Messi and Argentina pull off a miracle over Mo Salah's Egypt: Night Cup 07/07/26

19:31And up to this point, every team that's taller has won their round of 16 tie. Did you know that? Every team that's taller? Yeah.

19:37James Horncastle:Okay. And every team that's got the most unemployment? Apart of Switzerland, Buckland.

19:42Roger Bennett:Here come the Swiss ruining everything. Yeah, but every team with a higher unemployment rate, well, I don't quite, I'm working on the theory. But Egypt were slightly taller. They took advantage on 15 minutes. Ball lifted to 6 '1". central defender Yasser Ibrahim out jumped Lissandro Martinez. He's only a tiny man. Five foot ten, baby. Scored the upset opener. I mean, it was amazing. Ibrahim, what a story. Never played outside of Egypt. Late bloomer, 33 years old. He was only a second ever international goal. This is the first time Argentina have trailed at this World Cup. It felt like Cape Verde 2 electric boogaloo.

20:19And surprise selection, Hasim Hassan making his first international start in for Omar Marmouche who struggled in the World Cup. Hassan, born in France, El Edo for Tunisia, joined Egypt in March, clattered into Nicolas Tagliafuca, launching onto a through ball. Penalty, who stepped up? Lionel Messi, what happened?

20:39Roger Bennett:He missed because Lionel Messi at World Cups is a 50-50 shot from the penalty spot. It is exactly that. It's crazy. It's nuts. What is it? I mean, it was saveable height. Goalkeeper poured it away. Is it that he has the time to think. He has to think and then it all goes to crap. My sense is, I don't have the stats on this, he obviously takes a lot of penalties and has throughout his career but I don't ever remember a point where Messi steps up for a penalty and thinking he's like Raul Jimenez, he's going to straw this. I'm not sure he's brilliant at penalties is the long and the short of it.

21:12James Horncastle:But it's refreshing to see that he's mortal. Penalties serve us for that reason. To see that this man, who can do incredible things that nobody else can fathom is mortal. That's so interesting. When drum machines were invented, the early ones that were made by Roland built in an imperfection to the rhythm, slight one, so they sounded more human. Is that what you're saying? Messi misses the penalties intentionally to make himself seem more human when he isn't.

21:40Roger Bennett:The depth of the shadows show the contours of the light, Raj. Does that make sense? It might not. I'll be thinking about that later in the koozie. What is it? Rajon Bubbles. We're going to celebrate this. Rajon Bubbles. See, I've got to get that on the t-shirt or mug. The Egyptian goalkeeper, we're going to talk about him, Mustafa Shobir.

22:03James Horncastle:Showtime Shobir. Is that what they call him? That's what I'm calling him. I love you. That's going to catch on. He's a son, legendary goalkeeper, Ahmed Shobir, goalkeeper for Egypt at the 1990 World Cup. Do you remember that? It is a World Cup. By the way, World Cup of biblical lineage, this.

22:15Roger Bennett:Well, James and I are both on a WhatsApp group with noted Irishman Miguel Delaney, another journalist. and his dad, Ahmed, was famous. Ahmed Delaney. No, not Ahmed. Ahmed Shabir, sorry. Come on, I'm lost. Was famous. So in 1990, he's been on the bubbles. Mustafa Shabir's dad played for Egypt in the 1990 World Cup and was notorious for his defenders passing the ball back to him constantly, which was why one of the main reasons they introduced the back pass rule and the back pass rule, which came in in 1992, is the start of all modern football. And Miguel remembers that perfectly because Medell, as an Irishman, knows that the game that was the most egregious for it was Egypt nil, the brave Irish boys nil.

22:56Roger Bennett:So there is a connection. It runs through the lineage. In which, by the way, Irish goalkeeper Paddy Bonner held onto the ball for six minutes, which is amazing. That's before you couldn't hold onto it. Goalies would just kill times. Players would pass back to an adult team, and the adult team would pick it up and hold it. This is great. He is the child of modern football. He is. He is. He is. His dad spent 13 years at Al-Akri, and now Mustafa's there. Set record 13 consecutive clean sheets in the African Champions League. And now, fourth gen to save two non-shootout penalties of the World Cup.

23:30Genetics. Shubir pulled off one of the saves of the round for me. I mean, just before the half, Tagliafogo again played in.

23:38James Horncastle:Means cuts figs in Italian. Is that really? Taliafico, yeah. That's so beautiful, man. Nicholas cuts figs. Fig cutter. Yeah. Fig cutter. The fig cutter. Not fistulator. The fig cutter sounds like... The fig cutter sounds... The more you think about it, it sounds like he's farting. It sounds like an alternative to Worm Burner. Like, you know, one in the top corner, it's a fig cutter. Oh, that's nice. Don't trigger a new meme. I'm running out of pocket. No more money for graphic. I run out, man. I run out now. I run it out. And I put it... I mean, the soccer dudes, I put all that money in. Wasted.

24:09I ain't economists call it sunk cost. Suck you, Christian Pulisic. I want that$12.50. I mean it was beautiful the flying one time instinctive cutback for Julian Alvarez long powerful drill first time he must have felt that he's for score when it left his foot but should we just poured it past the post it was I think it was pure instinct the way he got down low for me live one of the best saves I've seen it was a non-Jordan Pickford

24:37Roger Bennett:I really enjoyed his one from Alexis McAllister's header as well I thought there were two superb saves it's been a World Cup of unheralded goalkeepers shining. Alvarez stunned, pulled his shorts up to his crotch in agony which only Argentinian... Like the fourth official. Yeah, oh my god, let's not go there. I mean, that was a kind of crotch I mean, it's Argentine football. It's like Martin Palermo, I thought you were going to say. I mean, it is. They do love a sort of They love the undie reveal. The self-wedging. I mean, it's just an amazing thing. You don't see enough in non-Argentine football.

25:11I don't understand it. Second half, Argentina sat deep. Argentina put on the pressure. Fascinating to watch. Their team, first time I've seen them live, this World Cup, they're built, it feels like less tactics, shape, organization, more like vibes, heart, hunger, hard running, fundamental belief in magic and the supernatural. Fusion of the, I've never seen it. It was like not organized football. It was like, I think Humphrey would call it mythos football.

25:38Roger Bennett:The fancy term for it is relationism, isn't it? That's what the...

25:42James Horncastle:I don't think it's that. I think it's all the mysticism that comes with Argentine football. There's stuff that you can't explain there. It's very supernatural. And you were talking about the crowd. The crowd doesn't ebb and flow, but it just expresses all of the hysteria and the mania that you see. And it reminds me that Buenos Aires has a disproportionate number of therapists per capita. And you kind of understand why watching this football team, because you need to hit the couch. after watching them.

26:13Roger Bennett:11 players and as many psychoses, yeah. They are, Argentina are fascinating to watch because they are brilliant at football, but they are also a total neurotic mess at all times. Yeah. It did remind me of one of my in-laws, but the lack of tactics meant that they could spring forward Egypt in moments. They had a stunning goal. I want to talk about this. Ruled off, Hassan danced like an Egyptian Billy Elliot through players, fed Salah. Young Mo would have sped in on goal, But this, Mo, wise, cerebral. Slow-mo. Slow. Yeah, slow-mo. God bless. Slow-mo. Just slip that pass in. Tzatziko, a fascinating Brazilian journeyman.

26:52A Brazilian-named journeyman, new to the team. Man, literally plays for a team called Pyramids FC, which I just love. Slapped home, tore off his jersey, sprung away in celebration. The Brazilian he should have been named after was Rich Orlison. Because, and this was while VAR kicked in. and they had to rewind the shot. Back 10 minutes. So far back. Back to the time of the pyramids. The way they showed the sequence, it was like watching a Charlie Chaplin movie. It was so crazy. Gold chalked off. It was almost like, I don't mean to be a conspiracy theorist, it looked like they were struggling to find some infraction rule, if you're a cynic.

27:29James Horncastle:The Sabruda film. Yeah, or if you see the Egyptian manager, Hossam Hassan, he kept making, do we have the photo of making the X with his arms, which that's triggering the racial abuse protocol in this moment, which I don't fully understand what it was, unless he's saying the referees or the decision-making or whatever it was. But the anger, the frustration, it almost felt like they were fishing for a way to get it back into the game. This is a famous Jose Mourinho gesture. This is Mourinho for Inter 2010, when he had two men sent off in a game against Sampdoria, and he did this gesture, which is you are handcuffing me.

28:09James Horncastle:You are trying to handcuff our team from winning the treble. And since then, I'm sure the Egyptian coach is a big Mourinho stan, and he was delighted to be able to wheel out this gesture for this game. Maybe he's just a big West Ham fan. Irons!

28:27Roger Bennett:Irons! We've mentioned a couple of times that thing that Cleopatra was born closer to the iPhone than the building of the pyramids. the foul that this goal was ruled out for took place closer to the building of the pyramids than the actual finish this is what I was talking about before this is the issue with what happened around Balogun not just that but the lifting of Ronaldo's ban that meant he could play into Miami being put into the Club World Cup just randomly by oh they're top let's put them in we're going to decide now you need trust you need the institutions that run football to prove themselves to be beyond trustworthy because in that moment, and Mustafa Zico came out and said it afterwards, in that moment, it did look an awful lot like they wanted to rule the goal out.

29:14Roger Bennett:Deep state football. I'm certain, I would not for a second allege that that was the case. But what FIFA I think are not conscious of enough, and Infantino's relationship with President Trump has been a source of this. Whatever you think of Trump's politics, the relationship between Infantino and the government of the United States has sort of stoked this. The issue is that you need to be beyond reproach. You need there to be no doubt whatsoever that things are on the up and up, that everything is under control and is honest and orderly. Because if it's not, you get an incident like this, a purely football incident, and there will be millions of people around the world, not just Egyptians, thinking, that's a bit fishy.

29:52Well, can I die? So what did Egypt do? Well, they wound it back. They ran it again from an Argentine corner. That counter sprung again, again through Sizzling Salah, who was everywhere. I thought it was fantastic. today, not just as a footballer, as a leader. Like you saw this man wanting this moment. He was everywhere. And this time he slipped wide to Hassan, who cut back for Zico, another emphatic finish that couldn't be denied. It was surreal. It was blissful. It was delirious football. The pocket of Egyptian fans near me could not believe what they were witnessing. First ever World Cup round of 16, counter-punching the reigning champions straight into the down below.

30:34With a goal scorer, an Egyptian man named after a great Brazilian who just felt like he knocked Argentina out of the World Cup. That is novel level stuff.

30:45Roger Bennett:An assist from a fellow born in France. That is all right. Well, the Trezeguet came on. No, the winner who was brilliant by the way against Australia. He was absolutely outstanding. He's a really good player. Plays for Real Oviedo in Spain. Will not be there for long. But it was the same combination. It was the same three players leading the town, sir, just in a slightly different order. I just want to say to Egyptian fans, man, you are unbelievable. That is a diaspora I met so many of you today at the stadium who've flown in for more points, but also, you know, Egypt, mad footballing nation, mad fan.

31:18You can see it in the way they're naming their kids. The fact that there's two players in the Brazilian, in the Egyptian team named after footballing greats. I just admire so much that footballing culture and the role football plays in its life.

31:31Roger Bennett:The other thing that I love about Egypt is that most of these players play in Egypt, which is the dominant force in African football. Al-Akli are one of the biggest clubs in the world. You might not have heard of them, you might not know a lot about them. They are enormous. Club World Cup, they brought an enormous army over. They dominate the African Champions League. It's brilliant. It's similar to Mexico. It's brilliant that Egyptian football has these clubs who can keep high quality players at home, earning enough money to feel that they don't have to move. That is a good thing for football.

31:59Roger Bennett:It's brilliant to discover these players. I don't watch Al-Achtley regularly. It's not something I am able to do. I have children to look after. But it's great to see these clubs. But if you didn't. But if I didn't have kids to look after, I would be watching Al-Achtley. It's an amazing football culture. I would love to go in the next year. I would love. In that moment, I felt like Belgium should tweet again, overturn that. I've got an Egyptian kid, Bagad, who is a young genius who runs the Men in Blazers website. and he slapped into the men and blazers slack in that moment. He wrote, all caps, Habibi, it's coming home.

32:36I mean, oh my God, you beautiful moment. Just stop the game there. When you watch it again, just end it there. Walk away at that point, Habibi. And I'm so bloody happy for you. Whatever you felt in that moment, ecstasy, but it does pivot. Felt like this Argentinian team, this Argentinian nation, in that moment that was surrounding me was just suddenly falling and teetering over the abyss, screaming into the darkness. But man, they never lost their sense of belief. There was never that panic that kicks in at like Goodison or at Anfield when I've been there, when you're just shaking your head and you feel like all is lost.

33:13They do this thing with their hands. It is amazing, James. I don't know who decided this is what we do, man.

33:21James Horncastle:But it's almost like exercising your anxiety all the time. Because suddenly the whole stadium was just a flailing sea of limbs just surging for hoop. And it felt, again, magnificent. Yeah. No, I think it's certainly an element in why this team is able to pull itself back in. You know, just when you think they're out, they always pull themselves back in. And I think particularly, we make all these comparisons with four years ago in Qatar, where they seem to be teetering on the brink and always about to go out. and yet they didn't go out. And weirdly, even though we see this manifest itself in their hysteria again, they always find a way of just pulling themselves back from the brink.

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35:58Head to the events tab on meninblazers.com for all the details. To the football, to more together courage. I was just watching Messi at this point, and he just kept, suddenly, started to pulsate towards the ball at every opportunity. Egyptian defenders were totally keyed in on him, swarmed him, and he showed no emotion at all other than he just got more and more hunched and went again. It was very, I mean, it was incredible to watch this dance. 79th minute, flick cross found, Christian Romero, that man in an Argentinian jersey, so hungry, body twist, neck snap, Peder put it in off the goalkeeper's glove setting on this really tense tense tense ending noise in the stadium when that goal went in it was just whistling you know at piercing levels and it was very clear to everyone around me in that moment I think when that ball went in they knew what they were watching I think once that first one went in I think there was no doubt to any Argentinian how that was going to end.

37:03That was what was so crazy about this moment.

37:05Roger Bennett:I didn't feel tense at all. As soon as they saw the first. Why is that? Why is that? Because what you're watching is a team that believes so fervently in its own destiny that it's contagious. That's what that is. That went in and they knew. There was a stress and there was an anxiety. 2-1. They're still losing. They're, what, seven minutes away from defeat. Messi's last ever game. But the anxiety just crackled away and it was like, they were like, okay, watch it. We've seen this. watching now the knockout punch, it's coming.

37:34James Horncastle:But you say that, and Scaloni said it after the game. He was like, I knew because we've been creating two chances. We were going to do this. And yet afterwards, because they bottle up all this emotion, it all then comes out. They start crying. It does. It does. I mean, it is crazy that because football, you always think save the emotion. It's too much, too much. They need this. That's what's so crazy about them. Like when football teams get too emotional, they lose the focus. They lose the rational decision-making. Argentina are not normal football teams. It's pure emotion. It's pure animal instinct.

38:04And in this moment, I felt like I was watching an animal go in for the kill. That's what it was. 2-1 down. No problem. We're going to kill them. Time for science. We ran a poll. Was Egypt's second goal correctly ruled out by VAR? No. 71 percent. Yes. 29 percent. We've never had so many people in Egypt tuning in and watching along and voting. That's called democracy. Argentina, taken all the way by Kate Verde. They do feed off this frenzy. Ball now all played in and around the Egyptian box. 84 minutes, another hoof cross, ball pinged around, never quite cleared, never quite controlled. You felt, though, every Argentinian player was just limbs flailing, eyes bulging, just trying to get the ball to Messi, just trying to feed it.

38:43It was like NBA, get it to the shooter, get it to the shooter. And Alvarez finally found him. It was the foot position on the shot. It was stunning what he did. I mean, he slapped that ball off the goalkeeper's hand, top crossbar on the way. By the way, he charged off in this moment at greater velocity to celebrate than he has at any time on the field during the entire World Cup.

39:06James Horncastle:Yeah, it's like an electric current just surges through him. And he's just like trying to work it out of himself. Now, I remember when he scored against Mexico in the second game of the last World Cup, having lost to Saudi Arabia before, again, that release was very, very similar. Speed, God. And then the stadium around me just totally erupted. There were grown men sobbing, hugging, tumbling all around me. I've got video of it. I should have put it up. There was such relief. There was such ecstasy. So much. The emotion was so profound. I was telling you earlier, I went to the game with a small group.

39:43One of them was a woman who's never been to a football match before. She stood by me. She started crying. She was just so overweight. I can only say it as like a religious ecstasy.

39:55James Horncastle:Like going to one of those evangelical conventions. 100%. Ye be healed. By the way, it is like an evangelical. I'm not a religious or spiritual person, but you can feel it, man. I can't be the only person that said that. I've never felt like that at a football game.

40:14Roger Bennett:It has all of the same ingredients as religion, whatever your faith might be. It relies on its hope and its sense of destiny. it's a sense of belief it's a sense that things are arranged for you and that you need to kind of pray to your great god leo and he will sort things out there's a transfiguration of defeat into

40:30James Horncastle:victory which is yeah and and i think what was great in that first half it looked like nothing was going for messi he missed the penalty he had a free kick saved he had a shot which hit the corner flag which you never see him that far off target and often mere mortals you'd say This is not their day. It's just not going to happen for them. And yet, he was still able to look at the destiny that people had in mind for him and said, not for me, not today. First place to score six consecutive World Cup knockout games. Keeps inventing new records to break. Eight goals so far this World Cup, plus the two missed penalties.

41:10The assist on Romero's goal takes him to nine total. World Cup record, ding, ding, ding, 39 years old, only getting better somehow. but we had no time for this. Argentina kept surging. It was momentum. It was pure energy. It was totally clear to everyone around me what was going to happen. There would be no extra time. Stadium was pulsating. Shirts were now off everywhere, being whipped around. All the lads just getting them out.

41:39James Horncastle:The muchachos. The soccer muchachos. Remember, I was in the quite expensive seats, bits out everywhere. And I look strange. In the koozie. Yeah. I was getting stares because I was like, I have my shirt on. It was like, come on, Rog. You know what? It was two minutes into stoppage.

42:00Roger Bennett:The Argentinians asked him, vos sos une never nude?

42:07That's amazing. They had no time for arrested development bans. They had a game to win. Two minutes into stoppage time. Actually, Egypt were charging, weren't they?

42:17Roger Bennett:The key moment is Leandro Paredes' tackle. Leandro Paredes, Egypt, I can't remember which player it was, but Egypt broke because Argentina was so far forward and it looked like they were going to create one of those chances to counterpunch Argentina. And Leandro Paredes waited and waited and waited. And just at the last moment, he took the ball. And then a minute later... Flung it to Letoro Martinez, open on the right flank. And he floated in just a lethal arc. And it was like watching a death trap. Enzo Fernandez. So he rose up, perfect body position to nod away from the suddenly stranded, totally exposed keeper.

42:53And in the stadium in that moment, it was like a bomb detonated. It was a bomb of joy and love and mania and pride and life itself. This crowd, they flung themselves into the air. There were old men flung onto shoulders. There were grown men hugging, falling downstairs. We'd seen a goal. It was like more than a goal. It was a biblical miracle. At golden calf levels, we'd all paid witness, yet they expected it. It was just like a miracle. And it was also something that they've come to be accustomed to in equal measure. And it was incredible.

43:29Roger Bennett:They believe so firmly in their own destiny that they manifest it. That's what happens with Argentina.

43:34James Horncastle:And that's why you can't explain it. We live in an age of kind of over-intellectualization of football, where every move on a football pitch is analyzed like a chess move. and instead what's refreshing about this is you can't explain it. It just happens. It's an alchemy. Yeah. It's an alchemy. I mean, it's ineffable and it is like trying to work out what is God? What are we watching? 3-2 after being 2-0 down. 31st goal in second half stoppage time in this very, very, very drunk World Cup. World Cup's 3 ,000 goal ever ends out the scenes. manager Lionel Scaloni again could only put his hands over his face.

44:14I don't know if it was disbelief or relief or just anxiety just being released in that moment. You are right. There's a calm and it all comes out. Messi tried to just walk around as if it was cool and then broke down and just sobbed inconsolably. When my mum cries, it makes me cry. When my wife cries, it makes me cry. When Messi, there's three people in the world. It's like, I always think like, When I see him cry, it's like I hear princing, and this is what it sounds like when doves cry. It really reeks me. You don't want to be crying in a jacuzzi. That would be awful. No one notices. It's like when you piss in the shower, man.

44:50Or a jacuzzi. I know. I wasn't going to say that completely. I was in it. But, you know, now you've outed me. You know, 39-year-old man who was running around the field 2-0 down thinking his World Cup life was over. That, you know, he'd seen a death. He'd seen a light. He was walking towards the light. And then he screamed, no, not today. And lived with his brothers to fight it again. This Lord team. But man, the delta he lived today, between a round of 16 exit as his legacy, as his final kick being wiped out by Egypt. And instead, having another chapter to write in his World Cup journey of wonder.

45:30That is sliding doors crap, man. And this tournament, I realized, in that moment, the tournament needs Messi now. The Argentinian fans need Messi. In a way, the world bloody needs Messi.

45:41Roger Bennett:He's sort of the story now, I think. I mean, it might be, it's hard to say if Argentina will win it or not, but Messi, with the US out, with Brazil gone, with Germany gone, with the Dutch gone, I think Messi is the person that will, that is the story that is most compelling about the World Cup. Now, what was interesting today, though, and what was significant to me, Messi was brilliant, stored the equaliser, was the dominant figure. But for the first time in this tournament, some of the others stood up as well. Because that's the one thing that never gets mentioned about Qatar, that Enzo was brilliant.

46:07Roger Bennett:Alexis McAllister was brilliant. Julian Alvarez was brilliant. Alvarez, brilliant. They've all not really done anything. In Argentina, they call it Messi Dependencia. And it means that the players are continually just looking to Messi. You sort the problems out. This is for you. Today, I thought when Lautaro, James' favourite player, I thought Lautaro came on and made a huge difference. Enzo in the second half was really good. Alexis, who's been poor for a year, looked a little bit more like his own self again. Messi needs them to deliver as well. Tania Fico was brilliant. He got taken off, but it really surprised me because he was their best player for about an hour.

46:42Roger Bennett:Yeah. Fig cutter. The fig cutter. Argentina. George the dressing room released a few figs. You can see Argentines doing that, getting the old fruit knife out

46:52James Horncastle:and then just handing out some figs. Get in there, warm it up for the last. Court finalists now in five of the last six World Cup. It was beautiful watching Messi flung into the air like a little care bear.

47:03Roger Bennett:Tell him to stop in case they dropped him, in case he got Henderson. Wow, I didn't think that. I just don't think, you know, it's like... El Hendo. He doesn't like being touched. No, my hat says El Hendo. He knows how close this was. I mean, it really, with more tears, Peach State Remontada. Lovely to see Tom Brady watching along, tweeting this. Yeah, so that might top 28-3. I mean, it is epic. Just go watching go, respecting these moments, validating these moments, reinforcing these moments. We do need to quickly touch upon the fact that, you know, in the wake of it, Egypt were, I think, quite understandably heated.

47:44You know, I remember the Egyptian staff sent off Salah. Salah, I actually thought, led really well in that moment. He thought he should have had a penalty in the build-up to the winning goal. Egypt players stunned, panting, couldn't process what happened. Afterwards, Zico said the tournament was quite rigged. An Egyptian manager said that the World Cup was, quote, directed towards Argentina. Life is unfair. The world is unfair. Okay, but why isn't there fairness in sports? I'm not convinced by this outcome. The referee is unfair. God is sufficient for me and the best disposer of affairs. I mean, it's...

48:23God chose Leo today.

48:24Roger Bennett:you can understand the fury largely because not only was the goal the Egyptian goal that was ruled out but because in the build up to Argentina's third there was a foul that looked very similar to the one that cost Egypt that second goal but also it is it's the spectre of Balagan it's the spectre of it has opened doors to things that we should not open doors to it's created an optical question mark is what you're saying we're going to leave that there because I know you all want to get to Switzerland and Colombia. I'm kidding. I do want to say goodbye to Mo Salah. This is another moment in the generational changing of the guard.

49:01All the greats, Mo Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, of course, Tim Ream. He's going to keep playing. Who am I kidding? All the OGs. All of them knocked out round of 16 in what is surely their last World Cup. The only one left is this guy.

49:17Roger Bennett:The greatest of them all. Yeah. I mean, the goat of goats. Hustle Bowden says in the chat, I mourn for the future of football post-Messi, which is a really fascinating thing to think through. By the way, did you see Mo Salah and ex-Liverpool teammate McAllister swap shirts at full time? I thought this was the UFC fight

49:34James Horncastle:on the White House lawn. It's amazing. It's just a little henchman

49:38Roger Bennett:question mark. Yeah, yeah. He is absolutely, he's been henchman for ages. Not that, I mean that. I've never seen his back.

49:45James Horncastle:We always see his abs. I know, he always gets his bits out. But show us your back. The back's beautiful. Jason Mamou Salah.

49:52Roger Bennett:Nice. I'm working workshop in that I couldn't believe it it's like a waterbed I mean but McAllister looks like Tyler Derny he looks fight club-ish he does look fight club-ish yeah that is true oh it's beautiful

50:04James Horncastle:it's beautiful

50:05Roger Bennett:what a pair of bodies and also

50:07James Horncastle:nice to see teammates or ex-teammates now getting on in the way that Bernardo and Roger clearly don't anymore

50:13Roger Bennett:Liverpool you know Liverpool players have a touch of class about and Roger would agree with that I'm going to move on I do want to just cap it by talking personally for a second I left the stadium feeling so exhilarated. I'm quite tired. I don't know if you know that in this World Cup. I've never experienced anything like it as a sports fan in America. I've been to Raiders games, which are incredible in their own way. SEC football games, which are also a similar kind of euphoria. I've been to Eagles games and seen true triumph of wonder. This was like, you've hit it. It's a church, a faith, a religion.

50:49but one in which God was real and performing casual everyday miracles before our eyes.

50:57James Horncastle:Yeah, and it's great that he isn't going to be sacrificed for FIFA's sins. He is still here to deliver us. And we're all grateful for it. But give us our trespasses for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. And let's let the Argentinian fans have the last word because this scene in the stadium afterwards, This is Atlanta. This is the house that Arthur built, taken over. This is what Brene Brown means by collective effervescence.

51:42Stunning, man. Amazing. I mean, it's beautiful. It is rapturous.

51:52I love America. To the late game. Colombia nil. Switzerland nil. Switzerland win 4-3 on penalties. Hooray! I think it was called a mercy killing. They're very big on that in Switzerland. Aren't they? A game there in England. The Dignitas derby. Yes, it was. Kill me now because I had to watch it. They called it in England. I don't know if this translates to America. and they brilliantly dubbed it Charlie versus the Chocolate Factory. Don't ask if you're younger watching this. In Vancouver, final game outside the USA. By the way, I do feel this is a very subplot. I do feel like Mexico and Canada kind of got shoved out the spotlight a bit in a World Cup that should have given them more.

52:31I don't know if you guys agree. Well, I mean, Mexico had the opening game,

52:36James Horncastle:which there was a big song and dance literally about that. And then I think one of the big stories about this World Cup is the appreciation for the Azteca. as the definitive World Cup venue. That's it. England ended the Azteca.

52:53Roger Bennett:It's over. No mas. It's over. No mas. No, but we said, Roger, we said this, that the nature of that game will burnish the Azteca's myth in Europe without a shadow of a doubt.

53:02James Horncastle:The English have made it great.

53:04Roger Bennett:I would have liked a quarterfinal in Mexico City, if I'm completely honest. I think it would have been nice. Or even a semi-final. Or even a semi, yeah.

53:10James Horncastle:I mean, in some respects, I think that would have been the best way to do it, where all of the co-hosts, you have, okay, US for final, Mexico City semi-final, and then Toronto, Vancouver, the other semi-final.

53:22Roger Bennett:I'm not sure either of those stadiums are big enough. I would have liked the semi-final in Dawson City, UConn, but I don't always get what you want in life. This is also the final clash. In the round of 16, two teams have been, I think you say, growing round-to-round. Swiss, Sucut, their first knockout win in 88 years against Algeria. Colombia have been hoping Luis Diaz could have a sharper edge as they chugged through the group stage, conceding only once but unable to score. It was only against Uzbekistan in the opener they scored more than one goal. So they're kind of like a national version of Cristiano Ronaldo.

53:57Watching their fans, who are the only group who have made it through all three host nations. They have marched, I think, 6 ,000 miles on their journey, which is incredible to see them emerge into Vancouver. I love this scene. Tell me this isn't like watching Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher lead his gang into a five-points battle in gangs of New York. I just love this.

54:21James Horncastle:And they've made every game feel like a home game for Colombia. We've just spent an hour celebrating the Argentine fans. The Colombians have been magnificent in this tournament. Huge, huge love to this support. Just so much bloody admiration. Unfortunately, this was really the highlight of the game. Switzerland, we've got to say, lost breakout star Johan Manzambi to an abductor injury. They also lat winger Ruben Vargas pulled out training yesterday. So the game was a struggle. It was relatively forgettable. 120 minutes of solitude. Yeah, my son texted me and said it's like an unskippable cut scene in a video game.

54:59Swiss struggled to get a touch inside the Colombian penalty box in the first half hour. Colombians dominated the midfield but struggled to get a shot off. I mean it was dark the whole bloody thing it was like it was like an ambient postlude track on an album you listen to out of respect for the artists involved into extra time that nobody wanted nobody asked for one big chance apiece turned into a bit of a miss off sometimes you get Argentina Egypt cocaine bear sometimes you get Switzerland Colombia ambient sometimes both in the same day it's like the duality of man and humanity to penalties we knew Colombia's Davinson Sanchez would miss before we took it I've never seen

55:40Roger Bennett:anyone who was more certain to miss we could see in his eyes we could read it great readers of people the three of us yeah the kicks went routinely then upstepped to Kanji exit he missed in Euros against England I think Jordan Pickford saved it maybe he should stop taking them because he unleashed I mean how do you say this word in Swiss

56:09James Horncastle:so that's where you had more budget for that well yeah that came before softy dude okay yeah that was a mistake i just wanted to use it by the way it's a tack writer that is um i'm just so happy i could use it man i can't tell you that my laughter comes oh we can use it i'm just so we've used it three or four times i know each time a baffle betting each time i have to pay production fees to the person that makes the music, but it's so worth it. Should we play it again?

56:44Burner. We laugh because we care. Cue Juan Hernandez going up against Koble of Dortmund. He parried sharply. Full extension impressively. Vargas committed some Vargas. and Volgas violence ended it all. And thus, Switzerland are through. I can't wait to watch Switzerland play again, is a sentence no one has said during the entire tournament. Right up there, we've got to wish Christian Pulisic was in more commercials. And can we get another segment with Zlatan and Alexi Lalas? We've got ourselves a Euros, really. Six of the last eight are from Europe. I don't know how you feel about that, guys.

57:23Roger Bennett:Big Europe or energy to the World Cup now. Yeah, no Eurasia. I don't like it. I think it would be better if there was a bit more variety, if I'm completely honest. I couldn't agree more. I couldn't agree more. I mean, what does it say about the state of football? I mean, I suppose, I mean, Switzerland and Colombia was a toss of a coin. So you can't read too much into that. But yeah, it does look a little bit, I suppose the problem is that it's one or two teams that Brazil have disappointed. Brazil haven't been very good. Japan got that unfortunate draw with Brazil in the, you know, they got drawn against Brazil in the round of 32.

57:56Roger Bennett:too. That's a bit of an issue. I mean, the African teams, like there's so many of them making it through and so few making it forward. Couldn't close it. Send it all. There was an ecstasy to the tournament when so many of them made it and to see them all wiped out, I've got to say, I feel like having spent so much time with these African diasporas, which I mean sincerely, I mean, I feel like the tournament has lost something for their absence.

58:18James Horncastle:But all these teams deserve to be there, of course, but I think box office would have been England, Brazil.

58:24Roger Bennett:Yeah.

58:25James Horncastle:Argentina, Colombia, repeat of the last Copa America final. If the US has still been in. I mean, maybe it's best that they weren't playing against Spain, but still, I think for vibes, for energy up and down the country, that would be great. France-Morocco will be fantastic. Yeah, we're happy with that. Are you just trying to get me to play the soccer dudes thing again? I won't be there. At Dr. Jay Kovar says, double centre-back bird burners. He's just trying to encourage me to play it again, which I will resist. At Sean Peters 5099 says, My dad thought Switzerland was Canada until about the 70th minute.

58:58I love America. We've reached the part of the night where we figure out what everyone suddenly believes by taking a look at Calci percentages to peek deep inside the brains of football fans everywhere. Scan below to sign up and trade on Calci. Gents, quarterfinals are officially set. Eight teams, eight dreams of glory. We know the favorites, England, Argentina, Spain, France, not in that order. but of the four underdogs listed here, who's got the best chance to spring an upset? And is it obvious the answer is Norway?

59:30Roger Bennett:I think the answer probably is Norway. Switzerland would have watched Argentina and thought they can beat them. The Switzerland are less likely to be susceptible to that kind of surge than Egypt. Argentina have won their last two games in the knockouts, the 3-2. They will give Switzerland the chance. I think probably the most finely poised, well, France-Morocca was the most finely poised quarter because I think Morocco could beat the French. it is possible Morocco beat the French.

59:53James Horncastle:And it's surprising that they're bottom of this.

59:55Roger Bennett:But I think it's the strength of the French, isn't it? It is. I think the only one that I think there isn't really a chance of an upset in is Spain-Belgium. That's the only one that I'd say, I'd be baffled.

1:00:06James Horncastle:The only thing I would say about that is Spain have those games where they draw nil-nil against Cape Verde and Bazzini is fantastic. And they didn't score until stoppage time against Portugal. As much as they shut out teams, they struggle to score unless they play Austria. And I would just say, warning to all global teams who underestimate Belgium. I will say no more, but we learn our lessons through pain. Tomorrow, let's look quickly. For the first time in 27 days, brace yourself, world. There will be no World Cup football matches. What are we going to do with our hands? I mean, I mean,

1:00:47Roger Bennett:we're going to be lost, Rog. I don't know why what we do with our hands is relevant. I don't know. You'll spend all day in the jacuzzi like normal. Yeah, and we won't see the hands. Well, they won't struggle. I'm actually going to, tonight, to Boston. You are, aren't you? We're going to film with Jan Diamand tomorrow. Going to get him to sign for Everton, lads. That's exciting. Do you feel good about a day off? You know, like, so, like, Patty Hearst syndrome that you just, like, genuinely need at least four to six games to, you know, The fan in me, the fan in me says, it is a shame there is no football tomorrow.

1:01:19Roger Bennett:The man who has done 27 straight podcasts and live streams plus several live shows. The queues. To the queues! To the queues! I've got to tell you. I've not showered in 27 days. That's because you've been in the queues. Let me ask you in the chat, do jacuzzis count as showers? What you can't tell on the stream, what you can't tell is that Roger actually has a very tiny jacuzzi for his feet right now. Well, I do. Everyone thinks I don't. So many of you think I don't have pants on. It, like, scares me. And you're right. Of course. I tell everyone I write in when I'm like, do you not have any family?

1:01:58How do you know? Can you see right through me? It's not about me. So tomorrow, I'd like to imagine Zlatan and Lacksy will mount a tandem and just cycle together in harmony around Los Angeles. But come Thursday, we will emerge, blinking into the sunlight of a brave new world. Get our football fix. Thursday, quarterfinals. We need a sting. France versus Morocco. Quarter-final rematch of the 2022 semifinal. 13 players returning from those respective rosters. France tournament best plus 12 goal difference. Morocco anxiously await news over the fitness of their striker. Ismael Sabari left the field in tears against Canada.

1:02:35That's never that good, is it? With an apparent hamstring strain. France survived that MMA match against Paraguay just. And Kylian Mbappe issued a warning post-game. We can get our hands dirty too. They take a few good chances. The Paragmines failed to take. I'll think about those. Morocco, devastating on the counter. Very odd stage of the World Cup, guys, where the games, once in such abundance, that felt so plentiful, slow down to just a drip, drip, drip. I'm just warning you World Cup watchers, you start to feel like the end of the tournament is coming, starting Thursday. And you begin to love it and mourn it at the same time.

1:03:16to borrow Tommy Vito's words, it does feel like a death in the family is coming.

1:03:20Roger Bennett:Yeah, you have that sense that it does feel like it's almost over and you miss the kind of constant diet of football. But the effect is to make each of these individual games feel so meaningful. The World Cup is two things. It is a global carnival. For the first three weeks, it's a global carnival.

1:03:37James Horncastle:It's a European carnival.

1:03:38Roger Bennett:It's Eurovision. Everyone gets to put on special hats and wear kilts and kind of perform their national identity. and after that finishes which was round of 32 last 16 ish once the fun stops the most stressful sporting competition in the world begins so if you've been if you've you've come for the fun that's fine but what you get now is just pure unadulterated uncut tension and it's magnificent

1:04:02James Horncastle:and those drops those little drops that you talked about it's just like all you need is one yeah it's like a psychedelic that's what you need we'll save that for our other podcast today in Today in casual narcotic use with Jimmy Horncastle, the big chief, as he calls himself on that hall. I'm out for what this says. Is it a jacuzzi or bath? What a question. Sean Peter says, I shower before I go into a hot tub. You should. You should. Well done, Sean. You should, but I don't because I don't have to. It's his own private jacuzzi because, and I stress, Rog want bubbles. Yeah, Rog want bubbles. I'd like to transgress normal codes of...

1:04:45Offset, I'm just an awful human being. I really am. We asked in the chat, what's going to be the best quarterfinals match? Norway versus England, 51%. France versus Morocco, 43%. Spain versus Belgium, 3%. And everyone hates Switzerland, 3 % against Argentina. Just your casual, miracle, messy comeback. It's time for the food. To your bit, my cock comprehend. Tonight we got, oh my God, my favourite Atlanta staple, Busy B. purveyor of incredible soul food. I love you, Busy B. Thanks, Charlie. Coming to us with a classic two-piece fried chicken with a side of mac and cheese and candied yams. I always like the idea of candied yams more than the actual real yam.

1:05:27Incredible farewell till our time in Atlanta. You won't be called a bun here. You know what? I went here properly yesterday. I went to – I love to go to this place. I love to have it fresh. But this is pretty bloody good for me. Oh, wow. Roy, you've taken on Waffle House, I'd say, as a major part of your identity. I'm pretty sure you made up at 90 % chicken and waffles at this point. Tell us how the great Busy Bee compares. Let's go to it. Three simple steps. Eat, ponder, score, but pretty quickly because I've got to get my flight to Boston. Let's move it, guys. Stop the pigging. Start the scoring.

1:06:04We should have music kicking at this point. This is a real show. Where's this day? Well, we need them just like music. We've got to sting. We need like tension bed. Sting! We've got to sting!

1:06:17The European mind cannot comprehend. Look at the food.

1:06:25That's what the Americans call vegetables. You look very handsome there. I think this is going to be... By the way, I spent most of a football show talking about stings today. with Tutsi. These are the top ones. These are the leaders in the food clubhouse. I think, I'm not eating any because I don't want to give you Mesopotamia if you're listening at home, but I think this is, having had some full lunch yesterday, I think this is about a 9.6.

1:06:50Roger Bennett:The big question is, Rog, will it not Air One, which you hate, but did make the best smoothie in the world. I can't stand it. It's like you just turned into Wuccarata. Air One is gone. Yeah! It's a 9.1. Suck it, Air One! Suck it! Oh my god. I wonder if anyone's called their child Erwan. There must be in LA, like little Erwans. This is Erwan? If you did name him, your child's going to grow up to be a prick. I don't like to be judgmental. He's definitely like, hey, guys.

1:07:16James Horncastle:That's really good chicken. He's really good chicken. He's super good. That's why I went for 8.9. Oh, God, that's too low to knock off Erwan. But it doesn't matter. Rory has killed Erwan. I do hate. I do, do, do. And I'm sorry if you have called yourself Erwan, and Erwan is a beautiful child. Erwan, I adore you. I didn't mean to be judgmental. Raw, James, you might be northern men back in your homeland, but after eating this, you will forever have a little slice of southern in your hearts and in your digestive tracts. Last but not least, as we always invite you to send you our letters, no, your letters to us.

1:07:49Come on, Rog. Meninblazersgmail.com or in our Discord. Tell us your feelings, your experiences, your fears, your joys from this World Cup. Drop us live, Meninblazers, Discord or Meninblazersgmail.com. and then if we read it, send us your postal, we'll send you a patch. This one comes to us from the great Walker Stevens.

1:08:08Roger Bennett:Roar, do the honours. I've watched the game for 20 years as of this World Cup. I've cried over matches, laughed over results and thanks to Chelsea lately, been quite apathetic at times. I got into the game like most young boys and started watching because of my older brother who has a seven-year gap over me, starting to watch it. The biggest all I've ever celebrated though was in 2010 when the US played Algeria in the World Cup. After watching 90 strawless minutes, the Landon Donovan goal made our entire household scream. To this day I've still not celebrated a goal that loudly. My parents weren't soccer fans but they watched and cared because my brother and I cared.

1:08:42Roger Bennett:Fast forward to 2026 and my brother is currently on his sixth tour of duty with the military and lord willing he is coming home at the end of July. The worst thing unfortunately is the changes my family has seen since that day. I've lost both of my grandfathers, one of my grandmothers and my brother-in-law who was a massive part of our family. I sit here quietly disappointed in the abject performance of our US MNT, the Osment, against Belgium, and I wanted to be frustrated, but I think of the moments I've shared with the people that have mattered more than the game. One year ago, we spent July the 4th in Houston with my brother-in-law as he was battling Canada.

1:09:15Roger Bennett:This, sorry, battling cancer. This year, I watched Canada and Morocco compete in the same city when I carried my three-week-old daughter around the house. Soccer is great, and it sucks, sometimes all at once, but it pales in comparison to the relationships we make along the way. Thank you for your podcast. And I will always remember to never take watching soccer together for granted. Courage. Walker Stevens, you're a beautiful human being. That is a beautiful, beautiful letter. When we're next in Houston, do me a favor, write us an email. You will always have a ticket at any Men in Blazers show.

1:09:48Anytime. And I want to give you a hug. That letter has given me life, given me joy. I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sorry for your loss of your brother-in-law. And I love what you've said. Soccer is great and it sucks. Sometimes all at once. Kind of sums up how I feel right now. I think we've all felt that, US fans at this World Cup. But that's why we watch. That's why we'll continue to watch. So let's not take a moment of watching football together for granted.

1:10:17Before we sign off, Matchday Live Tour continues. Can't sleep, won't sleep. We ship up to Boston this Thursday, July 9th, 1 p.m. Oh, my God. We're going to the gorgeous Marriott Longworth, head of the quarterfinals, France against Morocco. Come and be with us. We'll be joined on stage by some amazing guests. World Cup champion, the host of the women's game, the mighty Sam Lewis. You love her, right? I love Sam Lewis. The joy of this trip. She's a golden energy. Non-jacuzzi joy of this trip. and World Series champion, one of my heroes, Pedro Martinez, the legendary Red Sox pitcher is amongst the guests.

1:10:57Come be with us in Beantown and you can become the fourth winner of the World Cup final tickets with the Marriott Take Your Shot Challenge. A kid won yesterday in Atlanta. It was incredible. Pure strike followed by pure joy.

1:11:12Roger Bennett:And then followed by something else, but we won't talk about that. Yeah, no, kid was so excited. He vomited. It was amazing, genuinely. He was so excited and I love him. It was just genuinely America. Booten rally. Link for more in the notes below. That's it for tonight. We'll be back on Thursday. No games tomorrow. What will we do with ourselves? And our hands. And our hands. I've got to get the jacuzzi to Boston somehow. I don't know if we're going to do that one. I've got to go on a flight. By the way, watch the beautiful interview we take with Hurt Gomez this morning, breaking down the heartbreak of last night's U.S.

1:11:46Men's National Team performance in a really constructive way. I want to thank you, James, for being with us in Atlanta. I've loved every second in your company. You're an amazing mensch. Ross Smith, what a king. Man, we are doing this, baby, and we're doing it with you. It's been honestly incredible to share these moments, this journey, with your insights, your comments, your letters, all of it, man. We do not take it for granted. You're hilarious. You're poignant. You're beautiful. And to share all of this along with you is the honor of my lifetime. Let's leave you with a small clip for the interview.

1:12:19giving us up already for the 2030 World Cup. It's never too early to dream. It's Rog. Say big, big love and courage, America. You tell me if they'll be on the roster in 2030. Gio Reyna. No. Matt Fries. No. Anthony Robinson. No. Segino Dest. Yes. Tyler Adams. I don't think his body will allow it. Weston McKinney. No. Kavan Sullivan. No. Freddie Adu. He'll be, what, 29? 26. Maybe. Christian Pulisic. No. Tim Ream. 63 years of age. Yes. He will be there, won't he?