In short
World Cup history from USA 94 through 2010 and beyond, framed as a rise-and-fall story of football’s commercialization and FIFA corruption.
Guests
Podcast hosts Curtis Garner and Horatio Gould (plus recurring “friends of the pod” referenced, e.g., Richard Keys, Errol Musk, Mark Furman, and “the upshot boys”); the episode also discusses real-world figures rather than interviewing them.
Key claims
USA 94 is portrayed as a failed attempt to crack the American market; FIFA’s corruption evolves from “gentleman’s” rules to personal, globalized bribery. The episode links later scandals to FIFA officials like Chuck Blazer and Sepp Blatter, describing vote-buying and cash-filled briefcases. It argues modern football is increasingly business-like, raising stakes and enabling corporate control.
Notable examples
USA 94 opening ceremony in Chicago (Oprah’s ankle injury; Germany vs Bolivia). Colombia’s Andres Escobar own goal followed by being shot six times. Maradona’s ephedrine-positive test and being led away for a drug test. 1998 France winning; 2010 South Africa’s “white elephant” stadiums and vuvuzelas. 2018/2022 voting bribery allegations involving Russia and Qatar.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOIntroduction to World Cup Part 4
0:00 to 1:10
Curtis Garner introduces the fourth part of the World Cup story.
“Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins.”
Introduction to World Cup Part 4
1:13 to 1:44
Curtis Garner introduces the fourth part of the World Cup story.
“I didn't like what you said, Odin pauses, about the future.”
The Golazzo Years and 1994 USA World Cup
1:44 to 2:26
Discussion on the 1990s World Cup and England's failure to qualify in '94.
“As we get into the 90s, the Golazzo years.”
Richard Keyes and Punditry
2:26 to 3:57
Exploration of Richard Keyes' role in football media and sexism in punditry.
“If you were anywhere near it, you'd definitely smash it.”
Richard Keyes' Controversies
3:57 to 6:00
A look at some of Richard Keyes' past controversies and comments.
“Now, that's not as bad as the other friend of the pod, Ron Atkinson, who I, I mean, I watched that happen live.”
Errol Musk and Toxic Dads
6:00 to 7:48
Discussion about Errol Musk's controversial comments and toxic masculinity.
“But it's amazing that it's literally, like, he'll be doing, and that's all you've got time for, Sky Sports.”
Errol Musk and Toxic Dads
12:21 to 14:05
Discussion about Errol Musk's controversial comments and toxic masculinity.
“Guys, look, you've heard it from us before.”
Errol Musk and Toxic Dads
14:39 to 15:34
Discussion about Errol Musk's controversial comments and toxic masculinity.
“15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more, can make me feel like a spectator in my own life.”
The 1994 World Cup: A Controversial Start
15:39 to 16:46
Discussing the challenges of introducing soccer to America during the '94 World Cup.
“Anyway, the Premier League has kicked off.”
Cultural Perspectives on Football
16:46 to 19:00
Exploring how Americans perceive soccer compared to other sports.
“It feels the World Cup feels the biggest global event.”
Show all 32 chapters
The Impact of the OJ Simpson Case
19:00 to 20:41
How the OJ Simpson case overshadowed the 1994 World Cup.
“Germany wins an awful opening game, 1-0, but I didn't fucking know this.”
Colombia's Tragic World Cup Story
20:41 to 23:10
Examining the tragic fate of Colombian player Andres Escobar after the World Cup.
“We're just looking now at a photo of Friends of the Pod, Mount Rushmore.”
Maradona's Last World Cup
23:10 to 26:14
Discussing Diego Maradona's controversial moments during the 1994 World Cup.
“We read it as cartoonishly because of the Simpsons.”
Legendary Stories and Iconic Moments
26:14 to 28:00
Sharing legendary stories surrounding football culture and memorable moments.
“we'll just get the photo up, just scroll down on the script, Phoebe, and there were suspicions that maybe he was on drugs.”
Maradona's Iconic Moments
28:00 to 30:20
Explore Maradona's memorable drug test incident and iconic moments in football history.
“I'd say it's more like Jason Statham's Crank.”
The Evolution of the World Cup
30:20 to 33:35
Discuss the expansion of the World Cup in 1998 and its implications for FIFA.
The Evolution of the World Cup
33:39 to 34:53
Discuss the expansion of the World Cup in 1998 and its implications for FIFA.
“Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins.”
Corruption in FIFA
34:59 to 37:20
An analysis of corruption within FIFA and key figures involved, like Chuck Blazer.
“This is where FIFA, the organization, becomes nakedly corrupt.”
The 1998 World Cup Final
37:20 to 40:20
Review the events surrounding the 1998 World Cup final, focusing on Ronaldo's performance.
“So they don't know what to do about the handshakes at the beginning, because Ayatollah Khomeini instructs his team not to shake their hands.”
The Golden Age of Football
40:20 to 42:00
Discuss the emergence of star players and the golden age of football in the 2000s.
“they're trying to make the Super League because it's interesting to listen to Americans talk about British sport, where it's like, from a financial perspective, it's crazy to have relegation.”
The Rainbow Nation and FIFA's Legacy
42:00 to 43:13
Explore the cultural significance of football in France and the impact of the 1998 World Cup.
“Stalking behind a film star as a huge fat love to Gavin Plumb.”
Sepp Blatter's Rise and Corruption
43:14 to 44:47
Learn about Sepp Blatter's presidency and the corruption that marred FIFA during his time.
“And he, sort of in blatant corruption, he offers delegates$100 ,000 for votes.”
World Cup 2010: South Africa's Challenges
44:48 to 46:34
Delve into the issues surrounding the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and its implications.
England's Bid for the World Cup
46:35 to 48:53
Examine England's bid for the 2018 World Cup and the political machinations involved.
“Like the whole thing of England and Britain staying out of FIFA at the start.”
FIFA Arrests and Corruption Uncovered
48:54 to 50:30
Understand the fallout from the FBI raids on FIFA officials and the subsequent investigations.
“But again, I mean, that doesn't matter to FIFA, given that they've given it to Mussolini in the past.”
United Passions: Blatter's Propaganda Film
50:31 to 54:30
Discover the infamous film about Sepp Blatter funded by FIFA and its disastrous reception.
“He's turned left seven times to turn right once.”
Geopolitical Context of Recent World Cups
54:31 to 56:00
Analyze the geopolitical implications surrounding recent World Cups, including Russia and Qatar.
“Not enough people talk about United Passions.”
Celebrating Football Amid Controversies
56:00 to 56:52
Discussion on the complex emotions surrounding the Qatar World Cup and its historical context.
“You know, the Israel and Eurovision, uh, it's, it's clouding.”
Maradona's Legacy and Controversial Moments
56:52 to 58:06
Exploring Maradona's impactful yet controversial moments, including his death and public perception.
“His excuse was, he was trying to tell the Asian boy who was wearing an Argentina jersey how nice it seemed that even the Asians cheer for his country.”
Qatar World Cup: Cultural and Ethical Concerns
58:06 to 1:00:01
Debate on the ethical implications and controversies surrounding the Qatar World Cup, including migrant workers' conditions.
FIFA's Stance on LGBTQ+ Rights During the World Cup
1:00:01 to 1:02:59
Discussion on FIFA's controversial regulations regarding LGBTQ+ rights during the tournament.
Reflections on the World Cup and Its Historical Significance
1:02:59 to 1:06:08
Reflecting on the World Cup's legacy, including memorable matches and the ongoing issues within FIFA.
“4-3-4 3-0 and then pens One of the greatest finals, one of the greatest games I've ever seen live.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins. Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self. What propels you? Propel with Gatorade Electrolytes. Chronic migraine. 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more, can make me feel like a spectator in my own life. Botox, onabotulinum toxin A, prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. It's not for those with 14 or fewer headache days a month. It's the number one prescribed branded chronic migraine preventive treatment. Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor.
0:35Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. Allerge your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms, and dizziness. Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, including ALS Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects.
1:09Why wait? Ask your doctor, visit BotoxChronicMigraine.com, or call 1-800-44-BOTOX to learn more. I didn't like what you said, Odin pauses, about the future. This is the love story of real hinge couple Odin and Edward, written and read by me, Curtis Garner. Listen to the free audiobook now.
1:44Welcome back to Vingos History. It's part four of the World Cup story. I'm with Horatio Gould. Gould! As we get into the 90s, the Golazzo years. Yes. The Upshot boys have left. Yep. But the corruption is still here. Yeah. we have what did we do we end on we ended on Italian 90 yes and now we get to USA 94 which England did not qualify for do we not again no we don't qualify 94 even though 90 was one of our best world cups probably might be our best world cup ever if you think about it yes apart from 66 now in 1992 the English Premier League had launched so suddenly and it's Murdoch's doing Murdoch and you've got a young Richard Keyes yes who's dominating the airways who's sort of honing his sexism yes he's you know this is this is he's young he's agile he's is physically he's not like an expert like he becomes he has not yet reached the the rushmore yes he's an exciting winger of sexism every week he's hanging out the back of it he's not yet reached that maradona that's a cultured finish of a 34 year old that's harry kane in the bundes league yeah he's lost the pace but still at the moment he's front footed that's knuckleball that's i mean there's a glorious strike that i also i want to highlight the sheer amount of slouch this guy is operating yes no i don't think anyone has ever slouched harder let's take a look than a sexist man than richard keys with his feet up side eye jamie redknapp every week he's hanging out the back of it everyone's so uncomfortable what's it about um they're talking about a woman maybe louise redknapp You dropped some stuff, mate.
3:26Did you meet him? No, I didn't meet her. Can you turn it up? You smash it? Do you want a boy or a police officer? Doesn't get what he wants.
3:40Mind you, that's a stupid question. If you were anywhere near it, you'd definitely smash it.
3:49There he goes. You'd gone round there any night and found Redknapp hanging out at the back of it.
3:57just an alpha you know an alpha in in the jungle hold on go back sorry go back onto that what is the outfit this is a man who feels so comfortable in his position in punditry i feel now apart from maybe neville carrigan it's such a competitive game being a pundit it's jeans and shoes this is a guy who this is like fucking jacob reese mog in the house of commons yeah i mean it's more like i run this shit i'm never gonna lose my job the world's never gonna change he's got light washed jeans yeah cardigan cardigan and also the idea of saying stupid question to your own question just smash it stupid question hanging out the back of it a phenomenon sorry can we get the what's richard keys where did he grow up what's his what's his story richard keys friend of the pods a life a life well lived he married his first wife julia in 1982 they had two children together julia files for divorce in 2016 due to richard key's alleged infidelity in november 2000 key was heard to make a racially motivated comment about footballer david johnson while broadcasting live on the sky test channel i've just read the slur oh my god I'll discuss, where is it?
5:17You can't be saying that, Richard. Richard, you've cooked me there. Now, that's not as bad as the other friend of the pod, Ron Atkinson, who I, I mean, I watched that happen live. What did Ron Atkinson say? Ron Atkinson, he, well, he went all Mark Furman, shall we say, on Marcel Desailly after a Champions League. He basically went to an ad break. Chelsea were playing I can't remember Monaco maybe went to an ad break and Ron Atkinson thought his mic was off but the mic carried on live over the ads for like five seconds and he called Desai a lazy N-word and then the entire it's friendly banter I think no I think it's punditry Ron Atkinson's salty earthy punditry that's pretty bad I mean Keys do you want to say this one Keys describes someone this is Keys this is a quotation in his words as a choco jocko which is i've never heard that before i don't know what it means sounds awful what does it mean i don't know you could work out what it means well yeah i know what the first bit means what does the second bit mean i guess a jock is a sporting player right okay um anyway pour one out for richard keys i mean he's a man who as soon as the mics are off it's just fucking hell for leather some men should not wear microphones It's crazy.
6:42Richard Keyes. But it's amazing that it's literally, like, he'll be doing, and that's all you've got time for, Sky Sports. Anyway, so I was saying about this guy, and he's just fucking... Yeah, so he's hanging out the back of it. Super Sunday, and it's live. Fucking hanging out the back of it. Smash that, fucking smash that. In June 2023, Richard Keyes married Lucy Rose, a lawyer, 32 years, his junior. Oh, ooh! It has been alleged that Lucy was his daughter's best friend. Oh, oh, oh! Yeah, ultimate toxic dad, who is like, if we're talking about ultimate toxic dads should we get up the new errol musk clip oh yes so i've got sent this yeah you sent it to me should i send it to charlie yeah yeah yeah this is pretty exceptional we might need to um we will get back to the 90s world cup but seeing as it's part four and we're in that we're in the era of richard keys being a toxic dad so this is still sort of relevant it is relevant we need to talk about errol musk friend of the pod this is pretty exceptional to be honest it's from the same interview so hang on well just to make sure this is relevant for a great wagyu beef cut and it's just these melt in the mouth it's just but it's from the same cow these cuts are very expensive rich um so uh the 1994 usa world cup is just as richard keys is uh starting to broadcast it is before errol musk has started cooking yes now just saying pause before we go into this it's more like the idea of the toxic dad or the idea of the ignorant dad the scumbag dad the scumbag white dad i guess it's quite specific um this is kind of like the boss final boss level i guess this is kind of every stereotype at its most extreme all in one man yes uh keys can only wish of being this toxic yeah i mean keys is blown out the water he's got nothing on our musk okay this is like when the english hooligans met the Russian hooligans.
8:31It's just a different level. It is. Okay. Now, just for context, the caption of the clip is Errol Musk on having a child with a stepdaughter. Okay. Take it from here, Errol. And she stayed here for three weeks and we got on very, very well. She was now a grown woman of just on 30. How old were you at that time? So I was 70. It's just 40 years difference, eh? 40 years difference. Yeah, roughly. Yes. A couple of months later, she called me and said she needs to see me. So she came and she sat there and she showed me a mammogram. I'm not a member. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm thinking that's it. Yeah, scan, right.
9:03And were you not nervous for your ex-wife to find out that you had a baby with her daughter? No, she was remarried. Yeah, I know that, but it's still unconventional, you know? No, no, she was living with someone else. In that case, I should have been walking around outside her house saying, what are you doing with this other man? So, but do you not think that's strange at all? No. One woman's another woman. Ms. Rambam, two-thirds of the world right now, marriage while age is 12. Yeah, that's wrong though. Well, you may think so. If you look in the third year, a man won't take a woman who's secondhand.
9:33Right. So there's a lot going on there. Yeah. And what's phenomenal, firstly, is the toxicity where you're challenged and you just fuck off. That's wrong though. No, it's not. You may think so. It's common knowledge. I think it's once again, I think the most appealing thing about Errol Musk is the intensity of his opinions. The matter how he believes in his own truth, I do find quite inspiring. When questioned, don't you think that's at least weird? He goes, no. One woman's another woman. So that's one of his... What does that mean? Let's break down his philosophy. So one thing he believes is one woman's another woman, which basically means all women are fair game.
10:12One woman's another woman. Age is just a number. Daughter's just a word. And then he brings up... I don't know why that's weird that I'm shagging my ex-wife's daughter because she's now shagging a new guy. So it'd be like me going around to her house and saying, what the fuck are you doing this guy? Yeah. No, it's not. That's not your son. And in the third, in the third world, mostly two thirds of the world, the manageable age is 12. No, it's not though. You might think so. I inhabit a reality where that's true. But also, but also, why is he bringing up the age of consent being 12? He's trying to put his decisions in context.
10:49But the woman, he's, the problem is she's 30. I mean, actually surprise any old from what I imagined from Errol. She's 30 years old. I don't know why the 12 year old stuff's been brought up. It implies that he's trying to justify something else. What's hilarious is that even though he is a man who's had several children, he's like, and she shows me somewhat. The real bad man. She shows me some kind of mammogram or something. That's the scan women have when they have breast cancer. But also - That's not an ultrasound. Yeah, but it's also because he's so horny, he's thinking about her breasts. Oh, you may think so.
11:23But it's so funny that the first thing comes around it is mammogram because it's just in his memories. That's your daughter. Right, it's another woman. One woman. What does that mean? One woman is another woman. What does it mean? He does seem kind of at peace with himself, though, in a way. He doesn't feel wrapped with... Woody Allen had the South African accent. What do you mean? It's the difference between a South African Protestant and a New York Jew, isn't it? Oh, jeez. I know. Well, that's technically my stepdaughter. My daughter's my wife. Oh, jeez. No, shucks. Right, one woman's another woman.
11:56It's common knowledge. It's common, yeah. Lean back. Everyone else is getting mad. Woody Allen's up leaning forward going, oh, jeez. Yeah, and he's like on front foot. Yeah, of course. What are you talking about? One woman's another woman. You know, and the rest of the world, the marriage will age as 12. You may think so. You may think so. Brilliant. What a guy. Friend of the pod, Errol Musk. You know, the man Richard Keyes wishes he was. This episode of Finverse History is brought to you by Sir Shark. Guys, look, you've heard it from us before. Yeah. no homo no homo I love surf shark yeah that's fair enough he said it he said no homo no homo I'm gay no homo I want to go down on a surf shark who is Mr.
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14:12Sing it with me. Foxtrot Vagina Hotel. We run the Foxtrot Vagina Hotel and you get four extra months of Surfshark. Don't let these online threats catch you off guard. Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar and vitamins. Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self. What propels you? Propel with Gatorade Electrolytes. Chronic migraine. 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more, can make me feel like a spectator in my own life. Botox, onabotulinum toxin A, prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine.
14:50It's not for those with 14 or fewer headache days a month. It's the number one prescribed branded chronic migraine preventive treatment. Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor. Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. Allerge your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms, and dizziness.
15:19Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, including ALS Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. Why wait? Ask your doctor, visit BotoxChronicMigraine.com, or call 1-800-44-BOTOX to learn more. Anyway, the Premier League has kicked off. Sorry, long tangent. The Premier League has kicked off. Keys is about, Gray is about. And in the 1994 World Cup, it's taken to America, which is obviously controversial because, you know, they don't like football.
15:56but this is the the beginning of the 90s with football as a billion dollar product but the 94 thing it sort of failed and what they're trying to do now the current World Cup this summer is probably trying to achieve what 94 is trying to achieve because 94 failed right yes because it didn't take off 94 was a disaster so the domestic audience views the sport with hostility which is like an imperial it still has that imperial hang up also Americans have this idea of sport where like there can be no sport that exists that Americans didn't invent yes they have an completely blink of but they also think it's sort of third world sports yes they view football as like there's like poverty basically the notion that like cricket's the biggest sport in the world they like find baffling yeah but yeah they just view it as third world sports an American newspaper article said Americans were right not to care about the World Cup describing it as the biggest sport in Cameroon Uruguay Madagascar so but FIFA think it's this market that's right for exploitation now the opening ceremony is an absolute disaster um One thing that is interesting about football is the most global sport.
16:59It feels the World Cup feels the biggest global event. But the three biggest countries in the world, none of them play football. It's kind of weird that China, India and America, all of them don't have any football culture. Even though that's like the three most populated countries in the world. China have a football culture. Do they? Yeah. What? Little fellas. Well, the fucking Chinese Super League. Yeah, which is collapsed. Oh, has it? Yeah, they spent loads of money on it. It didn't work and it's collapsed. More people watch snooker than football. Well, look, you've got forks, chopsticks, football, ping pong.
17:37All right, you'd have to say 2-0 to the West. You may think so. That's common knowledge. Common knowledge. Yeah, obviously. Yeah, obviously. So the opening ceremony is in Chicago. There's a match between Bolivia and Germany. What is it, Charlie? I think it does to the pod if we get Errol on the pod. Skyrockets. skyrockets i think uh something this pod might need i don't think we're lost at the moment but if we were ever lost we might need to find our north star the man with the most searing clarity of all errol musk yeah but i think we'll have to only deploy him once we feel like we're in the woods and a bit foggy yeah errol please clear this up for us yeah that's what we get what's going on i think we probably do the holocaust with errol musk just to clear things up once and for all well obviously it's obviously it's 200 000 obviously none of them they were pretending need to be dead obviously all right yeah one jew's another jew what do you mean um six million died you may think so um oh my god if holocaust denial as a team ever signed errol musk we're in the toilet we're done we're absolutely done so germany are competing as a unified nation for the first time since 1938 uh because it's 1994 now the opening ceremony is hilarious oprah falls over on stage and twists her ankle.
18:48Diana Ross, this is famous. She has to take a, she has to kick a massive football from three yards and she still fucks it. Hilariously bad. Yeah, the goal falls away. Anyway, Germany win an awful game. She just runs. Germany wins an awful opening game, 1-0, but I didn't fucking know this. The whole thing is overshadowed. I had no idea. On the same day, the LAPD are in televised pursuit of OJ Simpson. But it shows how small a deal the World Cup is. That when we're doing all of our OJ research it didn't come up once. No. I had no... So this is competing for the most exciting live GTA that's ever happened.
19:30This is the problem we're trying to do football in America. I know. And as we record we must just say that friend of the pod Mark Furman has passed away. At the time of record. He's not yet been resurrected. We must have a minute. So we've just said we've done this podcast it's about 15 minutes in we've said errol musk richard keys are my firm and all friends can we make a mount rushmore an ai mount rushmore charlie can you make an ai around rushmore and grok
20:02yeah this is the thin version of history mount rushmore um it's been yeah it's a gianni infantino today i am gay um so uh yeah but that isn't that isn't that i think that's that's part of the reason though culturally as to why america can never maybe we'll never have the love for football that uh european nations do is that its news cycle is just much more entertaining than like any sport can be yeah i mean no sport could compete with that with oj yeah the only equivalent we have is Raul Mo and that was not television British OJ and we could not there was no like visually that didn't work on TV as well yeah I guess it'd be him running through a bog or like running down yeah Raul yeah chased by gas and Ray Mears picking up grass and smelling it it's not the same yeah so probably the best thing about 94 which I think is quite a turgid tournament yeah because Brazil it's too hot it's too hot but also Brazil Brazil are not that good.
21:05Ooh. What's that? That's looking very nice. That's nice. I like how Grok's like. Yeah. Yep. Lovely. So just punch in on that, please. That's glorious. We're just looking now at a photo of Friends of the Pod, Mount Rushmore. Furman, Keyes, Musk, and Infantino. Minute silence, please. Imagine someone made a Rushmore of those four. What the fuck is going on? Right. A new unveiling. Yeah. We made some, we've adapted the original Mount Rushmore. Got rid of George Washington. But also it's so funny. It's so funny that it's on, obviously it's on Native American land, isn't it? It isn't, because that's what they did with like sitting ball and people as they made, but to make the most toxic white, white dad, Mount Rushmore, you know you've got the the obviously the n-word tapes then you've got we just smash it then you've got well obviously just common knowledge and you've got today i feel disabled yeah heroes a lot of them they might be the soundbite kings to be honest they probably is a mount rushmore greatest soundbites of all time yeah yeah i think i don't think we should make a thumbnail for this episode i think we should just put that out and see what happens oh glorious great man the lot of them anyway so uh it's a pretty turgid tournament 94 on the pitch i think brazil aren't that good they i mean they have romario but they also have dunga and it's quite i don't remember thinking that there's that much good football i mean nigeria quite good at this point they've got like they've got to revo west who's got funny organized brazil less yeah that's fun yeah but the main the main sort of political thing that happens is that obviously in colombia which is oh fucking hell man what's going on here um there's drug cartels uh the national team are funded by people like pablo escobar yes um and so they're under immense pressure to do well and colombia aren't a bad team in the 90s they get quite good we're just we're just maybe valderrama's around they've always been in and around yeah um anyway so they beat argentina five nil in qualifying so expectations are quite high but then uh andres Escobar a defender scores an own goal in a defeat to the US and as soon as he gets home he is shot six times yes so I think this is probably and they go sorry as as he's murdered after every shot his killers are rumored to have shouted I don't think that's surely that's not true it might be like good good good good good I think that's too silly for how angry they were it sounds silly to us right but obviously south american commentary sounds stupid to us right but to them that's like moving go go go go go go go doesn't do junkies but to a fucking leon neeson film starring johnny mott Motti doesn't do you have 30 minutes to make your decision and there's like did did did but my point is that for South Americans that doesn't sound stupid so you know go go go go go is to them it's moving it's exciting it's not you know there's telenovelas sorry Charlie can you make a thriller poster with John Motson you have 30 minutes to make a decision I'm holding a Viagra and then a quote saying Motti doesn't do Chunkies sorry so I actually think that you could Goal, goal, goal, goal, goal.
24:40Could be aggressive. We read it as cartoonishly because of the Simpsons. But he should be shouting own goal. Own goal, own goal, own goal, own goal, own goal, own goal. If he was doing that, he'd be shooting himself. Yes, but he's angry at the own goal. That's why he's getting shot. No, but he's scoring goals with a gun. I see, I see. Anyway. Showing him what he should have been doing. But I guess the way that we talk about the British tabloid culture around World Cups being super toxic, I guess this is the end point this is the end point yeah someone scores an own goal they get shot six times yeah Rob Green should thank you lucky stars he wasn't playing for Columbia yeah because when the ball went over his foot you know yeah now he's allowed to whinge on talk sport all the time yeah it's reported that the killer shouted goal after every shot once for each time a football commentator had said it yeah that's crazy goal goal goal goal goal then they drove away in a Toyota pickup truck fuck Footnoted.
25:38Accurate. Wow. Amazing. Amazing. So there's also Maradona's last World Cup and we should I think we touched on it slightly but we should mention so he's... How old is he at this point? 30s. Yeah, probably early 30s. 60 I think? Thank you Charlie. So he before the tournament he had fired an air rifle at journalists camped outside his house causing minor injuries to people. Despite this, he goes on to play against Greece in their opening match. Now, he scored a goal and then, we'll just get the photo up, just scroll down on the script, Phoebe, and there were suspicions that maybe he was on drugs.
26:19Yeah. It's possible. Yeah. He's then tested positive for ephedrine. I don't think he's on weed. No, he's not on downers. And...
26:34Right, right, you, you, We have to explain, because we touched on this on Patreon, so you have to explain what this means. So if you turn to video, there are two stories about John Motson that the Upshot boys told us on the Patreon. Sorry, yeah. We talked about this on the podcast before, though. John Motson, Iconic Match of the Day commentator, turned out to be Johnny Grotty. He was very horny, had a lot of um uh prostitutes turning up allegedly turning up to bbc um which unpaid checks but also he uh met an intern for what she thought was like a career dinner but was actually a day uh held up a viagra said do you know what this is when she said yes he swallows it and goes you have 30 minutes to make your decision yeah right and then also uh he his match ritual is at halftime he has a four-finger KitKat.
27:32And once an intern hearing that he likes KitKat got a KitKat Chunky and he lost it. He said, and he screamed apparently, Motti doesn't do Chunkies. So anyway, we're now looking at a poster that Charlie's made in AI of Motti doesn't do Chunkies. Him holding a blue pill saying you have 30 minutes to make your decision. It's a sort of edgy, kind of gritty. You can see the BT Tower in the distance. It's a gritty UK thriller, really. It's maybe a Guy Ritchie type film. He doesn't do Chunkies. Motti doesn't do Chunkies. I'd say it's more like Jason Statham's Crank. Yes. But it's about Motti and Kit Kat Chunkies.
28:06Send that to the upshot, boys. Anyway, so Maradona gets led away by a nurse for a random drug test, and this becomes a kind of iconic image to signal the end of... It looks like he's being led away by his carer, really. Yeah, I mean, it's very sweet, because it looks like he's skipping. Now, in here, this is in 2004. He's 130 kilograms. Now, Charlie, could you just get up the photo of me with Emma Watson? because I think, remember, he's 5 '5", and I'm 6 '2". But how tall were you then? I'm probably, I'm taller than five, I'm probably 5 '5". Well, when you're that age, you're... 11, 12. Wow. So you think that's the most Maradona, that's the most similar you two have been?
28:46I've seen photos of me where I'm like that. But remember, I'm coming onto the field as an impact sub in cream predators as a cream bun predator. Yeah. Okay. so i'm like i'm like maradona yes i'm like maradona but i'm doing it at that weight right i see and he wasn't no he was thin when he was great you know there you go side by side yours is more depressing still isn't it would you agree yes because i'm in a fun shirt so it is more there's a darkness yes yeah i guess the fun shirt does adds a level of like forced joy and being sad in a fun shirt i think i look like i look like a uh whale in sea world that's been made to do tricks that's why there's a sadness because you think this noble beast is being forced like a bow on its head yeah it's got like a party hat you know this is wrong this should be let free to just eat fish that's you with all the mince pies that's you go into your room with the mince pies yes yeah anyway so uh maradona there's also a great moment in the 20 is it 18 world cup where messi scores a brilliant goal against nigeria maradona's in the crowd there's almost a call back to 94 where tv cameras pick him up going like in the crowd doing a kind of wakanda like was that 2018 i'm pretty sure it's 2018 um it's a lovely little call back to the 94 um yeah and he starts fucking flipping the bird so he's just he's just he's gacked off his nut in the stands watching Messi anyway so now that's 94 a Brazil win 94 Roberto Baggio misses a penalty 1998 my first World Cup sure I collected Tesco's commemorative World Cup coins for this now this is where suddenly there is a new era of international football because 32 teams are now in the tournament and this is also where the expansion has to be covered by sponsors which paves the way in my head this is the first modern world cup yeah the way i view it 1998 it feels like that's got a lineage to the world cup here most distinct yeah i think i probably agree because the expansion means that they need there's they need money to fill yeah there's a bigger product they're putting on so there's more space for corruption yeah so this is this is the start of the road that takes us to sep and chuck blazer now chuck blazer is a u.s delegate on fifa he admits to taking a bribe from the morocco bid for the world cup um let's have a look at this i mean this is this is putting your your weight to shame actually yes he is this is you maybe if you this is me dressing up with santa claus or maybe this is you when you're older when you've given up like is this because i mean this is you do maybe have this in your locker it's it's amazing to look like i have that in my locker you've got that no in your locker if you if you had some fucking balls i'd sack tyreek and i'd just go full truck blazer yeah the amazing thing is that blazer is your personal trainer how do i how do i acquire that body he's looking at the photo of me and watson going you had it man you had it you were on a great but this is a great era for fifa because everyone is so hilariously corrupt it's an international corruptness that maybe has not been seen before where it's like national borders don't mean anything it is the kind of globalized economy means we're all brothers in corruption well i think the story because the story of the world cup is that it's always been corrupt but it's been corrupt uh because it's been done through local fascist regimes or military dictatorships a golden age a golden age but starting or growing your own business can be intimidating and lonely at times your to-do list may feel endless with new tasks, and lists can easily begin to overrun your life.
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34:53Why wait? Ask your doctor, visit BotoxChronicMigraine.com, or call 1-800-44-BOTOX to learn more. This is where FIFA, the organization, becomes nakedly corrupt. Yes. I think. And the people at the top. Now, obviously, you've always had like... An institution that's asked you to trust it is the least trustworthy thing. Yeah. So you've had Sir Stanley Rouse in 66 saying that all the Africans and Asians have to compete for one spot. But that's the gentleman's corruption. That's gentleman's corruption. Yeah. But that's still one country. That's paternal. That's one country. Yeah. That's like benefiting itself.
35:23Yeah. Right. This level of corruption is personal. It's about the institution, not the countries necessarily. Yes. It's about the people at the top of the level. And it's also personally lining your pockets to a way that's not really been seen. So who is Chuck Blazek? So he's one of the many delegates who... Conquer CAF? Is that a different area? Every country and every continent has certain delegates and they decide where the World Cup goes. So they obviously are taking huge bribes from countries because their votes are so important. Yes. There's Jack Warner. There's lots of other different people.
35:55But my favourite is Chuck Blazer, who just, I guess, being that corrupt American and that fat, It's just a level of gluttony on all parts of your life. That is just to be visually that just like. Gluttonous. It just, it's consuming so much. He lets look at some of the stuff. So Blaze was a colorful character who lived a life of excess. He rented a$6 ,000 a month apartment in Trump Tower just for his cats. After being caught by the IRS for a decade of unpaid taxes, Blaze became a triple agent. So like he sells everyone down the river. He's not an agent. He's not a double agent. I'll tell you what.
36:30He's a triple agent. He's like the guy in the OJ story who finally get him in Vegas. He's a Vegas guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. A triple agent is like such a level of corruption. It's like... You have to go back to the first guy saying that, you know, I fucked it again. 4D chess does not stand for anything but personal gain. During the 2012 London Olympics, he went to FIFA meetings with a recording device hidden in his keychain. He also brought down FIFA just to benefit himself. Yes, we'll get to that. But he comes into the story in 98. That's ultimately how he links us to Blatter. But let's go back to 98 quickly.
37:05So geopolitically, there's an interesting moment where Iran are drawn against America in the group stage. Obviously, they don't have diplomatic relations, being only 20 years after Dr. Grumpkins has taken power. So they don't know what to do about the handshakes at the beginning, because Ayatollah Khomeini instructs his team not to shake their hands. Sure. Grumpy kids be grumpy kidding. Yeah. So instead, the US players approach the Iranians and they hand them white roses, which is even gayer than shaking hands. So I don't know what you've done there. Because also the American players are smiling.
37:42Yeah. They're like, it seems like they don't view this as a threat. It's not very, it's not a great snub, is it? Iran win 2-1, which, you know, you're looking at where we are geopolitically. Feels quite like a similar. Hey, look, I always thought people were overestated around. I thought they were Paper Tiger but fucking hell fair play they love it and then obviously the big story in the final is the Ronaldo original Ronaldo fat Ronaldo so this is and he's this is early his career teenage sensation I have to say I mean I remember watching I used to watch Golazzo the James Richardson Channel 4 show Serie A highlights in the 90s him at like Inter Milan I mean it's unbelievable Inter Milan Europa League final highlights some of the craziest shit I think it's generally viewed not Europa League no yeah that was one of the most amazing because it's Inter within the Europa League I think but not yeah UEFA UEFA Cup UEFA Cup yeah that's the Europa League you want to call it UEFA Cup you want to do Ronaldo Inter Milan UEFA Cup but I think for natural talent there's an argument that he's probably apart from Messi and Maradona maybe the best ever because he didn't put the numbers of Cristiano Ronaldo but it's because he had such a short burst he got fat he got injured but just bursts onto the scene as a teenager probably the most talented but also this is we're getting to we're getting to the last the last sort of high point of uh individualism in the game well yeah this is the last era of it well this is the beginning of what i feel currently is viewed as the golden age because people don't talk about the 80s the 50s 60s the golden age we talk about our youth and it must be a nostalgia thing but i think it peaks actually in 2006 for me when that probably has the most stars.
39:26Yeah. When you reach 2006, if you think about the stars, you've got Zidane, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, it's big been you know that. Ronaldinho, fucking Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney. It's like every team, Beckham, Eto 'o, Deco. Yeah, like every team is the most stacked with individual talents. Yeah. Yeah. But it's before that kind of Pep 2008 system starts to start. Do you think that there'll be any nostalgia for now in like 10 years? Maybe. I don't know. If it gets worse. It depends because it's just the road of football is becoming more and more corporately aligned. It's like winning, like losing is so high stakes in a business way now.
40:07It's becoming more like American sport where people are fired because they're putting the company under financial risk rather than just losing. I mean, that's why this is absolutely ridiculous. We're watching Ronaldo Highlands. Yeah, but I mean, that's why the Super League, they're trying to make the Super League because it's interesting to listen to Americans talk about British sport, where it's like, from a financial perspective, it's crazy to have relegation. You can't run a business like that. Like Tottenham, if they go down, they just bought a massive stadium. The bad people who lose their jobs, everyone loses.
40:38It's so high risk. That's why American, you don't get relegated. You just keep it in a... But it's better for the spectator, but it is far worse for... It is a business. So France end up being Brazil 3-0 because Ronaldo on the day of the final wakes up having had some kind of seizure was always the... He had food poisoning. I think it was a stress-induced fit. I remember watching it and getting the news from Des Lines that Ronaldo wasn't starting. I concede. He came on and it wasn't really himself. And France... So what size are you now? Sorry? In 1998. What size am I? Oh, in 1998. Yeah, no, I'm...
41:15Terrifying. No, I'm getting towards terrifying. I'm concerning. I'm concerning size. Is this your prime? It's the beginning of your prime. uh is prime the fatter yes um uh we're on the way we're on the way down right yeah no i'd say i'd say prime is kind of 11 12 right it's messy 2009 he's just about to head into yeah yeah i'm alex ferguson is looking at me going this is terrifying what these guys are going to do we've got no answer to the hell fat this guy is um but i've not yet become the monolith sure than I will be when I'm Gavin Plumbing behind number Watson in a cave. Anyway, for France, this is a huge political success because it's...
41:58Gavin Plumb is a fucking adjective. It's incredible. Gavin Plumbing as a verb. Verb, yeah. Stalking behind a film star as a huge fat love to Gavin Plumb. Charlie, could you get Gavin Plumb on the Mount Rushmore, please? Add him as our fifth member. Anyway, so this is a huge deal in France, 98, because it's... uh it's uh this is also the around the time that la n the film was made so it's like the whole paris race yes tension the but what's the suburbs yeah uh this is probably now the greatest uh creative talent in football in the world probably yeah ring around paris so but this is the first time so all those stars mbappe and dembele they all grow up in the shadow of watching this team it's like rainbow team where you've got Vieira, Desailly, Zidane, Henri, you've got Dugaree, Zidane's Algerian heritage.
42:52So the rainbow nation. Now, speaking of rainbow nations, let's, we can skip the kind of early noughties, 2002, obviously South Korea. That's quite a good World Cup. 2010 is the next big one because this is the first and only time to date the World Cup has been on in Africa. But there's also the real start of the downfall for FIFA's architects because this is the fruition of Sepp Blatter, who we haven't introduced yet. He becomes president in 98, right? And he, sort of in blatant corruption, he offers delegates$100 ,000 for votes. The night before the election, delegates are offered briefcases containing 50 ,000 grand in cash.
43:33And he wins 111 of the 119. And I think that's suspicious. Yes. Something seems a bit fishy. I feel like those are related. It's not just a random gift. so let's get to 2010 so uh now fifa given south africa all this money this is the first time i remember hearing the phrase white elephant was that south africa would spend it all on stadiums that they would never use again yes like it was in it was in remote areas of the country that you know they didn't need a stadium they needed like an infrastructure just this sort of news just bumming you out as well just seeing completely fucked so the strategy of the africa project which is that blatter's africa project is a strategy to solidify his power within fifa by expanding the game's reach and therefore making all the other developing regions of the world kind of beholden to him yes i guess the only way that you could sell both seb blatter and jiani is having any sort of standing for anything i guess the only positive spin is that well how they are justified it's all about expanding the game's global reach yes that's why they wanted one in the middle east they want to win in africa they want to i guess that's that would be their argument yes because that's what this whole period is about is about really pushing it to as many corners of the world as possible you can do that in a way that you don't give people 50 grand they don't give you cash you can do that you can if you actually meant that maybe you wouldn't need the briefcases full of 50 grand yeah um the south african bid committee pay 10 million dollars to the head of conca calf who is uh chuck blazer or not no jack warner i mean he's jack warner's caribbean maybe that's jack warner which is a donation to support the african diaspora in the caribbean yes he's jack warner's caribbean so it's reparations basically from fifa um now politically uh south africa is meant to showcase the rainbow nation um you know the best the most important tunes in the run-up to 2010 of all world cups do you think yeah the most important like songs made specifically for it you had um waka waka waka waka it's time for africa you must this is common common knowledge charlie this is common knowledge waka waka africa yeah it's time for africa then there was um that james corden dizzy rascal song fight fight let it all out show what we're all about come on yeah that was but that wasn't even our official song we had another one fucking shout shout waving flag they basically had so many i didn't mind waving flag r kelly yeah sign of a victory yep and that's the official anthem by also it's coming home started coming back into the the culture r kelly did the official fifa sanction song i mean what time glorious now the main the main issue with it from a corruption standpoint is that it's kind of a vanity project because none of the money gets spent on the needs of the nation sure but also the fucking vuvuzelas ruin ruin everything tv coverage yeah uh well they like sort of hornets basically just these air trumpets air horns i did i to be honest it was a crap world cup on the pitch um spain spain had some i mean it also had the fucking there he is there's plum in the middle around much more give it up for plum they look like plums bodyguards they do plums looks like jesus surrounded by his apostles i want to say it but plug plums sort of mogging them to be honest in what way plums he's like down the ledge yeah yeah he's he's got the most charisma of of all of them firman errol musk richard key is probably not the best stone masonry and he doesn't look close enough to richard keys for my liking yeah um glorious friends of the pod on Mount Rushmore anyway it's crazy I think it was a shit tournament and then I didn't find the Vuvuzela I thought it added attention to the watching the game it was like watching a Christopher Nolan film where the sound comes up I quite like that drone it made me feel like there was a feeling of dread and anxiety that kind of was exciting that's like the brown sound I need to go to the toilet the whole time so Russia bid for the World Cup in 2018 England also bid now this is where the corruption starts to unravel jack warner who's the president of he controlled a unified voting bloc that essentially makes him a kingmaker within the organization so england think they've got his support but then ultimately they all go for um russia and qatar now blatter is built built into england's myth as well because as we stand in the gentleman's game and we we do a handshake and we think that's it and then a corrupt european official bureaucracy have worked out something behind our backs.
48:21But also this whole... But you promised. You shot my hand. Like the whole thing of England and Britain staying out of FIFA at the start. Yeah. But we think they're better than it. Yeah. There's an arrogance there that's still here. And we're getting punished for our arrogance and being proven right in our arrogance but also being punished at the same time. Both are right. Yes, you're right. It's kind of win-win actually. So Blatter made this unprecedented decision to vote on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups at the same time which means if you're bidding for 2018 you can trade your vote with someone for 22.
48:50So you can basically do a swap vote. Right. So also Putin wants to reassert Russia as a world power. He's invaded the Crimea at this point. But again, I mean, that doesn't matter to FIFA, given that they've given it to Mussolini in the past. Now, an MI6 spy, Christopher Steele, uncovers all the rumors, including valuable paintings from the Hermitage Museum are offered to FIFA executive committee members in exchange for votes. allegations russia had provided computers to fifa officials that were later destroyed which means the investigation was impossible and in 2010 in zurich russia and katar are announced as the winners of the votes i remember this i was at uni student protests kettling this is cleg this is cleg years the optimism of cleg is vanishing cleg's in power clegmania is wearing off we're waking up after clegmania right it's a crunk the hangover after clegmania and guitar i remember us all think what the fuck do you mean what do you mean guitar yeah what do you mean guitar it's charlie monday morning yeah after a weekend bender on clegmania what do you mean guitar what do you mean we're doing guitar on the pod um guitar win every single round of voting uh right so let's get to the 2015 that seems pretty unanimous to me yeah the fbi raids uh so they then because of chuck blazer uh who also chuck blazer just for a fat corrupt american to be called chuck blazer which also what's so funny is that he looks so fucked and yet he's wearing a suit that's what's funny he's wearing a blazer he's called fucking chuck yeah weighs over 400 pounds a boisterous new yorker was often seen riding a mobility scooter through manhattan i do kind of love i mean blazers might even get on on rushmore yeah i mean he does look like someone who sort of just bombs around regional england on a mobility scooter fighting seagulls for chips so he he basically because he's a turn coat a double turn coat or triple triple turn coat he had once been blatter's right hand man he's so corrupt he's a good guy yes it's like it's like he's he's fucked over so many people that he's accidentally ended up doing the right thing yes yeah but through no through no of his own volition well what's the most corrupt thing i can do just ended up Oh, I'll do the right thing.
51:07He's turned left seven times to turn right once. So they storm a hotel in Zurich. And so it's Swiss plainclothes police officers who are acting on behalf of the FBI. They arrest basically all the head of FIFA, the officials. This is all on Chuck Blazer's kind of testimony. Two days before the presidential election, because what's about to happen is that Blatter is going up against Michel Platini, who's the head of UEFA, for the new head of president. And they find some money in a bank account or a transaction of 2 million euros from Blatter to Platini. And Platini has also decided to stand down, basically making it a coronation for Blatter.
51:58Is that right? Yeah. So basically, it all stinks. um it's that's been come to know into the disloyal payment uh fifa claim it's from uh back payment for consultancy work great i love vague stuff there he is blazers on the wall who have we lost we've lost someone we've lost johnny and patino we've lost charlie and patino yeah charlie charlie the the whole mountain should be chuck blazer so can you make it so it's all chuck blazer's body they're all attached to chuck yeah and chuck is is the kind of the the actual he's the jabber the heart he's with six heads the cerberus the cerberus of the part i think it's no it's his mobility scooter yes he's on a mobility scooter he's got six heads and that's mount rushmore no it's him lying down and that's the mountain okay the mobility scooters crashed yeah yeah anyway uh it was paid nine years late essentially both platini and blatter get banned from football by the fifa ethics committee uh and blatter doesn't recover where have they been this whole hundred years where have the fifa ethics committee anti-genocide committee yeah exactly where have they been where were they in 1938 1978 anyway so blatter is originally banned for eight years and then a swiss court acquits them sorry do you remember the film Blatter made about himself that he paid for oh yeah the biography starring who's that actor do Blatter film I don't know how this actor got to what United Passions is about I cannot believe this film is that Sam Neill from Jurassic Park here we go it's Tim Roth you'll know Tim Roth yeah I know Tim Roth good actor will be the Federation International So it's just a complete FIFA FIFA FIFA You're so cool About the about the noble Who paid Who paid for it It was a finance by FIFA It's a corporate propaganda film It's absolutely incredible So it's basically just corporate PR Former president said about a play by Tim Roth his position as a primary hero leading a misunderstood organisation wow in the middle of all of this by the way yeah so when does it come out when does that release that film can we see like the box office numbers the budget was 27 million dollars yeah let's see and I guess that's you get tax breaks when you make fun a famous commercial no it took 918 dollars in its opening weekend in the US so hang on how much is a ticket in the US to see a movie it must be like 20 bucks or something yeah 15 dollars 20 yeah 20 dollars so I mean maybe 300 people saw it somewhere like that 400 people Oh.
54:47If that. If that. No, less than that. It's got 0 % on Rotten Tomatoes. Wow. Phenomenal. Not enough people talk about United Passions. We need to bring that back into... We should do it for a film club. We should do it. Let's do a film club with United Passions. $916. But then, so this is what stinks as well. A Swiss court, which again, that's like saying fee for ethics committee. What does that mean? What do you mean a Swiss court? The country is a fucking tax. The country is an illegal operations. operations unit. Swiss court acquits Blatter and Platini of criminal fraud in 2022 and they cleared again on appeal in March 25.
55:24So recently, fuck. Yeah. So then you have the Russian World Cup, which obviously just before, you've got common knowledge, Crimea, the Salisbury poisonings, Pussy Riot get involved. I mean, I suppose, I think there's never been a World Cup that has not had some sort of kind of, uh, dread in the buildup over the geopolitical context. So obviously now this is Trump's world cup. Trump is at a war with Iran. Yeah. Uh, you know, it's similar. It's similar to Eurovision, isn't it? You know, the Israel and Eurovision, uh, it's, it's clouding. What should be a celebration, the gay world cup. But also the fact that like it, it does change the fact we brought Mussolini up and I'm calling Mussolini's world cup.
56:13It does keep them in history in a way. yes like they're attached to something that's kind of there's a purity and something good about football and they're the qatar world cup is one of the best world cups from a football perspective absolutely so no matter what you're like your emotions attached to the what the football
56:34okay i mean that's pretty good that's pretty good isn't it gavin Gavin's got swag Chuck's looking good Chuck's a wizard yeah so we're just just again if you're listening we've finally got the Mount Rushmore we want which is a huge Chuck Blazer and almost in his kind of his blazer pocket you've got Richard Keyes Errol Musk Gavin Plum Mark Furman and Jenny Infantino now we should end we should end with so Maradona goes to the 2018 Cup that's where he dies he has a heart attack somewhere just after that a journalist in a Twitter post wrote that while Maradona oh fuck so in the 2018 World Cup Maradona was seen making racist gestures to South Korean fans he did the eyes I forgive him yeah like he's on coke it's Maradona it's Michael Jackson's albums they're too good I don't care I'm not denying he did it I'm saying the music's too good that it doesn't get in the way and also if I was on as much coke as him I'd be doing it.
57:38Yeah, I'd be doing it. I'd be doing it without half as much. I can't play football. I'll be doing it. I don't take coke and I'll do it. His excuse was, he was trying to tell the Asian boy who was wearing an Argentina jersey how nice it seemed that even the Asians cheer for his country. And how did you decide to do that? Yeah. You know, that's just my culture's way of saying thanks. He passes away in 2020 at the age of just 60. And obviously everyone in Napoli and Argentina go fucking ran. mental similar to the way Messi there's a religious feeling he's one of the saints he is three days of national mourning that's like when the queen but isn't there a religion that actually has Maradona as an offshoot in Naples there is a sort of cult like thing yeah they have like shrines to them we should end with the Qatar World Cup Qatar is it Qatar annoying when people make you say that I don't want to say that it's like people who say chorizo yeah fuck off it's a pain of chocola you don't want a cuajon yeah it's a craton why do i have to become a different yeah i'm english yeah i want to identify as gay for the for a word katar katar yeah so it's being hosted in katar yeah and you also the cutter it means you have to like you know fucking katar is got the world cup again it's hard to express yourself it changed the rhythm of your sentence yeah it does anyway those fucking Qataris yeah the World Cup in Qatar now obviously you know modern slavery migrant workers people are dying building stadiums modern slavery is like being on social media isn't it these days what being on Instagram how does it fucking log into Pornhub I'm a slave I don't think that's the point I was making that's the point I'm making I've got to take a photo I'm talking about social media addiction being trapped in there I don't think it's yeah I've got to take a photo myself so I'm fucking logging into Pornhub i'm a slave i'm a slave to sadi unite the kingdom end modern slavery get rid of this work nonsense anyway uh six and a half thousand migrant workers deaths they think now those people will be indian mainly i imagine indians are going to qatar yeah yeah qatar sorry the qatar government claimed only 37 deaths which okay well if they're saying that well i you know i will take the government's words uh the guardian says a half thousand i think that's way overblown i question those numbers um there's now the main cultural frictions obviously firstly it's the desert so they have to move the world cup to christmas yeah which i suppose is the end point of that started in mexico 1970 where you're making players play in midday heat for television audiences they moved the whole tournament yeah to december so when people said oh this is an aberration it's been going this way the entire time um lgbtq community they're like well we can't go there and then i think gianni infantino goes just don't be gay for a month yes which is good advice you know just take a month just try january it for a month can you just surely you can just have a month off the cock for a do you know i mean it's a football tournament you know just pretend you like fannies for a month and go back to doing whatever you're doing all right anyway um so they threaten yellow cards because i'm gay in my good way i today i am gay but in june i am straight i'm doing dry june um so fifa said they're going to show yellow cards against captains planning to wear the one love one love armbands and also you can't more wear the one love raster hats either yeah um does so there's a big thing about harry kane does he wear the armband and get he gets booked doesn't he i don't think i think doesn't he get booked for i mean i'd rate him a lot if did actually stood maybe he didn't maybe maybe because there's always that do you see that thing no do you see that stuff about jordan henderson oh what was more that it just showed this era through and through jordan henderson was a advocate for lgbt rights yeah at the height of wokeness not the hero they want yeah they got you know we need to talk about you know yeah and then uh he um signed with the saudi club right yes do you know what i mean yeah as soon as the money came in if the moral bastion of jordan henderson can fall yeah then what good is there in the world um he's my load star he should have changed his name to jordan benderson
1:02:06and line up for england their captain jordan benderson and they can't even say his name that that is that's a true ally yeah if you'd change your name to jordan benderson i think they'll be like i don't know if this helps uh i don't like the word bender shut up i'm doing it for you i'm an ally whether you like it or not all right um and then obviously the whole thing about obviously obviously common knowledge the whole thing about booze qatar had agreed with fifa and it's 75 million dollar sponsor budweiser yeah that they would allow uh beer to be sold in the country um because it's is it dry is it a dry country guitar it is 48 hours before the opening match they just fuck it they fuck it off why do they do that well because obviously it's that tension of like we're a muslim country versus fifa's commercial sponsors and they just decide to maybe there's i don't know did they have to pay fifa the money back or it matters really to them they just don't give a fuck yeah it's like they're not going to move the world cup somewhere else no two days before exactly they're doing it yeah so again net wealth is 765 billion yeah you do what you want when you got that much so there's no alcohol at the world cup no that would suck yeah and you can't be gay for a month what's the point what's the point what's the point in going fucking chuck down daiquiris and go down on darren's nosh off all the players what even is football without that um and so ultimately yet again uh there's accusations of sports washing although you could say as you said that you've made you brought the game to the Middle East but again it's a tiny country but one of the benefits of Qatar is geographically it being in one city everyone was like this is brilliant yes that because the American ones across the continent and it's like if you're being a pundit on there it doesn't really work but Qatar they had all these stadiums in one city but yet again the final Argentina France did it finish 4-3?
1:04:034-3-4 3-0 and then pens One of the greatest finals, one of the greatest games I've ever seen live. The greatest game of all time, probably. Oh my God. Greatest. Did you see how Gary Lineker's sign off on that? So, you know, Gary, he had this period where he'd try and end on like a pun. Oh yeah. And it was the most historic game and I was just in shock watching it. It was probably the greatest sporting event I've ever seen. That or the Istanbul. Yes. But right at this end of the historic thing, Gary, after having all this, they've had this punnetry, they're like in shock about Messi and, You matched on Hinge.
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1:05:16Make your move. Order on the Sweetgreen app. Have you heard that McDonald's spicy chicken McNuggets made with spicy tempura and a blend of aged cayenne are back? Remember to grab a few extra napkins. for a limited time at participating McDonald's. All this is incredible tournament. His sign-up for the whole World Cup is, it's beginning to look, it's beginning to look Christmassy. Thank you. I mean, it was so stupid. After all that, the sign-up. And thank you, folks. I believe it's beginning to look Christmassy. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmassy, would have been or something like that what was his pun at the end it's so funny well he's past his peak at that point yeah so I suppose to wrap it up you know we're now the World Cup is now underway yeah in America I've actually in doing the series I've I've it's been kind of comforting yeah almost to know that the World Cup has always been in the gutter I mean what I've learned is Sepp Blatter is a high point in the anti-corruption of FIFA.
1:06:32Yes. And I want to watch that film now to see a brave man who stood up to a corrupt organisation and try and change it. The Martin Luther King of football, Seth Blatter. And I look forward to seeing what he does next. Yeah. And Chuck Blazer as well. Go on. Football went out for Chuck. I think he died. Did he die? Yeah, he's dead. He's 400 pounds. He died aged 70 or something. Good innings. So I'm that fat. First Blazer, then Furman. God, it's a sad day. sad day for us here at Finn vs History what's Gavin Plum? if Gavin Plum goes we will take a week off broadcasting out of respect I hope you're sitting down where you are and all I'll say for me it's goodnight from him and from me and from all of us here at Finn vs History it's beginning to look a little Christmasy goodbye goodbye
1:07:29Thank you.
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Introducing Chuck Blazer, the man so bad he's good.
The World Cup (Part Four)
The show for people who like history but don't care what actually happened.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Hanging Out The Back Of It
05:25 - You May Think So
12:57 - I Am Gay
18:07 - GOAL!
23:00 - Motty Doesn’t Do Chunkies
25:24 - Chuck Blazer
31:43 - Grumpikins Be Grumpikinin
36:48 - Waka Waka
41:01 - Clegmania
44:39 - United Passions
49:40 - Modern Slavery
54:34 - I’m An Ally
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