois’ place among the greatest goalkeepers ever, and why Madrid’s recent Champions League success covered up deeper problems. On the Barcelona side, Dom breaks down Hansi Flick’s football, Joan García, the defensive risks behind the high line, Raphinha’s possible exit, Marcus Rashford’s limitations, and the links to Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi. They close with Jude Bellingham’s World Cup performance, the pointless Jude vs Pedri debate, performance-enhancing substances in football, and Dom’s decision to relaunch his work independently.Subscribe for honest Real Madrid discussion, tactical analysis and conversations across the football world. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Dom joins The Real Deal 01:41 Dom reacts to the show intro 01:56 Marriage, becoming a father and life in Scotland 02:42 Why the World Cup won Dom over 03:09 Scotland’s World Cup atmosphere 04:08 Sid’s love for Edinburgh and Scottish football culture 05:06 Scotland’s relationship with England 06:24 Was Argentina’s penalty against Croatia legitimate? 07:02 Messi, Croatia and Dom’s international loyalties 08:20 Football rigging debates and online outrage 09:23 World Cup scandals and the history behind the Hand of God 10:17 Dom responds to Sid’s “Myth of Fair Play” argument 13:03 Turning football fandom into content 15:54 Why producing The Real Deal became difficult 16:24 Real Madrid’s decision to sack Xabi Alonso 18:17 Xabi’s structure, discipline and Madrid’s player culture 19:53 Did Champions League success hide Madrid’s problems? 20:16 Courtois vs Neuer, Buffon and Casillas 21:17 What happened to Marc-André ter Stegen? 22:16 Joan García and Barcelona’s defensive improvement 24:22 Are Barcelona the best team in Europe? 25:49 Flick’s high line and Barcelona’s lack of game management 27:28 Raphinha’s future and the Gordon-Adeyemi links 28:35 Marcus Rashford’s Barcelona spell 30:48 Why Barcelona still play football differently 32:44 Watching the rest of the World Cup 33:54 Jude Bellingham’s defining England performance 34:16 Why Flick would love Jude at Barcelona 35:03 Jude vs Pedri and why the comparison fails 36:53 Sid’s health business and supplement research 39:50 HGH, peptides and performance enhancement in football 41:31 Dom’s work in substance-use education 42:10 The future of The Real Deal 42:38 Why Dom relaunched his platform alone 43:15 Dom’s Tactics Lab and final thoughts

8. England Survive Mexico, Brazil Collapse & France Stay Cold: World Cup RO16 Reaction from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 6, 20261 hr 6 min

   Jarod and Sid break down Jude Bellingham’s huge performance at the Azteca, Harry Kane’s fit next to him, Thomas Tuchel’s substitutions, England surviving with ten men, and what it all says about Real Madrid’s current attacking mess. Then they get into Brazil’s loss to Norway, Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics, Vinicius Jr.’s penalty situation, Neymar’s sad ending, Endrick, Haaland, and whether Brazil’s football identity is broken. They also cover France vs Paraguay, Paraguay's tactics, Mbappe’s composure, Michael Olise’s role, FIFA’s messy suspension process, Balogun, Messi, World Cup politics, USA vs Belgium, Spain vs Portugal, Ronaldo, Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, and the rest of the knockout picture. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 01:14 England vs Mexico: real World Cup begins 01:30 Azteca rain, altitude, and Mexico’s fortress 02:18 Jude kills the “better without him” talk03:02 Kane, Jude, and passers unlocking stars03:48 Real Madrid with Kane instead of this fit04:32 Jude’s runs, Madrid’s issues, and England finding him05:50 Florentino’s talent-first squad problem06:37 Kane pins center backs and creates space for Jude07:06 Mexico’s early pressure and England’s first-half plan07:32 Rice’s burst, Saka’s assist, Jude’s diving header09:00 Saka, Arsenal, Tuchel, and club vs country roles10:43 Kane, Gordon, and England’s long-ball survival mode11:41 Tuchel’s defensive subs and Dan Burn12:18 England defend the box, Pickford dominates crosses13:31 Mexico’s predictable crossing and Tuchel’s 5-3-1-014:28 Jude’s engine, cramps, and defensive shift15:08 Kane’s hold-up play and what Real Madrid lack15:25 Alvaro, Gonzalo, and Madrid’s striker profile issue16:23 Jude as the best two-way player in the world17:19 Jude, Modric, Kante, De Bruyne, Xavi, and Di Stefano19:22 Why Jude should not be a pure midfielder20:38 Brazil vs Norway: Carlo, Vinicius, and the energy contrast20:47 Brazil’s missed penalty and Norway’s possession21:57 Brazil win the xG battle but lose the game22:25 Norway’s setup, Odegaard, Sorloth, and Oscar Bobb23:25 Brazil’s subs, Endrick, and Neymar’s cameo25:40 Carlo’s tactics, analytics, and giving Norway the ball26:35 Should Vinicius have taken Brazil’s penalty?27:31 Why Carlo not giving Vinicius the penalty matters28:49 Brazil’s midfield problems and fading World Cup aura30:16 Why historic powers can’t rely on the badge31:26 Brazil’s identity crisis and the post-tiki-taka effect32:44 Brazil youth, Neymar, and missing creators34:33 Rodrygo’s absence and Brazil’s lack of control35:46 Tournament football is about moments36:33 Endrick, Vinicius, and fanbase expectations37:29 Jude’s engine vs Vinicius fading late38:33 Rafinha and Rodrygo absences hurt Brazil39:37 France vs Paraguay: Mbappe stays composed40:25 Why Paraguay’s tactics would have broken Vinicius42:32 France can win pretty or ugly43:05 Mbappe inheriting Zidane’s France aura44:29 Paraguay’s block, low passing, and no attack46:03 FIFA suspensions, Balogun, Olise, and appeals47:29 Why World Cup cards should be reviewable48:27 Balogun, Messi, and suspension politics49:20 Why FIFA’s process looks murky50:32 World Cup legitimacy, Qatar, Russia, and old FIFA issues51:41 Hand of God, Garrincha, Negrera, Calciopoli53:57 Finding beauty in sports despite corruption55:22 USA vs Belgium and why Balogun matters55:49 Sid’s anti-Cruyff World Cup agenda57:21 Africa, North America, Cape Verde, and globalization57:39 Argentina, Nico Paz, Enzo, and Madrid links58:32 What Enzo would bring to Madrid’s locker room 01:00:07 Chelsea, Mourinho, and Madrid connection 01:01:33 Cristiano Ronaldo’s needed World Cup moment 01:01:52 Morocco vs France odds and Brahim Diaz 01:02:14 Portugal need Bernardo, Vitinha, and Ronaldo to wake up01:03:35 USA vs Belgium, Courtois, Pulisic, Balogun, and De Bruyne 01:04:20 Belgium’s wasted golden generation 01:04:48 Bale’s underrated Wales run 01:05:14 Eden Hazard’s 2018 dribbling peak

9. Cucurella, Ronaldo, Bellingham, Huijsen & Spain-Real Madrid Relationship, World Cup RO32 Reaction from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

   Jul 3, 20261 hr 0 min

   Ruri Barlow joins Siddharth Ramsundar for this World Cup RO32 reaction and big picture episode. How are Spain and Real Madrid's Marc Cucurella doing at the World Cup? What about Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena? Are Spain biased for not selecting Dean Huijsen, and how has the relationship been in the past? On Tuchel and England's visit to the Azteca, the Jude-Kane duo, Ronaldo and Portugal, Ancelotti's Brazil, England's evolution over the years and more.

10. Nico Paz Sale, Real Madrid Transfers from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 30, 202635 min

    Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar discuss the sale of Nico Paz. Is moving off him coming from Mourinho, the club, or both? Who else should be signed to complete the squad? How could Bernardo Silva be platformed right now to help you control games? How will next season look under Mourinho?

11. Real Madrid Stars At The World Cup from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 29, 202638 min

    Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar discuss the state of Real Madrid's stars at the World Cup. Arda Guler eliminated. Vinicius, Jude and Mbappe performing at their best. Rudiger for Germany. Who can stop France? Will Argentina stop winning penalties? Why are Portugal so disappointing?

12. Camavinga's Real Madrid Future from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 27, 202631 min

    Cerebrone joins Siddharth Ramsundar (Agarthasid) to discuss Eduardo Camavinga. Could being left at home for the World Cup be the lightbulb moment that helps him look in the mirror and turn his career around? Has he been lazy with the details even outside his injuries? Should Real Madrid sell Tchouameni or Federico Valverde?

13. Kylian Mbappe's Trajectory: Real Madrid, France, World Cups, Mourinho from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 26, 202651 min

    Cerebrone joins Siddharth Ramsundar (AgarthaSid) to talk Kylian Mbappe's past, present and future. Why he joined Real Madrid at the wrong time, why he was frustrated this past season, the chip on his shoulder at the World Cup with France, why Olise fits him so well, and how his parents have managed his career going back to Monaco days. Cerebrone predicts that he will have his best season yet under Mourinho, who will restore hierarchy to the team.

14. Vinicius To Arsenal? Real Madrid, Barcelona Transfer Talk With StatsBomb's Ali Elfakharany from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 25, 20261 hr 35 min

    Ali Elfakharany joins Siddharth Ramsundar (Agarthasid) to discuss Arsenal's transfer strategy this summer, Cucurella being among the most expensive older defenders to be transferred, how Real Madrid need to stay competitive without the best purchasing power in the sport, breakout players of the World Cup and more.

15. Olise, Vinicius Contract, Enzo Fernandez, Real Madrid Signings from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 24, 202630 min

    Siddharth Ramsundar (Agarthasid) discusses how Real Madrid would shape up with Olise on the team, preferred midfield targets going forward, concerns with the backline, and takes mailbag questions from members.

16. Knicks Win The NBA Finals from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 18, 202655 min

    Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar (Agarthasid) react to the Knicks winning the NBA title. Why Sid was hype on this team before Vegas odds caught up. Brunson's clutch performance, the importance of spacing. Can Luka Doncic win in the same situation? How's NYC reacting to the win from Jarod's bird's eye view? Will the Spurs or Thunder be back soon?

17. Early World Cup Reactions: Ancelotti's Brazil, Dull Spain, Pochettino's USA, Deschamps' France from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 17, 202639 min

    Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar (AgarthaSid) react to the initial set of World Cup Fixtures. How were Carlo's Brazil in their first outing? Were Spain and Turkey as bad as people suggested? Is this the best Team USA ever? And looking through the statistics as Deschamps' France turn it around after a slow first half.

18. Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and A Mourinho Summer from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 16, 202633 min

    Sid discusses and grades Real Madrid's Mourinho driven signings of Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva and Denzel Dumfries.

19. Why Arsenal Plays Like an NFL Team | OKC, PSG & The Future of Football from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 9, 20261 hr 2 min

    Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar dive into a big picture episode about the Champions League Final, the aesthetics of Arsenal and OKC as adopters of ultra-physical play in their sports, legislating those things out of the game, how PSG have gamed the footballing calendar, processing speed and decision making in sports, why early season results are more misleading than ever, why Luka Doncic and Lamine Yamal may be the best players at their sports, and more.

20. Real Madrid's Strange Elections from The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

    Jun 8, 202634 min

    Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar discuss Real Madrid's elections, the announcements of signings by both parties, Florentino Perez's strategy with the election, the pushback against the sale of part of the club, the flaws in Riquelme's campaign, why all the big names feel like a distraction tactic, the potential upsides to Perez's signings, and the risks with Jose Mourinho going forward. We also review the numbers from the election and discuss why overall it is a positive for open dialogue.