Mexico takes down Korea, Canada obliterates Qatar, and USA vs Australia preview with Andrew Luck: Night Cup 6/18/26

21:49Rog:yeah that was that was the kindest thing after like experience and it's like, go on. Does it work? I don't know. People are motivated by different things, but these guys are all professionals at this point in their career. They've heard better. They've heard worse. And at some point, the ball is kicked off and you go play. It's got to be an awesome match. It's going to be an awesome game. I mean, I'm excited for it. uh australia does have a level of scrappiness to them that i think uh probably u.s fans recognize from some of the better teams from bygone eras so i think it'll be i'm curious what that feels like when watching it i think they're us i do i mean i i've been i've been spending very carefully the past week on major outlets just trying to gas australia up so they're confused doing my part trying to confuse them when they look when they're scanning for video clips there's this bull bastard who's on television going, I think Australia are really good.

22:48Rog:They might beat us. You know, I aim them really great. And the thing I do, Andrew, you just nailed it. The thing I do admire about them, it's almost an existential battle. They're us. They are us. And we are them. They are fierce. They're scrapping. They're, you know, it's the third most popular sport, I think, soccer in Australia. You know, they're always trying to become the next big thing. They're physical. You know, they've got this collective spirit, the brotherhood that we often have um they are us and i feel like we're almost playing ourselves here looking in the mirror spider-man at spider-man this is before the paraguay game when we became electric but it is a very it's going to be a very much a a knife fight i i you know and as well as our defensive coordinator says iron sharpens iron and sometimes sparks fly sparks will fly in this game there's there's no doubt about that i'm most excited to see how tim ream exerts his influence and power in this match that is that is what excites me most i love tim ream has been watching it for a long time huge fan always super kind to me when i see him he's just like there's a steadiness that i think he'll need to bring for this one he's an this is a very generous and fascinating statement uh number one what did you say you hope he brings in experience and an influence he's going to have nestory yeah running at him a lightning pace he's 37, 38, he's a leader.

24:16Rog:He brings so much experience on this team. Speed is not his thing. It makes me, I think that is going to be the battle. How that, our back line, which wasn't really tested against Paraguay, does cope with the quite electric, whip-smart, not Australian counter-attack. So that was my first thought immediately as well, was I don't think the US need Tim Ream to be getting into a foot race with Nestorio Irancunda or Toure, the other forward. because that was what was really surprising about Australia in that first game against Turkey. And to be honest, I think it probably surprised the Turks how quick they are.

24:49That front pair, the Australians aren't messing about. They get the ball and they are looking for those two over the top, in behind, every time. But the thing about defending is it's a unit. It's a team job. So, all right, Tim Ream is not quick. We can't sit here and pretend that Tim Ream is quick. That would be lying. But Anthony Robinson's quick. Freeman's quick. As long as they get the shape right, they get the balance right, and they have the cover, you can make up. Football's about disguising weaknesses and accentuating strengths. That's what all team sports are about, isn't it? And you can do that, but you need everybody to be on it and everyone to be playing for each other.

25:27Rog:That is the battle for today. When you say disguising weaknesses, I keep thinking about Landon Donovan's hair. Brilliantly disguised. It is brilliant. We've got to be as effortless and as dominant, as superb as that beauty. I need to ask you a couple more before we let you go. In February, we were together around the Super Bowl. You told me, prophet Andrew Luck from the Bible, almost this level. You said the U.S. can go further than they've ever gone before in a World Cup. You knew you were going to do your pizza thing. I didn't know that was happening at the time. But now they're actually playing games.

26:02Rog:Now they're actually seeing them. How far does that mean exactly? I mean, tell us what you expect. Remind me how far we've gone in the past, Raj. What's the farthest we've made? It's crazy. We put a man on the moon. We invented In-N-Out Burger. We've won one knockout game in the entire history of this nation since George Washington crossed the Delaware. One knockout game. So the furthest we've ever gotten is the quarterfinal. Well, let's go win two. But my hope for the team truly is that they put their best foot forward. One game at a time, one practice at a time, one training session at a time.

26:38And that's the only way to go.

26:40Rog:Amen to that. And I love that. That's a World Cup of focus and concentration. Can I get a score prediction? Don't want to give them any sound bites. So they'll be replaying in Australia here. So let's gas them up. The Australians are going to win, right? I can't say that. But yes, they're very good to hear. Just cross your fingers when you say it, man. Toes and fingers and legs are all crossed. I don't know. I don't know. what it's going to be. I'm actually hesitant to put a prediction out for this one. I feel like it's going to be an up and down and up and down and up and down game. You're objective.

27:18Rog:You're neutral. You've got no other than the word mojo. That's the most American thing about you. What are you seeing? What are you feeling, baby? I've always felt spiritually Australian, Rog. I think Andrew's completely right. I think it will sway one way and the other. I think Australia have that scrappiness. That's a great word for this team i think that as you've kind of alluded to rog like their their sense of being underdogs that inspires something in the australian mentality they love that love it that's their natural element of it they absolutely love it they've got a lot of fans here there's a huge kind of i think 10 000 australians are crazy how many they are a lot of they're having a very nice time um it will be it's a really tough game and the big thing for the us is you don't want to go third game against turkey who will have have had their pride stone by the australians you don't need to be you don't want to go into that game needing to beat them so i think the us will sneak it 2-1 but it would be very tight and very stressful and alexi just don't say anything about the turkish team all right can we just agree we just say you're very good you're very handsome you're very good at football and leave it at that we know that london donovan won't be saying anything about the turks don't we um i think it's probably very emotionally torn it is it it feels like we've come so far as a soccer slash football loving nation when we win one game in style and are starting to talk down about the next world cup opponent like who would have thunk it This is the English experience.

28:54This is baby steps.

28:55Rog:Baby steps. Is that what you're saying? What do we do? We beat someone. We're really bad. Quite fast. There's a moment in life. You never know when you're living it, but your life never gets any better. And after that, it's all downhill. I hope this is not ours in every regard. But I do love it, man. I love it. I love the images of people celebrating in Columbus, Ohio, by the thousand. Sacramento, California. you know seeing them in rochester new york it moves my soul and i want i think we all want all of us who love them we want and need more um i do need to ask you a couple of quick ones you said something else in our bay area live show in february you said the main difference between football and soccer is there's no tv timeouts in soccer you've ruined it for all of us

29:45Rog:how are you experiencing football with two timeouts four quarters what have we done andrew oh i complain about it like i complain about the lack of sidewalks on the side of roads in many american cities we ruined it for everyone man time out um i want to ask you quickly about the non-American highlights. First of all, Lionel Messi, hat-trick on the cusp of, I mean, what is he, 38? 39 next week. Yeah, we're all obsessed. We're all obsessed with developing the next American Messi. And I realize he looks so unassuming athletically, Andrew. You know, he's not very Texas football, let me put it that way.

30:27Rog:Starting to believe if Messi had been born in America, our system would probably have never recognized his brilliance. and they'll be just like working in some auto zone tuning mufflers or something man i mean there's something unbelievable transcendent spiritual about that human being doing what he does yeah what a how awesome it is for us we get to watch him play really cool really really cool what does he do as an athlete what do you see him doing i'm more and more convinced it's mental i you know what the dude seems to love what he does more like everything he just seems to love playing soccer so, so, so, so much.

31:04So much. Just loves it.

31:07Rog:Joy. It's just joy. It's just an utter... When he gets the ball like 30 yards out from goal central, you just see it's like he's been struck by lightning. This is a bit harsh. He's slightly overdoing it. He sort of shambles around the field like he's completely disinterested in the entire process. And then suddenly the ball is is at his feet and it is though like the sun breaks through the clouds you know angels start to sing the music starts to play that's when he feels alive that is leonor messi you've never i've never seen anybody more in their element than leonor messi with the ball at his feet 30 yards from goal he just he there must be the feeling that he must have there of total mastery of the situation even though he's done it a million times before that is that's that's a flow state for humanity.

31:59Rog:The Duracell commercial is real is what you say. All of the commercials are real. I need to ask about Ronaldo, 41. You retired. We know this. Was it age 29? Was it? It was 29. I mean, we've seen Cristiano Ronaldo become the oldest outfielder to start a World Cup game, 41 years, 132 days. He looks more like the stature of Ronaldo than the stature of Ronaldo does. it is an excruciating decision to know that moment. He's clearly a gent who wants to win as much as ever. How do you view him? It's a gent who wants to win, but maybe the main reason his team does not. I'm not sure how to view him. I don't know.

32:41I'll be honest, Roger, I haven't taken too much of an interest in Portugal. It feels like he's been playing forever. Look, he might go out and score three goals or at the next game. You can't put that past Cristiano Ronaldo. So I'm curious. I will reserve judgment until after the tournament.

33:00Rog:That's a very wise man. Future in the diplomacy call. I'm going to wrap up. I'm going to say some names here. I would love to do word association for you about what comes to mind when I say these names. You're ready for this. Clint Dempsey. Audacious. Hold on. My favorite player of all time. I love you, Clint Dempsey. God bless. What do you love about Clint, Andrew? Because as I was at Bruce Arena or someone else said, because he tries shit. It was Bruce. It was. He tries shit. Amazing. Put it on my tombstone. Tyler Adams. Oh. Steady. Flo Baligan. Flo State. Yes. Jürgen Klinsmann.

33:52Rog:Deutsche. Again, diplomacy call for lucky. Chris, Mauricio Pochettino.

34:04I do hair.

34:06Rog:Ooh, that's good. Envy. This is the first word that comes to mind. You're not meant to be processing it. Coach. Oh, my God, he's good. Christian Pulisic. Hershey. Yeah, QB1, baby. Finally, the U.S. men's national team.

34:35Rog:Hope-inspiring right now. Oh, my God. I'll give you all five words, baby. Who's going to win it all, Andrew Luck? Who's going to win this all? I have to believe in my heart of hearts and all the secret chambers that the United States men's national team will win it all because ultimately we need faith we need utter faith is that the story or because you you need that more than you need those czech passports

35:03let me check with my wife before i answer that question

35:07Rog:i will say if the knicks can win an nba title and the indiana hoosiers can win the college football realm i do believe anything is possible andrew you're a beautiful human being I enjoy listening to you our chat, people loving it ChrisVast4514 says Andrew Luck, Tim Ream Bond Unk recognizes Unk by the way where do you spend time with Tim Ream, where is those encounters the last time I saw Tim Ream they were practicing at Stanford a couple years ago before a Bay Area match and I rode my bike over there with my daughter in it because I wanted to see the boys and I saw Tim and I was like, Tim, I've been watching you for a long time.

35:48I've met him at various places. I don't know. I've tried to go watch as many games as I can over the last decade or so. And I admire the steadfastness of a pro. And when you get to that point in your career, like throw shade in any way you want, but you cannot doubt that someone is a pro, you know? And that's what he is, the steadfastness. And yeah, man, huge fan.

36:11Rog:It takes a huge practice to be as methodical. This was a man who thought the last World Cup was his World Cup and there would be no more. I think no one's as surprised, but no one's seizing the moment as much as Tim Rehm. And in that culture, he's such an important part of the whole thing. You're a beautiful human being. Savor everything. Savor every single second. I'd love that you're going to go to this game in L.A. I hope to see you when you're there. Make great memories, Andrew Luck. I appreciate it. Hope to see you, Roger. Rory, nice to meet you over the flat screen thing. We follow technology.

36:44Pleasure. congrats on england this is my assumption that you're also english i'm not english no no one

36:52Rog:no one at this table on this bus is rooting for inland are they it's scottish um oh we've also yeah the tartan army everyone i'm this is the real legacy of this world cup is america has discovered the delights of the tartan army how sad is boston going to be when the last scott leaves it and it just becomes the devastation that sounds like this sounds like a movie or or or The last Scott left in Boston or something. Isn't it? It's just like the last Scott leaves and it'll just be like the sun is suddenly covered over by grey clouds and the place gets chilly and people will be like, oh my God, I remember when we were the capital of Scotland and it felt, everybody felt so alive.

37:32Rog:Savour every single second. Appreciate you guys. Go Scotland, go USA. Go USA. say. 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 Matchday 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 some other way.

38:14Rog:It's meant to be celebrated. Just head to the events tab on meninblazers.com for all the details. To the football, to more together, courage. What a man roar. What a man. I got to say, this town is chock of four. We've walked around it today. I met a gentleman when I was watching the Canada game. and he asked me, a guy came up to me and said, what should we do about our terrible chants? The whole world's laughing at our terrible chants. It's like the one thing, now our football's good that we've got to change. And I think the best thing they can do tomorrow, please God, if they go 1-0 up, is just start chanting, our chants are shite, but we don't care.

38:56That would, yeah, take ownership of it. There's an argument for that. Yeah, absolutely.

39:01Rog:I mean, that would win. Do you not think the world would re-embrace? if thousands of americans if we went one they'll up floe balligan banging one in and everyone's just immediately our chance is shite but we don't care i think in a hundred years time rog there will be historians writing there will be ai bots writing books about about about how in 2026 american sports delivered with discovered rhythmic chanting that was also quite profane i think that's the difference there is a level of just sheer rudeness that americans i think are a little bit reticent to engage with you need that that's what lends the whole that's what makes the whole thing work so i think there will be this is the point where this is year zero four for full full scale american chanting this will be freed from desire everywhere be a new national anthem yeah they'll be things to the tune of 80 brady heart this is where it starts the strots have led the way our Chants are shite.

39:57Rog:They keep you up all night, up all night. Okay, so today's football. I should have asked Andrew Luck if they're going to play Freed from Desire now when Stanford score a touchdown. It'd be amazing. I've said this to you several times, Rog. The drop in Freed from Desire. That moment in a stadium is amazing. I think that's going to be the legacy of this World Cup. It's not that millions of kids are going to be inspired to play the game. It's that every SEC school is going to just be like playing freed from desire, singing it. Your defense is terror. God, I love America. To today's football, I love North America.

40:32Rog:Let's start with Canada 6, Qatar 0. Surely a typo. No. Canada attacked this game with the passion that, oh, my friend Jesse Marsh attacks the Canadian national anthem. He had Bombito and Alphonso Davies only fit for the bench from their return from injury. But they would have been overjoyed by what they saw. It was a pretty gosh-dang good day to be a Kamek at a packed Vancouver stadium. By the way, a huge number of Qatari fans flew over. A thousand whose flights and accommodations were paid for by the country's emir Al-Tani himself. Nice. There you are. It's like having someone pay for the metro in New York to get to the stadium.

41:14Rog:But Vancouver was out in huge, huge numbers. We're so focused on our own narrative in the United States about the growth of the game here. and we're sometimes blind to the joy that's happening up north. The march to the match winding through the city, seeing the red smoke up to the platforms of Vancouver's elevated trains. I do believe, Rob, the legacy of this World Cup is going to be so profound in deep ways that will be remembered forever. We saw similar scenes, didn't we, in Toronto before their first game and there does seem to be a real outpouring of passion. I can't claim to know enough about the state of soccer in Canada, but I think, I wonder if the same thing is happening there as is happening here, that this is a coming out party.

41:54It's a chance for Canada's soccer community to say, we are not this kind of tiny minority. There are loads of us and this is a thing that can unite the nation because outside the Olympics, the Winter Olympics, not the proper Olympics, then ice hockey is not going to be, ice hockey can't reliably produce moments like that, nation unifying moments. The World Cup is the biggest sporting stage there is. And I think the Canadians are really embracing the chance to kind of be on that stage.

42:23Rog:And they believe in themselves. Today was Toronto. Vancouver was the last game. They'll go back to Vancouver, and I hope that we're going to be there. But the Katori manager is fascinating. He warned his team, Lopetegui. He said the Canadians start fast, high energy, high rhythm. But talking about something doesn't mean you can stop it because Canada romped immediately. Quick feet exchanges, movement all over the pitch. 15 minutes, Jonathan David pressed high, forced a corner. Qatar cleared, but the ball just kept coming back. Shot ended up fizzing off Jonathan David's boot. Keeper could only parry.

42:58Rog:In came Brampton, Batistuta, Kyle Lahren. God bless. First on the scene to poke at home. Put his hands over his ears. Don't listen to the noise style. But Qatar just couldn't live with them. The march ball, aggression. Teeth of the Canadian press. 28-minute Buchanan ripped a shot from range. Deflection came to Jonathan David, Brooklyn, New York-born striker. A week ago, he was the man who caught a lot of fan flat for his performance. But here he just caught the ball. It must have felt so sweet the way he just exquisitely smashed, drove it home. Absolutely. And as you say, he was the one who kind of, because Larian came on and stood the equaliser, because David had missed a couple of chances, nothing particularly glaring, really, but he hadn't given them that cutting edge.

43:45He hadn't stepped up, maybe, in the absence of Davies, in the way that Canada needed. But I think with Jonathan David, the pressure on him, especially in the absence of Davies, is probably quite intense. He's the other standard bearer of Canadian soccer, isn't he? It maybe got to him a little bit in that first game. That would only be human. To get that goal, and then to produce the performance that he went on to produce, that is a huge weight off his back, and it will be transformative, I think, for him in this tournament.

44:13Rog:Yeah, I mean, please God, the amazing thing about World Cup, narratives change in the blink of an eye, even faster than at club level. Another Jonathan David goal, 3-0. There was a huge horror, real damper on proceedings. Qatar's Asim Madibo, I think they mistimed a heavy challenge on Ismail Kony. It was very frustration-filled. The young midfielder just returning from injury after an emergency season in Italy. I mean, it was a horror, one of those horror scenes where you don't want to see again. You can tell from the player's reaction. watching the Canadian players circle around him. I believe he's in hospital.

44:47Rog:I believe he's going to be having surgery imminently. What I admired so much about the Canadian performance was that they retained the focus to take the field and just go again. Jonathan wrapped up his hat trick in stoppage time, 6-0, to the true north, stronger for a 49th parallel version of F around, find out. I'd say Qatar were truly limp in this game, even before the Red, one of the first games I've watched in which the opposition was completely uncompetitive. But I'm so happy, Raw. I love Canada. They've ditched their worst case scenario. They just reveled in being an eclectic, diverse, dizzying face of their nation, which they really are.

45:30Rog:Jesse Marsh said post-game, I love this, there'll be 40 million Canadians who will have claimed to be here tonight. Yeah, that's absolutely right. It did feel like that kind of momentous occasion. And you're right, Rog, that like the US, like Mexico, Canada will have had this ghost in their heads of what happens if it all goes wrong? What happens if the point against Bosnia is the only point we get? What happens if we go out in the group phase? What if this is all a little bit of a damp squib and we feel as though we've had this huge opportunity on home soil and not taken it? that has gone now.

46:04They will go through. That should mean they can play with a bit more freedom. That might mean we get to see an even better version of Jesse Marsh's Canada.

46:11Rog:Amen. By the way, you're right. It was Toronto, Vancouver, Toronto. And the game against Switzerland will determine who will go through to the knockouts. To Guadalajara and the game that just finished, Mexico won, South Korea nil. We've got our first mathematical knockout round qualification. Let's hear it. Rog, this is a great moment. Because on the wall charts, which is what we call brackets, you can write it in. Mexico. God bless their fans. We'll talk about that. First one through. Cheer and a boo. But we'll get to it. By the way, if you are following along to these games, find our Vamos channel.

46:51Rog:They did a live watch along tonight on Dual Nats, the give and go. They're doing a ton of match reactions, daily morning shows, and they're really an electric duo. This game, God bless South Korea, the best jersey. Arguably, I love their 90s coded tracksuit tops. The lavender tie-dye jerseys are probably about as good as it got for them. They had their eyes closed for the national anthem. It felt beautiful. But in the 15th minute, Son raced through onto a ball over the top and lobbed the onrushing keeper. West Ham's Edson Alvarez, kind of West Hammy, I guess. Mexico's captain playing the back line, and pull off the rarely witnessed bicycle goal line clearance, which was save of the tournament so far, even though it was offside.

47:35Rog:Not a lot in the half, really. South Korea are okay. Mexico, less so, arguably. And at halftime, you did not like this. The crowd booed their team off, which was a choice. It was like Premier League levels of fan patience, but different kind of home field advantage. Yeah, we're a little bit torn on it. So it's the second time they've been booed off or been booed by their own fans in the tournament. They've played two games. that feels like you're asking a lot. They hadn't played well. I thought South Korea probably, well, they definitely shaded that first half. They probably should have been ahead, to be honest.

48:05And I can see why the fans were frustrated. I'm just not sure that booing your own team at a home World Cup when they've won the first game of the group and it's nil-nil in the second is really warranted, Rog, if I'm completely honest. You didn't know when the commentator said, well, it worked. Yeah, I was really surprised by that. I think it's deeply unhealthy. It's like encouraging bad behaviour. Like, that's not good. The commentary team, they've reached the conclusion, and I get the logic that the booing kind of inspired the players. It shook them from their torpor. But it's totally...

48:35Rog:I've never used that word before. I don't want to criticise Mexican football fans, but it just feels a bit much to be booing them, if I'm honest. I'm not engaging in that conversation. I just have never used the word torpor before until that second. There you go. That was a first. That was pathfinding. That was history. Mexico fans, they're a different creature. They do their thing. but my god that goal keeper calamity Kim Song-Yu came to catch a ball that had popped up clattered over his own player dropped it to Luis Romo who just dinked it in instinctively it was stunning I don't know what's Korean for a full on Onana but I think that's what we is that what we saw there?

49:12Rog:I think the word Onana is universal it is in duro lingo it crosses all cultures entire Mexico starting 11 subs they all piled on into each other Guadalajara went berserk I mean that the emotional swing just the host nation delighting in their team was so stunning Korea's reaction we've got to have a quick word on this to Herman relentless but just before the hour the yank song him in which is both bold I found that a little sad a little bit sad it very very kind of significant quite telling it felt like they are one one nil down in a World Cup game that they kind of need a point and they don't need to win I suppose and you take your captain icon talisman off, it felt a little bit like a kind of changing of the guard moment.

49:55Son doesn't look like himself. I know they've had a lot of criticism. Their relationship with the South Korean media, I think, is very, very strained. It feels like there's a surprising amount of stress around that squad, which is probably unnecessary. But his performances haven't been great. And he looks bereft of confidence.

50:12Rog:Hoflax24 in the chat says, Rory, the opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference. as a Philly sports fan, I say we boo because we care. If we're not booing, that's a bad sign. Yeah, I suppose if people were just walking out, then that would be worse. But I just, I don't know. I think you need to do more to get booed. We boo too easily as a culture now. We have a low bar for booing in the world. Yeah, raise the bar of booing people. Boo when you really mean it. Break glass to boo. Was that, just Trevor Noah the other day came up with the concept of happy honking, didn't he?

50:48Yeah, yeah. Are we suggesting there is a form of happy booing?

50:51Rog:You know what? Work on it. I'd love it. Like they always just say certain cultures have 73 different words for snow. Maybe just have many different kinds of booing. I'm interested in bird calls at the moment. Some boos could just be erotic mating calls. Get on it. Game, relentless. 97th minute. Incredible double save from Mexico's keeper. Header down from Cho. Somehow ran hell. redirected to parry then when the ball was flicked in on the rebound ran hell i looked at that i'm like oh my god incredible core strength you know pilates man um anti-gravity stabbed the ball away over his foot it was as transcendent a moment as you can have as a goal yeah it was an incredible double save and it as you say given the circumstances so late on save save two points the the first save is brilliant the second save is extraordinary he doesn't don't know whether inspector gadget ever made it over here rog but go go gadget that kind of action it was the stomach muscle age that was just he's been doing his russian twists you know what i fear the russian twist but this is not about me it's about you and we just ran a poll asking for the most impressive star amongst the conca cafe's nations who would have thunk it usa 59 this is objective canada 22 after that six no wins are they mexico 19 yeah we know the us only played one but never look at the facts get in the way of a good YouTube poll.

52:12That is quite a good sort of breakdown of your demographics isn't it really? That is who's listening. It's 59 % Americans, 22 % Canadians, 16 % Mexicans. Yes. That's what's going on there.

52:21Rog:And bienvenue to our Canadian fans. That is called market research people. I won't have it knocked. I will go to Switzerland for Bosnia and Herzegovina won. Switzerland scored late and often against 10 men Bosnia scoring four goals after the 74th minute. Little rumors of a rift in the changing room because Granit Xhaka went on one after their insipid first performance. Apparently, quote, openly critical of every squad member. It's very Granit Xhaka. It's what Granit Xhaka is on the tin when he scored the fourth and he just like, he went, you're just talking. Tough love for Bosnia, who must now play Canada in an attempt to keep their World Cup alive.

53:00Rog:Fans, they're not playing Canada, are they? They're playing Qatar, aren't they? God bless. I said, hmm, I'm suddenly more interested. Well, I'll say their fans, so passionate. I do love them. Their literal biggest supporter is the world's largest coffee pot, which was made in Bosnia. It's been following the team of its own will from match to match. That's terrifying. It's amazing. They've still got that going. We don't need sentient coffee pots. What? You don't think? No. No, we don't need sentient coffee pots just wandering around chasing us. If we had a sentient coffee pot, I would just retire.

53:30Rog:My work on this planet would be done. First game in the morning, Ceccia. Sorry, Andrew Lux, Ceccia. won South Africa won two teams both stung in their first game in different ways this was beautiful to watch during the national anthem the cinematic tier roll down South Africa's most important player Tiboha Mokwena down his cheek during the anthem but five minutes in a little more like heartbreak for that I love this this is what what else does this man what else like in if this was at Goodison Park in the old days someone would shout why are you crying lad we haven't lost you I always think that, but it's so unbelievably beautiful.

54:09Rog:Where are you, Cain, Gail? We haven't lost yet. God, an incredible moment. They went 1-0 down, but in the 80th minute, this gentleman, the tier before the game, stepped up, took a penalty, became just the 10th World Cup scorer in his nation's history. This man has been a linchpin of the team since 2021, unwittingly centre of the controversy that almost had them knocked out the qualifiers. He's going to miss the final group stage game, got yellows in consecutive games. But, Rod, the emotion at the moment as the weight of the nation, you know, he took it onto his shoulders and delivered. It was written all across his face.

54:48Yeah, you can see how much it meant. And you realise that beforehand from the tear rolling down his face and the anthems that South Africa, I mean, were they slightly over-criticised after the first game? I don't know whether we maybe all went a little bit too far. We all got a bit giddy, a bit carried away. it was the first game of the World Cup, you want to draw a sweeping conclusion early on. The Czechs barely created, didn't create a huge amount after the goal, to be honest. And South Africa looked okay to get a point to stay alive in the tournament. That is huge.

55:17Rog:Both teams level on a single hard-earned point, set the final match day. Both teams are alive, rarely. Czechia faced Mexico at the Azteca. Don't let the fans boo them, Czechia. That's when they're dangerous. South Africa take on South Korea in Monterey. And we'll say one more quick note. This game featured the first all-American, all-female refereeing crew in the history of the Men's World Cup. Tori Penso, assistants Brooke Mayo, Catherine Nesbitt, all from MLS. They took part of the Club World Cup, Women's World Cup, but today they made history together. May they be the first of many, Role. Yeah, absolutely.

55:54And there is absolutely, in many ways, astonishing it's taken so long, but really a really great thing to see, a hugely proud moment for them, of course. and it will be the first of many, I suspect.

56:03Rog:Please, Scott. One more note. South Africa's point. Nice thing about it. This is the World Cup of Africa. They had their name to Ghana, Ivory Coast, winning Congo during the Portial. Cape Verde on the way to the final after that draw of Spain. Egypt drew Belgium. Morocco drew Brazil. Now South Africa. Greatest thing that can happen to this tournament, I think, is that the feeling everything is possible and Africa just reveling in it. Quickly look at tomorrow, but I do want to shout out this magic. Tomorrow morning, Seattle, come down, be with us for Match Day Live. We're doing this, Pier 58, 8.30 a.m.

56:41Rog:local time. There will be beers, there will be joy, there'll be an unbelievable parade of Seattle icons. Seattle royalty will join us on stage to revel in this memory-making moment, kicking off before USA and the Socceroos. Pint and coffee in hand. The march to the match will take place from our stage. come and be with us link for more details is in the show notes below tomorrow US Men Australia also we have Scotland, group leading Scotland Raw, top of the table facing Morocco going to find out how deep in this tournament they can take coach Steve Clarke's mantra don't get humped it's just good advice for life, for life isn't it?

57:25Rog:absolutely, I mean what would you prefer on your tombstone people, he tried shit or don't get humped. He didn't get humped would be ideal. I don't know I don't mind getting humped on occasion myself but it's not about me. Scotland continues to have a run of unbelievable moments in Massachusetts. Today the big news Governor Mora Healey signed an executive order rule legalizing haggis in the state which makes me wonder what Scots in Massachusetts have been doing for the past 250 years. Why would it be illegal? I think there's a haggis underground dark web ring who's just making so much money they didn't want it to be legal.

58:03Rog:Does anybody know this? A lot of people have this idea that haggis, because of what it is, is distrusting. Yeah. Haggis is genuinely delicious. I don't know, I just want to know. Poppery and spicy. Do you know like corners in Boston where like they're dealing haggis, slinging haggis, like Will the next Narcos be about some haggis ring? I've also seen today, Rog, I think there is work being done to twin Boston with Glasgow. Is that true? Yeah, which would be brilliant. That's just de normo, de facto. I mean, it already exists, man. They are just blurred. They're one and the same. They're joy. Oh, here we go.

58:41Rog:News just in. Governor Healy has since revealed this was just a joke. And haggis, in fact, remains illegal in Massachusetts. What? Is this all just a big haggis sting? This is all very confusing. Why would haggis be illegal? I don't know if anybody knows in the chat, but I will say the world has rarely been more summed up for me at the moment than by this fake haggis legalisation. Oh, here's news. The USDA has banned the production import of any food containing livestock lungs because stomach fluids can contaminate the tissue during the slaughter. I'm turning into Alice Cooper in Wayne's World.

59:17Rog:You are. I think we're all aiming at being Alice Cooper in Wayne's World. I think I've just solved the haggis problem. I didn't even know it was any of those things. But now after hearing that, do you want to eat it? The answer is yes, it's joyful. The Great Haggis Caper Season 7. There's too much strip-routed to do here, Rog. I am already pitching ideas for The Last Scott to Leave, a romantic comedy set in Boston against the heady summer of 2026. Don't go, shouts, Bobby. Or you could have, because it's such a happy thing, you could have the main story be really sad. that's the other option. It would be a love story if what if he turns around at the end the last Scott smiles and just comes back to us the Scots they're back life is great again that's followed by Brazil versus Haiti I will say very seriously about this there's one great moment of Vinnie Junior wonder to hold on 1-1 in Morocco let's be knee-jerk they still look disjointed you know Haiti are gonna try and get as many men behind the ball as possible their defend deep trying to hold on um god i gotta say if this doesn't be anything but a absolutely resplendent win the pressure on the ancelotti eyebrow may even make it kind of like just be normal no it works against gravity so the more stress he is the more it goes up that's it's it's like the um the waffle house index that fema use the which i've learned about recently you can tell mojo the um haiti's a challenge for brazil because normally what happens is that the underdog teams do well in the first game and then once all of that kind of adrenaline is rushed washed off they suffer a bit but there will have been no game they're looking forward to more than playing brazil if they get to half an hour 40 minutes goalless the mexican fans will boo them oh well who cares about football that ben logins in the chat says the lung ban is so irrational welcome to our new podcast today in the usda um brazil have also Also noted, Neymar will not travel with the team to Philadelphia, continuing to recover from his ankle injury.

1:01:18Rog:He's not recovering, is he? Just a great call-up. Yeah, I mean, he's all a king. If he's not 100%, he's not going to go. I've got to say, this is a bit of flapping skin now. João Pedro's watching. God bless Richarlison. I wish he could make a one-time switch and play for Everton. Bite your arm off to see Richarlison tear his shirt off in Philadelphia. Final match-up, Turkey-Paraguay. two teams who not quite living up to their pre-tournament reps. Turkey lost 2-0 to Australia. Very good Australia. Very, very good. So good. Handsome. So good. Paraguay on the wrong side of that historic 4-1 balladganing.

1:01:54Rog:My God, that game will be fascinating for us. It's time to put our finger on the pulse of the football-loving public, figure out what everybody suddenly believes. Using Calci percentages, tonight we turn our eyes to the tournament's Golden Boot Award. First round of games, but a remarkable 75 goals, America. It's 22 % more than at this stage of the last four World Cups. Among the top goal scorers you may have heard of, Jonathan David does in for Canada today, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, obscure. And then at the bottom of this chart, Flo Balogun, oh, Cristiano Ronaldo will not like this.

1:02:30Rog:Roar, as you look at this chart, who are you picking? so I think what you need to look at is who's going to play who who's got players teams left where there are lots of goals to be had so Jonathan David who I think is an excellent player has probably had his most prolific day because Qatar will be the weakest team he plays Harry Kane still going to play Panama I don't want to offend CONCACAF I've already done it to Mexico block a room Mbappe has to play Iraq that might there might be two or three for him there so I'd say it's one of those two look we know this trophy is about longevity as much as ability.

1:03:07Rog:Thinking through this, I think there's a chance Elijah Just of New Zealand is going to be your golden boot winner. That was a terrible impression. Sorry, guys. Truth is, anyone not backing Balogun is just not a friend in my book. It's time for the food. We've trapped Rory on a bus. We won't let him out until he's tried. Where is the food? Oh, it's under. Apparently it's dessert today. Look at this. We're eating all of America's finest delicacies in the European mind. cannot comprehend. This is amazing. Today we're going with wife cake, the flaky traditional Chinese pastry with a sweet filling.

1:03:41Rog:We've got sesame balls. I love a bit of sesame ball. One green tea, one standard sesame, all from Mee Sun Bakery here in Seattle, which is absolutely fierce. And these are delicious. They are shelf stable, unlike the many congealing cheeseburgers that we've eaten on this very bus. Let's get in here raw. There is an aroma in the bucket. Have a bite, but don't eat into the microphone oh oh my god look at that jealous that's so oh my god oh my god i don't know if wife cake technology has made its way to um to yorkshire yet um but if it hasn't i think i've just blown your mind raw very very quickly tell us what your score is sugar that flaky pastry sesame paste the stuff of the gods is the key to world peace wrote that you know the drill oh my god this place let me shout it out again me some bakery here in seattle daddy wants what do you reckon 10.0 what no that's not very nice what what are you a madman sorry i'm not really a dessert person but what i just at genuinely took me to the place i want to be at the final whistle tomorrow this green thing is okay yeah the green things are probably like a five this is just it's kind of both hard and squishy you're a pastry i'm not i don't you know roger i find this very awkward i don't like kind of criticizing people's businesses i gave you a 10.0 it's all a matter of time i will be back it's all a matter of objective you mad bastard i will say this if the u.s play like this sesame ball taste we're winning the world cup baby at kreily 4172 says turns out you can make your own haggis in the u.s.

1:05:23Rog:as long as you're so about lungs it's not like making a burger but like not having any meat in it no lungs no party that's what i always exactly um in the interest of being fair to seattle which is a city i have come to love in the 24 hours i've been here i had an amazing ice cream did you really from molly moons on the waterfront there was another branch it was incredible big respect to molly moons double m um rory is a lung hardliner someone's just said in the chat i don't even know what that means but I agree. I'm annoyed too.

1:05:55Rog:Let's get to the fan letter because we've been inviting all of you to write to us. Tell us your experiences, your feelings, your journeys during this World Cup. You can drop a sign to Men In Blazers Discord, which, by the way, is utterly magnificent during the World Cup. Come join. It's free. Or send us an email, meninblazers at gmail.com. Let's share memories together. Today's letter comes from GFOP Corey Wyatt. Rory Smith, do the honours. Dearest Rog and The Prince. I've not described myself as that, that's what Corey put. What the artist formerly known as. Yeah, absolutely. The Copa das Copas has always been a bitter-than-life event to me ever since I was lucky enough to be in Rome.

1:06:30Circa 2006, the World Cup night, the US tied with Italy. I'll never forget an old, wise and mafioso. I feel as though that's stereotyping. I'm not entirely comfortable reading that. I'd just like to say, to get that on record. Simply telling me, no. After I was the only one to clap an Italian-owned goal, Christian Zicado, scored that own goal. Nor the yahoos that went through the streets at 2am streaming Italia, Italia, which drew a response from other crazies leaning out of their own windows to stream right back at the top of their lungs. That is what the Italians refer to as a polite conversation.

1:07:02I eventually got my little brother playing FIFA with me, and he took on my obsession with the world's biggest event. He never pulled for our US boys, only the better Portugal team. We tied that one too. Then I lost my brother in 2018, three weeks shy of his high school graduation, and just a few months shy of the next World Cup. I missed that World Cup, staying busy out in the yard. The moment I found out the World Cup would be in Atlanta, I almost crashed the car from how loud I hollered, then immediately went into hysterics because I knew who would be missing it. I was blessed enough to be at the Vizinho game, seeing an entire stadium respond to every save and every defensive stand, cheering on the first strawless draw.

1:07:37That was incredible. Even my American-raised teenager felt it. Before the match, we prayed we would make memories. The World Cup delivered. Truly, it is the least important, most important moment I've had in a long time.

1:07:49Rog:Corey, what a beautiful, I mean, just an incredibly powerful and beautiful, beautiful letter. We can't imagine what you've been through as a human, as a football fan. We are so deeply sorry for your loss. I was thinking about you and your brother's memory. I think when you watch football, I think we both do. And so naturally, you think about those who you're with making marriage. as you think about those who are not there to make memories with you, just let's not take a second of watching football together for granted. Yeah, losing brothers is the worst. I can say that from experience. It's terrible.

1:08:26And mine was older than that. To lose someone that young is a horrible tragedy. And it does teach you that those moments that you can take are really important. And I think it's okay to feel that sadness in those moments as well, because that's kind of a measure of how much they meant to you.

1:08:42Rog:It's hard to follow that. and if you want to save her every moment you want to give them a higher score at me some bakery i still fundamentally don't like the foods oh well thank you all in the chat you brought so much bloody joy tonight you help make this show so great at chris shavas uh in the chat says did rory eat his choco orange what happened no i've not eaten it yet i'm sorry on the desk outside no that's not mine that's a different one is that really yeah that's a bit offended that's a purple and black chocolate i don't know what that is i a bit offended i've got an actual he's like a pretender i am saving my chocolate orange for the moment during the world cup and they will arrive you know it's a long time when i really need it that was a that was that one that's just a proper stunt i've never seen one that color i don't know what's going on it might be an american abomination we improve things like water breaks um whether you're with us in seattle or you're looking to keep the party going after us australia whoever wins and australia very good um check out our ball finder curated from listeners recommendations and interactive map of the best soccer pubs tells you which bars are playing the game the link for that is in the shows below we've been to kells i was in yesterday i got a couple of pints for breakfast with a bunch of seattleites and it was magnificent caroo i went to today really nice just naming things pop-up bagels uh by the way talking about pop-up bagels jj watt will be live with us at the final whistle tomorrow come be with us after uh whatever happens Maybe Australia, you too, will win.

1:10:08Rog:You're very good at football, but we will be with JJ. What can be with us? This is Rog signing off. May your World Cup be experienced, be as wonderfully beruildering as Thomas Muller, trying to cross the New York Knicks parade. Roar, you're a beautiful human being. Fair income. God bless. No sleep till New York, New Jersey, yeah? Here's Thomas Muller. I'm going to go to my training session today. the soccer field took the bike but I don't know why but I struggled a little bit the Knicks are too strong this year even the parade is massive it's massive