Pete, Tom and Sids are soaking up the California sun as their stateside World Cup tour continues on That Peter Crouch Podcast — and they've got a very special guest. Manchester United and England legend Rio Ferdinand joins the lads fresh from his DJ sets in the fan parks to share incredible stories from his playing days, including a surreal World Cup match against Brazil and an unforgettable moment at the hospital in South Africa that put his entire career into perspective!

Rio opens up about his experiences at France 98 acting as Michael Owen's ultimate cheerleader, the tactical genius of Rivaldo, the heartbreak of missing out on the 2010 World Cup through injury, and his thoughts on Thomas Tuchel’s big squad selection decisions.

The boys also react to the tournament's open nature and early surprises, debating whether the conditions and heat are going to play a massive factor for England. Plus, Chris Stark checks in all the way from London, capturing the fan atmosphere around Big Ben and finding out what the public really thinks Pete and Sids would be doing if they weren't footballers.

Then it's over to the Paddy Power Predictor as Pete, Tom and Sids roll the dice for a special 'Vegas Baby' edition to lock in their scores for USA vs Australia. Leave your England vs Croatia predictions in the comments below and let us know who you think lifts the trophy.

00:16 - Settling into LA life & intense paddle games

01:07 - World Cup group stage open nature

03:54 - Fenway Park takeover & football trivia debate

06:41 - Rio Ferdinand joins the show

07:22 - Rio's podcast guests & Anderson's wild stories

09:48 - Early World Cup impressions & USA buying in

12:04 - France 98 and the Michael Owen hype train

15:42 - England breakout stars & Thomas Tuchel's tactics

20:45 - Rio's iconic World Cup moments against Argentina & Brazil

24:34 - Playing against Rivaldo, Ronaldo & Ronaldinho

27:40 - Trevoh Chalobah selection & Rio's 2010 injury heartbreak

31:11 - The Trent Alexander-Arnold debate

33:04 - England's attacking firepower & squad dynamics

36:15 - World Cup either/or quiz with Rio

41:05 - Chris Stark's London fan check-in from Big Ben

46:02 - Paddy Power Predictor: Dice rolls for USA vs Australia

50:20 - Final thoughts on England's group stage chances

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