FIFA World Cup™ on FOX Programming Highlights: Wednesday Morning, June 20
Today’s Schedule & Results (all times ET):
- Portugal def. Morocco, 1-0 (WATCH: 90 in 90: Portugal vs. Morocco)
- 11:00 AM – Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia
- 2:00 PM – Iran vs. Spain
- 7:00 PM – WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
- 7:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
- 8:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP MATCH OF THE DAY
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)
ICYMI Tuesday on FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT:
Fernando Fiore, Tony Meola and Kelly Smith debate Ronaldo vs. Messi
This Morning’s Top Video:
"I never thought that I would get to where I am now." @Cristiano Ronaldo reflects on his most life-changing moments in this FOX Sports exclusive. pic.twitter.com/qPfOdDq4XU
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 20, 2018
This Morning’s Top Quotes:
FOX Sports lead studio analyst Alexi Lalas says despite earning the win, Portugal needs to play better if it wants to go far in this World Cup:
“They got the goal, and then they held on for dear life. It wasn’t pretty, at times it was ugly. Their coach is frustrated. People that are watching this team, other than the diehards who love Portugal, are frustrated.
“Cristiano Ronaldo fans get to see him score a goal, but there wasn’t anything beautiful, and there certainly wasn’t anything progressive. There wasn’t anything more than what we have seen in the past. So how long can they get away with this? They won the European championships and they got away with it, but can they continue to do it in this World Cup?”
Studio analyst Kelly Smith says Cristiano Ronaldo needs more support from his teammates:
“He can only carry this team so much until the other players have to step up. Bernardo Silva was poor today, and he’s probably the best link-up player that they have. You saw the frustrations, and hopefully that won’t continue.”
Following Ronaldo’s early goal, game analyst Tony Meola, who called the match, said Ronaldo was the one person Morocco needed to pay attention to:
“There’s one player on the field that you need to mark.
“Cristiano Ronaldo wanted it more than anyone in the box.”
Lalas reacts to Ronaldo’s record-breaking goal:
“It’s bad defending, and one of the greatest players ever to play the game doing some damage … Right off the bat, that’s the way you want to start if you’re Portugal and if you’re Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Cristiano Ronaldo does it again!
He heads home the corner to put Portugal up 1-0 early against Morocco. pic.twitter.com/FDoyvInvt4
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 20, 2018
Following an exclusive FOX Sports feature on Portugal’s international superstar, Smith, who played college soccer at Seton Hall, understands what it was like for Ronaldo to leave his home and his family to pursue his dream of playing soccer at a high level:
“He had a dream and a goal, and he had to remove himself from his family. It was similar to my situation. When I was in England, I had to come to America to play college football to pursue my dream.
“It’s a difficult time for him to leave his family, friends, didn’t know anyone, moving to a different country, and that’s a difficult thing to do. He had a goal and a dream, and now look what dream he’s living.”
Alexi Lalas says if he had to pick one player with which to start a team, he’s taking Ronaldo over Messi:
“He has a better ability to adapt to different situations, and everybody else doesn’t necessarily have to adapt to him.”
Smith says a more relaxed attitude will help Uruguay’s Luis Suarez:
“You need to relax as the ball comes to you and have a little smile, too, because if you’re enjoying yourself, it makes it easier for you to put the ball in the back of the net.”
Lalas adds:
“Luis Suarez is not a patient man. His coach and others say that he has matured – ok, it’s relative to what we know of Luis Suarez. He is always going to seek out opportunities. He is always going to push the envelope in everything he does. It’s one of the things that I think makes him great.”
Studio analyst Ian Wright says Russia’s start is even more impressive, given the team’s performance at the Confederations Cup last summer:
“What we saw of them in the Confederations Cup last year, I was worried for them coming into this tournament because of the pressure they were under.
“They’ve risen to the pressure. Yes, they’re playing against teams that maybe they should beat, but they have to get credit for the pressure they’ve taken on. They’ve performed, and they look like they’re getting better – they’re gaining momentum.”
FOX Sports studio host Kate Abdo on Russia’s hot start:
“We do love seeing this. I think it’s fantastic for the host nation to be doing so well. It gives us a really special atmosphere here.”
Kelly Smith adds:
“Long may it continue, because we need Russia in this World Cup.”
Tomorrow’s Schedule (all times ET):
- 7:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP LIVE (FS1)
- 8:00 AM – Denmark vs. Australia (FS1 / Mark Followill and Warren Barton)
- 10:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FOX)
- 11:00 AM – France vs. Peru (FOX / Derek Rae and Aly Wagner)
- 1:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FOX)
- 2:00 PM – Argentina vs. Croatia (FOX / John Strong and Stu Holden)
- 4:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
- 7:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
- 10:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)
