The Rest Is Football

Snapshot · The Rest Is Football

Lamine Yamal lights it up and Cape Verde continue to dream

Explore episode Jun 22, 2026

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Joe Hart: Goalkeepers Are All Mad — I Wanted Messi, Mbappé and Haaland at Once

At 25:05 · chapter starts 23:10

Gary Lineker poses what seems like a fun hypothetical — which of Messi, Mbappé or Haaland would Joe Hart fear most in a 1v1? — but Hart's answer reframes the entire question. Not one ounce of fear, he says. In fact, he wanted all three running at him at once. He craved impact, their best shot, their hardest effort. It is only now, in retirement, that Hart has stepped back and recognised what an absurd way to think that is — and that yes, goalkeepers are all completely mad. His description of facing Messi is the analytical highlight of the episode: whatever angle Hart closed off, whatever option he tried to present as the 'easy' one, Messi would always take the hardest one and execute it with unnerving calm. Far post? The ball would cruise into the far corner. Offer the cutback? Messi would cut it back from an impossible angle. Disheartening, Hart says — but also the thing that dragged the very best out of him. Micah Richards chips in with a detail: Hart actually had one of his best games against Messi, who won Man of the Match in the first leg.

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