Vini Jr and Brazil topple Scotland, Mexico win again, and Canada fall to Switzerland featuring Jonathan Northcroft: Night Cup 06/24/26

22:56I think this tournament will have cemented that reputation. I would guess he will be in the Premier League next season.

23:01Rog:Yeah, by the way, if West Ham hadn't got relegated, he's like 47 million to West Ham written all over him. Where will he go now? We will have to wait and see. Come back to us, Hammers, with your strange acquisition approach. to life. Promised David limbered on, 24 years of age. Union Gilwaz, kid had suffered a gruesome injury in February. I think he'd blown out his entire left hip tendon, muscle shattered. Was very clear that his World Cup dream was done. Jesse Marsh, God love him, really coaxed him forward in his rehab, told him, I've got a spot for you, don't worry, keep focused. That's the back story to this incredible moment of faith, which was rewarded.

23:42Rog:He came on this Brampton-born Nigerian Canadian and he sped into the box watch Saliba just monstrous control and then a spin and a beautiful beautiful first hand lob missing the defender by inches and and promised David first touch since coming on was to leap up into the air kung-fu at home with just big air it's like watching a Canadian Harlan. It was a really good goal actually that's a good that's a good parallel Rog that it was a Harlan finish as he went with his wrong leg Yeah, yeah. It was a brilliant moment and it was a great goal. We've had a lot of good goals today. Wrong leg, super high, but really chopping that ball.

24:19Rog:And at full stretch as well. He really had to reach for it. It was a brilliant goal. God, good shout, Rog. Just realised many of my shouts are not good. That means that's life, guys. What I loved about the goal, the emphatic violence, yeah. But David promised Canadian television a month ago that he would score a goal in Vancouver as he trotted off after all he'd been through with that injury, the rehab, the loneliness. It felt magically redemptive. But Canada needed him to do it again. Jesse Marsh's boys toiled, tried for that equaliser. You realise it could have been sliding doors. Stay in Vancouver or no, go to LA and never be seen again.

24:59Rog:Fake destiny. Corner after corner. Closest I came was an Ali Johnston header, which was knocked agonisingly right at the keeper. Final whistle. Felt traumatic. Canada had both the joy of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their nation's history, but also the awareness, I think, really an agonising awareness that they played their last game on home. So I must now head to LA at the time. Oh, this is turnabout. They thought they were going to be playing South Korea in LA. The comments said, well, playing South Korea will be the most home of away games. Everyone was like, 90 % Koreans are going to be there.

25:36Rog:Stay tuned. Spoiler alert, they're not playing South Korea. But Jesse Marsh said, team are naive. They've got to learn fast. Going to Saviapuna like Switzerland. Raw, it is true. The Swiss, they almost had the Fulham of international football. They were so much better here. They're almost the silent achievers of world football. They're kind of like a mix of silk and steel. I don't think anyone will want to face them. Yeah, they're like a kind of lower budget version of Belgium, Switzerland, effectively. They've got quite a lot of depth. They've got a good spread of players at that lower end of the Champions League, top end of the Europa League level, plenty of experience.

26:13Some young players coming through Manzambi being the best example, which you wouldn't necessarily associate with Switzerland. I think they've had that core of players, the Xhaccas of this world, kind of for a long time. But Morat Yakin has built a deeper squad. And yeah, Switzerland do, admittedly, punch above their weight massively in terms of population, in terms of football tradition. they're not fascinating with it i would say but they are reliable qualifiers from groups some people love vanilla ice cream it's the most popular flavor it's so crazy to me sweden and

26:44Rog:switzerland are the vanilla ice cream of international football um prince william county virginia's own at binky marsh 29 in the chat says you miss a hundred percent of the shout you don't take keep shouting rog occasionally they're good ones at the very same time bosnia three. Qatar won. Herzegovina year long for the ride. Really a coronation for Bosnian football this game. In the 29th minute, 18-year-old Karim Alibbegovic, who wasn't even born when his teammate Edne Dzeko pulled on his first blue and yellow jersey. Got the ball on the 18-yard box, slalom through Qatar's defenders, lashed it into the corner, hit both the shush celebration and also the make some noise.

27:29Rog:Contradictory. I know, but he's playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina, so maybe you're allowed to do that. Do you think the shush was for one and the make some noise was for the other? Yeah, let's hear you, Herzegovina. Herzegovina not really pulling his weight. Yeah. And he felt, I mean, Bosnia needs to keep quiet. Herzegovina needs to lift up. That makes sense. Now you, I'd always hated that at school when they made us do what they called, this side of the room sing. Oh yeah. London bridges falling down this side. Hate it. You're not a fan? No. And what they called those things? They're called canons or something.

27:58Conductors, the people telling you. Oh, I hate it.

27:59Rog:I don't want to be told, but I would be by an 18-year-old Bosnian. Believe me, five minutes later, it was Jekko coaxing a goal, which cemented the victory. Qatar pulled one back, 80th minute. Ermin Makmich scored a third, sealing it for Bosnia. Got the Mo Salah Memorial yellow card for ripping his shirt off. So worth it. All hail 40-year-old Jekko. What an incredible story he is. Made his international debut for Bosnia 2007, a week before the Sopranos finale. Don't stop believing. in. Today was his 150th cap. I found it so moving watching him make the knockouts for the first time in his nation's history, put his game-worn jersey on his dad.

28:40Rog:That sort of moment just reverberates to the generations. You see these scenes in Bosnia Raw summed up by the blogger BIH Football. Look at that. This is what it means. This is it. He wrote Dear world, look at us now. Bosnia-Herzegovina have reached the World Cup knockout stage every tear every sacrifice every dream has led to this moment yeah they've had a really emotional journey here they wouldn't have expected to be here when they drew italy in the playoffs you know they're knocking out the four-time world champions to be here their second world cup is an achievement in and of itself to make it through is extraordinary and exceptional and yeah as you say for djeko someone who's who's not only kind of at you know a ripe old age for a footballer roger but he's still at the coalface he got schalke promoted in germany this season He's not gone and taken an easy payday.

29:26He keeps taking progressively more difficult jobs. He's a glutton for punishment.

29:30Rog:Volim te Bosno. Not quite sure what I just said, but it sounds right. And also, you hurt so. Look at this. From Michael Caley, one note for the sickos, of course, if this score holds, and it did, Bosnia winning doesn't likely guarantee they face the US. There's one path out of 495, which would send Bosnia to face Germany instead. I think USA are playing Bosnia and Herzegovina, or we should never play two teams at the same time, right? What was it Humphrey said the other day? Assuming makes an ass out of you and me. Yes, he did say that. Such a hump thing. Dzeko versus Tim Ream. May the Gent with most collagen win.

30:10Rog:Tim in Tulsa says this tournament's over 40 team going to be lit. Dzeko, Ronaldo, Vizinha, Tim Ream is like 87. Tonight, Group A. Oh, yes. Rory watching this purely out of desire to see Scotland results going his way there isn't that what you were doing? Yeah I was cheering for Mexico to beat the Czechs and South Korea not to lose to South Africa that's what I wanted. Well let's start there you don't always get what you want but sometimes you get what you need no you didn't today South Africa won South Korea nil in the Battle of the South the Baffin of Baffin are looking for redemption in Monterey they They required a win or a draw.

30:52Rog:South Korea to secure second place in Group A. It all felt so good going in. South Africa needed all three big boy points and a little favour for Mexico to land in second. South Korea field today was shocking. A team shorn of the suddenly blunt icon Son Hung Min. I can't imagine what happened to him. And Mainz midfielder Lijae Song switched to three at the back. Narrator's voice, he said, mistake. The game was majestic by Munich defender. Kim Min-J had the best chance in the first half ahead. Was it glancing one cleared off the line? The Korean crowd went bonkers where we were. And then it just descended into a bundle of nerves.

31:33Rog:Korea, three substitutes at halftime. Sonny entered World Cup debut. Interestingly, for Jens Kastrop, the Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder, German father, Korean mother, only the second ever biracial player to represent South Korea. Beautiful. I don't know if we mentioned it's a diaspora world cup. I can't remember. Roar, we watched this together in Koreatown. Incredible atmosphere. Not a lot of game excitement. But the crowd at Monterey Stadium came alive when News Mexico had scored everything, felt possible. Second goal for Mexico, spurred belief. Battle for second was on. What did you feel when the winger, Tapello Maseko, went shoot to shoot, lashed that low laser inside the near post?

32:16it was like goal for all of well goal for all of england maybe because it helps the scots get knocked out maybe that's what it was i felt joy for south africa somewhere deep in my soul roger really deep but all of the other layers above that were were despaired this format has its problems and it's been introduced for maybe not the purest of reasons but one of its benefits is that you are kind of emotionally invested in all these other games completely randomly so i genuinely cared when South Africa destroyed it is bad for Scotland but it is I will I'm a big enough person to admit it's brilliant for South Africa and as I say the turnaround given how poor they were in that first game does that that wasn't like an illusion they were genuinely really bad and even so in South Africans were saying that Trevor Noah was we felt we felt sorry I mean it

33:02Rog:was quite awkward we had to have a meeting how do we handle Trevor he's coming on in his team he's a delicate dog turd I mean it was like genuinely only a guy out there half I didn't know how to handle it. I mean, it was, you would not have believed it after that first game when South Africa got labelled the worst team in the tournament. We were like, oh, there shouldn't be a 48-team tournament. They shouldn't be in it. It's embarrassing, not just for Africa, but for the whole of Africa, maybe even the whole universe. Korea, by the way, Kneejerker said, what do we say? Oh, so refreshing to watch.

33:33Rog:Young, vital, energetic. We love, incredibly skilled team. What do we know? Football always makes an idiot of all of us. We know absolutely nothing, roger that's what we proved here i will say as much as a great achievement for south africa not quibbling with that at all brilliant that they're through to the knockouts for the first time in their history a little bit of kind of poetry about doing it agree with mexico after 2010 and stuff south korea have been really disappointing like given the talent they have given the quality they have given that son is still there you know in body if not in spirit that is a huge underperformance for South Korea.

34:06Rog:I bought a South Korean hat in Koreatown today. You'll never wear that. For the rest of the World Cup. It's beautiful. It's got a little dog on it and it's gorgeous. Come on, South Korea. Get through, baby. You would never have seen this. There's the audacity. There's the tenacity to have this performance out of humiliation. So happy for South Africa. So happy for Trevor Noah. Happy for Canada too. They dodged Korea in LA, man. They're going to be able to play South Africa. And I think, That is fascinating. At Stephen Mora, 2259. This is not the time. Just put in the chat, we've got Tim Ream, old man Tim Ream.

34:45Rog:I just don't think you'd understand. Born in 63, slower than the tree. We've got old man Ream. I can't sing that on air live. Chechenil, Mexico 3. Oh, my God. Javier Aguero, started 17-year-old for Norm Gilberto Mora. but then shot pretty well everybody by. It was Leak Memo Ochoa was going to play, aged like half of Tim Ream. It was his sixth World Cup. Instead, stayed with the quite impressive Raul Van Helling goal. A game of impossible margins for Chechua. Mexico had already qualified, weighed the yellow card accumulation versus match fitness. Interesting. Who else is in that position? Both teams looked disjointed in that first half.

35:28Rog:Chechua, I said this up top, they reminded me of Everton. I mean, David Moyes' team in not a good one. Mexico realised this evidently in the second half, came alive, two goals in seven minutes. First from Luis Romo, pirouetting through three defenders, releasing rampaging AZ. Alkmaar left back Mateo Chavez. Stunning, stunning finish. The way he opened his hips at last was just, oh, it was erotic. Second, brilliant pass from Moura. Set it up, Chechier cleared twice, straight into fullback Jorge Sanchez. Slapstick. and then the man of the hour, Julian Quiñones, hero of the first game, stabbed in the rebound.

36:03Rog:Roar. Goal for all of Scotland. That one was good. That helped Scotland. Well done, Mexico. Thank you. Do you know what? The Mexicans, I thought, looked quite nervous in that first game because they were obviously more aware than I was that if they weren't winning at all times, their fans would boo them. And that, I think, once they stored those first couple of goals, once they won that game, seemed to settle them. they've been really impressive since Mexico they have conceded zero goals, Rog. The whole tournament that is remarkable they even brought on, oh Aguirre does have a heart, Echewa came on, standing ovation from 80 ,000 fans for real live tournament minutes, was tossed in the air quite beautiful to watch by his teammates at full time, the World Cup proper begins now people here's the battle for third places he took a photograph of the television and then cropped it and showed this in.

36:56Rog:That's really how professional we are. That's just genuinely Photoshopped off the corner of a television set. What do you think as you look at that? You see Scotland already. Oh, my God. You need to phone a friend there. So there are, well, there's not much room for error here, Rog. There's not a lot of margin for the Scots. I have a little, little, tiny, tiny glimmer of hope that Sweden might get beaten quite heavily by Japan by three. It's not impossible. I think Croatia will go through I think the Koreans will go through I think Algeria will probably go through but they play Austria they could lose by one or two Paraguay I will you know me don't normally support Australia in sporting events but I will be praying for them to put five past Paraguay essentially to reduce this to simplicity so we can move on Raw's going to be watching the rest of this World Cup opening round with a lot of hate in his heart an awful lot of hate no it's very finely poised and then of course you've got the groups that we can't see there so it's it's a very very slim chance that Scotland go through.

37:53Rog:Producer J-Dubs wants to make clear this is not even Photoshopped. It was just taken off the television screen, cropped on an iPhone. You can make your own tables at home, people. We're very professional here. We ran a poll in the chat about which of the three group winners will make it the furthest. Two Canada in just for the crack. And the answer is Brazil, 64%. Mexico, 31%. Vanilla, Switzerland, 4%. Canada, 1%. Don't we haters? Support your NAFTA brothers. and sisters. Okay, Scotland's situation, as they say on Wonder Pets, it's serious. No Scotland, no party. We take that crap pretty seriously.

38:31Rog:It's a phrase. I actually think it's a life bloody truth. So we've got to go deeper on this Scotland team and the Tartan Army's month-long love affair. Well, really, it's an advertising campaign for the tourist board. 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.

39:08Rog:It's going to be amazing. Come and be with us in person or from afar on YouTube and let's celebrate this summer the way it's meant to be celebrated. Just head to the events tab on meninblazers.com for all the details. to the football, to more together courage.

39:26Rog:Let's bring on another Scott Roar, friend of yours, remarkable human being, chief football correspondent for the Sunday Times and the Times, which is like representing both Bosnia and Hertha Gavina. He's the author of Dear England, the real story of the Three Lions' rebirth. Do you want to bring him on, Roar? It's Jonathan Northcroft, one of the most prestigious journalists in Britain, I should say, because obviously he's Scottish. He sounds more Scottish than I do, which is important, an Aberdonian. He has the timber, the gravitas. He's a lovely, lovely man. And, Rog, he's an excellent central defender.

39:59Oh, God bless. Welcome, Jonathan.

40:02Rog:Oh, hi, guys. You made me feel a lot better with that introduction. Mate, mate, mate. First of all, you described watching Scotland, quote, like watching childbirth, not pretty, a little scary, but concluding in the most unbelievable joy. So it's a bit like Everton, except Everton does not end in joy. How are you holding up? Well, that was after the Haiti game, Rog, where there was the unbelievable joy at the end. I mean, I think this was just like an unending childbirth tonight against Brazil, wasn't it? And I've listened to you guys talk about the permutations. It just strikes me that we're now getting to die a very slow death, waiting till Saturday until the inevitable trip home.

40:44But hey, you know, we've had a good time. That's what football's about. Why can't we do it other than to die a really slow, painful death? Yeah, I think Andy Robertson said that after the game, that the next three or four days are going to be horrible. And it is a particular form of torture, not just for the players, but for the fans as well, because there is that slim glimmer of hope that they might get through. It's not impossible. In a way, I suppose you want it to be over tomorrow. You want the results to go the way that kind of puts Scotland out so they can fulfil the Steve Clarke prophecy.

41:12Jonathan, how do you feel about kind of the way they've played here? Yeah, it's been grim, hasn't it? I mean, look, the whole World Cup's been such a joy for Scotland, except three chunks in 90 minutes. Even the 80 game was pretty excruciating. And Morocco had its second half was quite good. Tonight was just... You know when the opposition coach identifies a sort of weak player in possession on your team and just lets them have the ball? It's like Ancelotti. he knew there was 11 of them on our team. So just give us the ball and let us be our own victim of our own downfall.

41:51Rog:Can I say, though, on the bright side, Jonathan, one of the true delights, I said this earlier, I think one of the lasting memories when people think of 2026, like in 40 years' time, 2026, they'll say, they'll remember Messi, his second World Cup win. They'll remember, you know, America, you know, some of the joyous moments. They'll remember Ronaldo's, you know, not so great World Cup. And then they'll be like, and then they'll be like, the Tartan army, man. They'll remember them. The drinks on the flights over, drinking Boston out of beer. You know, each manifestation became more beloved than the last.

42:32Rog:And really, I think it electrified the United States. Can you explain the core ethos of the Totten Army to us? Because when we grew up, football fandom was about anger, hostility, violence. What we've seen is the absolute opposite, and I think that's its true beauty. Yeah, I mean, look, the starting point is, I guess, there's two types of drunk, isn't there? There's the fighting drunk and there's the happy drunk, and that's our starting point for everything with the Totten Army. It's changed over the years, Rog. I covered Scotland back in the 80s, about the 90s. And we always had a good time, but maybe there was a bit more of a boorish edge to them.

43:14It's just about love now. And I think it's about expressing a sort of pride in your country that isn't defined by hating anyone else. And I was in Boston for the three days around the Haiti game. I can honestly say it'll be three of the best days of my life. I know that as a fact now. I'm still glowing about them, really. And listening to our songs at the end of that sort of epic game, you know, we're singing songs about the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond and, you know, She'll Be Coming and, you know, No Scotland, No Party. These are all nonsense, daft songs. They're not about another country. They're not about, you know, an old war.

43:56It's just, it's fun. It's nonsense. And I think what was lovely was that somehow America seemed to understand that and embrace it.

44:05Rog:We needed it. Jonathan, we needed it. We really, really, really, really. I think there is a tessellation between your joy, your openness, your love, your warmth, your welcoming everybody and what we needed in the moment. Yeah, I'd just like to say that I agree fully with the tacit criticism that Johnny is not prepared to say out loud for professional reasons. But there is, I think that the image of Scotland that the Tartan army's given, because what I like most, and obviously I'm not as Scottish as Johnny is, but it's playing with those bits of identity. It's like you go to Scotland and there'll be a lot of Bostonians who turn up in like Glasgow next year who are really disappointed by the number of people wearing kilts.

44:46That's not how Scots dress. There are trousers. Most of them wear jeans, sometimes shorts. But they're playing with it. It's a very playful, almost like camp form of national identity that's being projected to the world in a really fun and slightly silly way. like the bagpipes and stuff it's all kind of this stereotypes these cliches that you might otherwise resent it's almost reclaiming them and i think that's really nice does it do and it is inherently kind of inclusive yeah that's fair i mean it is that we're laughing with will on it

45:13Rog:yesterday that the kill is like the general so's chicken of uh of representation and that like in china if you go and say can i have some general so's chicken they'll be like what are you talking about man but watching those pipers march through the massed fields of drunks and i do love the very profound tactical switch from fighting drunk to loving drunk it's like going from a back three to a back four um i mean there is something that stirs the soul clearly uh of that audience even watching them you know the pipe bands march around the baseball stadium which i found from like a cultural symbolism the fusion of the baseball and scotland and boston it was needs deeper people of me to analyse, but it was profound.

45:55Rog:You were there. Can you talk about the scenes from the front line? Was there any one image, any one moment that really stuck out for you, Jonathan? Yeah, I mean, I guess everyone said it was like an occupied city, and it really wasn't. And it was, for me, it was sort of like the whole thing in a way, sort of arriving and seeing the scenes outside the Dubliner, where suddenly it just looked like Hogmanay. It was just hogman in the middle of boston straight off the bat that's three that's three days before kickoff i went to uh there was a big scotland party at the royal in in boston and i think to me it summed up being being scottish because in the queue to get in i met a bloke who hadn't seen for 30 years i used to play football at university he tapped me on the shoulder and of course he was in the queue you know i went inside and on the one hand that's like darren fletcher and claire grogan And, you know, on the other hand, I'm looking...

46:52Rog:Darren Fletcher, famous footballer, represented Scotland for a long time. What's her name? Claire Grogan. Oh, Claire Grogan. Claire Grogan. An iconic, like, pin-up singer from a band in the 1980s, but just, like, epitomised Glaswegian-ness in that moment. Sorry, I'm just translating for America, who's like, what are you talking about? Altered images, for those of you in my book. Keep going, Jonathan. This is beautiful. No, fair enough. And I have to say, for every male Scot of my vintage, the absolute, you know, the dream girl. There she was performing. You know, Andy Robertson's mum was... They passed the mic to Andy Robertson's mum, and she sort of says this sort of thing about her son, and it's all very lovely.

47:36But she just sounded like any Scottish mum. You know, you could understand the mixture of pride, but also slightly telling them off in a way, you know. it was lovely, there was free tenants, it was all sort of flowing, and at one point I went, there was a guy who I was certain was Pat Nevin, I think it was after about five or six tenants, and it wasn't Pat Nevin, but it was a bloke from Fitti in Aberdeen, which is about, you know, six or seven miles from where I grew up, and it was that kind of night, and Scotland's a village, right, there was about 30 ,000 of us in Boston, that's a lot of Scots, and I think every town, every community had someone there and you felt you just kind of felt you knew everybody and and it was a it was a wonderful thing has it made you more proud i mean jonathan has always been a very proud scott it partly does he exist quite often in direct contrast to the english but has it made you feel more proud my son johnny you'll be proud to now to know has now both requested and got his first scotland shirt yes well done has it brought out that side in you a little bit more no it has I mean, you know, like yourself, my career is in England.

48:44I live in England. My children were born and have grown up in England. They identify with Scotland to varying degrees, but it did. It's funny being an expat because you're sort of stuck with your memories. And I feel this sort of topped up for me, Scottishness. And I mentioned earlier seeing a foreign people, a host nation, actually get you, get your brand of nonsense, get who you are. Maybe not understand your words, but understand your sort of vibe. It was lovely. And another of the scenes that will stick with me in Boston was coming back from the Haiti game to my hotel. It was about three in the morning, and the Scotland fans were on the streets, and the sort of massive student population of Boston are just coming out of the clubs.

49:32And there was this incredible meeting of, like, sort of teenage Americans filming middle-aged Scottish families slurring their words. It was just this beautiful meeting of cultures. And I guess, like, you know, we will go home from the World Cup, whatever happens from now, pretty high up on that happiness index, you know. Maybe the team that wins that will have the happiest fans, but whatever happens now, Scotland will be, you know, we'll cherish it.

50:02Rog:I think in many ways Scotland have won the World Cup. i love what you said that's been the greatest ecstasy apart from those three sets of 90 minutes i mean it's just that is perfect man it's totally totally perfect there's so much depth in there and so much meaning um can you explain for americans just properly explain the cones on the statues i think everyone everyone loves them i think less people understand what they are we need to explain Yeah, and what a sight they've been. They've been in Miami and they've been on the statues in Boston. So there's a statue in Glasgow of the Duke of Wellington outside the Glasgow Museum, Gallery of Modern Art.

50:47And nobody knows how it started, but round about the 1980s, somebody put a cone on the Duke's head. And it's just become a thing. It's become a Glasgow tradition. The famous artist Banksy said it's his favourite work of art, bar none, is the cone on top of the head of the Duke of Wellington. Because it says what to you? What does it say to you, Johnny? It says rebellion, it says nonsense, it says fun, but it's cheek. It's cheek. There's a Glasgow word, gallus, that's probably what it says. And bringing it to Boston... What does that word mean? So Gallus is a sort of mixture of sort of cheek and self-confidence that's, you know, fun.

51:31It's fun with a bit of swagger, I guess, and anarchicness. So putting the cone on the head is that. But just, you know, Scotland fans had the cone hat and, you know, there's a statue of an elephant. And I think it's called the Act of Friendship statue down by the water in Boston. and there's like an octopus and an elephant and the elephant ends up with a cone on its head and one of the baseball statues has got a cone on its head and um and as you know and it was accepted and and the local population just saw it as fun and that was that was lovely that was one of the amazing things was how much boston seemed to embrace it as well and i've seen a lot of videos johnny you were there i i've missed out um which is something i you know i genuinely feel a little bit i would have loved to be there and but they seem to really embrace that idea i've seen a lot of videos of people saying it's kind of what boston needed that sense of kind of the city being open the city being fun people being for want of a better word a little bit silly does it is a silly it's a silly drunk that i'm yeah i do have a logistical question did they bring the cones with them okay this baffles me as well i don't know i do not know i'd like to think that there was a there was some kind of there's a plane just with cones on it This is a lot of cones, right?

52:47A lot of cones.

52:48Rog:I love this. You know, like Argentina come with 10 ,000 pounds of meat to barbecue. The Scotts are like, F the meat. We don't need to eat for a month. Where we're going, we only need cones. I've got one other practical question, then I want to end with some of the questions from the chat because you've been beautiful. What, has the hangover not been invented yet in Scotland? That's what I am Bruce for, Rog. I mean, you know, it's a cure-all. I actually, I think you've got to sober up to get a hangover. And I think basically the Tartan Army haven't sobered up yet. It was amazing. I was watching clips where I'd look at them and be like, God, that one's three days old.

53:29Rog:I can't believe it's still circulating. And I'd look and be like, oh no, it was this morning. And it's still going on like three days of just on the lash. Number one, I think you've won. 2024 after the Euros, I read that German tourism to Edinburgh went up by 156%. There is a serious economic impact to this for brand Scotland. The World Cup, no joke, I think will be enormous for Scotland. I hope it's enormous. A couple of quick ones before we let you go. At Chas Llewellyn, 7336 in the chat says, and this is fascinating to see how many Americans are now looking for Scottish clubs to support now.

54:06Rog:I mean that beautifully, sincerely. Johnny will give you the wrong answer. What Scottish football club is the most fun to watch, lads? Go on, North, go on. Oh, well, look, it's certainly not mine at the moment. Mine's Aberdeen. It was Motherwell last year for sure. I mean, they played stunning football and had a real go. But Hearts, get on the Hearts journey. Slightly pains me to say it, but they are going to continue. They nearly won the league this year, which would have been the first time in 40 years somebody other than the two Glasgow Giants, Rangers and Celtic, had won. They've got a very clever owner who owns Brighton.

54:40He's going to keep investing in clever signings. and they will be a fun ride over the next few years. So my loyalties, as you know very well, Rog, in Scotland lie with hearts quite strongly, and I've become much more connected to that this year as well. But there are other options. I'm going to be big-hearted about this. Hibs, Arsenal's rivals in Edinburgh, have probably the best anthem in football. Sunshine on Leith by the Proclaimers. Amazing. The other brilliant thing about Scotland is the names of the clubs. Queen of the South is a brilliant name for a football team. Hamilton Academicals. Hamilton Academicals.

55:11Rog:I'm a Dumbarton fan. everyone's on some level I love Dunbar um Wraith Rovers uh the yeah and the other one is Partick Thistle lovely name crazy mastrop yeah we're all that Scotland contains absolute multitudes um as you put it John I could do this all day no Scotland no heart rate which I just love um I mean this team has won the World Cup what part of you is allowing yourself to believe what that will go through. Almost nothing. Come on. I think Steve Clark spoke for us all and he only said about two words. He was so wound up with emotion. We're going to go home, aren't we? We're going to go home.

55:54It would be lovely to get one more big party, one knockout game to really, really cherish. But this is our role. This is what we do. There's quite a lot of people in Boston whose view was that it was quite good if Scotland lost today. Not by that many goals because if they finish third and they did go through, they would be playing Germany in what is now Scottish territory in Boston, another home game for them. So, yeah, I think Johnny's right. The chances are they go out, but it will be three agonising days waiting to find out.

56:24Rog:God, I wish it for you. I wish it for Scotland. Honestly, Jonathan, I want you to say, I wish it for all of us in America. You have lifted spirits. You have made joy. You've made real ecstasy out of football. In America, we talk about what David Beckham has done for the game, and he has done a lot for the profile. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, seismic. No joke, no BS. What Scotland have done has brought eyes to this game that I think will be SEC football, like proper college football, Texas. I think no Scotland, no party will be resounded for many, many generations in American sports. and it all ties back to what you and the amazing Tottenham Army have brought.

57:08Rog:I hope we get to bring you on one more time as well. Jealousy. I've loved this, man. To you, health, happiness. Big, big love. Thank you, guys. What a human being. Thank you for bringing him on. Johnny's a wonderful man. He's a deeply wonderful man. He's a deeply wonderful man. You're a gorgeous man yourself. We're going to blow through tomorrow's games really quickly. Just don't stop. Won't stop. USA, end the day with Turkey, A. Dead rubber. Turkey are out. Lay up. US have topped the group. Coach Poch has confirmed. This is a team that really, they beat us 2-1 last June. They really clowned us in that defeat.

57:42Rog:This is fascinating how the turntables. He's not going to risk the four players on a yellow card, so they won't be suspended. So no Chris Richards. I taped a beautiful interview with Chris on our YouTube. Find it. It's amazing what a human giant he is. Tyler Adams, Flo Balogun, Anthony Robinson will not be playing. Christian Pulisic coming back from calf injury. Coach Poach said he doesn't know if he's going to start or put him in in the second half. The team is 99.99 % shorter face Bosnia. That's not me hedging my bets. Where are you on that mix between rotation and momentum? I think, well, obviously you don't risk anybody who's on a yellow.

58:19I suppose you take the lesson from Canada a little bit today that it is important to maintain that momentum. I never really believe in sacrificing it. I think you've got to strike that balance. I'm sure that's how Coach Poach will be regarding it. Coach Poach!

58:33Rog:By the way, like Polisic's real name is Pooley Sitch, Coach Poach will soon call himself Coach Poach within about four months, do you think? When he takes another job in Europe, he will be referred to as Coach Poach. Yeah, my name is Coach Poach. You can call me Coach Poach. Yeah, you're Coachy Poachy. Coachy Poachy!

58:55Rog:Coachy Poachy today, by the way! Asking his wife to call him Coachy Poachy. I don't want to go there. Coachy Bochy today said how full on American he's become. He has a cowboy hat that he brought. He loves teddy swims. And until the U.S. – he said that the U.S. does have healthy food, but that he loves the, quote, amazing Chick-fil-A. Do you know what? That man was Freddie LA 7 before Freddie LA 7. Yeah, I like Coach Poch, and I've liked him for a long time. He's a nice man. that is a very, very transparent attempt to hitch his widen to Freddie LA7. He'll be talking about Waffle House and Butties soon.

59:32Rog:I mean, all I remember is a Chick-fil-A dude came and spoke to Coach Poach and gave him the great slogan, Culture, eat strategy for breakfast. So he either wants honorary citizenship or at least a free spicy deluxe. Always be selling. Coach Poach. Coachy, Poachy. The matching Coop D for destiny. Australia can seal second with draw. against paraguay out without the suspended miguel almiron who was banned red card for covering his mouth something we've seen leno messi do he did it jude bellingham did it we're not punished and i'm sure almir's got something to say about that but we can't see because that's group d d for layup um also tomorrow starts with a group b double header curacao face the ivory coast blue wave have to be riding the good vibes from that nil nil draw of ecuador uh largely thanks to a 15 safe performance when their goalkeeper Miami FC's Eloy Rom, who's just 15 million Instagram followers from going a full Vizinha.

1:00:31Rog:After the game, he said I think I need a statue in Curacao. And if they beat Ivory Coast, it may be time to look for sculptors in Willemstad. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast fell 2-1 to Germany over the weekend after being thoroughly undavved. But coach Emers Fahe said, quote, our destiny's still in our hands or our feet? Which is big if true, Rob. Yeah, they should get through this is you know potentially their easiest game curious though aren't a pushover but ivory tops will be looking this at this as a chance to um to kind of seal that place in the in the next round they've really surprised me every trust i will i will sit here and very honestly say to you roger i underestimated them coming into this tournament oh did you underestimate them no i just didn't think they'd be that good bobby robson ecuador germany kick off at the same time we love love love we don't trust the germans they've got previous germany already through the knockouts for the first time since 2014.

1:01:23Rog:Kai Havertz, the two-goal banger in Germany, 7-1 win over Curacao, explained his strategy. He told the Guardian, quote, I make runs, which I know sometimes look pointless, but I'm creating space for the players coming up behind me. What a self-aware king. Raw, Ecuador, disappointing. They were a dark horse for many, on the verge of, if they are a horse, of the glue factory of elimination. They've not scored a single goal so far. No, I spoke to Jefferson Montero. He played for Swansea. He was an Ecuadorian winner. who was one of the first kind of Ecuadorians. I called him Jeff, but with a J, not the silly way with a G and an E.

1:01:58Sorry to G-E-Fs.

1:01:59Rog:You're just pissed off like the P-E-F. It's a Nate Bajazzi joke. People who are on dark, whatever it is, dark mode whose name begins with a G. G-Jeffs use dark mode. That's what I would say, 100 % of the time. Def Jeff. Jefferson Montero, no G. He said to me, I did an interview with him a little while ago, and he said that he thought Ecuador could make the semis, and they qualified really impressively. They've looked great. They've got this crop of players largely coming through this club, Independiente del Valle in Ecuador, Montweser, Caicedo, all this kind of talent, Hincapier. They have been really disappointing.

1:02:32And there's an element of bitter Scott about me here. But I think if you look at teams like Turkey, South Korea and Ecuador, the scale of their failure in this tournament is probably greater than Scotland's.

1:02:41Rog:Undoubtedly. At Jack O 'Lantern984 said, build a statue for Eli Rom just so the Scots can put a cone on it. On to the next pair of matches in this sprawling footballing Groundhog Day. Ned Ryerson may actually be on the roster for Sweden. Take on Japan. I love them. In Group F, Samurai Blue behind group leaders. The Netherlands on goal differential. And defender Shogo Takni Guchi said his side strategy. That was good, wasn't it? To shut down Sweden's Alexander Izek and Viktor Jokeres, we have to disturb, make life uncomfortable for them. He said they have to feel we are close to them at all times.

1:03:16Rog:Sweden almost certainly through to the knockouts as things stand. The most likely opponent for them is, do you know who it is? Oh, no. France. Oh, they won't be here for long either way. Hey, Siri, how would you say murd in Swedish? 100 % supporting a 5-0 Japan win in this one, Rog. You what? Yeah. Just because? Just, I mean, there's no alternative at all. It's not entirely out of self-interest. Both will be looking to leapfrobb the Netherlands, top of the standings. Dutch play Tunisia. The Orange Burson fans will start gathering in Kansas City's Paralite district at 9am. thought might be the biggest fan gathering of the World Cup so far.

1:03:49Rog:That is ecstasy. They must be pissed at the Scottish fans. Oh, yeah, they've absolutely had their thunderstorm. They're like, we've got that bloody bus over here and those drunks are just... They shipped it. They're just mogging us off. They shipped it to Galveston, Texas. Maybe that's where the cones were. Ooh. As for us tomorrow, Raw, again, we will be right here in the city of Los Angeles at the beautiful Union Station, and pint in one hand, hope in the other, ready to hit the stage for our third Matchday Live show with LA Rams legend Todd Gurley, captain of the US women's team, incredible Lindsay Heaps, and our dear friend, former US men's player, my hero, Kyle Beckerman.

1:04:29Rog:Come be with us, 5.45pm Pacific time. They've got a huge, huge screen out here. It is going to be delirious, free to all. There'll be a live stream on this YouTube for all of you not in LA. I cannot wait. After the game, we're going to hop on right here on the bus for another night cup. Guests, Big Cat and PFT from Barstool, which will be the perfect way to go deep on an analysis of the group stage. It'll be previewed tomorrow morning by Betty Glover on Morning Cup Day. Let's have a day, America. Raw, you already know what time it is. It's for what everybody said they believe where we tend to couch your percentages.

1:05:04Rog:I'm exhausted to give us a glimpse into the minds of football fans everywhere. You mentioned it earlier. Results all but guarantee. A round of 32 game between the US and Bosnia and Artur Kovina too. Sometimes, I know US fans would have bitten your arm off for that, but it's real now and overconfidence is a dangerous game. We see Bosnia have a 21 % chance to advance with the US, 77 % favourites. We're going to spend a lot of time decoding this, Ru, but how are you feeling about those odds this game? I think Bosnia are dangerous. I really like the two young winners. I think they've got really a lot of talent, those two.

1:05:40The goal, the first goal today was a magnificent... I'm not even sure you'll see a better goal this tournament, to be perfectly honest. So Bosnia are not pushovers, but if I'm completely honest, Rog, this is not great football analysis. I don't think the US journey in this tournament can end with a defeat to Bosnia. I just don't think that's how this story ends. But Herzegovina... Throw Herzegovina in and suddenly you've got a problem.

1:06:02Rog:We're not very good when we play two teams. We've still got Trinidad and Tobago, Shellshock. You know where I stand, people.

1:06:12Rog:Time for the food. It's for the European mind. Cannot comprehend. Back again with Rory Smith. Oh my God, I've been dying to get into this. I don't even know what it is. I'm a bit worried about this. The food. So LA, it might as well be a Dodger's cap and moan about freeway traffic. It's chicken tinga and bistec tacos from Grisado's plus a little splash of horchata on the side. Rory, you're a worldly man. Get in there. I'm not sure I can open this. I don't know what this is. I've got to have my mic up. I can't. No misophonia. Let's see. Yeah, no misophonia. Next. Oh my God. This looks so bloody good.

1:06:45Rog:This looks amazing people. Look at that. Can you see this? I mean, this is just a stunning looking taco. It's dripping all of my keyboard. My keyboard's all the better for it. We're all getting in there. Hang on. Oh my God. This is amazing. Oh God. This is going everywhere. Oh, shoot. God. That's quite spicy. Oh, my God. That's ecstatic. That is humanly ecstatic. Honestly, that is one of the greatest things I have ever imbibed. I've got to admit, Roger, I looked at this big sort of tub of white drink. Yeah. I didn't find it that appealing. Yeah, it's a bit. They've got to work on the presentation.

1:07:26But it is useful when your chicken tinders. You're a man who appreciates his gelato.

1:07:30Rog:And, yeah, Irwin smoothies. Give it a score. Oh, I love an Irwin smoothie. There's no straw board, Rog. Well, they've got to use your imagination. Someone's taking it off the bus. You're a creative type. I think you're going to give this 8.2. Very close. What? The number in my head was 8.6. There's a party in my tummy. That is very, very good. That puts it in fourth place. That's not that good, is it? In fact, I'd go 8.7 if you'd go to third with Porto. Yeah, get it up there, would you? 8.7, but behind on goal difference. It's now$30 smoothie. It's in the Champions League places. I put it way above that airworn crap.

1:08:06Rog:Rog says, and I've spoken, I love these tacos. What I love more is that you've now tried guisados. You've got your gorgeous suntan. You're never going home, Roar. LA, Rory, arguably the best, Rory. I'm going to have some work done. By the way, I already have. See, I'm going for the turkey game tomorrow. I'm getting a bit, you know, I'm getting a bit landed. Last but not least, as we invite you, our dear leaders, to share your World Cup journey with us. email to meninblazergmail.com your memories put it in our discord too your dreams your experiences your everything's i love this one this one is a cracker stay with us here it's gfop just start raw do the honest roger and rory i'm writing this email during a rare moment of cell service while i'm hiking the pacific crest trail for british listeners that means he's got mobile phone signal i i've been on trial on hang on i've been on trail on trial there's a typo there he's not on trial.

1:08:59Not guilty, my lord. That would be a very different letter. That would be amazing. I've been on trail for 67 days and completed 906 out of 2 ,650 miles on the journey from Mexico to Canada. Doing this during the World Cup is very unfortunate. The World Cup started shortly after I completed the 700-mile-long desert section and entered the Sierra Nevada mountains. I've only had internet connection about once a week. Good for the mental health. Between towns, my brother sends me store updates using my satellite messenger device. When I have connection, I download every episode of morning cup date and night cup to stay up to date someone say that's a torture i see many similarities to my own experience on this trail at a time when america and the world feel so divided i have found a new appreciation for the hospitality and generosity of strangers throughout the trail volunteers called trail angels provide services ranging from snacks and cold drinks at road crossings to providing transportation and even hosting hikers and providing home-cooked meals this experience has reminded me that despite the broader narratives and discourse, I still believe in the intrinsic good of humankind.

1:09:57The population of PCT hikers is also surprisingly international, and I've met hikers from New Zealand and Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, France, South Africa, Canada, Belgium, dominant sobbers like Hungary, the UK and Scotland. No one from Herzegovina. Those are the two, you know, the UK and Scotland are the same. It has provided a new way for us to connect and share in this experience together. My unlimited satellite messaging plan, is this an advert, has also made me quite popular amongst fellow football fans. Thank you for creating the kind of content that shows why football is more than just a sport and for helping me stay connected to the tournament while I'm on trail.

1:10:30P.S. I even stopped on the side of a mountain to watch my beloved Arsenal play in the Champions League final. Which is objectively very funny. You must have screamed into the abyss. Hooray penalties! Do you know what Rog?

1:10:41Rog:Can you just tell me, I'm exhausted. We've been on a long show. We've done six four. This is just, this is a triumph of the spirit this letter. But does it not, what he's finding on the Pacific Coast Trail, that sense of when you just get, this is going to sound really cheesy, but when you just get people together who are normal people and you take everything else out of it, people are really nice. That's what the world, that's the basic message of the Tartan army, of the Brazilians, of the Americans in Boston, of whoever it is. People are really nice. The Freddie LA 7 thing, the story there is people are nice.

1:11:13Rog:Well, I'm not sure about that. You're slightly stepsil about Freddie LA 7. I am a bit off on that, but I will say, I did a show with Jon Stewart, his podcast, with your friend Tariq Panja, both of our friends. He said something beautiful. Ultimately, for all the craziness, all the chaos, all the panic, the people that take, once the balls kick, the people take over. And that's what we're seeing. And it sounds like at the very heart of your journey, which is honestly besmirching by listening to our crap. But if you are walking on that trail and you're hearing this letter now, I'm so happy, man, to inject some joy into your life.

1:11:48Rog:And it's why football is always the most important, least important thing. The people that you meet, the memories you share. Tomo, and thank you for that. When you next get Satellite Uplift, send us your email. We'll send you a patch. Keep sending us your letters to meninblazergmail.com or join our Discord, slap them in. We'll get them and we'll read them here. Before we sign off, I want to mention even tomorrow ends the group stage for the US. Party's only getting started as we head into the knockouts. If you'll be in the Bay Area or any pub around the country watching, dress the part. Head to the Men in Blazers shop.

1:12:19Rog:We've got so much US-inspired merch on the Fox promo. They keep showing our Why Not Us scarf. It gives me great joy. I love all of it. Get stuck in. Send us your photos. It gives us such happiness to see you in our crap. That's it for us today. We'll be back tomorrow. with special guests, Big Cat, PFT, and the great Kyle Beckerman on the bus. We're going to end by Chris Richards, who I spoke to earlier this morning. I asked him about Optus supercomputers, which have given the US 2.84 % chance of winning it. I'm going to let you hear Chris's response to the Optus supercomputer. Roy, you're a beautiful human being.

1:12:57It's been a lot of fun, Rog, but I would now like to eat the rest of this taco.

1:13:00Rog:Me too. And I want my microphone nowhere near that taco as I go, leave you with Chris Richards. Big love, courage. All I can think about is that dumb and dumber quote. So you're telling me there's a chance. The Opta computer currently has a 2.84 % chance the United States can win this World Cup. 2.84 % is a lot of percent. And even if the computer doesn't have us higher than that, we believe 100 % in ourselves. So if you take your 100 % and add Opta's 2.84%, you've got a 102.84 % chance of winning. There you go. That's really good. Thank you.