Messi's hat trick, Haaland powers Norway, and Mbappé shines for France with Diego Luna: Night Cup 6/16/26

32:01Like, Mexico is going through a difficult time. the United States, impossible not to mention, I mean, how much friction as a country they have today with the rest of the world, you know. But it's nice when you see football, because football, even though they want to steal it from us with all of these decisions being made for money making, at the end is it belongs to fans and it belongs to the players and it belongs to people that are actually pleased to be there, you know, and share the time and the experience with others, you know. Yes, obviously, we're rivals, but there's something beyond that, you know, and it's what we are capable of doing for football, you know.

32:54People are traveling. People are finding a new culture. and it's beautiful to see these events when the match is over but football still is creating something socially. I think it's going to be exciting to see how this develops. I did a podcast called Cambiar la Historia And it was fascinating to see how many kids were called Pelé when he left, were named with his name. How many Diegos after 86 were born in 87 and 88. Every kid was Diego. And that's a stamp that a World Cup leaves. you know there's going to be a lot of earlings

33:57Rog:there's going to be a lot of earlings in about in about nine months time is that what you're saying I mean at Estaban Kiroz 9168 in the chat says the resurgence of humanity and hospitality has been an incredible breath of fresh air we do need that more than ever ladies an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is also the official sponsor of all bandwagon fans during this euphoric summer of footballing wonder. And this summer, they're inviting all of us to jump on because come kick off, hope springs eternal. My cold dark heart grows three sizes every FIFA World Cup. The ebullient Moroccans, the splime Spanish, you can't help but fall in love again and again.

34:41Rog:So ask grandma if perhaps you're 116th French, Brazilian or Japanese, adopt a new anthem, borrow a new flag, embrace that bandwagon because when your team goes home, the party doesn't have to. Grab a bag of Lay's, gather some friends and cheer for whoever you damn well like. A word from our friends at 1440. The 2022 World Cup final drew 1.5 billion viewers. It's 11 times this year's Super Bowl. To understand how football became the world's game and what drove it, listen to 1440 Explores with Financial Times journalist Simon Kuiper, who will give you the inside scoop into the depths of the tournament.

35:19Rog:Listen to 1440 Explores wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

35:55Rog:Just head to the events tab on meninblazers.com for all the details. To the football, to more together, courage. I want to touch upon two quick stories and then pull this together. I need to ask you about our US men. You were very generous up top talking about them. I do think the 4-1 winner don't like to be hyperbolic, but it was one of the greatest moments in American history up there with the moon landing. what did you make of it? I'm still not quite sure where it came from that performance I think it came from the exact opposite of what I was complaining about Mexico it's all basically there is a strategy behind you can tell is it more than 10 of the players that are on the team that play in important leagues in Europe, right?

36:58I think it's, I saw that number, nine or ten of your players are in good leagues, you know, and playing for their teams. But you have a league that allows them to go and go for cheap, you know, so they can be like big teams in Europe can invest in these players because there is a risk, you know, like when you sell a player and when you buy a player, sorry. I also think that there is a mentality that that team carries, that they're fighters, all of them, you know. It doesn't matter what their limitations are technically. They're fighters, and you can tell that it's the 11, you know, bringing that energy.

37:49And it's quite amazing what they decided, you know, and I think the coach and whoever handles that team made a good decision. All the teams you guys played before the World Cup, you know, made you look bad. but you were worried about elevating your level, about being pushed to be best instead of making it easy for you to deliver on games that actually don't matter and they're there for that for you to get ready and get in shape and get in your best version

38:30Rog:and get battle hardened, I loved one of the commentators in Mexico when Hank Balogun scored his second goal. I think it was Christian Martinoli, Jorge Campos and Luis Garcia. They shouted in English, are you effing kidding me? Oh my goodness. Oh my gosh. Just unleashing beautiful, beautiful English. The other story I wanted to hear from you was Virginia, the 40-year-old goalkeeper, came out of nowhere. Second division Portuguese football, a journeyman. Now as we sit here he's got over 10 million instagram followers because he shut out spade beautiful story he came on our show yesterday he's a really humble man but oh he did yeah yeah amazing man amazing man you know i asked him if he was nervous before the game he was like no we came to win but i'm an arsenal fan and there was david riah there and it was very nervous and and there was also you know one barcelona fan and seeing them all i couldn't believe it so it was like very human and you know mental, the emotional, the rational.

39:29Rog:It was a gorgeous, gorgeous conversation. But his rise, that more than anything, the fact that we all know his name, the fact that kids all over the world are shouting out that they're Vizinha as they play on the field, that's the power of the World Cup to me. Yeah. And is it true that he couldn't bring his family with him? Yeah, his mother. His mother was not able to get a visa. That's insane. I mean, that's when, you know, that's when we should all get really mad at this like structure. It's ridiculous. I was so pleased with the way he played, even though I, I mean, I was painfully watching because I really, I really wanted the goal to go in, the ball to go in, sorry.

40:15But you did. Why? Because you're a heartless man. Why? No, just because I like, you know what I like about football goals? You know, I think goalkeepers are interesting but weird people, you know. They're there to somehow like block what the natural flow of football is, to celebrate goals and go back and start again and celebrate another one. And then they come in and they say, no, wait a second. you're not gonna enjoy it this uh but anyway he is fabulous the way he played i mean come on and uh and what it meant it was it was beautiful to witness um say a future diego luna movie you'll be playing vicinia vicinia i would love to play vicinia and and also that we you and i that that i even wrote the name here i said like i need to write it because i don't wanna i don't wanna miss it uh it's like suddenly vicina became like such a such an important you know figure for for

41:27Rog:football in general he represents all of us right we're all in a way in a way he's living out the dream we always hope it's never too late to play in the world cup it's true but also it is this thing that the World Cup is showing today which is like for a long time not just the structure and the system of football but in general the world has pointed out who are the weak and who are the powerful and there's always a need to put you somewhere you know to make sure you understand what your dynamic with the rest of the world should be and then football comes and uh and a guy like bocina or vicina the the bocina uh that that has that plays in the second league that gets paid less than many of the commentators that are working in in the world cup uh today not even the players you know uh and and the guy makes the difference And the guy reminds you that football is the sport where the weak have an opportunity and where you can, like, establish, you know, and tell your own story, that it is in your hands, that you are not meant to be who the system wants you to be, you know.

42:58and it has happened with Morocco, it has happened with Salah and Egypt, it has happened with those four wonderful minutes of Curaçao, you know. It's astonishing. The first four minutes, if you edit that. Yes. And if I am a player of Curaçao and I edit those four minutes and I tell my kids and my grandchildren in 40 years, look, this is what we did in the World Cup. My kids might think that that was it. I mean, for those four minutes, it is true. It's happening.

43:36Rog:In North Korea, they edit football. So they only show the North Korean national team's goals. So some of the games are only two minutes long. I think Curacao have permission to North Korea, those highlights, show them for often. And the story will get bigger with every telling. Two quick ones before I let you go. at nickmar4159. I think everyone wants you to make the Vettinia movie now. You'll be amazing in it. When you win an Oscar, just remember this chat, baby. But nickmar4159 wants to know, if Diego Luna could play any football figure in a biopic, who would you want it to be? Anybody? Damn, that is very complicated.

44:17That is very, very complicated.

44:25I would I don't know I don't know What's the complication Diego? Well the first one is my age I would have to play him when he's not a footballer anymore and I wonder which footballer had an interesting life after football after playing and then there is great players but I would say the story would have to be on the unknown you know, which is probably the most interesting one. But there's one player that I think needs a film. I won't be able to play him, but he's a hero in Mexico. He is a hero in the States. He changed, he's again like the story of someone that wasn't supposed to be a goalkeeper, couldn't be the best goalkeeper.

45:22and he managed to get our attention with the way he played, with the way he dressed, with the way he actually was friendly to everyone, even though this is not about being friendly, he chose to be friendly and that is Jorge Campos. He has a life between the States and Mexico. He's naughty and fun and he's cool. And I think he would be a great character for a film. And the way he scored, you know, he had this thing of when the striker was coming straight at him. It's like these animals that play dead, you know? He would pretend he fall. You can see it. He pretends he falls to one side, But then in an instant, he's standing again in front of you, and you already think you're clear to go to the other side, and then he gets the ball.

46:29He was fantastic at doing that, coming down and up, pretending he was falling, pretending he was a disaster. I think that was his strategy, telling you, yes, I'm terrible, I'm tiny. I mean, I'm never going to reach that ball. He would use the... Like today, VAR would probably screw his game, you know, because I remember with the Irish players, he would put one hand in the shoulder of the Irish and he would push himself on the corner kick, you know, to reach the ball because not even jumping with his hand up, he would jump higher than any irish guy he's tiny again pretending he's a disaster that's really my

47:18Rog:life story um last question for you beautiful human being who's going to win it all ah man it's going to be a mexico cape verd final right i think i think it's going to be mexico I think it's going to be Mexico but if I have to put Mexico aside and my passion and my hopes and my love for the team I would say I really hope I think the final at the end is going to be as everyone thinks France or Spain because those are yesterday the only game I could watch was France. And the way they, Olyse and Mbappé, like the way they make it look, it's simple for them. It's easy for them. What others have, I mean, struggle to score a goal, for them it's like scratching their, you know, their necks.

48:20Like, it's like, oh, and you go like, oh, shit, he just scored again. Like, wow. Wow. So I do think that those teams are going to be rising, rising, rising. I think we're going to see a different tournament in a few weeks. You know, it's going to be back to what World Cups normally are. I really hope one of these teams we were not expecting anything from actually has like the power, the commitment and the energy to get to that other tournament. I do think Morocco plays amazing. I think, I mean, Egypt played like wonderful football. So I'm really hoping for one of those teams to get to the end.

49:06Mexico probably or the States or both.

49:09Rog:You're a big hearted man, Diego. You really are. Yeah, but I see a France-Germany or Germany-Spain final one more time. And that's it. God bless. Can I just say what you just said? Passion, hope and love. That's what you bring. I find you so energising. The way you experience football with just full on passion and wonder. People, please watch Mexico 86 on Netflix. It is kind of like the perfect parallel pathway to this tournament and the tectonic plates that are under it. Diego Luna, it is amazing to be with you. I'm thinking about you every time Mexico take the field. I do. I sit there and think, what is Diego experiencing?

49:58Rog:Huge, huge love to you, man. Thank you so much. I have a question for you before we go. Please. Do you think the U.S. is missing Diego Luna in his team or not? Oh, God bless. The actor Diego Luna, that would be very meta. if you played Diego Luna, that player in a movie, that would be like a Spike Jonze movie. It would be really, really unbelievable. Or you don't think he has that level? It would be like John Malkovich. Look, I found it very painful. I'm very fond of Diego Luna. I know how much this meant to him. I know his sacrifice. I know how much he dreamt of this moment. I think there was an agony for him to be at the last.

50:48Rog:He played so much. He'd been such a part of kind of Pochettino. He's talked about the mental rebuild that he had to do with this team. I think Diego Lunar ultimately was used to bring his tenacity and his ferocity and to be discarded at last was a real, real agony. When it happened, I've spoken to a lot of players who were cut at the last before a World Cup, and all of them said the same thing. like for them, their career was all about how they rebounded from that moment, the ferocity with which they took the field, the next step. And I pray that for him in every regard. I think if Friday against Australia and Australia are a very good football team, doesn't go how we want.

51:34Rog:I think ultimately we can talk again. But after that first performance where it was so ecstatic and every player, I mean, I still don't understand it. It was like seeing, I mean, it really was. It was like seeing Matthew McConaughey in his later, you know, in Dallas Buyers Club. You're like, holy crap, I didn't know he could do that. I didn't know our team could play like that, Diego. You know, we've been making rom-coms in CONCACAF all this time. And suddenly we're stepping up and we're winning Oscars. So it's hard to tell at the moment. There's an energy. There's a wonder. I pray for Mexico too, like you do for the US.

52:11Rog:I hope both of us weave ourselves into this tournament because I think it's going to be massive with or without Mexico, with or without the United States. And I just hope for our footballers and our nations, Canada too, that we do make ourselves a major part of this tournament and make our countries proud. You're a gorgeous human being. It's amazing to be with you. Timor, health, happiness. Big, big love, man.

52:35James Horncastle:Ciao.

52:35Rog:Ciao. Ciao, ciao, ciao. I love that, man. What a human being. Keep the comments coming in the chat. Weaver says, anybody else feel like round one of the group is taking forever and that you don't want it to end at the same time? That is the perfect way to describe what we're feeling. This man is quite shattered. I'm sure you're all utterly exhausted. That four day, four game of day grind is something. But it's time to dive in to the rest of the football on this enormous day. So welcome back again. It was at the stadium in New Jersey today. witness what he saw with his own eyes welcome back from the athletic that mighty outlet in New York City it's the incredible James Horncastle hello Rog I don't know if you know James we just had Diego Luna on and during the segment Gavin the Goliath wrote in the chat the whole time I thought it was James Horncastle doing an accent well

53:33James Horncastle:by the end of this tournament I may appear as Diego Luna. Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich. If you can't differentiate between the two of us, my work will be done.

53:47Rog:Yeah, you're very similar. Very similar looking human beings. We are here on Messi's day, right? I mean, it is Messi's day today.

53:55James Horncastle:It is. And I'm re-watching the game right now. And I'm so glad I actually get to do this because instead of just seeing the highlights, have seen how his first goal just came about organically. And I'm so pleased this has happened to this tournament because I don't know how many people went to that game at Arrowhead for the first time. Maybe it was their first football game and they'd been told about Messi. And how many times do you go to a stadium and you sort of get let down or it doesn't deliver for you? I'm a Levitonian, James. What do you think the answer is? And instead, this guy scores a hat-trick.

54:36James Horncastle:And, I mean, the first goal, I covered all of their games four years ago. And there's just always such a kind of drama around Argentina. Nothing's normal about them. You know, goals provoke not their fans to tears, but players on the pitch to tears, coaches on the bench to tears. and you live this kind of hysteria with them. And, you know, it's both euphoric and exhausting. And so to see that today was just magnificent.

55:13Rog:Euphoric and exhausting. Shane, in the Men in Blazers Discord, wrote, Lionel Messi has never represented any team I support and yet no one in my lifetime has brought me as much pure childlike joy watching football as him. Amen, Shane. That is gorgeous. Bahamas, we've got to get to the game you're at today. France 3, Senegal 1. A fascinating clash. The echo of the 2002 opening game in which Senegal shocked their former coloniser, but also because of the blurred lines behind the rumble. I want to touch on this very quickly before we get to the game. There's an incredible 98 French-born players at this World Cup, Nearly one in every 12 players in this incredible big gold World Cup was born on French soil.

56:01Rog:It's astonishing. 76 of them represent other nations. 13 for Algeria, 12 for Haiti, 10 on this Senegalese team. It comes from the 70s, where France started building a series of national youth training centres. The centres de formation that offered free access to talented youngsters to train. And many of them poured in from immigrant families in the suburbs around Paris. It's been much written about. It's really beautiful. France have won through it. They won the World Cup 98 2018. But also it's kind of funneled in, obviously, to multiple nations. And we saw that today. It was really like, you know, the blurred boundaries of football going up against each other in the most poetic way, James.

56:51James Horncastle:yeah and yeah not just more than 90 from france but more than 50 from paris and those suburbs that you just mentioned more than 50 just from that area alone it's it's incredible and you know there there is always i mean we talk about it um in britain yeah they are here because we were there um yeah that that shared bloodline that you were that that you were talking about that shared heritage and i think you know it was it was great today talking to people like khalidu koulibaly in the mix zone you know the the senegalese captain um and a reminder of just how much these tournaments mean to these people i was listening to um diego a few moments ago and koulibaly was talking about how you know he would have loved um to have more senegalese people here to not only watch the games, to just be in the US to experience this World Cup.

57:55James Horncastle:And some haven't been able to make it because of visa restrictions. But Senegal, Rog, in the first half, really for the first hour, they were on top. And in 2002, they were an underdog story. You know, nobody expected them to get the result that they did on the opening game against the then world champions. They're not underdogs anymore. They're one of the best teams in the world. And, you know, they hit the post early on.

58:28Rog:Yeah, not just hit the post, the ball bounced back off Mike Mannion's trailing foot and just agonizingly trickle one. I think it was Nico Jackson. and really that was a symbol of the game was Senegal's dominance in that first half but non-converted ascendancy. Ismail Assar skied with a net open in first half stoppage time. That was an agony. You look at the French stats from that first half, 28 yards, their only shot came. Five touches, three touches in the opposition box. 0.02 xG. Landon Donovan in the studio, very brave, called the French Arrogant, which Thierry Henry took her about as well as Liam Neeson took the abduction of his kidnapped daughter and taken one, two and three.

59:15Rog:But was it more a case of Senegal doing something right or was it France in that first half doing something very, very wrong?

59:22James Horncastle:No, I think it was a case of Senegal doing things right. They were really compact. They moved the ball really quickly. and that first chance that they had where they hit the post, that came from Kylian Mbappe giving the ball away and not deciding to run after the person he'd just given the ball away to. And I wouldn't necessarily say that was arrogant. That's just what Kylian does, isn't it? And at the end of the day, he was the guy who was on top. but I think you just have to respect what a good team Senegal are. I don't think this was a case of France paying them, being arrogant. I think it's just a case that Senegal...

1:00:08Rog:They're never giving that Afcon trophy back, baby. France came out a different entity, second half. They attacked with venom. Our Mark, Kylian Abapi went down in the box. Sadio Mane, dry diving in there. referee went to the monitor, decided to stick with his decision not to give it. And probably remember the last time someone did give a penalty against Senegal in a big game. And they ended up either winning or losing the AFCON, depending on who you ask. But that all became a footnote because ecstatic positive football took over 65th minute. I'm not sure how Michael Alise saw the pass that he made, James.

1:00:48Rog:The angles he calculated to bypass, almost to bisect five different defenders. Even more astonishing, Mbappe read it, pounce, swept home. I stood up watching Mbélé. I just stood up and just clapped. I think I shouted the word. I don't know why I shouted, erotique, making up French. And I'm like, liberté. Say erotique. Yeah, erotique. I did. I was like, erotique. I just like making crap up, but in a foreign language. So it sounds good. I mean, it was. it was Liberté Egalité New Jersey.

1:01:23James Horncastle:No, indeed. And again, I felt in that moment, Rog, that I'd seen the best moment of the day. I thought it wasn't going to get any better. And instead, it was just starting, not only in New Jersey, but then in the Norway game with Haaland and everything we saw. We'll get to that.

1:01:42Rog:I actually think the game should have been abandoned when he did the flute celebration that James Corden asked him to do. Genuinely, seriously. should immediately disqualify France. If football cares about its future, at least the points deduction. But the change in French energy, everything came from Alisse, Dembele switching spots, Alisse through the middle in the second half. Pack Stadium, 80 ,545, including three New York Knicks who just battered Wemby and suddenly were there to support the French, which is very big-hearted. of them. Bradley Barcola subbed on, surged through the midfield. I think it was a Rabiot pass that sliced open a very stretched Senegal defence in New Jersey.

1:02:26Rog:Had to be Bobby Barcola scoring. True weapon of this French team. All the options off the bench, the closers. If you thwart them, they just unload. Really they have a deep, deep, deep, almost spoil of riches.

1:02:43James Horncastle:They really do. But I think without Michael Olisse's pass. This chess enthusiast, it was a move, Rog, because it basically, it gave Senegal no chance but to come out and play. They were forced to play, and that just opened everything up for those French forwards that you just mentioned. Barcola coming on, Mbappe scoring. What at that moment was the goal of the day? Yeah, his second goal. And, you know, they do have a depth in those positions that no other nation has. I remember the friendly against Colombia in March in Washington, and Didier Deschamps played his second string. And you looked at that second string and you thought, that's probably the second best team at the World Cup.

1:03:38James Horncastle:You mentioned that there are 90 players who are French born. They probably got the third fourth and fifth you know if those players had chosen to play for france instead of the the nationalities that they've chosen to play for i mean we're laughing about it but there is

1:03:53Rog:something truly truly magnificent the the the the footballing depth that they're putting out into the world and and that they're thriving off we saw it here there was an amazing moment senegal's consolation goal 18 year old by munich star ibrahim embi um another of those born in France blasted past man young it felt like mmm I'm interested but it was really fascinating if you watch the game for a moment Senegal felt like they created the disturbance in the force but then the cameras briefly were on the BAPA and he just kind of did the tranquilo symbol with his hands and then just like took the ball charged up field was like sod it slapped the ball from I think at John said in on this good thing Mbappe shot from New York and scored in New Jersey.

1:04:37Rog:It was a record goal, breaking Olivier Giroud's all-time scoring record for France, 58 and counting. He's so good. He is so good. You're right. He doesn't have to track back if he can keep doing what he's doing. We've said, highly skilled Senegal team. They'll tell you they're AFCON champions. This has to be a deeply positive sign for France. How do you handicap? Is there any weakness that you saw today for France? First half dim, second half utterly resplendent.

1:05:07James Horncastle:I think it's whenever a manager has so many riches available to them, like how do you organise them? And credit to Deschamps because his real talent over the last 10 years has been to make some of the most skilled France teams, the most boring teams to watch in international football. and he's clearly making an effort with this one. Instead of playing three in midfield, he wanted to play Ousmane Dembele off Kylian Mbappé with Desiree Douai and Michael Olyse. And I respected that. I was like, thank you. You are really buying into the American entertainment complex, if this is what you want to do.

1:05:56James Horncastle:But it didn't work for an hour, Rog. They just didn't click. And you're still, I think, looking at France for kind of spontaneity and moments and stuff that is beyond the coach's control and imagination. And luckily, he has got players who have that imagination and that ability to create something and all of a sudden turn the game that was slumbering into something that really got you off your seat.

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1:07:18Rog:We saw today Mbappe, we saw Haaland, we saw Messi. Let's talk about the Norwegian return in Boston, the capital of Scotland, now suddenly invaded by the Norwegians. The Viking row all weekend. They've just been doing it wherever they can. It's magnificent to witness another instance of a fan base just celebrating in the most joyous, open way. I mean, I'm a member. I'm old enough to remember when football fandom was violent. Those were the good days. I miss them. Iraq 1, Norway 4. Iraq, we talked about them yesterday, the long journey to this tournament, 40-year hiatus, 21 qualifying matches, the last team to qualify, facing this deeply talented South Norway team, back in the World Cup themselves for the first time since 1998.

1:08:11Rog:And it took Erling Haaland just 29 minutes to find the back of the net for the first time in a World Cup. Explosive dive between two centre-backs, swooped home. and when the ball went in it was just like oh my god that is the first of how many we didn't have to wait long Iraq got an equaliser incredible story 39th minute remarkable human being 30 year old striker vice captain Ayman Hussein find his story a man who's overcome unspeakable pain really truly the depths of darkness father killed by Al Qaeda in 2008 brother kidnapped by ISIS never seen again He and the remaining members of his family were displaced from their home in northern Iraq.

1:08:53Rog:He scored the winning goal against Bolivia to qualify. And upon his arrival in the US, was detained for an extended period in O 'Hare Airport. This man is really an inspiration to see him score, to see him thrive, to see him soar. Must have felt, oh my God, you talk about player sacrifice. This man has taken that to new levels. But Harlan don't care for you inspirational stories. second goal, slapped the ball off a goalkeeping clearance swooped in on Superstar, watching one of those James, watching one of those animal documentaries where a hawk just swoops in, blotting out the sunlight he's so fun to watch when he's not playing for Manchester City and we can all just adore him

1:09:35James Horncastle:yeah, he is a fun character I mean, as much as people I remember when he came on the scene with Salzburg and Dortmund and he would give those kind of quite monosyllabic, but deliberately monosyllabic press conferences. And instead, there's a real warmth to Erling. I'm sure you've interviewed him, Rog. And he's got that kind of glint and cheek that I think you see it expressed on the pitch on days like today. And that, but just with the brute force, because he is blunt force trauma, is Erling Haaland.

1:10:21Rog:He is, and a sweet and very self-aware human being. There were 57 goals in 51 appearances for the national team, silly numbers. And he's just always measured against his own insane pace, which I find ridiculous. He's a completely not a football or a farmer now. Congratulations to Iraq, though. I do see them as a football mad nation. Prime Minister declared a two-day holiday to commemorate this qualification. Godspeed to them. I mean, Norway, incredible in attack, vulnerable in the back, the shirt, iconic. We got a lovely letter from Brian White, a GFOP, who was at the game. He wrote, I was there.

1:11:05Rog:It was amazing. Perfect explanation of why this World Cup experience is the best. Brian wrote first there was this lone Iraqi guy dancing and singing on his own and then this Norwegian woman came just started talking to him and they laughed and they hugged and then this Colombian couple in hames jerseys took the seats in front of me their seats were dirty so I gave them a wet wipe god bless America then they were taking pictures of each other I offered to take their photo together so when the game started the guy just raised his popcorn bucket over his head without looking and just shared it with me the whole time.

1:11:42Rog:We never spoke during any of this. And of course, I enjoyed his popcorn. We hugged on the way out. I love this game. This is the World Cup of Love, James.

1:11:53James Horncastle:Yeah, it really is. I haven't come across a bad atmosphere, really. You know, I'm a couple of blocks from Times Square. And yesterday, there were some videos of skirmishes between Argentine fans and Algerian fans. But apart from that, it is just kind of peace and love walking to the games, getting off the trains. There's a really wonderful kind of convivial spirit about the way that this football is being played, which is a welcome tonic. It's what we need. It's exactly what we need.

1:12:32Rog:Can I ask you very quickly, Everything we're seeing today, Mbappe, Haaland, Messi, the Curacao moment, the Japan performance, the Cape Verde goalkeeper, the US barnstormer, on and on and on. Is it just me or is this shaping up to be one of the great opening rounds of the modern period?

1:12:50James Horncastle:I think particularly today and, you know, having been in New York for the last week where it's been Nick's fever, we'll have the parade on Thursday. I think today is a kind of definitive shift. I think the World Cup did everything today to get America's attention, which, as you know, is really difficult to do. But if Messi can score a hat-trick, Haaland can score twice, Mbappe can score twice, and you have all of these wonderful, restorative little stories in the background, be it's Vosinha being Iraq, scoring and playing well as well. I don't think any team really has disgraced themselves. I mean, even, you know, Curaçao taking the lead against Germany.

1:13:40James Horncastle:OK, they then conceded seven goals, but they took the lead. They tied the game. They tied the game. But that matters to people.

1:13:52Rog:I think the way they'll show the goals, according to Diego, he said they'll just show that one goal and tell everyone that they won and they should do. it was. I mean, it is, the way you've just described it, it is one of the great modern World Cups and we'll see how it extends, particularly when there's a week between games in the opening stage, so these teams can refresh and go again in a way they haven't been able to. There's another game tonight, Austria 3, Jordan 1, both teams trading off bangers for an own goal, handed victory to the Habsburg Empire. Marco Anatovic. One of the great empires.

1:14:26Rog:Yeah, man, where are you now? Marco Anatovic, which got a penalty late just to show the world he's still alive. I do love these games are kicking off in the middle of the night in England, and I wonder how many people would be over-under on whether it was 12 or more people watching this. But you missed a treat. And talking about magical wonder, quick but massive update here for our Matchday Live show in Seattle coming this Friday, June 19th, 8.30 a.m. Pacific time. We have Marshawn Lynch. We have DeAndre Yedlin. We've got our friend John Green, my favorite novelist, favorite novelist. We'll also be joined by Seattle Royalty.

1:15:04Rog:We just found out today. There's a Mount Rushmore of Mariners. He probably will be there twice. It's the kid, Ken Griffey Jr. He's going to come and be with us also. So come if you are here. The march to the match is going to start right from our set, bright and early, before the U.S. takes on. only respect for you socceroos, no dissing you on this show come be with us, pint of coffee in hand and a pint of a pint in hand, check the link below in the notes for more information, very quickly James, tomorrow we're blessed with another quadruple stack of games, bloody hell, kicking off Portugal against DR Congo, 41 year old Cristiano Ronaldo plays his first game in the United States in 4 ,337 days.

1:15:56Rog:Complicated reasons why. Google them, but he's back. Also complicated. His squad is absolutely packed. They have a desire to win the trophy for Ronaldo. And the only way it's going to be probably easiest to do it would be if Ronaldo was not playing.

1:16:13James Horncastle:Yes, because the Messi hat-trick we saw today is a reminder that Lionel Messi has scored nine goals in the World Cup since Ronaldo last scored at the World Cup. Four years ago, we were projecting that it was done for Ronaldo because he was replaced by Gonzalo Ramos against Switzerland. And Ramos scored a hat-trick, if I recall correctly. And he's still going. So no pressure on Cristiano after what we've seen today with Mbappe, Haaland and Messi turning up. So, yeah, let's see what happens, Rog, because that is a very talented team. The generation of players that for the last eight years has still had to sort of carry along Cristiano.

1:17:01Rog:Oh, my God. First opponents, they are Congo, competing in their first World Cup in 52 years. If you've not seen them, they're amazing. The New York Times star section showed their outfits when they arrived in Houston, stepped out in matching leopard-accented suits, and the designer had this incredible quote. I think his name is Alvin Mack, said in Congo culture, the spirit of the leopard is a spirit of strength, of resilience. So I wanted to transfer this energy to them. Clear eyes, full hearts, leopard pants. Can't lose. I'm rooting for you more than I can say. News out of the England camp had their sphincter-clenching opening game against Croatia.

1:17:42Rog:The team who's to whack them out of the 2018 World Cup semis is Tino Liveramento's out, Trevor Chalab is in, centre-back for a full-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold must just be like, my God, I've got a better chance of ascending to the throne of England than making Thomas Tuchel's roster. Tuchel said, because it's not a friendly match, we will not try stuff, which is just a perfect quote about life as well as football. And we're about to find out if Tuchel is a jive to being football back in for the first time in 60 years. I'm sure everyone will be very, very chill about it if he's not. For Croatia, the Guardian pointed out Luka Modric first played England in 2006 when George Bush was president Twitter was three months old and Pep Guardiola just retired as a player.

1:18:30Rog:He's incredible, James. Tender age of 40. Do you think he's got the energy in him to dole out punishment one last time to England for his 199th cap?

1:18:40James Horncastle:I do, Rog. I had the privilege of watching him a lot this season at AC Milan, where he played more minutes than any other outfield player. And, you know, he was blowing out the candles on his 40th birthday cake earlier this season. So I think he suffered a fracture, a facial fracture earlier in May. He's already back. You know, he's sort of unbreakable. And I love that there was an interview with Cristiano Ronaldo maybe six weeks ago. And he was asked, you know, Cristiano, in terms of how you look after yourself, you're a role model. So many people around the world, who do you look up to? And he was like, Luka Modric.

1:19:28James Horncastle:So Modric, you know, is one of the bodies that Cristiano Ronaldo has sunned before. so yeah

1:19:35Rog:there's Ted Williams the baseball player who's had his head his dismembered head put in a cryogenic chamber for when science catches up and can bring us back to eternal life so that's it Ronaldo Modric Ted Williams shout out respect we also have Ghana Panama can't get over this Ghana fired their manager who got them to the World Cup in favour of 73 year old Carlos Kieros that's Portuguese for Roy Hodgson he'll be with Thomas Partey, who's been denied entry to Canada for this game as he faces an ongoing trial for rape and sexual assault back in the United Kingdom, which is a human darkness. Truly no light in this story.

1:20:17Rog:Waiting them in Toronto, CONCACAF Thunder, Panama, the greatest nation named after a Van Halen song. Last game was Bekistan, Colombia. Colombia will be playing with a special emblem on James Rodriguez's jersey to mark him being the top scorer in the 2014 World Cup. Twelve years later, still at it. I spent time with him a couple of weeks ago for an episode of The Craft, sponsored by New Balance. It's a gent who lives and breathes, playing for these moments for Colombia, but almost builds his career around trying to peak in these moments. And I wish him so well. He's playing Uzbekistan, the White Wolves, who are set to be your new favourite team since, well, Cape Verde.

1:21:00Rog:That is it for today. As always, we invite you, dear listeners, to share your World Cup journeys with us. We want to hear from you. Tell us the best of your time watching this, your memories, your experiences, your plans. Drop them in the Men in Blazers Discord. Send us an email, meninblazers at gmail.com. We've got a message from the Discord from an amazing man, T Cook, who wrote, I was just explaining to my 10-year-old that I first watched Messi when I was a teenager, and now I'm watching Messi with her and someday she'll watch Messi with her kids. He's going to play till 120, isn't he, James?

1:21:41James Horncastle:And I'm here for it.

1:21:43Rog:You know what? If you watched him tonight, you would think it was truer than it wasn't true. Before we sign off, head over to the Men in Blazers shop. New merch daily, the GoGo USA collection, perfect for Friday's game. We've got a show coming out tomorrow. with Clint Dempsey. There's a whole line for the Who Cities too. There's a Clint Dempsey line commemorating our great American road trip. Click on the link in the notes below and find what's there for your heart's content. James, what game are you going to next?

1:22:16James Horncastle:I am going to Philadelphia on Thursday and I will be watching Brazil against Haiti.

1:22:23Rog:Oh my God. Jim South Street for you. That is the greatest cheesesteak you will ever taste. I will take you up on that recommendation. Report in. Once you have, you beautiful man, your life will be changed forever. Again, I interviewed the beautiful Clint Dempsey today. The Buc-ee's in human form spoke really well about the shock of the United States thumping Paraguay. It really is shock, as well as the trappings of our next opponent, Australia, who we respect, we fear, we love. We won't have any Australian slander on this show. we're going to leave you with a snippet of that interview which drops on YouTube tomorrow save it every single second big big love James thank you you amazing man here's Clint CBS analyst Mike Greller called the game a quote layer Alexi Lala said Australia are quote an average team by any measure I'm only reading these out because they are all over the Australian press what kind of game are we going to see whisper that one so the australians don't get pissed off well since the australians are listening

1:23:28James Horncastle:i'm gonna be a little bit more humble i'm gonna say probably a draw maybe like a 1-1 i'm hoping

1:23:33Rog:we get a 2-1 i think it might be 2-1 to australia i see what you did there wise move brash i like that