England can't push past Ghana and Ronaldo has his moment for Portugal: Night Cup 06/23/26

21:33Rog:Oh, look at that photo. What about man spreading? Yeah, there was thighs spreading, hands spreading. I think if you didn't see the game you can tell from that photograph what's just happened was it the sketches rule because he t-shirt can the dance at the stands he really did it was i suppose it was on his slightly weaker foot although kane is a finisher who doesn't really have a weaker foot it was a a the risk of kind of going too technical rod roge it was a very bad miss god an agony for kane dreams of being an nfl kicker uh in an nfl stadium a few months too early to start that kind of crap harry He's going to get it from the tabloids, isn't he, after this?

22:13The reaction will be really interesting because there was so much positivity after that Croatia game, so much enthusiasm for the third quarter surge. This will set it back a bit. I've already seen it described as frustrating, disappointing, all that stuff. And that's not the tabloids, that's the big boy papers. England only really has two gears. It's coming home or England's day of shame. Those are the two options. There's nothing in between. I actually don't know whether this result... The result's not terrible. The performance wasn't great in the first half, but I thought they got better in the second.

22:44And I think Tutu, who is on a learning journey, as we all are in life, Rog, I think he's probably learnt from today that his team will probably need Bricayo Saka to be fully fit in the knockout rounds.

22:54Rog:England did come to life last five minutes, but 78.8 possession. I think they're a record to have in a goalless draw. Too little, too late. 20 % possession for Skarner. zero shots on target but that 11-man back line it was like it's what we imagine the reflecting pool would be it really did hold up um ghana on the verge of their first appearance at the knockout stages since 2010 so long ago they had multiple iu brothers going on in those days they along with spain argentina morocco only side in the tournament to have conceded zero goals which is an achievement that really the Kiroz of Kiroz is.

23:37Rog:It's lovely watching their players at the final whistle, hugging, dancing, celebrating, validation for a game plan. And it must have felt ecstatic. Kiroz said after the game, when you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll. That's the name of the game. He's not been watching those Scottish fans playing music with the Brazilian fans in Miami. Because you can play samba with bagpipe-infused rock and roll. That turns out to be true. I think this is a great... I didn't know you had that in your locker, these words. The turn of phrase. Yeah, the pants. He's got a little bit, hasn't he?

24:14As an older man, he's obviously developed a little bit of a line.

24:17Rog:For coffee. I've got to admit, Rog, you were not enthralled by this game. I thought it was an incredibly courageous, well-drilled, well-disciplined, intelligent performance from Ghana. And, you know, they did, right, with that Kane chance, they rode their locker a bit. The last 10 minutes were hairy for them. Hairy cane, as they say on American commentary. But Garner had the chances as well. And in that situation, that's how you have to play. England are better man for man. So Garner frustrated them. They shut the game down and they tried to strike them on the counter-attack. Didn't quite work.

24:49But that's a brilliant point for Garner.

24:51Rog:I mean, Garner frustrated England. They knew it would sap them of their energy, their ideas, their belief, their will. By the way, Kiroz, you've clearly never heard the girl from Ipanema on the bagpipes, mate. But this 0-0 loss for the Black Stars, which is how it will be internalised by the English papers, to sum up the English performance, it was very, very Southgatean. It really, really was. In a very kind opening round. Ultimately, I do believe this draw will be nothing. It will be forgotten once England are in the clear blue water of the knockout rounds. That is what will define the memory of this tournament.

25:28Rog:but in this moment the lack of creativity the poor set pieces yeah to be honest it felt like this is going to be the first time that thomas tucall tommy winner tommy drura will feel that of the tabloid buzz sores just moving slowly towards him it will be interesting to see how intense that criticism gets there will be some because it's england but tucall does have quite a lot of kind of, he's got quite a lot of brownie points, quite a lot of cash in the bank as it were, both literally and metaphorically. I think he'll be given a little bit of a pass. There'll be recognition that Gianna played really well, that England did stir themselves that last 10-15 minutes.

26:09But it does set back to the level of enthusiasm in England. The it's coming home ommeter has probably tipped a little bit further away from it's coming home. It's probably remaining away at this point.

26:21Rog:Mark Saliva2332 in the chat says oh I don't know where that one's gone at Zachary in the chat says no Roger Loaves for England I think the first comment was about how Cape Verde 0-0 was thrilling this felt like the opposite at Hassidman3618 says Rory has a nice tan I think that's very kind of you Hassidman you've been working on it not not deliberately but you when you when you're in when you're British Roger you got to take your chance when it's sunny you got to take your chances I haven't been outside in about you're leading an essentially vampiric existence. That is true. And I like it. Vampires wish they could watch as much football as Rog did.

27:01Rog: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 where we'll be taking the stage with celebrity guests in front of thousands of fans. It's going to be amazing. 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. Just head to the events tab on meninblazers.com for all the details.

27:38Rog:To the football, to more together courage. This morning it happened. Portugal 5, Uzbekistan 0. I'm not saying we predicted this, but I think if we rewind the tape, we predicted this. A game that went kind of true to plan. Scriptwriters are a bit predictable here. The White Wolves of Uzbekistan arrived in Houston. Excuse me, that was the Roger Lopes. The way every nation should announce itself, a football game on horseback, clad in traditional armor. Did you see this rule? I didn't know. The step is in the house. That is. Do you know, there's been quite... I expected a lot of different things. You should slap the ass a bit more.

28:21A little bit. People think he's American.

28:25There's been... I expected a lot of things from this World Cup, Rog. Yeah. You know, across all three countries, given the number of teams here. Yeah. There have been more horses than I was anticipating. You were? Yeah. You didn't? That's now six horses. How many horses were in Seattle? Oh, there were three beautiful horses. Oh, my God. They were amazing. There were three horses there. Normally at a World Cup, you get zero horses.

28:45Rog:Yeah, this is America, man. We are horse country. I'll tell you, I'm looking at that, and I think this might be how the US fans should do it. Massed cavalry. Stay with me here, proper football nation. Do you think that there's clearly an element of competition going on between the fans now for who can have the most pageantry? More bits. Yeah, more bits. The Dutch have got their bus, and the Scots have got their bagpipes, and then the US brought out the Buffalo Soldiers in Seattle. Incredible. The Uzbeks have responded with their own traditional cavalry. At what point does this, like 2038, is it just like a full-on military parade for every country?

29:21Is that what's happening?

29:22Rog:That would be amazing. I thought you were going to say, at what point do we get rid of the football and just have the team joust outside the stadium? It would be amazing. Royal joust! Is it just becoming a bit more like your revision? That would be my view. Well, it is. It does feel like every team is just doing their bit now. This whole thing is being played out for social. It's why I'm so anxious about the America. We've got to get on this. I'm not against every team having their bit. I actually love it. Why have the Canadiens not brought out the Mounties? That's what people want. The Canadians were proper mad in the last game.

29:51Rog:That I cannot wait for. But that's in the part about tomorrow. We're jumping ahead. Three changes from Uzbekli's defeat to Colombia, including they rotated the goalkeeper. Portugal fresh off their national cold shower against Dr. Congo. God bless. Yes, there was an instant on Slaughter this game. All eyes on Ronaldo. He arrived to the game wearing a Gucci backpack full of hashtag narrative. Prime Minister Louis Montenegro was in the building. Matthew McConaughey himself tweeted before the game. Does Ronaldo go off today after the media has absolutely hammered him as it has been? That's McConaughey doing our job now.

30:33Rog:We're done. If you get to the stage where Matthew McConaughey is setting the narrative tone, then I think we've all got a problem. I taped a podcast today with Jon Stewart. It comes out tomorrow. I think I mentioned Matthew McConaughey three times. He's on all of our minds at all times. He is. But by the way, he does football better than we do football. Let me read that again. McConaughey wondering just before kickoff, does Ronaldo go off today after the media has absolutely hammered him, as it has been, and off he went. Can you not do that in a McConaughey voice? Yeah, I can't do McConaughey.

31:01Rog:McConaughey, I can't do. I can do Stephen A. Smith very badly, but not McConaughey. Anyway, the changes Roberto Martinez made, João Felix on as like a second striker to run around like a little feeder fish around Ronaldo to be like what Marshawn Lynch said, get active. Out was Bernardo Silva as captain on the bench. Took just three minutes for Ronaldo to have his first chance. Mendes whipped in across, perfectly measured back post. Bernardo slashed at it, made no contact. There was grimacing, held up his fingers as to say nearly. and you knew then it was inevitable. Joe Cantelo zipped the ball into the box.

31:38Rog:Well, now they snuck around this marker, caught it beautifully on the bounce, on the spin, on the volley. Really a whip born of muscle memory. The release in that moment, Roar, was cosmic. Yeah, the celebration was really telling, Rog. It was his normal celebration, but amped up enormously. And actually, I thought there was a point when once he'd been enveloped by his teammates, once they kind of swamped him. All of them. He looked genuinely quite emotional, as though it must have broken some real tension in him. This has been a... He will be deeply conscious of the criticism. He will be absolutely aware of it.

32:13He'll also be aware that literally every time he turns on his television, he either sees Lionel Messi breaking a record or selling someone some chips. Yep. And that is... Lays. The awesome beers, obviously. Yeah. The delicious, delicious beers. Lay your foot an ultra. And that will hurt him in both the kind of sporting professional and commercial sense, Because Messi has, like I said to you the other day, that there's no question that you can debate whether America is a proper football nation, but it's definitely a Messi nation. Messi has kind of taken over culturally. He's seeped into the culture.

32:41Massively. In a way that I've actually been really surprised how little Ronaldo there is in the States. And I know that there's a reason that he didn't play here for so long, or there seems to be an obvious reason why he didn't play here for so long. But even so, I was expecting there to be more Ronaldo commercially, but he doesn't really have a footprint at all. I think if you go to Saudi Arabia, Messi's not selling your lais. This is a slightly weird reference, but do you remember when, do you remember when you weren't non-neither for alive, but the Pope once divided the world into the bit that Spain was allowed to conquer and Portugal was allowed to conquer in the 16th century after the conquest of the New World?

33:14Yes. There was a line drawn, so that's why Brazil speaks Portuguese. Is that really true? Yeah, the Pope came up with a decree, a papal edict.

33:21Rog:By the way, I miss Humphrey in moments like this. Humphrey would name the Pope and know this decree in Latin. Pope Bobby. Yeah. And that's the current one. Anyways, there was this kind of decree that said this bit of the world belongs to Spain and this bit belongs to Portugal. It feels a bit like Messi and Ronaldo have done that with commercial deals. With Leeds. Commercial deals split around football's two frontiers, which are kind of the Middle East and into Asia. Ronaldo's massive in Indonesia. And then Messi has taken this side of the planet. Ronaldo will have felt that pressure. This is his sixth World Cup too.

33:54It has belonged to Messi the first two weeks. He would have wanted to say, you've got to remember that there is a second person in the GOAT conversation. And you could see all of that pouring out. That was the most kind of felt CU I've ever seen.

34:07Rog:The most felt CU, that's a thing. I mean, he's the first player to score in six different Men's World Cups. He's the second oldest goal scorer in a Men's World Cup after... Roger Miller? Yes, age 42. Cameroon's won. He had better celebrations than all of us. But it was remarkable watching Ronaldo in this moment. It really, really was. Watch it again. The celebrations are so forced, the muscles just bulging in his jawline. It was like a mix of ecstasy, potency, but also relief revealed to the world. It was a relief at that potency that it is still there. The desire at the same time to act like it was all no big deal, been there before.

34:50Rog:The awareness, as you say, after watching Messi score and score and score and score, that this was a very big deal indeed. The relief that it wasn't going to go on for another game, the narrative that Ronaldo is goose egg, it was supremacy and vulnerability in equal measure. I've never seen that before. Yeah, there was a little bit of kind of, I don't want to say sadness, but you could tell how much it meant to him. It didn't feel quite as performed as everything that Ronaldo normally does. He normally seems to be completely in control of his own imagery, his own iconography. This was a much more authentic release.

35:25And then the sui at orgasmic levels.

35:30Rog:By the way, I don't mean to go all Alice Cooper on your ass, but the Pope separating Spain-Portugal is the papal line of demarcation drawn by Pope Alexander VI in 1493. Established via, of course, the Intercaterra papal balls to divide newly discovered lands outside of Europe between the two Iberian powers. It's why people come to listen. It is. I think it's like La Liga wishes that there were such demarcation lines between it and that. You don't know that sort of stuff on the rest of this football, do you? What? The papal line of demarcation. I think Lineker goes deep. Lineker's all over it. Lineker will tell you where Pope Alexander VI is in his top ten popes.

36:09Rog:I mean, he'd be up there. Slightly after Eddie Pope. That's a US international joke. Portugal doubled their lead. Ten minutes later, Hamra Beckhoff slashed at Pedro Neto on the edge of the box. Stadium rose to their feet. It was a free kick in whose range, Ro? The guy wearing the number seven shirt who takes all of the free kicks by Papal Edict. Yes, and he took those traditional six giant steps backwards. Then basted in the, oh, it is him pose. It was like the footballing equivalent of Rappastantes versus my name is blank and I'm here to say, but shock or horror, He stood there and just watched Nuno Mendes cut it low and hard.

36:48Rog:Goalkeeper was flummoxed. You either die the undisputed free-kick taker, or you live yourself long enough to just become a decoy. Ronaldo ran off laughing, tapping his head. His brain power should get an assist. But do you know what, Roger? That's quite a good example of the way that you feel like Portugal should use Ronaldo. As much as it's easy to criticise him. Just stand there, grandpa! But he is the ultimate decoy. Because in that situation, you do think, well, if Ronaldo takes this free kick, he might store it because he's Cristiano Ronaldo. Although his record from free kicks is great. But that has a power.

37:19That kind of ability to feint the opposition is something he could do. It's just that he kind of falls into this trap of wanting to be too involved.

37:27Rog:Yeah, it's too. He loves too much just taking on the responsibility of taking the pressure off his team. That just cares too much. Cares too deeply. By the way, if you watch the 1986 World Cup final, Maradona is a decoy almost the whole game. He just completely, after destroying opponent after opponent, he just knows that everywhere he goes, three defenders will go with him and spends the whole game just moving and creating space for others. But I'm just saying, Uzbekistan, God bless them, did not let their heads drop. They had a goal fired off, Cannavaro, their manager smiled ruefully. Ten minutes later, Portugal broke ninth through the midfield.

38:07Rog:Fernandes dished it to who? Ronaldo. Stunning finish, this one. Really delicate touch of a tender lover across the keeper. A goal that took him above the incredible Eusebio, all-time goal scorer for Portugal. A really remarkable moment, really remarkable man. God, this World Cup, it's got more braces than a middle school dance. Sorry. There are a lot of big players scoring a lot of goals. Why is this? At this point, we're going to ask. are they all just inspiring each other on? I mean, there is that theory that they're all hungry, they all want it, and now they're all supremely motivated. And, like, this is a World Cup where it is like Zoolander and, you know, the dance-off Tinsel or whatever, Hansel.

38:50Rog:Hansel, Hansel. Sorry. Yeah, I think they've obviously all arrived up for it. Yeah. But I do wonder as well whether more teams, this is a theory, you know, still in the workshopping phase, Rog. I can't say that I believe it completely. I wonder if more teams are geared towards getting the ball to their players who make the difference. Obviously that's true of Argentina, but I wonder whether France have tweaked it a little bit as well so that they're getting Mbappe into those positions much more. England are designed around Harry Kane, we didn't see it today. Germany around Undav. Germany around Denis Undav.

39:20Cape Verde around Vazinha. I wonder if the coaches have worked out that in really tightly balanced games, what makes the difference is individual quality. That is truly, truly fascinating.

39:30Rog:I will say, it was amazing to watch the second half. The game was won. Uzbekistan were offering almost no threat. But Ronaldo wanted that hat-trick so badly. Every single attack where the ball did not end up his feet. The game was won. He'd have like a little jump in the air, an arm of annoyed disappointment. He's amazing to watch. But that's always been one of his problems, I think, Ronaldo, that his body language does scream toddler having a tantrum. I'm not sure it's meant to, and I'm not sure that every time that we think that's what he's doing, that that's what is happening. but his body language has never been great and I suppose you could say that's the mentality that's driven him to become what he is but it is a bad look even for Rafa Liao's goal, the fifth it did look a bit like he had a strop that Liao didn't pass to him Yeah, I mean I will say Uzbekistan had chances in this that were utterly outmatched in the end it could have been different but I did admire how they pushed forward even when it left room at the back that was bigger than the Kazilkoum Desert that's for my Uzbekki viewers with its beautiful and noble and unknowable sloping planes and ridges.

40:33Rog:It ended 5-0. At the final whistle, Cristiano turned directly into the camera, screamed, I'm back! I'm back! His international goals in the past 12 months had come across Armenia, Hungary, and now Uzbekistan. He got the man of the match. Revealed it was a tough week, a dark week. At times it felt like I'm already retired from football. and then he blanked a reporter who tried to bring up Messi. He's definitely back raw. We said yesterday, and I'll ask the same question, I said he would score multiple goals in this game, announce he's back and almost doom his team now. I mean, this is like, see, it worked, but this was Uzbekistan.

41:16Rog:Is it going to work against better teams? If you're a Portugal lover and you want to win the tournament, you could make the case, and I'm not, because there's a lot of hashtag Team Ronaldo trolls out there and I'm fairly exhausted by their incoming. One could make the case, this could be Ronaldo won the battle but Portugal are going to lose the war because of it. That is still my sense, Rog, that he forces Portugal to play in a certain way that doesn't get the best out of the ridiculous amount of talent they've got elsewhere on the pitch. So, Bernardo being dropped today for Jorafelic, despite the fact that Bernardo is one of their more senior players.

41:53But the flip side of that is I do think if Ronaldo is used in the right way, he is a weapon for Portugal. There is a way of playing. A weapon. But you almost need him to be less involved. That's the issue. If you look at Haaland for Norway. Say less. Say less. If you look at Haaland for Norway, then he doesn't really want to be part of general play. He doesn't want to get involved with the build-up. He just wants to stand in the box and contort his body to store ridiculous goals. Ronaldo could do that for Portugal, and that is a valid way of approaching the tournament. But the issue is that he almost, he has such a gravity that the players clearly think so much of him.

42:31I wonder if even, it sounds mad of like Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix and Rafael Eao and all these other players, Vitinha and Joan Eves. I wonder if they're sort of in awe of him and that there is that thing of you kind of want to get the ball to Ronaldo because he is your childhood hero.

42:44Rog:Yeah, I was thinking about that. Could they be, or do they really, can't stand this and they're going to become the first players to be sent off for talking behind their own hand about their own player. That'd be amazing. That'd be like such an Everton thing. Like, oh, I can't stand this. Did you see the quote from Jackson Irvine, the Aussie striker? Come on. Who said it was brilliant. It really answered it clearly about the media Almiron sending off. Just said, if you can't be seen saying it, then you shouldn't be saying it, which is the most perfect kind of encapsulation of the talking behind your hand debate.

43:15I mean, if you're going to talk about Ronaldo, Just do it to his face. Don't talk behind his back.

43:20Rog:But behind your hand. Behind your hand. We ran a chat poll because we believe in science. Ronaldo back 26%. Ronaldo still whack 74%. Guys, this is not my opinion. I'm just reading objective science. At cheek and bluster said the rest is football history. Also history, storehouse of history. Panama nil. Croatia won. Just finished. Should have been played arguably in the villages in Florida, given that the average age of both teams is aged. Panama took on Croatia. In Toronto, Luka Modric, 200th appearance. Marston reached by only three other men in men's football history. Cristiano Ronaldo, Bada Almutawa.

44:02Rog:You know him from his work with such teams as Kuwait and also some dude, some bum called Leo Messi because we're hashtag Team Ronaldo, yeah? No. Okay. Coincidentally, on Luka's first cap, this is mind-blowing raw, came against Argentina, March 1st, 2006, a game that featured the first international goal by young Messi. Symmetry. That's 20 years, more than 20 years ago, and they're both still here. It's genuinely astonishing. It really is astonishing. It's beautiful. It's beautiful. Modric will have been shocked to get information that Panama's team was actually older than his, oldest in the tournament, average age 30.5.

44:44Rog:and this was this was oh my god this was I know we overuse the word diaspora but there's a hundred thousand Croatians in the greater Ontario area it's beautiful thousands marched in red and white checkered kits to the stadium from Bellwood Park no horses though like Uzbekistan who are a proper football nation I'm joking Croatia you are amazing amazing and slightly terrifying I think the Troas would know we're joking what? I think they'll know we're joking Croatia do not need to have an inferiority complex. They don't need the horses is the honest team. Everyone needs horses. Football needs more horses.

45:20Rog:Game was a tough watch scrappy AF Croatia had lots of sterile possession. Panama tried to threaten to the break they did. Christian Martinez was a fire plug in the middle wing back Amir Murillo. Changes Croatia made at the break were telling. FC Dallas's Peter Moussa got the hook in favor of Ante Budimir and on 52 minutes the Osasuna a forward bundle though with the inside of his knee after a whip cross from joseph stancic in the right channel uh played in by a slick back heel first real move we were in we were watching it over by union station where we're going to do the match day live tomorrow and the place went mad uh but mostly because the guest of the game was pretty awful panama out the world cup conky keff out after two one nil losses so england and garner level with four points croak right behind with three kicking off in just a few ticks it's colombia versus dr congo in guadalajara and i'm just saying this because the person to watch i'm so excited for this isn't even a player it's michelle kuka umboola ginga the dr congo fan who dresses up you will have seen him all over your social as former congolese independence leader patrice lumumba he arrives at the stadium where We expect him to stand at address the whole game.

46:35Rog:It's really beautiful. He missed the first game because of the Ebola virus. He had to be in quarantine, but he's in Mexico. He feels like the whole team do that. It's more than just about football raw, considering what their nation are going through with the Ebola virus. Just being here, participating, hopefully normalizing their participation in the world that they're quarantined from. is kind of the human side of this game that I think is what the world needs, cries out for the healing nature of football. Well, yeah, Kondo kind of have the three themes of this tournament so far, really, I think.

47:09They've got that sense of release, as you say, and relief of a way to kind of celebrate your country regardless of what you're going through, which is something that you could also say of Iran to an extent. To be honest, Rog, and I'm not going to go into it too deeply, you could probably say of the US, that it's a kind of little bit of light in a time that's otherwise quite divisive. But then you also have, I don't want to use the word, the diaspora element, Conrad have done a lot of work in We've only allowed to use it 12 times a show Yeah, fine, I'm not enraging Charlie Kip again But you've got a lot of players who were born either in England or France I think some in Belgium as well who've been persuaded to play for the land of their fathers, their grandfathers, their grandparents It's like 78 French players in this tournament Yeah, and I think there's more from certain cities in Holland than entire other countries and stuff So they kind of encapsulate that as well But in Lumumba, he is the kind of apex of every country having their bit.

48:03That is, he is a... This is the most beautiful bit. He is a kind of a national symbol that really kind of speaks to that nation in the same way as the Uzbek horses or the Dutch bus or the bagpipes do. Every country's got that thing that they bring to the tournament, maybe not England, that kind of creates the colour, the pageantry, the sense of... England's got loads of songs where they go like this. Yeah. Whee! that's the national noise of England you're an arsehole is the national noise of England is way they should just replace the national anthem with that but yeah the little bit around national pride and national expression the bit around what a nation is the sense of identity being fluid which I think is really important and very much of this moment and then there is the sense that we are all projecting images to be consumed that aren't just to do with the football, that you have your little bit of content that is your own thing.

48:59Rog:And it's welcoming and it's joyous and you want to join it, you want to lead. I think everyone should dress up as Marge Simpson. Can you imagine 15 ,000 Marge Simpsons? Who's more welcoming and thoughtful and empathetic? I'm still workshopping it. I don't want to harp on about this, Ron. No, I'm working. I'm clearly stressing me the F out. I think what's really nice about it is that, like you say, those expressions of national identity are fun and they are inclusive. They are not hostile. And I have seen some stuff on the way my algorithms feed me stuff. People trying to make the opposite point saying that the Norwegian Roe is an expression of true Viking identity.

49:39If you look at that crowd, that's not just white blonde people. That's everyone who gets to call themselves Norwegian. Just as you will see people of Asian descent with bagpipes, with kills. It is not an exclusive identity and that's really important about the world.

49:51Rog:I mean, it's fascinating. I'll say two quick things on that. I didn't mean to go off on this. The row, look, it is like, but it is like, there is, I'd made a film in Iceland before they became massive. Like I'm timed it by accident really well. And I interviewed a bunch of their players and they really did before they made their names. So they were, they really did. They'd say, Roger, I am Viking, Viking. When they took the field, this tiny nation, they did believe they were taking like Nordic, Norse mythology, Viking, Viking. So like - We're back on Humphrey. Yeah, I miss him. He's going to be with us a lot.

50:23Rog:So God bless. But there is that identity and they're almost kind of hat tipping to that. But what I loved about it is after the game yesterday, they and their opponent fans all got together and we're doing it all the way home. It's just, it's a bit, it's a bit, anyone can do it. They do it. The opposing fans do it. Children. I mean, it is a very, very, very beautiful thing. And it all comes back at the end of the day to Odin. Don't get me off on Odin. So let's go to tomorrow. Do you know, Raw, between June 11th and June 23rd, the end of the day today, a total of how many games have been played?

51:06907, Rog.

51:06Rog:It feels like it's actually more. I've got, you should see my thighs. They're so chafed from watching all of this football. It's not about me, though. It's 52. We are halfway. at the end of the day even though we're just 13 days into this and we're all utterly shattered we're halfway through game wise which is both beautiful it's an achievement it's a thank god it's a little bit sad but after tomorrow we're headed to like when i'm working out which i hate doing but like when i hit that halfway point on my time it's like i realize i'm running towards rather than away from and it's always psychologically incredibly empowering but you know Football, it's not enough.

51:45Rog:It's never enough. We move to six games a day tomorrow. Yes, for the next, how many days is it? Three days, it's a six-pack of football. Three or four. Open wide for some soccer. We're going to have football oozing out of every orifice. You know, every pour. All groups end with simultaneous games. Just remind us, Rival, very quickly. It's kind of sad and beautiful. So what level of detail do we want? Do we want 1982 disgrace of Hikon? Yeah, let's do it. Very quick. In the 1982 World Cup, the group games didn't end at the same time. So Austria and West Germany played each other knowing that a specific result would get them through.

52:26At the cost of? At the cost of Algeria. Who'd beaten? Kuwait, I think.

52:31Rog:And they'd beaten Germany. And they'd beaten Germany. Shocked Germany. I'm pretty sure it was a 1-0 win for Austria. Got them both through. So Austria duly scored and they spent the rest of the game passing the ball around each other not trying to fix it. that if the score was... I think it was 1-0 to Austria. So they let that goal in and then for the rest of the game... No one tried. No one, like they genuinely stood still and knocked the ball around the centre circle. The crowd booed. It was in the Spanish city of Hikon. Algerian fans burnt money howling impotently in the stands. There were actually a number of Germans who one German burnt his own flag and said this was a national shame.

53:06Rog:But the manager of the German team, I remember he said, what are we meant to do? This is football. It's not, you know, this is what you do. Very, very unapologetic. And because of that... So since then, FIFA decreed that all group games have to end simultaneously, which is why we get this sort of six-day festival of football. You can't watch all of it, but that is far better than the alternative. Yeah, the disgrace of... Hee-haw! Whether Pope divided a place in the knockout round between Spain and Portugal and completing stories. But this is why we have six games a day for the next four days. all groups end with simultaneous games tomorrow is brought to you by the sesame street letters a b and c big game scotland against brazil uh this one in miami uh where i believe there's not enough sunscreen in the world in the sunscreen i imagine somewhere there's a strategic sunscreen reserve there must be there must be somewhere outside of like um where do they keep the gold what's that place where they keep the gold the federal reserve yeah but they've got like some mountain that they built into.

54:07Rog:I can't remember what the hell it's called. But I'm sure right by that mountain, there's another mountain that's just full of sunscreen. There's not enough in this putative mountain. There's not enough Fort Knox. How did I not remember Fort Knox in Tennessee? I bet you near there's another fort just filled with... Ambersoleil. Yeah. But my God, they're going to burn down there. The Totten Army travelers who love Boston. I don't think they're really Miami people, I've got to tell you. It's got to be hard to get it up again for a second lover. Brazil drew their opener against Morocco. But then Matthias Cunha saw them surf their way to a 3-0 win over Haiti.

54:43Rog:Double from the United man. Looked to be growing into the tournament if you want to be nice under Mr. Carlo. Turn your man shaft, however you say that in Portuguese. But Roar, this is all about you, your beloved Scotland. A draw will virtually guarantee them. Please God, advancing into the next round. What kind of setup will Steve Clarke deploy here? Will it be survive in advance? or is he going to go full brave out and try and win this MFL? I think it'll be the same approach as he used against Morocco. I think he'll sit deep. Just don't get humped? Well, to be honest, yeah, don't get humped. Because four points, I think 99.9 % will get you through.

55:18Three points may well get you through, and goal difference might matter. So the key thing, I think, is for Scotland, certainly not to lose by more than two. If they lose by more than two, they've got a real problem. If they lose by one, I think there's a decent chance they get through. if they get a point, they are home and hosed. But those two things are not so different. Scotland's best chance of winning tomorrow is to frustrate Brazil and try and nick a goal. That is their best chance of winning. Go all out attack, Scotland get battered.

55:46Rog:Oh my God, 1982 World Cup, these two teams met and the referee did the coin toss and said, may the best team win. To which Liverpool captain, Scotland captain, Graeme Souness, Moustache and Perm, as you do in 1982, shouted, I effing hope not. which I just love, Roar. Might be the most Scottish thing ever. And even if Scotland do lose, no, there's still a chance of advancement. It means every last goal in goal difference is going to matter. This one, it's going to be a proper scrap, like a fight with Begbie in a pool hall. The other game in that group, Morocco, Haiti. Cuscus versus Plantains. It's Tajine against Black Beans.

56:23Rog:Morocco have got a goal maxed away past Brazil, who are already ahead of them on goal differential. They're facing already eliminated, but God bless you, Haiti. Thank you for coming, side. They have made friends along the way. That's what the World Cup's about, Big H. It's been 52 years since we took part in the World Cup. Haiti manager, Sebastian Minier, said, it's something that we need to always remember. God bless. I love that spirit. On to Group B. By the way, can you imagine Tuchel trying to say that? See ya. On to Group B for Bad Bastards. In the build-up to Canada's match against Switzerland, both of them on four points.

56:59Rog:That's quatre points if you are Canadian. Former US goalkeeper Tim Howard recently talked with admiration about Jesse Marsh. He said he rides hard as hell for Canada. It sounds great coming out of an American mouth. I can't do that, though. He said his job is not to be liked. His job is to get Canadian soccer to a place he'd never been before. He's already done that. They won a bloody game, Raw. Scored more goals against Qatar than they did in the whole World Cup, every World Cup combined. how great will it be if those defiant Maple Warriors can get to into the knockout round transformative for the whole nation well to be honest they should they should if they are effectively already through aren't they so yeah I think their path depending on whether they win the Rupa then their path might be relatively kind as well so it may well be that the round of 32 is not the last we see of Canada yeah win or draw tomorrow means I'll stay in Canada that's the big big deal in Vancouver playing a third place team to be revealed later but a loss oh they are through they'll have to travel to LA to face another second place side.

57:56Rog:I feel like the worst way to get the draw is to play for a draw. That's Pete Jesse. That is so Jess. That is big, big Jesse. We're going to start this match going into it with the mentality and tactics to win. We're not going to be overly conservative. We're not going to be overly aggressive. We're going to be us. That is overly aggressive, Jesse. Elsewhere in Group B, Bosnia face Qatar in a match that could decide who the United States play. In San Francisco, yeah. I'm interested. did. Bosnia coming off a 4-1 loss to Switzerland. That was like watching someone spread mulch until the 74th minute when every team got activated.

58:31Rog:Like footballing sleeper cells, all the goals went in late. Qatar cooked now by Canada in a dreadful, dreadful appearance. The Qatar job actually may make coach Julian Lopetegui long to be back in the sweet embrace of West Ham. The good days at Jep 3-1-8. The Scottish need to look for the strategic sunscreen reserve. It's stored at NORAD in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. Thank you, GEP318, for leaking national secrets. I love this. I'm learning so much about life along the way. Ending off the night, Group A, Mexico. I'm exhausted with all this football. Already through to the knockouts take on Chechia.

59:11Rog:They're going to rotate heavily. Wolves again, striker. Raul Jimenez gets some rest, man. Memo Ochoa are synonymous with the World Cup as the great Shakira and Herve Renard's nipples will likely play in his own World Cup, which is the sixth time he's been called up to. After the game, head over to the VanWash YouTube channel to the Jewel Nats instant reaction. Herc, Gomez and Sebi Salazar will break it all down. I love those guys. I've really enjoyed watching them and the give and go throughout the Cup. If you are conky-calf minded, that is the place to go. Not this old whorehouse. The other a match in this group.

59:51Rog:South Africa versus South Korea. Winner gets to keep the South. It's a battle of the South. It is a battle of the South. Yeah, it's high stakes, man. High stakes. One of them, no, neither of them have to change their name to North if they lose, do they? No. At least one of them's already taken. Don't do it. Don't do it. Or do it for the lols. That's bant. That's bant. Try it, lads. Oh, my God. Losers got to join the Night's Watch on the northern wall. Draw enough to see Korea through to the knockouts. Roar. I'm exhausted. Look at these eyes. These eyes have not slept in. When did I last go to bed?

1:00:23What day is it today? Tuesday. I think it was last Wednesday, wasn't it? It's about a week. As I say, vampiric.

1:00:28Rog:It's about a year ago last Wednesday, but it's not about me. It's about my favourite segment, what everyone suddenly believes, where we turn to Calci percentages to get a glimpse of the heart, the minds of Pulse football fans everywhere. Tonight, after a Portugal win that was death and taxes, levels are predictable, and an England draw, which was also the same. We're checking in on the semifinals. you'll notice England Raw are now showing just a 40 % chance to reach the stage of the tournament. Knee-jerk much. How do you feel about that? Do you think it's less than half likely England making that far?

1:00:59Rog:Is this just an overreaction by the public? Well, I think if everything goes according to... I'm looking at the bracket now, Rog. I'm in bracket mode. Yeah, I know you are. You've changed. After the second round of games, or halfway through the second round of games, I get into the bracket. Once teams start qualifying, I love seeing the bracket. It's like computing, like, trying to work out what's going to happen. We're very much looking forward to the first knockout game, South Korea, Switzerland. I think the quarterfinals should bring England into the path of, if they make it that far, obviously, assuming it makes an ass of you and me, etc.

1:01:35But presumably they get through to the quarterfinals, it will be either Brazil or Morocco, depending on who wins that group. And I've got to admit, I think England probably beat either of them. So I would still think England will make the semifinals, where they will, again, if everything goes into plan, face Argentina, at which point the World Cup of Love will stop.

1:01:55Rog:I was going to say, I think England will want to reach a final under Tommy Tuchel. I think a semifinal feels more than 40 % likely for this England team. But I'll just say, Harry Kane, if you want to get there, you're going to have to put down the sketches, pick up some New Balance play, and stop playing in your slippers, bro.

1:02:17Rog:Okay, it's time. This is why I do this. It's time for the food. Rory, you've got it. It's time for the European mind. Cannot comprehend. Back with Rory Smith. Today we're trying what? Chicken empanadas? Porto's empanadas. Oh, for the world famous Porto Bakery in L.A. This is a... First of all, this is a lovely box. I love Porto. Empanada? I didn't think you'd ask, love. It is a lovely box. It's essentially, it smells like the Cuban version of a Greg sausage roll. I believe it was Shakespeare who said, a meat pie by any other name would smell as sweet. Someone's had a nibble of this one. I'm going to move my microphone up for you.

1:02:52Rog:For the people who suffer from misophonia. And we learned that's what it is. by the way I suffer from misophonia so I feel for it it took me years my wife just saw I was psychotic when I couldn't stand people crunching eyes and by people I mean my children but now she knows misophonia and she pities me alright it's time you both played the game before you know the drill take the bite and then contemplate the future of Porto Bakery and tell us what your score is do you have anything to write it down or are you just going to say the score I think you're going to give this I left my whiteboard on the bus.

1:03:26Rog:I think you're going to give this. We've got to get back on that bus, man. I miss that bus like a mmm. I almost said mofo there, but then I kept it in. So first of all, I think any business that can afford this lovely packaging probably doesn't need my endorsement to survive. So I'm relatively confident I can say this guilt-free. I think you're going to say 7.1. Remember my genuine affection for all things Argentine? I'm a big fan of an empanado. And that, my friend, is a good empanado. Is it really? Yeah, that's a good M Penelope. Is it really? I like that. I like that a lot, yeah. I mean, it's a Tornish pasty.

1:03:59It's a South American Tornish pasty. So I'm going to go for a bronze medal winning 8.7.

1:04:06Rog:So just to remind you, oh my God, we can't live in a world where Rory's giving Air One the highest rating yet. I mean, it was a$30 smoothie. You're just such a vapid mad little, you're such a valley boy. I'm doing it all for the Insta. That's what it is. God, I can't stand this. Come on, LA, give us one. How do we give Roscoe such a look? That was the first one. This is poor. I was also freezing cold. It was very cold, yeah. Meat wrapped in dough, deep fried. It's the footballer food groups. It's what makes the world go round. At Jack O 'Lantern, 984 says, maple glazed and bacon donut looks so out of place at the bottom.

1:04:39Rog:It's a sensitive food moment. We were on a bad mood that day, to be candid. I still love that. You have to remember how cold all of this food is. I felt like the pig had died in vain there, though, to be candid. It was so extra. That was ridiculous. It was so extra. Last but not least, we invite you, our dear listeners, to share your World Cup journeys. I'm barely standing up in this moment. I've got to be candid. We want to hear from you. Tell us the best of your World Cup journeys, your experiences, your feelings, your thoughts, your memories. Drop us a line at MenInBlazers Discord, which is buzzing, or send us an email, meninblazers at gmail.com.

1:05:13Rog:Today's letter comes from long-time listener, first-time writer F Sharp McLeod. I'm sure that's your real name. Roar, do the honors. Sharp McLeod is a very American name. You don't have Sharp McLeods in England. Hi there. I heard you gents chatting on the podcast and figured I'd tell you what it was like being around when Mozart and Beethoven were alive and composing. Because apparently people today think it was all powdered wigs, polite clapping and gentle harpsichords. Absolutely not. It was in fact Messi-Ronaldo levels of chaos. I remember standing outside a Vienna coffee house, minding my own business, when two groups of ultras started chanting at each other.

1:05:47on one side the Mozart crowd lace cuffs, smug expressions acting like they invented melody that's a great line on the other the Beethoven crew wild hair, dramatic capes insisting that real music must emotionally devastate you Mozart fans would brag about how he could compose a symphony before breakfast Beethoven fans would yell back that their guy could write something so powerful it would make your soul leave your body and find the noise complaint and me? I was just trying to get a pastry one night at the opera a Mozart supporter actually stood up mid-Aria and shouted, This is Elodin's Incarnate!

1:06:23Only for a Beethoven fan to respond, Talk to me when your boy invents an entire new era of music. Security had to separate them. Security at an opera. At an opera! Honestly, the only difference between then and now is that nobody had jerseys. If they had, Vienna would have been a sea of powdered-wid ultras. Anyway, hope this gives you a sense of the absolute circus it was. History books leave out the fun parts. Best F Sharp McLeod.

1:06:46Rog:No Mozart, no party. What do you think of that? It's fantastic work. So F. Your Beethoven army. Mate, F. Sean McLeod, send us your postal, and I'm going to send you a patch, my friend. That was a good letter. I like that. I love that letter. I'm also going to send you, if you want it. Half an empanada. Half an empanada. It's yours. If you want that, send us your postal. Keep sending us your letter. It is the kind of primary source text that the rest is history just will not give you. They won't do it. And I will just say, the only thing you left out, and I'm not quite sure why, is that Freddie LA7 was at that very same show, sneaking in Buc-ee's under his wig.

1:07:25Rog:That is it for today. As a reminder, we are counting down the minutes until our next Matchday Live. My God, this Thursday, 5.45pm Pacific Time, just ahead of the final US game, where we go and beat Turkey, eh? We're going to be at that architectural wonder. I love it so much. LA's Union Station. We've got an incredible group of people. But I can't wait to see Lindsay Heaps, the U.S. women's captain, L.A. Rams legend Todd Gurley. And back for more punishment, my personal hero, Kyle Beckerman. Three Americans, all of them life-affirming, in a city that I adore. What do you think of Union Station?

1:08:03Rog:It's beautiful. It's really nice, yeah. You could get a train to Chicago. Oh, I'd love to get a train. I'd love to do that. I'd love to jump on a train to Chicago. Can we do a matchday live from the train to Chicago? We can't because we are going to Philadelphia for Saturday night to live in that Chief State Wonderland. Saturday, June 27th, we'll be with another incredible crowd ahead of the Croatia and Ghana team. We're going to be at Spruce Street Park. Come and be with us. Mario Balotelli is going to be with us, Ruhl. Amazing. Life, World Cup. I have met him before, Mario. America. He will not remember.

1:08:39Rog:Were you in that bathroom with us? for? No, I know someone who was in the bathroom with the fireworks. Oh my God, so do I. Does it rhyme with smiker bitches? It rhymes with smiker bitches. Hey, that's it for us. We want to tell that story. We'll be back. By the way, if you want more on any of that, it's all in the show notes. Not the smiker bitches story. But as always, we'll be live YouTube tomorrow at 11pm Eastern. Tomorrow, that's late, man. We'll leave you with the grand sight of Scotland's Tartan Army, marching along South Beach in Miami a sentence I never thought I'd say they're looking for those strategic sun lotion whatever you call it in a sunscreen reserves this is Rog saying big big love and courage