The dust has settled on an epic Club World Cup, with Chelsea overcoming PSG in the final, and the transfer merry-go-round is in full swing for the upcoming football season, so we caught up with our Global Football Ambassador Sergio Agüero to hear his thoughts on the hottest topics in the beautiful game.
Read this Stake exclusive interview before placing bets on the EPL, MLS, Champions League, La Liga, Bundesliga, World Cup and everything else soccer right here on Stake Sportsbook.
Club World Cup
Which team impressed you the most at the Club World Cup?
Personally, I think FIFA itself left the most positive impression, actually. The tournament ended up being very entertaining, it was great football and fun matches to watch. There'll always be room for improvement, but the format was enjoyable. So, my gold star goes to Infantino for organizing it.
Who was your player of the tournament?
Many players left their mark, but Cole Palmer was clearly the standout for his performance in the final. Two goals and one assist, on PSG no less. Though I would be remiss not to mention other folks with brilliant performances like Enzo Fernandez, Donarumma or Vitinha.
You’ve spoken highly of Enzo Maresca previously. Do you think people will now give Maresca credit as being a world class coach?
Taking a tournament of this kind should get people to talk about all the accomplishments that he's had across his career. Enzo has worked with Guardiola in the past, and, while you can always learn a lot from the best, Enzo has proven he has his own signature style. Teams that he's managed have always performed very well and Chelsea was no different, even if the roster is young overall, it feels like a true team.
Enzo Fernandez has proven himself as a serial winner. Was this clear in his personality from your experience with him?
Well, personality is a thing he's got in spades. Enzo is just 24 but he feels like a leader on the field, with his optimism and his ability to rally his team-mates. This comes naturally to Enzo, but he was able to foster these traits to better put them to use on the field. He deserves the accolades, surely. But we shouldn't forget how tough it was for him at Chelsea early on, as he's said so himself. And winners need to have the inner strength to carry on against adversity. I believe the Club World Cup should serve as further proof of his determination.
Do you think that Inter Miami surprised people with how competitive they were, reaching the Quarter Finals?
Not in the least. A team with Leo in their midst will undoubtedly be a challenger. When you also consider Inter has players like Busquets and Jordi Alba, who were born with a bottomless drive to win it all, it's not hard to imagine that ambition spreading across the whole team like a wildfire.
Premier League
What’s your assessment of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijani Reijnders? Three very good signings?
I'm fond of them. Cherki is skillful and combines solid finishes with keen game awareness, things that should be very valuable with Kevin gone. Reijnders brings that Dutch school balance to the team as a box-to-box player. And Ait-Nouri can be a dogged marker and an offensive asset both. All very fine signings, I believe.
Were you surprised to see Kyle Walker join Burnley? Could he still play for a top European team?
Kyle is a quality player, I'm sure he's picked Burnley for a reason. The team is contesting in the Premier League, and his experience is certainly going to be useful to the team.
Manchester City lack a natural right back and there have been many rumours about signing Tino Livramento, have you seen him play for Newcastle? What’s your opinion?
I've read as much, but nothing solid has materialized yet. There's Rico Lewis on that spot right now, and Pep has used Matheus Nunes as well, with solid results. I think there's still some debate as to whether that position needs to be reinforced or not.
Would it be nice for Grealish to have a return to Aston Villa, if they’re keen to sign him?
Surely anything is possible. He goes way back with Aston Villa so it might happen. Liverpool are on the verge of signing Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. Including Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, how good are these signings? They are the reigning champs, so I think the objective is for Slot to have a deeper set of options to tackle more simultaneous competitions at once. Frimpong and Ekitike, if he does sign, could make this happen, and we all know about Wirtz's own talents too.
Are Liverpool favourites to win the Premier League next season?
No single team can claim that I think. As we discussed, Liverpool has made good signings. But both City and Arsenal too. Chelsea has a young, diverse team. I'd also keep an eye out for United making a comeback. Newcastle played a great season, and the team feels more solidified by now too.
What did you make of João Pedro’s performance for Chelsea at the Club World Cup?
Surprisingly effective for sure. He was fresh when he arrived and became a decisive player all of a sudden. That's not easy to do. The team was ready to make the most of his attributes. Those were clear to see at Brighton, but they become more tangible after seeing his flair on a high-stakes tournament.
Can you imagine Nicolas Jackson leaving Chelsea this summer?
I wouldn't know, really. Football leaves room for all possibilities. The transfer window hasn't closed so we'll just have to wait and see.
Should Arsenal or Man United sign Jackson as a striker option?
Hard for me to guess Arteta's thoughts. He's signed Madueke and Gyokeres is also being mentioned, so I'm not sure.
Has Cole Palmer solidified himself as one of the top players in the world with his Club World Cup final performance against PSG?
Palmer's talent had already been on display. He had a bit of a slump at the tail end of the last season but that's history after what he was able to do during the Club World Cup. Cole brings skill, power and wits to the table, brilliant at assisting as well as striking. A truly lethal left foot, too. If he keeps this up, then I could see him being up top on that podium.
Victor Gyokeres might be joining Arsenal too, is that the signing that will win them a trophy?
A single signing, no matter how strong, can't guarantee a trophy. It can improve a team, though, and Arteta has done well on that project so far. Sooner or later, he may have a chance at a title. His Arsenal has been competitive for the past few years. I'd watch the improvement in the midfield that Zubimendi will provide in the coming months.
Europe
Lamine Yamal has been unveiled as Barcelona’s number 10, how much pressure is that to handle?
It's got a lot of symbolic weight for sure. There's Leo to think about, yes, but also Ronaldinho, Diego, and other great players. I think Lamine deserves the 10, having demonstrated a lot of character and skill for a player his age. He's performed great both at Barcelona as well as the national squad, so I'd say he's managed the pressure very well so far.
How can Yamal surpass Lionel Messi’s legacy? Win nine Ballon d’Ors? Multiple Champions League trophies?
I don't believe there's a lot of value in this type of hypotheticals. Leo has a singular, one-of-a-kind trajectory of personal and team feats under his belt. For Barcelona, he's the best there ever was. So, this type of comparisons aren't helpful. Lamine should pave his own path. He's just getting started and he's done brilliantly until now.
You said, before the first El Clásico this season, that Lamine Yamal is better than Vinicius Jr, looks like you’ve been proven right?
I would like to clarify that I think both are amazingly talented players. However, Lamine has become both the lynchpin of Barca and the Spanish national team both. They have radically different styles as strikers too. Not to knock on Vini, but I believe Yamal is a more versatile player.
Nico Williams has signed a contract extension with Athletic Bilbao, is Marcus Rashford the best second option on the market for Barcelona right now?
The manager should be the one to make that judgement. I do think Rashford is a top-flight player that can help teams break on through and score.
What does Xabi Alonso need to do to improve Real Madrid? Is there a lack of balance within the team?
It's vital to remember Xabi has taken the helm of Madrid very recently. He needs time to shape the team to his vision. No doubt that a team like Real Madrid demands good results and quick. But we should let Xabi develop his strategy. A single bad match at the Club World Cup's semi-finals shouldn't be cause for alarm. He's got great players, and Madrid will always be Madrid. I think Xabi did a great job in Germany so I can't see why he wouldn't be successful in the present too.
Would losing Rodrygo be a massive blow to Real Madrid?
Again, I think the manager should make that assessment. It's not up to me to make that call.
Trent Alexander-Arnold looked impressive in his first few games and has a couple of assists already, will he be a massive success in LaLiga?
If he can repeat all the great things he did at Liverpool for Madrid, surely so. He's got great conditions to adapt to a new team and a new league, so time will tell.
MLS
Rodrigo De Paul is reportedly joining Inter Miami, would he be a good addition to the team?
It'd have a big impact. He's a player with a lot of personality and a very positive disposition for the team. He knows Leo to a T. I'm sure he'll contribute a very positive impact to the team and the MLS.
Lionel Messi is still showing he’s one of the best players in the world; do you think he’ll stay at Inter Miami or can he make one more big move in his career?
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Leo has earned the right to decide where he wants to play and for how long. As long as he plays, it'll be a pleasure to keep watching him.
Rest of the World
Neymar scored a winner against Flamengo for Santos, do you expect he can make a massive return for Brazil and help them in the World Cup?
Neymar is a terrific player who has been kept at bay due to injuries. I hope he can get back to top form and compete for bigger things. Good players are always good for football.
Cristiano Ronaldo said the Saudi Arabian league is in the top five leagues in the world, did Al Hilal beating Man City prove his point?
It'd be a pointless controversy to jump into. If Ronaldo's statement is right and the Saudi Arabian league is indeed among the top of the world, that will be proved throughout the years. Certainly not through a single match. I personally think that it has shown very respectable growth recently, but it'd be premature to call it one of the biggest in the world.
How did you find meeting IShowSpeed? Your clips with him went viral as they were funny, would you like to collab with him more?
It was a very casual meeting. We just goofed around for a bit, like I usually do. I think it'd be a fun anecdote to remember but that's about it.
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