12/12/2015 MOTD Kickabout

Good morning, football fans.

It's game on for this week's Match Of The Day Kickabout.

Not only do we have all the news from the real world of football,

we also delve into the virtual world of our beautiful game.

Coming up, I head to the National Football Museum

and discover I'm very much a football gaming geek.

John Farnworth's skills are transferred from the pitch

to pixel, using state of the art technology,

and Mark Wright, a man who's used to turning virtual dreams

into reality, chooses his dream five aside team.

But before all of that, let's start, as always,

with some headline hitters.

If I were to tell you that this chap has just retired,

having spent 25 years playing in the Brazilian league,

you'd probably think, so what, that's not a headline hitter.

Well, what if I told you he scored 131 goals in his career,

all coming from either free kicks or penalties.

Still not impressed?

OK, what if I told you he is a goalkeeper?

Top marks to Rogerio Ceni, the world's greatest goal-scoring

goalie.

In what could have been a calamitous week for our teams

in the Champions League, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea

all managed to make it through their qualifying groups

with great wins.

For Manchester United, though, the dream is over

after a disappointing defeat to Wolfsburg.

Former Manchester United player Gary Neville also tasted defeat

in his first game in charge of Spanish club Valencia.

They both now go into the Europa League, so Gary could end

up facing his old team.

Last weekend was another dramatic FA Cup spectacular,

with the usual crackers, calamities and costumes.

Here is Washington, inside the penalty area now.

Goes on his left, now his and scores.

From an impossible angle.

How did he do that?

This is Reeves.

And he has gone for the lob.

And scored.

It is a lob.

Over the head of Jamie Jones.

What a shocker.

Good afternoon, everybody.

It is a bit windy.

That early ball forward shows you immediately how strong

the wind is here.

That's one way to keep your face warm, isn't it?

The ball blowing all over the place.

After all that excitement, there was more to come on Monday

with the third round draw.

And remember, it's at this stage where the best 44 teams

from the Championship and the Premier League entered

the FA Cup.

But we love our underdogs here, so we also kept an eye out

for the only non-league team to definitely have qualified,

Eastleigh, who have reached the first round for the first time

in their history, and here's our pick of the third round ties.

Eastleigh got a home draw, they will face Bolton,

who are bottom of the Championship but reached the semifinal

as recently as 2011, so will still be huge favourites

in that one.

There are also some other non-league teams still in with a chance

if they can win their second round replays.

One of these is Whitehawk, who will earn a lucrative tie

against Everton if they can get past Dagenham Redbridge.

Elsewhere, there are five all Premier League match ups,

plus a potential giant-killing as Exeter of League Two face

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

That one will be live on the BBC and is sure to be a sell-out.

All those ties will be played just after the New Year.

FA Cup fever has truly arrived.

Now, you may not know this, but I've actually won the FA

Cup myself.

Yes, OK, it was on a computer game.

In fact, quite a few different computer games, actually.

Always playing as Leeds United, obviously.

So when I found out that the National Football Museum

has got a new exhibition dedicated to the evolution of football games,

I strapped on my virtual shin pads and headed on down.

We are here at the National Football Museum in Manchester,

where they have just launched a new exhibition showcasing

the evolution of football video games over the last 35 years.

I'm in dreamland.

How cool is this?

This is the actual body suit they use on Sergio Aguero

to track his movements for computer games and give that true to life

Sergio Aguero feel.

What must it be like if you are one of the footballers who was featured

in this game?

Would you always pick yourself to play?

I probably would.

Football gaming, it is absolutely brilliant.

And it is so realistic.

But football games weren't always like this.

In fact, in my day, they were a whole lot simpler.

Come on.

I'm here with Lily and Erin, who have been having a look around

and trying all the different games on offer.

If someone said to you, I want to swap your new console

with one of the old ones, would you do it?

Yes.

You would?

Yes.

If you've ever fancied being the star of your own video

game, this booth brings you pretty close because it puts your picture

on the front of some of your favourite football games.

Here it comes.

It's me.

It is me living my dreams.

Oh, that is absolutely brilliant.

Well, after three and a half decades of footballing video games,

a lot has changed.

But a few things still remain the same.

They are still as fun, as enjoyable and as popular as ever.

Who knows where the genre will go in the next 35 years?

I can't wait to find out, so I guess I will see you in 2015.

Until then...

Oh, I absolutely loved that.

It is amazing how realistic football games have become,

but I still have no idea what technical wizardry goes

into turning a real-life player into a computer animated one.

Luckily, our own magic man, John Farnworth, was prepared to hot

foot it to Holland, put a silly suit on and find out.

Good morning, guys.

Good morning, John.

I'm guessing this is a suit I'm going to be wearing.

That is correct.

Are you ready to put it on?

Of course.

So I've got the suit on, it has taken a bit of time.

Can you tell me about the technology, how does it work?

You're wearing a full body suit and you are wearing 70 trackers that

are placed all over the body.

On your arms, your hands, your gloves.

On your feet, we place them on your shoe.

And all that data is collected here in this box.

And then the data is sent wirelessly to our laptop over here.

And as you can see, you are live.

That's me.

This is so clever.

I can't wait to give it a go.

We are all suited up, you are ready to go on the pitch

and play some ball?

Let's do it.

John.

All right, John, we've got some really nice data

of your amazing skills.

Let's review them in our office.

Cheers, guys, that was wicked.

I can't wait to see the final footage.

Hi, guys.

Hi, John.

I'm so excited to see this.

So look, this is you.

We already put you on the big screen as well.

What you see is your data that we shot on the soccer field,

on top of a game character.

So this is what they do for actual football games.

I've heard you've worked with Lionel Messi and his technology.

What was he like?

He was an easy-going guy.

You can really see the focus on what he was doing.

The skills just pour out of the guy, it is really amazing.

It was really good.

Right, guys, you've worked with Lionel Messi, but have you ever

worked with a freestyler before?

No, this is the first time.

So I am the first one?

You are.

You are also the best one.

Thank you.

Guys, I'd like to thank you for your time.

It was a pleasure.

It has been so much fun.

It was.

We enjoyed it.

Incredible stuff, a virtual football freestyler.

Now I have seen it all.

Although if I was playing against that fancy Dan in a computer

game, I would certainly neutralise the threat.

Slide tackle, barge, slide tackle!

I've just been sent off.

Right, staying with skills, here's a selection of what you lot

have been up to.

First up, it's Jacob completing a crossbar challenge

with the perfect ping.

Nice celebration, too.

Alex here with a rainbow flick and volley, and a

clever camera angle.

He must have fixed that to the goal.

Top initiative, Alex.

And finally, it's Freddie with a brilliant free kick around

the wall, which bamboozled the goalkeeper.

Great stuff.

If you haven't yet sent us in a video this season,

then what are you waiting for?

Get a parent or guardian to film you on their tablet or mobile

and head to the Kickabout area of the CBBC website

to find our video upload.

In fact, if you can add a festive twist as well,

you might see yourself on the big screen in next week's

Christmas special.

That Christmas show is going to be an absolute cracker.

I'll be joined by Rachel to review Kickabout's best bits

from the last 12 months.

Spoiler alert, there are loads.

Plus, we find out whether Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland

likes his Brussels sprouts.

I kid you not.

John Farnworth swaps his football for a magic bauble, as you do.

And in a world exclusive, Father Christmas will be

picking his dream five aside team.

And on that subject, Mark Wright from The Dengineers

is the latest celebrity to turn player manager.

Hello, Kickabout fans.

It is Mark Wright from The Dengineers.

And this is my dream five aside team.

So, I would start off with the one and only Neville Southall in goal,

because he was unbelievable and he ate what he wanted.

He could bring us the cakes before the game and we would be sorted

for the match.

Loads of energy.

The big Croatian, Slaven Bilic.

One, because I loved him when I was a West Ham supporter

and he was playing for us.

And two, because he is a manager now and I am still a West Ham supporter.

So he's got a place in my heart, that man.

In midfield, I'd have myself.

I wasn't ever good enough to play midfield, I was a defender.

So for once, I can play in midfield and I'm going to play

alongside Mr David Beckham, because he is my ultimate hero.

I can be really close to him for the whole game and also I can

ask him how he does his hairstyles because I love him.

Upfront, on his own, would have to be Cristiano Ronaldo

because he knows how to put the ball in the net.

It will be amazing to play in a team with him.

Well, we are almost at the end of the show but there's still time

to look towards this weekend's action, and first up

the Premier League fixtures.

And this one, Manchester City versus Swansea immediately jumps

out at me.

Swansea's first game without manager Garry Monk.

Whereas Manchester City, after getting beaten last week

at Stoke, really need to pick up a result.

We've also got Sunderland against Watford.

Watford are the best of the promoted teams this year,

and if results go their way today, they could find themselves

in sixth place.

But they are playing a rejuvenated Sunderland under Sam Allardyce.

Moving on to Sunday now, there are some brilliant fixtures

there, including Aston Villa, Arsenal.

For me, the pick of the bunch, Monday night's game,

Leicester versus Chelsea, whose fortunes have basically

switched from last season to this.

Oh, and one big final bit of news.

Later on today, all eyes will be on the draw for Euro 2016.

With England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic

of Ireland all in the hat, they're sure to be some

mouthwatering matchups, as Europe's elite players

take centre stage.

And I for one can't wait.

See you.

Germany

Germany lead.

Germany lead. France

Germany lead. France are

Germany lead. France are a

Germany lead. France are a head.