A Netherlands vs Japan classic and Germany dominate Curacao with Humphrey Ker: Night Cup 6/14/26

23:33Rog:Is it the championship? Yeah. Amazing. I can believe that. Is that incredible? I think it's like five or six goals combined from the championship. now it is the best league in the world um i love the way they the championship put that um post out the second he scored like the poor bastard probably doesn't even know he's a championship yeah yeah we're claiming he's been all summer trying to forget yeah some of them opening his social media and thinking oh did you have to remind me yeah great i can't wait to go to deep dale i mean it was a remarkable response though japan just stepped up again kubo drove a ball from just like OG and an OB range, thunderous confidence.

24:12Rog:The game had come alive. The Netherlands then decided that they were the ones who were going to sit back. Five at the back, they went. Ronald Koeman is going to get a lot of crap for that, as we'll discuss. But we saw that Japan, when they wanted, this was the strange thing about this game, where you can tear an opponent apart. They kept launching crosses into the box. You talk about stereotypes. The commentators kept saying, why are they doing that, these little guys? why are they doing that it's just not um and within seconds um my god it was a really beautiful moment kaya ogawa suddenly got his head on he'd been on the pitch for minutes deflected one in off daichi kimada everything crystal palace just comes up joyful um he ran off utterly ecstatically and i was just like humph you know i'm not from japan i don't know if you know this about me i'm Genuinely never been there.

25:05Rog:I'd love, love, love to go. But in that second, watching that joy as he ran off with human wonder, that kind of emotional union, that kind of effervescence, it is global ecstasy. You feel it in those seconds. Yesterday on the show, we had Trevor Noah, and he uses this beautiful phrase. He said, the World Cup allows us all to resonate at the same frequency. That was one of those moments. It was beautiful. Yeah, no, it was magical. I was actually in Japan for the opening of the World Cup in 2018, I think it was. There was a World Cup in 2018, wasn't there? Yeah, I'm not going mad. And again, the passion there is crazy and so exciting.

25:50And the amazing thing about Japan is it's a place where they have like a real kind of collective notion of like, if you're going to do something, you should do it absolutely the best, right? And that's sort of, you look at the history of Japan and the history of the calligraphy and bonsai trees, like its precision is kind of everything. And that, I think, is such an exciting quality to have running through a football team and a football culture. Because, you know, as you say, OK, there's that classic thing of like, why are they pumping it into the box? Well, it's because you can guarantee they've done their analysis over and over and over again.

26:22And they think there is an infinitesimal advantage to their, you know, late arriving midfielders or whatever it is. They think they can get the somehow, you know, they've looked at Berger van Dijk and Mickey van der Ven and whoever else they're expecting to be coming up against that box and go like, for whatever reason, there's a mismatch here that works for us. And it has worked for us. I mean, the goal was six foot one, to be fair. But also, it's not like a smaller player has never scored a header, is it? Like it happens all the time. And Humphrey's right. You are you're not necessarily looking for the big striker.

26:54you might be looking for the player for the tim cahill who's coming in late or to be honest it seemed like the dutch i think it happened yesterday was a comment i can't remember which game it was a commentator sort of said why do they keep crossing it and you think well because the other team are trying to defend so sometimes that's what you have to do because you're then going for a second ball you're hoping to create that little bit of chaos and to be honest it

27:14Rog:worked so it's hard to criticize i love your thing about perfecting crafts in japan when they threw the bottles of piss you know those bottles of piss have been distilled for 30 years you know casks the 700 year old yeah it's a tradition it's a tradition handed on from generation to generation and the world's a better place for it that kind of craftsmanship by the way japan this is one of the themes of the world cup somewhat blowing my mind we saw in the ecuador ivory coast game we were told these players were shattered too much football um at mike in the men in blazes discord was so right. Japan looked like they could have played for another 90 minutes.

27:51Rog:It was remarkable, that kind of energy, that kind of tenacity, that kind of fury with which they attacked that goal. It was magnificent. I don't like to repeat FIFA's talking points, but their argument is that that kind of overwork affects the very, very top players. If you're playing for Liverpool or for Arsenal or for PSG, PSG is a weird example, but you will be playing 60 games a season and you will probably arrive at this tournament quite tired. If you're on that next level down, not in Europe someone like Imad yeah well Imad's barely you know they've played 38 games this season Manchester United 1940 I think saving themselves saving themselves for marriage a lot of a lot of players aren't aren't exhausted which might over the course of the next four and a half months or how well this World Cup lasts that might just level the playing field a little bit because the the teams England, France the major contenders they will have more cumulative fatigue than the next class of teams down and we've seen enough in the first four days, that we know those middle-class countries, they are the Bournemouths and the Brightons and the Brentfords of this tournament.

28:53They can beat the big boys. They can take them on if they get things right.

28:56Rog:We will pick that theme up in just one moment. It was a magnificent game. God, I felt alive after this. First really great rumble of the World Cup. I think they called it immediately on Fox a classic, and I don't think they were exaggerating. The Netherlands, I do believe, will be a little bit pissed. Ronald Koeman, one of three former Everton managers at the World Cup. That's not good. Roberto Martinez. Ancelotti. Yes. There was an article in an English paper yesterday where they wrote, Carlo Ancelotti has been a manager of some of the biggest clubs in the world and Everton. Words hurt, people.

29:34Rog:But God bless. Koeman's decision to go five at the back, it really did cede the momentum, ceded the impetus. so it'll be a post-mortem there. And the growing fear, I do believe, for the Dutch, this is his second spell as Dutch manager. He's not won yet against an elite competitor in competitive play this second time round. I do think there's a feeling of vulnerability around this Dutch side. It's interesting. I think we said before that they are the country that a lot of the bookmakers, they quite fancy the Dutch. There is smart money on Holland. The German economist who always predicts, I don't believe we'll be talking about this German economist next World Cup round because of this prediction that he had.

30:18Rog:He said that his mathematical model, let me give you his name, his name is Joachim Clement, never wrong, predicted the winner of every World Cup since 2014. He picked the Dutch this time around. That's only three World Cups. Is he more or less accurate than the octopus? I think the Octopus is a better economist The Octopus was one for one That's all you need to know The Octopus was doing it I'm not sure they can win it But they are a serious team But to be honest it does look like Koeman is maybe a drawback He does that move He goes to five at the back quite often It very rarely makes sense And I think today he probably was too cautious It was we've got this goal lead let's sit on it Japan are too good for that When you've got that advantage you have to push The best place to defend is close to your opposition's goal.

31:06In the final third, yeah.

31:07Rog:In terms of Japan, this was incredible. Ten games unbeaten against European opponents. What I don't understand about this game is that they can score goals when they want. They showed that in the second half. I mean, it was remarkable how potent they were. But in the first half, they tried to prevent the Dutch by all means necessary. And you could say that was tactical versatility and actually be quite impressed by it. but why didn't they seek to just win from the outset is it conditions do you do you as you know as a japanese do you think we we can outlast the dutch in this environment let's bring him on to us let them blow themselves out a bit oh george foreman and then starts a bit of respect as well yes a little bit of kind of reputational kind of not fear but just kind of awareness that you have to feel each other out a little bit at hoflax 24 in the chat says japan 34 years into project 100 They look ahead of schedule.

31:59Rog:I'll just say, the Japan fans are going to destroy Tokyo tonight. They're going to be like Knicks fans, just wrecking the place. They will tidy it up afterwards. Yeah, they're going to tidy it up by first inning of the morning. That's another thing that's just so cool about Japan as a culture, is that they were like, let's do a 100-year plan to win the World Cup. Where else in the world do you get that much patience to go like, we will never see, you and I will never enjoy us winning the World Cup, but if we work hard now, our grandchildren will go absolutely mental. look how nice a manhump is i love i just think it's i'm listening to that more like the cynical side of me is like we're not going to be around to take the blame when we don't do it there is that yeah i mean not to you know like that i think is one of the biggest challenges with with like british politics these days for example not going to talk too much about politics everyone is worried about what the next what the newspaper is going to say in six months time they're very rarely worrying about where are we going to be in 50 years' time.

32:59If they did more of the 50, we would have been in a better place.

33:02Rog:Anyway, that's all. You can hear more on that on Humphrey's other politics, which is on Newsmax. Let's begin at the beginning now of the day. Sorry, GV News in Houston. Where I smashed the woke karate. Using truth and logic. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Loads of both of those things. in Houston with Germany 7 Curacao 1 we talked about this last night what a beautiful mismatch this was going to be Germany four time winners but who's counting against the smallest nation ever to play in World Cup history I mean what is the World Cup other than just like a global geography lesson we didn't know where Curacao was did we before speak for yourself there you go some of us some of us have played Hearts of Iron 4 the very in-depth World War 2 strategy game which Curaçao is a useful stepping stone to get into Central America.

33:56Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

33:58Rog:And also there's a drink named after it. There is a drink. Yeah, there's also a drink named after their manager, Dick Advocate. Interesting. It's like just, I mean, thirsty. Yes, I am. Wake up sheeple. Yeah. What does it mean? What are they trying to make us think? Anyway. It's more than just a stepping stone, then. It is a tiny island 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela, 171 square miles. I know you're all shouting at your YouTube, but that's the size of two Brooklins. Or if you're in Germany, I'll duolinger it for you. Leipzig, you're all shouting. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Population around 150k. A little bigger than Bridgeport, Connecticut.

34:36Rog:Heidelberg for you people in Baden-Württemberg. Roar, everyone knows, right? Don't they? It's an autonomous country now, part of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Absolutely. Everyone's read that far on the Wikipedia. It's a Jeannie Wijnaldum's family from Curacao. Am I imagining that? I think it is entirely possible that his family has roots in Curacao or maybe Suriname. But all Curacaoans are Dutch citizens. Yeah. And the rule is that you can play for Curacao. They've relaxed it a bit the last 15 years, basically to try and get to this World Cup. The rule is you can play as long as you have a parent or a grandparent who was born in Curacao.

35:11But that means that Curacao now have access to a vast pool of players. And if you look at that squad that Adderkars built, I think there's just one player who was born in Curacao. Tejith Chong, who used to play for Manchester United and is now, I think, at Ipswich, but maybe not. The rest are Dutch-born. It's a tiny country. It's a wonderful story that they're there. But that was basically kind of a mid-table Eredivisie side. That's what Curacao are, under an extraordinarily experienced, some would say quite old, manager in Dekadrakar.

35:40Rog:Yeah, they were still 66 to 1 outsiders. I mean, that were the odds before this one. But there's the World Cup as a competition. there's the world cup as a mirror of humanity and we mentioned dick advocate you know curacao may have felt outmatched by germany before the game but for me they delivered i think the moment humanly of the tournament so far 7 000 fans there in their blue wave many of them had actually day tripped in from curacao just for the game their 78 year old manager dick advocate the oldest manager ever to lead a team at the World Cup. Just started weeping on the sideline during the national anthems.

36:21Rog:It's a man who had had to step down after qualifying the Curacao for the World Cup so he could take care of his ill daughter. Returned at the last moment to experience this beautiful World Cup journey. And it is a reminder ultimately that football is, I say this as an Everton fan, it's about more than winning. It has to be because Germany stuck seven past them. I really didn't get the memo. Oh, God bless. But it was closer than it sounds. I've got to say, Germany were pretty motivated because I think they wanted to show that, you know, Freddie 7A is not the best German performer at this World Cup, which is a nice sidetrack too, Freddie.

37:02Rog:This is from your friend, JJ Watt, right? Yeah, Freddie is now hanging out in this hotel room. JJ Watt, Freddie's got to Houston for the game and JJ Watt put him up in this hotel room. Blimey. Have you been following the Freddie story? I have, yes. Yeah, yeah. I didn't realize we were supposed to be doing gifts for him. I've got nothing for him. It's amazing. Wait till he gets to Wrexham. Freddie finds his way there. You'll put him up in the travel watch. Oh, Freddie, yeah. Believe you me, he'll get a Barabrith wrapped in plastic left in your travel hotel room. I'm going to say, JJ Watt is an incredible ambassador for our nation.

37:37Rog:Put Freddie up at that spot. He told me he was just trying to show American hospitality. And then Freddy, of his own will, just returned the favour by plugging pop-up bagels. God bless. Always be selling. I am slightly worried about Freddy's cholesterol levels. But to the game, Caruso picked an attacking line-up. They're quite audacious. They're like three in attack, which left them a little exposed. Germany probed early, often. And on six minutes, Dortmund's Felix. My German, not so good. My English, worse. exchange passes with Florian Wurz and just the drive again I mean I screamed I got out my seat with this goal it was as if I'd been born in Borden Borden it was just an incredibly artful powerful emphatic verb of a shot and it was set up by the most sort of beautifully disdainful touch from Wurz it was it was the touch of a player who thinks I've had a slightly annoying club season I'm going to use this massive global stage to remind people that I'm quite good at this I don't I care about your Curacao and diaspora.

38:42The Germans were not interested in the romance of the Curacao story. And in many ways, that's what the Germans are for.

38:48Rog:Yeah, but the Curacaoans took it on the chin. You know, some goals just bury you. Some weight you up, make you realise the worst thing that you probably feared has happened to you and you're still alive. And my God, I loved it. For about 10 minutes, Curacao just chose violence on the counter, not just once, but on repeat. It was fearless football, seize moments. Slip pass into the box, poorly defended, fell to a swooping 22-year-old Dutch-born Lovano Comencia, kid who came through the Eindhoven U system, to your point. I mean, these are good footballers. Played for the Netherlands, who are under 18 level.

39:23Rog:This was his moment. Slap shot, the ball flicked off Kimmich over a flailing Neuer's hand. See, the World Cup, look at him. Look at him. The World Cup is amazing. This wasn't just one of the greatest moments in Curacao and sporting history. This is one of the greatest moments in Curacao in history, and we all got to watch and share in it. You felt in the moment, I think we even put it on Instagram, however this game ends, like we were not getting carried away. Just to watch that endeavour, that belief, that execution, to watch Curacao roar so the whole world could hear was really beautiful. Yeah, that's what this tournament does.

40:03It's what they're here for, isn't it? is they've earned the place, but then you get this chance to perform in front of the sort of audience that no other event can provide. Yeah, and that's the brilliance of the expanded cup. I mean, I know various people have been like, oh, you know, tut, tut, it reduces the quality or it does X, Y, and Z. Ultimately, it's giving more opportunities to more countries that would never otherwise get to partake great.

40:26Rog:And what's the old saying? Football's a simple game. 22 players kick a ball around the field and at the end, Carousel wins. Right, Rul? I have a confession to make, Rog. Go on. Because I watched this game in a very nice cafe with a Cortado in Santa Monica. And I was on my own, so I'd broken the habit of posting stuff on Twitter. But I tweeted to say, like, we think of these minnows as being, as almost minnows that we would have seen in World Cups when we were kids, that they were almost kind of just happy to be there. But these are serious footballers. I've got four or five who came through at PSV, four or five who came through at Ajax.

40:59They're not jokers. They're not lottery winners. They're good. And at that point, Germany scored their second. And I feel a little bit like maybe I cursed Curacao. No, you didn't. I can tell you who did. I'll tell you to get to that in a minute.

41:12Rog:But I've got to say, in the chat, a lot of you are going deep on the Curacao spirit story. At Madel of Blue, Curacao is at the back shelf of spit and sawdust boozes. Respect at Aaron Smith's 568 Orange. Curacao, great in cocktails and non-ice. At Hot Flax 24, pro tip, use Curacao in kind of Cointreau in your margaritas. I mean, you can if you want. The entire Curaçao alcohol marketing board has tuned in tonight. I know. Remember, pop-up bagels. A word from our friends at 1440. The 2022 World Cup final drew 1.5 billion viewers. It's 11 times this year's Super Bowl. To understand how football became the world's game and what drove it, listen to 1440 Explores with Financial Times journalist Simon Kuiper.

42:00Rog:It will give you the inside scoop into the depths of the tournament. Listen to 1440 Explores wherever you get your podcasts. Has cruel fate smashed your dreams of footballing glory during this FIFA World Cup? Fear not. You're now a sporting free agent. With your choice of squads, the opportunity to pick someone new. The teams were the catcher songs. The country you studied abroad in. The goalkeeper with the magnificent hair. When your team's gone, fun doesn't have to be. Because on the Lays bandwagon, every match is another excuse to grab a snack and pick a new favourite. There are no wrong answers, only good times and tasty snacks.

42:37Rog:So jump on and enjoy the rest of the tournament because Lays keeps the party going and the bandwagon has never tasted better. Lays, official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. And as the world arrives in the United States for the biggest spectacle in sports, we're going coast to coast, host city to host city, to meet the world with the Men in Blazers Match Day Live Tour. These are free college game day style live events taking place just before kickoff at some of the biggest games of the summer. But we'll be taking the stage with celebrity guests in front of thousands of fans. It's going to be amazing.

43:14Rog:Come and be with us in person or from afar on YouTube. And let's celebrate this summer the way it's meant to be celebrated. Head to the events tab on meninblazers.com for all the details. To the football, to more together courage.

43:32Rog:Question the whole world wants to know. How many Curacao players are Rexham going to sign over the summer? Humphrey, is it more or less than 10? I can neither confirm nor deny. Yeah. Yeah. I don't want to feel too much speculation, but let's just say we're getting rid of our entire first 11. Yeah. So we've got to fill them with Curacao and Japanese lads. Yeah, Porky's going to be like, it's been a tough start to the season. We've got a little bit of culture split. We've got the Japanese corner in the line. We've got Haiti lads just trying to fit in. and then the Curacaoans, great lads, really, the glue guys.

44:03Rog:Yeah, yeah. Germany looked embarrassed at that moment. You know, Ian Dark kept talking about, there's 39 cities in Germany bigger than Curacao. Ian Dark had done his research. No, he knows this stuff. If you meet him, he's like Alice Cooper in Wayne's World. He just knows stuff, man. A lot of other cities are in there. Springfield, Massachusetts is smaller than Curacao. That was the line I got. Who told you that? Dark, he told you that. Ian Dart said that on the broadcast, yeah. By the way, he's amazing. You can just name any city to him. He's like Rain Man. He just spits those. That's the population.

44:36Rog:Yeah, yeah. He's very, very good. He kept talking about humiliated. And that sense of humiliation can be debilitating. Remember, this German team did not get out of the group at the last two World Cups. You know, I'm not a hater, but a lot of people in the world find that very funny. Julian Nagelsmann, your skateboarding wonder kid, who is their manager. so yet to truly win over the German fan base. This is fascinating to me. Jurgen Klopp, I don't know if you know this, is doing the German commentary. Him and Thomas Muller, yeah. And the whole of Germany is treating every word out of his mouth because they all want him to be the German.

45:12Rog:And I think there's a sense that he kind of knows that they want it and maybe possibly wants it himself. So right before the teams were announced, he put out his predicted pre-game 11 and didn't have Musial, who's had a tough season in there. So when Nagelsmann announced his team, they were just like, Jürgen's trying to subtweet him. It's like he's trying to undermine him. Oh, I love that. And put him under... Like the whole game was watched through this German lens rule of just Jürgen watching on in the wings, waiting. Waiting for this kind of failure. Who would be the equivalent for the England set-up?

45:42Who would you have? Phil Parkett. Yeah. Covering it and being like, well, I don't know. I'm not sure about that. Let's play three at the back, two wing-backs. Yeah. Sort of Dareth Southgate sort of sitting there on TV saying, what he's done there I'm not sure about that

45:57Rog:why's he got Harry Kane up from when Oli Palmer didn't even make this squad exactly am I right there's not a chat about Cole Palmer where's Oli Palmer yeah I mean Ron Palmer's the brothers they're like the day and one go on but it is an interesting vibe to have Klopp who is the kind of spiritual German national team manager plus the fact that the Germans have drawn out in the group stage of the last two World Cups and so have come into this tournament with a massive psychological complex so in that moment they wouldn't just have been embarrassed that have been terrified. We talked about in the previous, sort of the German sense of Kopfkino cinema in your head, just that internalized panic.

46:32Rog:How we yearned for an upset, how we prayed we were seeing, essentially footballing Buster Douglas kind of level shock at James in the Men in Blazers Discord route, the first quarter hydration break really cost Curacao. They had all the momentum. And then they like, it was a joke, I think, but there's some truth in it. These hydration breaks in the stadium, which is air conditioned and covered by a roof. It was the effect of an NBA timeout. It did give Germany a chance to kind of recollect and coach up. Where do you stand on the quartering? Well, for me, I just can't get enough of Christian Pulisic adverts.

47:10And like that, just when I'm enjoying the football, just like that shot of raw charisma directly into my hypothalamus. He's very good. I'm like, great. Play you for an ultra. He's very good. Yes. No, I mean, look, it is, as we go on through this tournament, it's going to get brutal in some of those stadia. Yeah, it is definitely. Too high, you mean. Yeah, it's going to be too low. Nipples will get too high. They haven't specified whether you have to have a cold drink at the hydration break. You could have a warm drink. Could have a nice cup of tea. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

47:40Rog:I think the Scots are on, like, the cheap Bells whiskey yesterday. That's why it was such a steadily more difficult. It's interesting that they, I think within the, it must have been on day three, It was the first time I heard a commentator say we are now in the second second quarter of the game right away with no irony No, yeah, and look I realize as a British person. I should be deeply offended by this I think it's okay to do that if it familiarizes it for the audience that isn't soccer native in the US I don't have a problem with that, but I do think that the hydration break today made a difference in that game They are in for it's changing the dynamics and was it Roger?

48:15I might be stealing an idea from you. Was it you who said that it would be an idea to maybe say you can have a drink, but there's no coaching staff there and you do it in the centre circle?

48:23Rog:Yeah. I think that's a good idea. Yeah. Because otherwise it's just a tactical break. That's all it is. And how they paid 38-minute World Cup of set pieces, schlatter bet, routine, kind of missionary position, flick on, you bully, you bastard. And then on the stroke of halftime, is Metzger again tumbled on a reckless leg from a very tired Bezoa. habits. I mean, just he lives for moments like this to just technically execute a goal, a reminder in some ways that Curacao can't have nice things other than 44 spectacular named beaches, 340 sunny days a year and healthcare universally on the Dutch model.

49:02Rog:I'm turning into Ian Dark, so I'm going to back off. The person who I think did change this game, to your point, was Landon Donovan because in the second half, Germany scored pretty well every time Landon Donovan said that he believed they should be winning by a bigger margin. It was pretty remarkable. He was just, this is not very good. They'd like genuinely, I think four or five times, they just blasted in six different scorers, including defender Nathaniel Brown, whose dad is American, was on the US radar until they went with Germany. Genuinely a lovely goal. So happy for him. Dennis Undav, 29-year-old striker from Stuttgart.

49:38Rog:Lovely story. Four years ago, I think, was in the in the Belgian second division, has had a late career renaissance. It must have felt amazing for him. Then Kai Havertz got his second, made it 7-1. Raw, the scoreline of the great, yeah? Germany 7. Curacao and Brazil 1. Remember that pub quiz addicts for decades ahead? Similar nations, Curacao and Brazil. It was a fairly potent kind of display in the end from Germany. It's one of those games, it's a little bit like an FA Cup tie where you can't really win if you're the big team. Because the more goals you score, the more it devalues the achievement.

50:11Yes, yes. But I think given Germany's psychological frailty before this tournament, given what happened in 2022 and 2018.

50:18Rog:And the fact that we all say they lack a true goal scorer. They still do lack a true goal scorer. That didn't matter in H-Curusau, but it might matter in the latter stages. But that will, I think, settle a lot of nerves. Surely. 99 % chance of getting out the group now, lads. Nothing can go wrong. God, it does reclaim also this win. the aura of mercilessness and rootlessness and loving, not just being the villain, but loving being the villain. That kind of reminds me of the Germany, the victorious Germany in my youth. Yeah. No, I mean, in an ideal world, they could have found Curacao's lemonade stand and pushed it over outside the stadium.

50:58Just been like, not today. Smash.

51:05Rog:Ahmad417 in the chat says, I prefer 70s football when we drank rain as hydration. A lot of it had coal dust, he says. You didn't. You drank bottles of piss. You had it bad, haven't you? I would. I mean, if they implemented a cigarette break halfway through each half, that, now that's proper 70s football. Aaron 568 says, you should be allowed to have a curacao at the hydration. That would be amazing. Hmm. Huh. Just more. Actually, as a handicapping thing, you should be forced to have a curacao a hydration break like work out like okay Germany you're now 4-1 up in the second half 5-1 up whatever it is second half break you've all got to have a shot of curacao I could get on board with that I could get on board with that that works so amazing by the way talking about shots the Peter Schilling who's the German singer of Major Tom the song that now plays is the soundtrack whenever Germany scored played seven times I hope he's getting I hope he's getting and...

52:03Rog:Sweet cheddar. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for that, man. It was really amazing. Or Garlsburg, or some German cheese. A bit of smoked cheese, wouldn't it? Pop-up bagels. I think Garlsburg is Danish. I'll leave the last word to Curacao, coach Dick Advocat, who said, we need to turn this into a beautiful tournament. We can still surprise. In the end, we were glad that we were the biggest football tournament in the world, and we were in it. They were very strong, the Germans. Players know they shouldn't be downcast. This is not a disgrace. This line made me tear. The joy of the people is fantastic. It is a truth.

52:39You said at the start, Rog, that it was closer than it sounds, which does sound ridiculous as everyone, but I do think it was a bit for a while until that first Pulisic break. It was closer than it sounded. It wasn't, it wasn't at that point. It did not look like it would be such a walk over.

52:53Rog:Play for an ultra. Cote d 'Ivoire won. Ecuador nil. match featuring your favourite dark horses, favourite dark horses. Ivory coach, return to the World Cup. Welcome back for the first time since 2014. I love what the coach said. Immerse Faye. He had a great line. He said, we have ants in our pants. I love that kind of tactical team talk. It doesn't mean what he thinks it means. That means you have to sit down. I think it means it's energetic and they're not going to sit back on a 1-0 lead because I think it means we're going to play the 3-4-3. And I don't know what it means. I just love it, though.

53:32It worked. Whatever he meant, it worked.

53:36Rog:Whatever it was, football needs more ants in more pants. I'd say Ecuador had been quite watertight in the run-up to this. They had five goals conceded in 18 qualifying matches. It was billed as an opposing-style clash. The Ivorian attack. Nicolas Pepe, Simon D 'Ingre, Yandiaman. We'll get back to him. Just absolutely dazzling. And the Ecuadorian shield, Pacho, Hincapié and his beautiful buttocks, Caicedo. But it was Ecuador had the best chance in the first half. They hit more bars than Scottish fans all the way to Fenway. There you go. Yeah, it was a really nicely poised game because these are two good teams.

54:14It reminded me a little bit of kind of a Costco version of Brazil versus Morocco. It was the two dark horses from each federation. Ecuador have been really good for about three years now. They were the second best South American side in qualifying. And Ivory Coast, who have got this crop of quite young players, suddenly look a little bit more... I wasn't expecting a huge amount from the Ivory Coast, but they looked really good.

54:38Rog:I wonder how many Americans were watching this and just thinking the Netherlands were playing a doubleheader. But playing under the Irish flag. Yeah, it's gorgeous. It's wonderful. It's like the Chicago Cubs. Let's play too. They were impressive, Ivory Coast. Second half came alive down the flanks. We're going to talk about Jan Dierman, 19-year-old Leipzig sensation, who two years ago, I crap you not, was playing high school football, soccer in Florida. God bless you, the Uli Hornets. We actually spoke to his coach at the Uli Hornets this week for a piece of advertising together. We asked him, what was it like watching him?

55:10Rog:He goes, it was men against boys. So as a Liverpool scout rule, he's choosing between Liverpool and PSG accordingly. So they say. What do you think about him? He looked really, really good. I thought he had a tough opponent in Hinnapie, who's a Champions League final defender. He's not a pushover. He's quick. He's direct. He's got a trick. There wasn't a huge amount of end product there today. I think that maybe was a little bit lacking, but he's clearly really talented. The scale of his rise is astonishing, as you say. He was in Florida three years ago. He had a season at Leganes in Spain where he started as kind of a squad player for the reserve team, was far too good for that, got into the first team, was far too good for that, got bought by Leipzig, is clearly far too good for the Bundesliga or too good for Leipzig and now has two of the biggest sides in Europe, one of them quite a lot bigger than the other, certainly a lot better than the other at the moment.

56:01Take that PSG. Yeah. You know what I mean? Two scouts. The European champions and the most successful European English club of all time chasing him. In the North West. He is an exponential rise for Diomando.

56:15Rog:Wouldn't he love it if he took the pace and was like, lads, I'm going back to the Uli Hornets. That's where my heart is. He might be into Miami. I don't know where Yuli is. It's somewhere in Florida. If you are in Yuli, please tell us in the chat. Get off the Curacao thread. Get into the Yuli Hornets stuff. Bang, bang, bang. Game did seem to be going to a goalless draw, which made sense because, like, you know, they've seen Curacao pump. Three teams get through. You can kind of fancy your chances of getting out with probably four points. It all felt rational. But then Wilford Singo had other ideas.

56:47Rog:Burned down the right and nosebleed a speed. My God, again, these players were meant to be shattered, but they're stepping up with energy to spare, slapped across the end of the box. He didn't like it. It was Manchester United's a mad that swooped upon it. His finish was just... It was like... Opening the old body up. But like the chop block of a shot, you see? Oh, God, it was fantastic. That's what I would have done. Yeah. You said that at the time. I was like, yeah, he's done what I would have done. Yeah, I probably would have attempted the Treveller myself because they're all a rage nowadays.

57:16Rog:He's stadium packed with Ecuadorian fans only, Ivorian fans amongst the four teams who are caught up in the travel ban. Totally, totally silenced. We'll say the Ivorian coach, you've got to find a photo of him. He's got incredible vert as he just leapt with joy. Yuli is a census designated place within Nassau County, Florida. Population of the 2020 census, 14 ,195. Curacao is massive. That's like 10 % of Curacao. Do you think that's off Wikipedia or does that person know? I think they need that off the top of the head. It has a distinctive feel. I'll tell you, it's at Ian Dark. Thank you, Sir Ian.

57:56Rog:I'm so glad he's tuning in. He is. He's like, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop. He just knows it all. Quick promo before we look ahead to tomorrow. Remember to kick off your Monday morning with a download of Everything You Need to Know with Betty Glover on Morning Cup Dates, my favourite show we do, mostly because I'm not in it. It's here on the Men in Blazers YouTube. It's like getting your PhD in World Cup storylines. inside 15 minutes. Tell you all you need to know to revel in it all. Deeper dive. You want seven days a week. The Men in Blazers newsletter. The link is in the chat.

58:25Rog:It's actually my favorite thing we do because it's full of words and poetry and wonder. Getting on it can be part of this community. While we're speaking, Sweden versus Tunisia has just kicked off a game being hailed as the Snow versus San Clasico. Tomorrow, Spain kicks off their Mundial. Did I say that right? You did. Someone's ready to get Lemony Mal out of Walmart, haven't they? He now works there. He's, like, so into it. Wouldn't it be amazing if, like, the whole legacy of the World Cup is, like, people are just, like, into just American culture so much. I won the Euros, like, piece of piss.

59:02Rog:I've won it all. I'm just bored. And I just felt pushing that. I felt alive pushing that Walmart Cup. I felt alive for the first time. It'd be amazing. moves to Louisiana or Alabama or something on the intensity and he's just like this is who it just felt at one with a car it's who it meant cosmic god get on it that's basically what happened to me I came here 13 years ago to be an actor and I just basically spend most of my days wandering around all that looking for Lamin I thought you meant that's what happened to you that you now live in Wrexham like life is just oh yeah life is just Humphrey actually to be fair if that does happen and Lamin does end up working in Walmart disappearing.

59:42Looking for Lamine is the documentary you make. Oh my God, that's incredible.

59:45Rog:It would be amazing. The best that never was. That's one of my favorite 30 for 30s. John Hawk, shout out to the director. Go and find it. It's about this, one of the greatest running backs ever came through. I think he was at Alabama. I'm going to muck his name up. Unbelievable. Decided to join the USL instead of the NFL and blew out his leg in one of the first games and is now just delivering UPS parcels in like rural Louisiana. Right, wow. And he spent the shots at the beginning with just him getting out of his UPS van everywhere. People look at him and be like, hey, aren't you? Yeah. Lamine Yamel.

1:00:19Rog:It's just so unbelievable. Make it, God, Lamine. Marcus Dupre was the gentleman. Thank you, Ian Dark. He went to Oklahoma, was the school. And I mean, the story is just so amazing. Looking for you, Lamine. Future Hulu documentary. I want to cut. Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll talk about it. We'll have an executive producer credit. Yeah, something like that. It'll be Rory Smith, Rob Mack, Humphrey Carr, Joint, and I'll just be suing you all. God bless Cape Verde. Cape Verde, the team tomorrow, another diaspora link. They actually recruit via LinkedIn, which I highly recommend. I crap you not.

1:00:55Rog:That is true. Spanish coach, Louis de la Fuente, said today, Luminium Alice, quote, in perfect condition in terms of recovery from hamstring knack. Their 18-year-old star boy, Yes, Ciro Chico will start on the bench just to ease him in. Sid Lowe wrote a really good analysis of the Spanish team in the Guardian today. There's a line there I can't stop thinking about. This is amazing. The coach went on to say, why can't Spain win the World Cup? Which is just amazing. Normally when you're told you're the favourite in football, you're meant to play it down, bat it down, run the other way. This is just incredibly crazy.

1:01:29Rog:Rodri said the same thing. I don't think we were favourites of Euros and we run it. the coach said there's two reasons for that one because it's other people talking and two because why not I just love they are embracing this leader they're not humble bragging their way away from it they're like why can't Spain win the World Cup sounds like the sort of thing that you say when you're the manager of Curacao why can't we win the World Cup well you can we all assume you probably will nobody is saying Spain can't win the World Cup Yasin Iari has just scored for Sweden God bless Swedish nation rise up 1-0 up.

1:02:06Rog:The awkward interaction between Zlatan and Alexei Salas that we'll see. That's just called an interaction. Yeah. Yes. That's the real story of the World Cup. What is? What's the opposite of bromance? Yes. No, I do think. The braetrod. No man. I actually have watched enough rom-coms to know that by the end of the World Cup, they're moving in together. They will be. No, it's how it is at the beginning. The laugh. And I'll say, do you remember? Yeah, yeah. We were like opposites. We were like, you were just like... Zlatan will take off his glasses and get his hair down. Yeah, just at the end of She's All Up.

1:02:39Alexi will be like, wow, whoa. It was you all the time, Paul Rudd. As he comes down the stairs.

1:02:43Rog:It was you all the time, Paul Rudd. I don't want to wait for this life to be over. Sorry. By the way, if you think they don't like each other, you are being played. This is just that one, my friends. How many acts are there in a good film? Three. Yeah. That's all I'm going to tell you. Arguably five. there's five minutes a 39 day we've got time for five we've definitely got time for five we've got time for a five and a sequel oh my god I love love we're all in it god just just oh take them off just rip them off shake it down it was you Paul Rudd all this time all this time my stepbrother I don't know either our last remnants of Belgium's golden generation will drag their bones oh onto the field one more time like one of those old criminal gangs reunited for a last heist.

1:03:34Rog:They've got Jeremy Doku to do most of their running. They'll play, well, Mo Salah's left foot. Finally, free of Arna Slott. No water cooler will be safe. Marcelo Bielsa will be squatting on the sideline when Uruguay plays Saudi Arabia. I can't wait. God, wouldn't you think Portugal would win the World Cup if they could get Ronnie to go and play for Saudi Arabia? Get on it. And the big one, Iran, New Zealand. Those two teams proper hate each other. I'm going. You are? Can't wait. Are you really? So excited. Well, New Zealand's left back, one Liberato Kakashi. Of course. Of course. Don't look Tim Payne in the eye anymore.

1:04:09Yeah, he's much more important than you.

1:04:11Rog:Yeah, it's Tim Payne. Is Tim Payne now just iced? He's got his own everything now. I can neither confirm nor deny. Tim Payne is like so unbelievable, like genuinely one of the great global influencers. And somehow he's playing the World Cup. Going to be one of those, honestly, in all seriousness, wheels within wheels, games that contains multitudes, Iran have just landed in LA. As we got to the bus, I mean, it's quite fascinating. In Mexico, they've taken on almost cult hero status in LA. I mean, they've landed just as a peace deal has been announced. But Los Angeles is either the fourth biggest Iranian city in the world or the second most.

1:04:51Rog:We're waiting for Ian Dark to confirm. To weigh in. He's just counting up the people. But there's about 300 ,000 Iranian-Americans who live here. There's demonstrations already outside of the stadium, and I think it's going to be a really fascinating geopolitical moment more than a footballing one. Yeah, I'm also going. And it's a very awkward situation, so I think there'll definitely be an anti-regime protest outside. There may well be a pro-regime protest outside as well. The peace deal, obviously, is good news. If it holds, that's the most important thing. in terms of the world cup i think the players are in in an impossible position because they they whatever their politics are they can't say anything and i think that the approach that they have to take is that the team represents the the nation rather than the state and that that is a distinction and to be honest it's a distinction that quite a lot of countries around the world over the years have had to make for their football team it's not it's not a unique circumstance in that sense the fact that you know until the peace deal it was the only time a world cup post nation had been at war with a participant makes this an extreme example but the players i think will probably look at going out on the pitch as a chance to kind of put all of that to one side for a bit yeah i really hope so for them i mean it's just like it's an extraordinary thing to have to contend with you know this is this is the dream of every child who plays football anywhere in the world is to play in the world cup and to have all that hanging over you i mean obviously as you say peace deal unbelievably welcome news under any circumstances but particularly great if it as a sort of small side uh show to that larger picture i'm very happy for those players that maybe that allows them some element of respite or calm and enable them to enjoy it football contains multitudes uh thank you for keeping going in the chat while we're having that convo at jack-o'-lantern 984 says, Zlatan changes for no man.

1:06:54Rog:Ro, we've got to close this with a couple of elements, which I love. We were thinking about the stakes of the incredible Netherlands-Japan game earlier. Two of the stronger teams who have never tasted victory in this tournament, which brings us to tonight's edition of what everyone suddenly believes, where we turn to Kelshi to measure the pulse of the football-loving public. Question you can see here plainly, Will this tournament be won by a first-time winner? Yes, 32%. No, 68%. Roar, how many World Cup champions have there been in the history of this tournament? There have been eight, Rog. Yes, that was ventriloquism by Ian Dark.

1:07:29Rog:Thank you, Sir Ian. Seven are present in this tournament. Scuso, Idalia. Of course. Given what we know, will we see a first-time champion this time around? I think realistically, obviously it would be wonderful. Realistically, there's maybe two that could do it. Portugal and the Netherlands. I wasn't massively sold on the Dutch today. And Portugal do have Cristiano Ronaldo up front, and I think that might hold them back. Although me and you apparently have got a reputation for being Ronaldo haters, Rog. Who told you that? The internet. Is that really true? Because I called him a bottle of dracon noir made human flesh.

1:08:01I think we have neglected to notice how good his 2025 was with Portugal. It's true. He has weirdly scored a lot of goals for Portugal. Yeah. call me disrespectful but scoring a lot of goals in the Saudi league I can't tell how that translates onto the international stage but he has scored quite a lot of goals

1:08:23Rog:I can tell you I think the rumour mill are shipping Ronaldo to Rex someone's been looking at his stats someone's been looking at the data that's all I'm going to say crunching the numbers I've got to say that's Sean Harvey Ronaldo it's too late when you do you think of Volca mind mould you think of those two guys so the answer is no I think it'll be a team that's already won it Humm thinks Wales are going to win this year right I wish Wales are qualified not least for because it meant the World Cup would have paid more money to Wrexham for using our players Hop up beagles but no I mean look my heart says I would love it to see England win it in my lifetime not going to go down well with Welsh Wrexham fans but But, yeah, I mean, my suspicion is, unfortunately, it will be...

1:09:12I think the... I know that it's different in international football because you have so much time between competitions and things like that, but I think that experience of getting it over the line is so valuable in football. I mean, that's the thing to once again wang on about Wrexham. That's one of the great benefits of Phil Parkinson and keeping it the way we've done it, is that there's that core of people who are used to doing what is required to get things over the line.

1:09:38Rog:I will tell you, I look at that 32 % new possible team and think United States of America. Why not us? Oh, just give it the trophy to the US and cut out the middleman. By the way, championship has got more goals in the World Cup than the Saudi League. I'm just saying.

1:10:02Rog:It's time for the food. Give the people what they want. I want to apologize to all of you who wrote in yesterday. Well, we get today's food. A lot of you wrote in, a lot of you, and begged us not to chew into our microphones. I love that kind of feedback. Yeah, it's gross. I've got that thing. What's it called, that illness? It's amatophobia or something. Yeah, yeah. My wife thought I was insane. I can't stand hearing people chew ice and all that stuff. Yeah, I don't mind it. The idea here, Humphrey, is that they're trying to make me an enemy of the American people by making me criticize their food.

1:10:33No, we're not. Who's they, Rory?

1:10:36Rog:Just because I told you I was at Masons, let me tell you what you're eating. Who do you think I am? Do you think I'm a VAR official giving little secret little signs? I'm not. I'm just here to support things like Felipe of, I can't remember, is it Beverly Hills? This is one of the, oh, it says here, French dip sandwich. This is a French dip. Yeah, it's a very classic place. I think it's been in L.A. since 1908 and is quite ecstatic. This is one of my fascinations with American culture. I've been to France quite a lot. My sister lives in Paris. Yeah, sure. This is not a thing that happens in France.

1:11:09No, this is amazing.

1:11:10Rog:Can I just tell you about this? This Felipe, the original, operated in L.A. in 1908, which is also the year Tim Ream was born. Let me get my mic in away from you so it doesn't hurt your ears, America. Oh, my God. Don't you beat. I swear that's not a euphemism.

1:11:36Rog:Tell us what you think of Felipe the original. Are we going to score it? Yeah, score it out of 10. It needs a decimal point. Oh, my God. That tastes like Western McKinney in, like, food form. It's just so good. Give the people what they want. Write your rating on the whiteboard. I'm going to guess from your body language what you think you're giving it, your vibes, your mastications, if you will. That's a great word. I don't use that enough, mastication. I'm not sure how comfortable I am with it. Bear in mind, Roger, that I'm still not hungry because of that. donut you made me eat last night yeah that was had bacon on it humphrey yeah oh sure yeah yeah yeah oh yeah sorry the pig died in vain just a bit extra if i if i was a pig donut if i was a pig i would want to be killed for and be some the main event i don't want to be on a dog is what i think for you and i think you were a bit harsher no you're a nice man 8.4 i think you gave it let's have a look oh my god it's a wet sandwich get a load of this a wet sandwich 7.5 what 5.7 and 7.5.

1:12:34Rog:This is amazing. Oh, nice. Yeah, yeah. Is that some kind of like, are you both in the Masons? Is that your way of telling us? I don't even know how it works anymore. Yeah, I would say that, I mean, listen, it's way better than, I love it. Because I've had them before. Yeah. It's way better when it's like warm and fresh and that stuff. We didn't finish to Philippe because it's their business. We did get it seven hours ago. Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah. I should say, Philippe absolutely discharged his juices. Yeah. Like a champ. It's fine. Look how he cleans it up like a Japanese fan. This is amazing. Look at that.

1:13:02Rog:Yeah, I've got to tidy all this. I'm going to get Charlie to rub that off. It'd be a very, very, very good. I want to say, beef dip from Philippe's original. The only way it could be better was if the whole sandwich was served on one of those donuts from last night. One final piece of us today. You can't eat by the microphone. They go mad. The fans go mad. I feel like I just dropped on a grenade there. One final piece of us today. As we invite you, our dear listeners, to share your World Cup journeys with us, we want to hear from you. Tell us how you're experiencing this World Cup, what you're doing that's special.

1:13:33Rog:Drop us a line in the Men in Blazers Discord or send us an email, meninblazers at gmail.com. Today, we got the go of GFOP. Stephen Thorne, have you lost your phone? My phone's through there. Oh, my God. Don't worry, I'll read it because it's a short one. Thanks, Rog. Stephen Thorne says, still buzzing for that mighty US win on Friday. I feel so alive after feeling utterly dead, sitting in Arrowhead Stadium traffic after the United States inert performance against Uruguay, our whimper finale to the 2024 Coupe of America. Doesn't like it, cold, but still ramming it because it's that bloody good.

1:14:07Rog:Pop-up bagels. Stephen Thorne goes, I don't want to be hyperbolic, but there was my life before the win, 4-1 against Paraguay, and there was my life after Gio Rina scored the outside of the foot, Travella. I don't think he's being hyperbolic, is he? He's not, and do you know what? it does feel to me as though that was a little bit of a watershed moment for the tournament more generally that felt like the moment that everything kind of ignited i was walking down abit kinney the next day um i'm an angeleno now yeah yeah yeah yeah and um there was a big like it was it must have been like a watch party going on the queue was massive like stretching all down north venice boulevard everyone in u.s shirts a lot of the 94 away shirt the stars and stripes that's popular yeah it's about um the it felt like that might have been the moment that everything who sort of went, whoomph.

1:14:51And I'm hoping that the Knicks energy, the leftover Knicks energy, will be poured into the World Cup rather than the Stanley Cup. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, because of course, to hell with the Stanley Cup.

1:15:01Rog:That's what's stopping the World Cup from getting up in Canada. I mean, I said earlier, I think, I was so thrilled, despite living here for a long time, remaining staunchly neutral on all things US soccer, but I was so thrilled that they won and won in the style they did and played the way they did because, you know, it just, I think, helped to ignite. You know, imagine if they'd drawn nil or lost 1-0. I think you would have lost some momentum in terms of that excitement and the freshness of it all. So, yeah. They played like kids with joy and wonder. Goals changed games. Goals changed lives, Stephen Thorne.

1:15:35Rog:My life has forever changed by one goal. It was Divock Origi in the 96th win against Everton and it ended my life in many ways. So, I mean, truth is I never recovered, but we love you. We've all prayed for light in our darkest days, and that Geo Radar may be a portal into our new sunshine future as a footballing power. God bless. But it may feel like the moment Jim Carrey walked off in the Truman Show, that's what I bloody well hope. Historic result, our Matchday Live bus. This bus is taking us, our Santa Monica Energy, all the way up to the PCH in our orange bus. I can't believe this is a real thing.

1:16:14Rog:We're going to go to Seattle. God bless. I can't wait. June 19th, we're doing a live morning show before the game. We will wake up with another promise of American steamrolling, although I think the Australians, I fear them. I'm just saying that because the Australians are looking for clips of Americans crapping on their team, not going there. I think you're amazing. But we're going to be with D 'Andre Yedlin. We're going to be with literary giant John Green. We're going to be with the incredible force of nature that is Marshawn Lynch. We have one more Seattle icon that I'm not allowed to announce yet, but it's going to be majestic.

1:16:47Rog:I can't wait to be with you in one of my favorite cities in America. If you want to come, link is in the notes for more. We want to leave you with one more moment of beauty. It's been quite a night. I want to thank you, Humphrey Carr, for being with us. It's a delight to be. And I know when I always try and gift people something coming on our show, I'm going to get one of those special Japanese bottle of pisses. Roy, you're an amazing man. We're going out for dinner in just one moment. But one of the greatest moments of this World Cup is watching Boston being invaded by Scottish beauty. Today, the Tottenham Army went to Fenway Park and the scenes, they're just stunning.

1:17:27Rog:Let's leave you with this. We'll be back tomorrow with special guest John Green. Come be with us tomorrow. Humpf. God bless me. We all one day be hit by urine.

1:17:44Thank you. Bye.