Note: This story contains spoilers from “Ted Lasso” Season 3, Episode 10.
Season 3 of “Ted Lasso” is reaching its final minutes on the field. Many loose threads got tied up in the tenth episode, including some with fan-favorite characters like Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley Jones (Juno Temple). The episode, titled “International Break,” also featured the return of Edwin Akufo (Sam Richardson) to wreak his particular brand of havoc on the footballing world, as well as on Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh).
Viewers saw as AFC Richmond’s international break from league play followed as Jaime Tartt (Phil Dunster), Colin Hughes (Billy Harris), Moe Bumbercatch (Moe Hashim), Van Damme (Moe Jeudy-Lamour) and Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernández) represented their native countries in international play — Sam was noticeably omitted from participating.
Read on for the most shocking moments of the latest episode of “Ted Lasso”:
Nate Quits Managing West Ham
Nate’s (Nick Mohammed) departure from West Ham United comes as a shock to many, including Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) once they read it in the tabloids. His now girlfriend Jade (Edyta Budnik) checked in on him when he can’t get out of bed, and he asked her if he is an idiot for quitting his job! Looks like Nate the Great might be finding his way back into the light after all.
Dani Rojas Breaks Van Damme’s Nose in International Play
We get to see a very intense and opposite side of Dani Rojas when he travels to play for the Mexican national team. Of course, Mexico is matched up against Canada, so Dani will face Van Damme. But Van Damme’s friendly competitive attitude does not match Dani’s sudden 180 to ignoring Van Damme, crushing his chips and hitting him in the nose with his hard-kicked shot!
When Dani returned to the Richmond locker room, he is back to his jovial “Football is life” self, asking Van Damme about his broken nose and making the goalkeeper question whether the whole personality shift even happened.
Rebecca Talked Rupert and Other Club Owners To Turn Down Akufo’s Proposed Super League
After her ex-husband Rupert (Anthony Head) invited Rebecca to a meeting for Edwin Akufo to pitch the club owners to form an exclusive super league, she listened to his spiel. But then she fired back with a humbling story about Rupert, who used to sneak into the dog track as a little boy because his parents couldn’t afford game tickets. She makes the men realize that they don’t need more money, reminding them of why they fell in love with the more accessible Premiere League in the first place.
Rupert Tried To Kiss Rebecca
She backs away immediately, for the record. It must be the emotions of her remembering his past and knowing him so well, along with the Nigerian food thrown all over both of them. But there is no chance for Rupert anymore, and she is finally over him!
Edwin Akufo Paid $20 million To Keep Sam off the Nigerian National Team
This also isn’t super surprising. Akufo showed up to Ola’s, Sam’s Nigerian restaurant, to laugh in his face and tell him about his plans to also open a Nigerian restaurant down the street. He also boasted about bribing the Nigerian National Team so they wouldn’t recruit Sam to play for them. To raise awareness of the omission, Jamie wears Sam’s number while representing England. What a nice touch!
Nate’s Heart To Heart With His Dad
In his funk after quitting West Ham, Nate went to his parents’ house to sleep it off. His mother doted on him, but his father can’t seem to understand what happened to him. In an emotional scene, Nate took out his childhood violin and plays a beautiful solo. Nate’s dad silently watched him until Nate noticed and flinched. He told his dad how the pressure coming from him scared him growing up, and all he ever wanted to do was play the violin, not be perfect at it.
Nate’s dad apologized and admitted to pressuring Nate into doing well. In a show about father-son bonds, this scene rivaled the one where Roy hugged Jamie after his alcoholic father confronted him in the locker room in Season 2.
Nate Apologized to Will
Nate enlists Kenneth, the hippie bus driver, to sneak him into the kit room so that he could do Will’s job. When Will arrived to the locker room, he was surprised to see everything laid out nice and neat. And Nate left a card with lavender taped to the front that says “I’m sorry. -Wonder Kid”
Roy and Keeley Got Back Together
Roy wrote a very sweet apology note to Keeley, and and viewers see him working on it while the team watched the international play. He tried to subtly drop it off at Keeley’s apartment, but after being let go from her job, she found him delivering it. She opened it in front of him and made him read it to her because his writing is illegible.
In the letter, he apologized for ever making her feel like she wasn’t Keeley ‘F—g’ Jones. He also writes “I love you” at the end of the note.
Funding for Keeley’s Company Got Pulled, But Rebecca Rescued It
This might not come as a total shocker given Jack’s sudden disappearance last episode, and the hints that she and Keeley were on the outs. But Keeley found out the tragic news from CFO Barbara after Jack (Jodi Balfour) told Barbara that she would tell Keeley herself. She was killing it at KJPR too. Such a shame.
At least until she finally told Rebecca what happened and she offered to replace the funding in cash. Keeley refused at first, but Rebecca says her money, her choice. She then spotted Roy putting on a fluffy pink bathrobe, right as Keeley was congratulating her on not falling back into things with Rupert. The icing on the cake arrived when Barbara offered to remain as CFO for the company with the new funding, choosing Keeley over her old employers.
