WORLD CUP Bonus Episode: First Week

This episode is brought to you by Verizon. As an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Verizon is bringing once-in-a-lifetime experiences to their customers. Free tickets to matches, pitch side access during gameplay, and meat and greets with soccer legends. If you're not with Verizon, no sweat. Stop by a Verizon store to get in on the action and learn about their offers for new customers. No one gets you closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 than Verizon. [MUSIC PLAYING] This is what now with Trevanoa. We made it, Joe. Oh, we did. We made it. Here we are. What is this? Eight years of planning, four years of waiting, and then one week of chaos. Welcome to week one of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Even saying it makes it feel as jam-packed as it's been. More countries hosting than ever before. More games than ever before. More countries participating than ever before. I don't remember the last time I started watching a game in the same country as the games are hosted, by the way, at midnight. Yeah, it's-- first of all, in the gestation period, when you say ATS, I mean, like, OK, it has been ATS. Yeah, it's been eight years of planning. ATS, in which-- Wow. But I feel like now that we are here, and that's the thing about the World Cup, now that we are here, it feels like it was worth the wait. It does. Yeah, it does. Maybe that's a good place to start. It's like, let's jump straight into the games. Who surprised you? Who has underwhelmed you? Who shows promise? I mean, like, if we think of the big teams, the one that comes top of mind, you know, because it was one of the most recent games, Germany. They're the first big team who said we're a big team. They're the first team who shown that they're a big team. They needed it. They had a scare, of course, at one one. You went like, oh, here it goes again. Because Germany, after winning the World Cup in Brazil 2014, they are failed in the next two World Cups to make it past the group stages. Oh, yeah, that's true. They stayed behind having lost to Mexico in the opening game. And then last World Cup, they lost to Japan and things went down here from there. So they needed this win. But then when Kurosawa equalized, they went like, oh, here it goes again. Here it goes again. So he had Germany have definitely, definitely. That was a statement win. It definitely was. I mean, beating a team 7-1, you know, you think at like 5-1, you start relaxing. Germans don't show mercy. No, they don't. Yeah, they really don't. But the funny thing is the reaction from Kurosawa. Like I've been online and Kurosawa fans credited to them like for us, this was historic. The fact that we were invited to the high table and we held our own for as long as we did. And we scored a fast World Cup goal ever, smallest country ever, take part in the World Cup, 150,000 people, it means a lot to them. So for them, 'cause we were comparing them to Brazil. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We went like, oh, 7-1, oh, Brazil has handed over the mantle. They went like, no, we are proud. Brazil was traumatized for us today. It was a national holiday. It is amazing. You know, one of the things that I love about the World Cup is how every team comes to the World Cup with a different objective in mind. Yes. Like every team, so if you come in as one of the big teams, if you're France, if you're Spain, if you're Germany, if you are Argentina, anything less than success, anything less than victory is deemed a failure. Yes. If you come in as one of like the middling teams, then it's like, can you get far, you know, so like no one's expecting Japan to win. No one's expecting North Korea to win. South Korea. No one's expecting South Korea to win. No one's expecting, you know, Kurosawa to, but then this team's like Kurosawa, actually, and like Qatar and all these teams, where it's like, if they get one goal, yes, they treat it like they won the World Cup. Yes, and I think in fairness to Kurosawa, they were handed the toughest opening game over the small teams. You think so? Yes, 'cause Haiti, you know, they lost to Scotland, but Scotland, you go like, you know, it's Scotland and Britain, Haiti said that one. That's true. But they're facing Germany, who are four-time, it's like the worst way to work on them, to the World Cup party. Oh, the best way. Yeah, the Germans. Oh, you're actually the best way. 'Cause Scotland, you go up, you know, I don't know if you saw this. After the game, some of the German players went and prayed with the, with the players from Kurosawa. And I was just like, it was like a beautiful moment, but I was also like, that's when you know someone has demolished you, 'cause when they even gonna pray with you after the game. You were supposed to mention it. Like, I like that though. That's when I knew, that's when I knew that like, you know, when I got like the biggest bankings from my mom was when she prayed with me afterwards. She was like, oh, when she was like, yeah, yeah, she's like, now that you've got your beating, come, let's pray. Let's pray that this never happens to your guild. (laughs) Let's pray for forgiveness, Trevor. You just make it seem like the Germans had a bit of residual guilt. They were like, oh, I've never seen that though. You know, I've never seen that. They didn't do it to Brazil, certainly. No, they didn't. And Brazil also has religious plays in the team. Yes. Yeah, but they went and they prayed with them, which I like. They had the spirit of the World Cup. You know who didn't pray after beating their opponents? Mexico against South Africa in the opening. Yo, man. To be fair, I thought, South Africans, and I told you this, I think South Africa beat itself. I don't think Mexico beat South Africa. You don't think so? No, I don't think. I think so. They say more how. So they committed an error at the opening, the opening goal was a gift by the defensive midfield arm. They had to use the ball, yeah, turned. Yes, he scanned way earlier. Yes, received the ball, but his touch was horrific. And then he was chasing the ball and then it was too late. Yes, and then the two red cards didn't help. So for me, I feel like South Africa. Look, I know South Africans think that maybe their team is hopeless after that. But I think the result, I think the South Africa was very, first of all, they played way cautiously. They played almost negatively. That's the issue that I think South Africans have, is we're not concerned about like, we don't think the team's hopeless. Yes, yes. It didn't look like we were trying to win the game and you don't go through by drawing three games. No, no, you get what I'm saying? Like, you don't come to a World Cup, draw three games and then think that's enough to take you through. No, but also if you go as a coach, if you go, okay, we're going to play conservatively. They were blessed. Japan played the opening minutes of their game against you. You're hoping none of your players makes a mistake. Because then you play a mix of mistake and then you give to the other team of goal. Now your plan goes out of the window. Yeah, but then I would argue, right? If you're playing a game like that, you're playing against a team that has way more players playing in Europe, you know? The Mexican team, even on paper, seems like a better team in South Africa. Then do what Japan did against the Netherlands in the first half. They didn't waste too much time holding the ball. They made sure they moved the ball to South Africa. Get the ball out of your danger area. Then play, see if you can get some shots. See if you can, because the pressure, people, the pressures on you, Mexico's at home in a historic stadium. Their fans are all behind them. All of Africa is up against you as South Africa. So you have like double the fan base against you. And there's the nerves. There's the nerves of all of this. Why are you playing a game that relies on calm when you're that nervous? I would have just, to be honest, I would have played that game out. I would have played it closer to Japan. Who, yo? They had a great, but you asked me about the team that has surprised me the most. Japan, I expected it. Yeah. The team, because Japan, you know, as I told you, they have beaten Spain, they have beaten Germany in the last World Cup, they've beaten Brazil and they've beaten England in their friendlies. I expected them to hold their own against the Dutch. The team that, the team that blew me away was the U.S. I watched that game. You couldn't recognize the U.S. You kept asking who is this, yes? The United States of Spain. That's what that was. That was incredible, yes. The United States of Golazos, the United States of Tiki Taka, the United States of Total Football, the United States of Travellers, the United States of Total, like the pressing up the field. Do you know what I mean? When you look at that team and how they were playing the game, yo, I still cannot get over. OK, here's what's more interesting to me. It's not the fact that Team USA played the way that they did. It's that team USA seems to have hidden this until now. They did beat your wife for one, which was impressive, but I thought she was a one-off. Yes, but beat this is how they played. Yes. Yes, it was very an American. And I know nobody in America, that's a bad thing. But when it comes to football, football styles, that was a very an American style. They were, it was Yuga Bonito. It was Yuga Bonito. Yeah, the way they were playing themselves. Yeah, that was beautiful. Johnson was invading, so you know, this was invading, they were attacking, police vehicles having fun on the way. You had a western mechanic making like runs into the box. It was every player deserved a 10. Can I tell you if you invested in all of those players before that game, you would be receiving the highest return on investments. Like their stock price after that game has skyrocketed. You would be receiving higher returns than it is. There's no, there's not even the space examples. Yeah, no, no, no, this is like. This is, there's no one like Balagon, for instance. He went from who is the sky? Only like deep football fans, new Balagon. And now he is a sort of the striker. He's runs off the ball in that game. His touch is on the ball. His touch is, yes. He's striking. The goal is quite the second goal was insane. That touch to him. Oh my God. And again, because now I'm wondering, do we credit, put it, you know, for that? Consider the same players, these same players. Yeah. And are they all coach Greg Velalter? It's the same team exactly, almost the same exact team. Same thing, Balagon, everyone. Yes. but they've changed, something has changed. - Yeah, then you have to create the coach. - And I think people, that's when people go like, "Oh, you need a top coach as well." You need a top coach. 'Cause normally, you know, the coaches for the international teams don't get as much time with the players. - Yeah, they don't. - So he said that for them to impose their philosophy, but professionals clearly found the way. - No, he's found the way. I mean, has he also found pressure now though? Like, do you, do you, I always wonder if you wanna just win versus thrash the opponents going into the next game? 'Cause I, part of me wonders if now, team USA is put a target on their backs. And at most World Cups, I find the winner is generally somebody who escapes the magnifying glass at the beginning. You know, you escape that focus. You look at Argentina and Qatar. You look at Spain in 2010. You look at any tournament, even France, when they wanted. Like, you just, you look shaky. No one's watching you. Everyone's thrashing everyone on the other side. And then you sort of sneak through to the knockouts. And then you win a game here. You win a game there. You win another game. Next thing you know, you've won the finals. - I'll go with you because I think one of the truths about any tournament is the team that wins the tournament has to pick at the right time. - Yeah, you do. - So you can't pick Ali. - Yeah, you can cause them to think you're saying, you pick to Ali and then the target on your back. But everyone is watching out. So you have to almost like pass yourself so to speak. But I think for the UAs as the hosts and coming in with the problems they had, like cause there was so much external noise surrounding the team. - Yeah. - Fans are not invested. There's the political ramifications. There's all this stuff. That like shack all that down. - Let me tell you something. The fans were invested. So far Stadium was. - Yes, no, no, but I mean like. - From the national anthem. Like you know, that's when you know, that's when you know your team is having a good day. From the national anthem, people were like, this might be the best national anthem I've ever heard in my life. - Oh yes. - And then the team came out and they were like, this could be the best U.S. performance. This could be the best goal. This could be the best. And then Traveller to top it off. - That was the best way. Cause Americans also love a great ending. So if you're winning three near, but you're up three by the 60th minute. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yeah, but that means that was a dramatic way to send everyone home. But I'm saying there's only safe fans I invested now. There are people who didn't care about football. - That's true. - The hardcore fans were already there. But there are people who didn't care. But we've been in America long enough to know that Americans only care about winners. - Even. - They don't care what you do. They don't care. If he talks about like, you know when he and Americans go and get like, oh, this is a comeback story. Well, it doesn't matter what you do. If you can come back, if you can win. America is a country that's built on second acts. - Yeah, Rocky. - Yes. So long as you come back and win. And so for me, there are people who are not engaged with the game. But when they saw America beating another country by four goals, they're like, yeah, we're in. We're dominating. That's what America loves. - The only thing I think people love more than a comeback story is mocking the favorites when they don't perform. Like if you look at some of the countries who were meant to win, one that springs to mind, Turkey, playing against Australia, they're better than one of their players. He gave an interview before the game where they're asking him, how do you think it's going to, he was like, we're going to dominate them. He was like, we sound a little bit like Wimbanyama. He was like, we're going to dominate them. You know, we're going to, this is what we do. We got this game. Did you see there's a clip of Adagoulea, one of the attacking players from Turkey, in the tunnel, right before they come out onto the pitch. And it's just him talking to his teammates. And he shouts out, he shouts out. He's like, guys, we're way better than them. Let's prove it on the field. And then you cut to 90 minutes later and they're losing 2-0, not even 2-1 by the way, 2-0 to the soccer rules. Which, can I just add, like, if you call your team the soccer rules, I feel like you've trolled everyone you play against because it seems like you don't take it seriously. It's so funny that we never mock the Australians for that because we mock Americans for calling it soccer. And even America went like, no, no, not for our team, the soccer rules. The soccer rules is, yes, imagine it, who beat you. The soccer rules, the soccer rules did this to you. Don't forget about it, Mike. The soccer rules did this to you. It sounds like it made up. Yes, it sounds like if an American was writing a script, it really does. The soccer, the soccer, like, movie or the soccer series and they go like, oh, our team is the soccer rules. I think it's, I think it was a terrible devastating result for Taki, or Taki, as opposed to these days. 'Cause I think they're a very passionate people when it comes to soccer. If you watch like European games and you've seen like the fans of Garatasa, or Fena Bashi, or six stars, they're a very, like, basketball is big in Taki, but football by far is like the national religion. And for you to lose to a country where football is not even anywhere near the top four sports. 'Cause remember in Australia, it's cricket, it's rugby, it's Australian rules football. Then soccer. And then soccer. And for you to lose to that team, I think, maybe even swimming comes before. Yes, yeah, exactly. I think it was a crashing, crashing. I don't think anyone in Taki or anyone back in Istanbul expected that result. I didn't, I certainly didn't expect it. You didn't expect that at all. I didn't expect Australia to even compete. I don't know why people say that maybe, okay, maybe I have a different perspective on Australia. When I've watched them play their games in previous World Cup or when I've watched them in major tournaments, the Australians seem to work hard. They work together. And they've never seemed like a walk over. So I don't understand why people were shocked. So they were Australian teams. 'Cause Australia is by nature. Yeah. These people built a country out of a Pinocolonie. Like they work hard. But I'm saying Taki has, Taki has some of the brightest talents in World Football, right? Yeah, but okay, you know what? You know what, I've noticed it's changed in World Football, though. Okay. And I mean, you maybe you'll disagree with me on this 'cause you know the game better than I do. But like, I feel like the low block has changed football forever. So I feel like, you know, back in the day, a team and it's likelihood of success in my opinion was determined by each player and their matchup in that position. Okay, yes. One on one. Like one on one. You've got a very strong winger. You're gonna beat my left back or right back. You've got a very strong striker. They're gonna beat my center back. You've got a very strong midfielder. They'll beat mine, et cetera, et cetera. And then with the changing in how the game has been played over the past few years, let's say over the past like five-ish years. Now I find a lot of teams are more willing to bring the whole team back, to play the game and press and defend. Sort of what people are complaining that like Killian and Bup, it doesn't do it real Madrid. Yes, yes, yes. People were saying that Salad was forced to do this season for Liverpool didn't do it before, but that's what hurt the team. But it's like, there are teams who've gone, oh yeah, we might not be as good as you, man for man, but two men for man changes the equation. And if you watch the Australia-Turkeyer game, there were swaths of the game where Australia had eight men in the box in a straight line, eight men. And then it was like, you know, another two men just in front of them. And that was it. That was their formation in a way. And all they were waiting for was the break. Japan, I could argue with Simul in some ways. They brought everybody back. When Cody Guckpo from the Netherlands was trying to cut in, they just had, they had two men on him the entire time. So it doesn't become like a one-on-one moment. It becomes a, can you break through every one moment? You know, Morocco out even argued that against Brazil. You know, they frustrated Brazil. The one moment, Vinicius got a chance to one-on-one. You didn't score yet. The rest of the game we didn't hear from him. It's a very interesting, it's very interesting to talk about the low block because it's supposed to do exactly that. It's supposed to make the team better than the sum of its parts. Yeah, right. So, again, as you're saying, if Taki has a glayer who plays from a grid and if Taki has Kenan Yildiz, who plays for Juventus and the Socaros have no one playing in any of the top leagues, then their only option is to work as a team. And that's the funny thing about football. So football used to be a team game that had individual battles. The thing you said about Socar, usually a team game that had individual battles. So it was a team game, but then there were people like going one-on-one. So we made it more like a tennis or boxing match. But now coaches are realizing, "Oh, there's a way for us to nullify a player like Messi, we can't leave him one-on-one." 'Cause it's going to beat his mind every time. For us to nullify a player like me and Yamal, we can't leave him one-on-one. What do you have to do? You have to double. And I think they're taking that fun enough from Games like Basketball. - They have, I think Socar has taken a lot from basketball over the years. - Basketball, yes. - We've seen the pick and roll come into the game. - Yes, yes, yes. - We've seen screens come into the game. I mean, Arsenal dominated a whole season, basically playing set pieces like it was basketball. You've seen that switch come over where now, teams have also realized that fitness isn't a talent. - Yes, you know? - Yes, yes. - You might pay a lot of money for a talent player, but fitness is something that everyone can just work on. And so if you have a fitter team, then the other team, you just make them run, you make them recycle the ball, you get behind the ball. It's a frustrating, that Brazil versus Morocco game, you could tell that Brazil A was struggling with the fact that this is not their best team, but B, they were frustrated by the fact that they just weren't getting chances to play. And by the way, we have to talk about the Moroccan midfielders. - Oh, are you a buddy? - Man. - Yeah. - Yo. - But yo. - He's 18, and that Moroccan team is very young, but I'm saying, I love coaches who can trust a player at that age against Brazil. 'Cause that's why you need the coaches and not just again, Brazil, look who is playing in that midfield. He was playing against Casa Miro, Lucas Paqueta. as Paketa and Bruno Gimmaris and then switched out to Fabinho at half time and they switched out to and he still dominated them, bossed the game and 18 year old. It was impressive. 30 days before was the captain for the French. You know, that's, yeah, that's, I think, I think it speaks to Morocco's assent or rise in wild football that they can actually now lure parents away from bigger countries. And I, I disagree. Okay. I disagree. Why? Give me your reason. Because I think, I disagree. I think African teams have struggled before. Yeah, but I, but I disagree. I don't think it's the standing. I think the quality of football has risen so much over, all over the world. Okay. That now there's a saturation in teams. So if you look at, let's just look at leagues, right? Leagues. Like the Premier League is better than it's ever been. Yes. Okay. Yes. And the National League has continuously pumped out some of the most talented players. Okay. Right? And then you look at like the German league. Yeah. They're like, they quite slowly come. Like you look at Liverpool's and who wasn't like a name a few years ago in that way. But now are challenging for titles and winning titles. You still have Dortmund. You still have Bayern. You know, you go to like the Dutch league where the teams, Portuguese, all the teams, when Borough Glimt is now in the Champions League. Yes, yes. In the knockout finals. Actually playing. It changes how many players they are. Now when that happens, I think you find yourself in a situation where national teams are so saturated that as a player, you now risk being number four in a pecking order. So if you look at, are you worried? Yes. Yeah. He's phenomenal. But what did we say? He was the captain of the youth French team a month ago, right? If he wants to get into the French squad and take a starting position, he has to come in ahead of Adrian Rabio, or he has to take Zaire Emory's position, and Emory himself comes off the bench, or he has to take courses in that midfield to a mini position. He has to take come and think about that now. So now, I think what's actually happened is players have gone, I'm not going to risk my whole career, my international career, sitting out, hoping to play for a big team or a big country, when I can go and play immediately, another country that I'm eligible for. But the thing is, where I say, what I talk about their scent is in the past, so I play like Zidane. Yeah. I play like Zidane couldn't play far away, because Algeria wouldn't make it to the World Cup. If that makes sense. So now players go like, oh, I can go for Morocco because Morocco is good enough to get into the World Cup. So if Morocco could make it to the World Cup, Brahim Diaz would never have declared for them. You would have got to know how you wait and wait for spend, you would get there. So I feel like because they know also it's not just getting there, because Morocco is not Krasau. Morocco is not his big stand. Morocco is not Haiti. Yeah. They're going like, oh, we're going with a team that's going to compete actually. Yeah, but no, but Joe, this is why I disagree with you. I feel like it's it's chicken and the egg here. The reason they compete is because those players are there. So the reason Morocco did so well is partly because of Kimi, because Hakimi is there. The reason they so it's like, if they're not there, the team doesn't do well. Yes. So they have to make the decision to go and help the team do well. I argue it's because they're looking at their prospects. Okay, because if Hakimi would have played for Spain. You think you would have got it? You would have played for Spain. I don't think I don't think you would have played as quickly as you did. But you see the gap. You would have kept him out. But that's the point. I think he was good enough. That's the point and you know when you are a player who isn't necessarily seen as of the country, it's also risk. Yes. Because at some point they might say, oh, but where's the Spanish right back? Yes, it is. There's always an option for that. Yes, it is. Right. It is. But I'm thinking the fact that they can convince players now again, as you say, when you the captain of the under 18 team, you're on the first truck basically to get into the French team. Adrian Rabio is not going to play the next World Cup. That's true. So, many of the players who are blocking Ayubo Bordi, I'm not going to be blocking them two years from now at the Euros. Same thing happened with Lamin. Lamin could have declared for Morocco, but he went like, I'm going to declare for Spain. But if Morocco tried to convince him, but sometimes it's almost like signing a play for a club. You have to convince them over the project. That's true. That's what the US did with Balagon. So if Morocco comes to Ayubo Yadi and you're like, hey, we'd not only want you to play for our team, but we're going to be hosting the World Cup. Four years from now. And this is what we have in Spain, and we've reached the semi-finals. Yeah, that makes sense. That's what the European teams used to do. They would just go like, no, you come to us, you're going to go to the World Cup. You're guaranteed to go to the World Cup. If John Barnes, who was our guest, if Jamaica was good enough back then, as it told, if you played for England, when he had the Jamaica passport, but Jamaica was never, and if you read John Barnes' story, he wasn't even going to play for England. He was just waiting for any team from the United Kingdom. His Scotland had come to him. He would have played for them. Yeah, because he wanted to go to the World Cup, and Jamaica was never going to be World Cup. But it has become the World Cup of switched allegiances. Yes. Because everyone, if we go down the running order, like the opening game, opening goal for Mexico, scored by Kunonis, and he is, he's from Colombia. Colombia? Should be playing for Colombia. What? But he declared for Mexico. He lived there since he was like 17, his families, his kids, so he's like, "Yo, Mexico's my home." Yes. And so here he is as this player. The US obviously. Yes. Balagun. Born in the US, his story is amazing, because he was born here, and if you can believe everything that it's basically, he was just born here, because his mom wasn't allowed to fly out. Yes. Oh, it was America. Again, because America has bathrooms. Yes. The mom was born on the soil. Yes. So he was just born here, and then that was it. I don't even think he like lived his life here, but here he is carrying America's dreams now in attack. You have, I'm trying to think of who else has done this. Australia had a bunch of players. Oh, yeah. No, Australia, definitely. You had guys who came into Australia when they were teenagers, you know, went to university. No, I mean, like they're running the attack. You had who else have we got? We got Morocco's team was interesting because they made history as I guess the first national team at a World Cup when none of the players were born in the country that they were representing. Yes, but that's one, that's the thing I'm saying about Morocco's project, because they specifically went out to try and bring this down in back home. Do you know what I was wondering this though? Do you think it undermines the whole point of a World Cup if a player can just switch allegiances to another country at any point, or is it, because there's two ways to think of it, right? On the one hand, you can say, the whole point of a World Cup is that it's not a competition about which team could get the best players. It's an exhibition of which teams or which national teams were made up of the players they happen to have. Yes, yes. Another argument is, no, the World Cup is just an exhibition of the team that a country could put together. And so whether or not a player's from that country shouldn't really matter. How do you, which way do you lean? The way I look at it is, so you said a player can switch, but FIFA is very strict. Once you play in a competitive game for a country, it's done. Are you sure? It's done. Oh, no, what happened with, if you play friendlies, wait, wait, wait, wait, what happened with, I feel like it was your boy, man, he played at Barcelona, La Porte, wasn't he, wasn't he on the French team and then Spanish team, he never played a competitive game, he played in a bunch of friendlies, so you allowed to be called up, but once you played, actually, actually some countries have been accused of calling up players and then captaining them. So they call you up for a competitive game, then they know you can never, you're lying. Yes, when, when they see a good enough player, because they know, because now you have, so you can't, but that's messed up then. So you can play in the under most, actually, the French, and I think Americans are so complaining about it because they have so many, so the French have so many players who are born in France, who come through the youth system, but then when it's time to declare, they go play for Ivory Coast or Senegal, and French are like, also, we're just developing players for other countries. Yeah, same thing with America. Which, America is my friend. Yes, a friend, which they should be. Yes, if the French, oh, the French are going to say we're developing money. Yes. What a nice change, France. France completely. Now you're developing Africa. I'm wondering about the same thing, because not the best player, but one of the key players for Mexico now is Brand Guiteres, who helped get the red card. He plays in the hole, but he played for America. He played for the US, for the underage system. Then came time for the senior team, he went like, yeah, I want to play for my dad's country, and he crossed over to Mexico. Hi. So FIFA is very strict, but I think FIFA should even change it. I think you should just be able to play for any country where you've held a citizenship. No, but that that that that's very easy to get around, because you know what happens. The country just expedites the papers. That's what they do. Yeah, but I mean, if the country wants to do that, they should do that. No, the country's always do that. I don't think I don't think. That's what I'm saying. Is happening now. So if Esmia, kid from Bosnia, who grew up in America, he grew up in America. Right, right. Then he went and I want to play for him. He could have made the American team actually. He's that talented. They call him the Bosnia and La Minia Mall. He's very talented. Damn, that's a strong compliment. Yes, he is. He's really, really good. That's a strong compliment. Remember when you kid of immigrants, your dad is pumping, it's almost like your dad is pumping you with propaganda about the old country. He's like brainwashing you from when you're this little. And also mostly normally, if you're kid of immigrants, your dad and his entire extended family are still there. If you play for the U.S., if you're a Mexican kid or a kid of Mexican immigrants and you play for the U.S., it doesn't give you that the same brand of rights as it would if you go back. So many people, many kids, and I think it's a great, yeah, it's a great, you want your kid to play. If I had a kid in America, I would want him to play for you guys because Americans don't care, but my friends back in Uganda were like, oh, like, I would walk in and they would greet me like, like, that means that doesn't get the same cloud, I think, I think that you would get it back home if it happened. You think about it. Okay. Yeah. In Spain versus back home. Yeah. Back home. But he's a weird one. He's a bit of a celebrity though. No, no, he is. He's an outlier for that argument, I think. Yes. But I'm saying, imagine if your kid was holding Morocco on his back, on his back, if he was leading Morocco. Yeah, that's true. You go back home and he would, he would, okay, he has output it. If Lamine is dead, if Lamine was playing for Morocco, Lamine is dead would have the number of the Moroccan king on speed die. He doesn't have the number of the Spanish king if that makes sense. If your kid is that good, in your home country, you're supposed to see your ass. Yeah. No, they do. But that's the thing that drove Messi because Messi, Spain really reached out. He spent all his time in La Macia from that, but they really reached out and they gave him a proposal. They're not like, hey, you should be playing with Tavi, you should be playing with it. Yeah. And Messi went like no. Argentina though. Yes. But he had a legacy that he could look forward to upholding. I'm more, I'm more impressed by the people who make that decision, the Messi decision for the non-legass, so I'm more impressed by a player who chooses to play for Morocco, who chooses to play for Corazal, who chooses to play for Haiti, who chooses to play for, I'm more impressed by those players because they don't have a legacy to look back to. They don't have any legacy by the countries. Yeah, because Messi, Messi can see a future where Argentina wins the world cup with him. Does that make sense? Counterpoint. When Messi chooses Argentina of Spain and then he has to watch Spain win the 2010, I hear you, but even when they were at their worst, if we asked the average soccer fan in the world, the average football fan, do you think Argentina can win the world cup? What would they answer me? They would say yes. Yeah. No, no, no. So that's what I'm saying. I'm not saying they wouldn't go through a bad patch. But when you know something can be possible, do you know what I'm saying? Okay. But then the counterpoint is Messi retired before Argentina won the world, he was so frustrated with Argentina. But now he's made the decision. Yes. No, no, maybe he regrets it. No, but I'm saying he retired. He had to unretire. But now you imagine you're missing. You had a chance to play for Spain. You turned it down. You go back to Barcelona and you're watching Chavi win the Euros, the world cup and the Euros again. And in that period, you haven't won anything without Argentina. Yeah, that must have been. That must have been. Yes. You've lost three cup Americas. You've lost at the world cup. Part of it is going like, if I had only made the right decision. And the thing is he persisted and eventually, and he says it, he says, the world cup I won with Argentina means everything to me. If I had won it with Spain, it would not have meant the same. All right, let's take a quick break to thank our sponsor for today's episode. That's Verizon. 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So, going back to the games, who do we think should be worried right now and why, like, let's start with Brazil, from like all my Brazil friends, all my Brazilian friends are not, like, they're not comfortable. They, in fact, I would argue they're the least comfortable I've ever seen them at a World Cup. Yes, but that's because Brazil always has a high back. No, no, no. Brazil, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, wait, wait, but Joe, Brazil always has a high bar. Yes. You know what Brazil also always has? Great players. A world class squad, not just great players. Now they have great players, but they've got a weird roster of great players. Their team looks like a mix of the legends and the youth. You've got a team with Hendrik and Casamero. You know what I mean? You've got a team with Fabinho and Rafinha. You've got a team with, like, I genuinely when I watch the team, I can't tell what the team is going to be like because it doesn't make sense to me holistic. It's a weird mix, yes. Yeah, like, I go, I don't see how Casamero can play with the other kids on the team. I don't, I don't see how, like, it's a strange one. Yeah, you did say you wouldn't know as a coach what style to adopt. I wouldn't know. If I was setting the tactics for that team, I go, do we run fast? You can, do we, do we, do we play physical and fight for everything? Do we play slow? Do we, but, but like Igor Thiago, I still say, I set you in the first episode of the podcast and I'm going to say it to you now after the first game. Why is Jou Pedro not here? And I know people are going to keep telling me stories. No, I'll tell my, my, my suspicion is, my suspicion is, Carlos, you had to choose because also you're picking profiles, right? And you don't want competing profiles. You want to play, you want players who give you different things because at some point you might need different things. Okay. So I think Carlos, you looked at Jou Pedro and he said, Jou Pedro gives me almost the same thing that Mateos Kinyar gives me. Now I have to peak. I have to peak. Okay. Igor Thiago gives you that. Okay. No, no, no, no, I can, I can, I can, I can, I can consider, no, I can consider that thing. I hear what you mean. Yes. Should I have two players who give me the same thing? Okay, yeah. Or should I have both good at holding up the ball? Yes, both drivers, both the channels. Yes. Yes, both the channels. No, no, no, I can see that I just think Jou Pedro is a little more attack-minded. Yes. In that way. I, like, if I was playing Kunya, I'm playing him slightly behind a striker. I'm playing Jou Pedro. I can play him as a striker, but it's going to be a- But then the thing is if you are to choose between, let's say, Kunya and Igor Thiago, they give you different things. Yes. The reason I'm saying Brazil should be worried is the same reason I would say if Barcelona lost the game and they didn't, they didn't dominate it because of the high standards. So Brazil doesn't just have to win. They have to win playing well. That's true. They come back. They come back. Many other teams go. German, Germans will go, like, Solongas will win. The English will go, like, Solongas will win. The Dutch and Brazilians. Yeah. They got to play beautiful football. They go, like, we don't care if you're winning. If you're not winning pretty, we're not happy. Speaking of the English, I feel like you and Mother Nature don't like the English. I look. Yo. Can we just talk? Let's just break this down. Yeah. In the space of four days had their kit stolen, right, their training kits, all stolen. I think the police eventually recovered most of it or all of it, but still, I think the crime racist shot was left behind. It's easy. No one. Even the thieves are like, why don't we put in this or not? The England. I like throwing that there. The kids stolen. There was like a shooting near the grounds, like, you know, which just became part of the news. Then there was a tornado warning that was issued, and so the players had to stay indoors and it was like a violent storm in Kansas, you know, people were like, this is basically the beginning of the Wizard of Oz. Yes, yes, yes, that's what it sounded like. And then on top of that, there's one other thing that went badly for them. What were I missing? Something. There was the kit. It's the tornado watch. Was it the bus? Something with the bus. There's something else that happened. England, though, is just this is either like a, like, a, like, four. Four shadowing or it's, it's the trials that come before the tribulation. Look, I think England and half the toughest group. England has the toughest group. Yeah, that's what I believe. Who do they have in the group? They're playing Ghana. Ghana. They're playing Croatia. Croatia. They're playing Panama. But they're playing Panama last. So if they lose their first opening games, they're out almost because you want to start with Panama, maybe get three points on the board. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Then you can relax. Yeah, get confidence. First two games are so tough. Maybe they're so tricky. Anything could happen. If Ghana turns up, if Croatia turns up, Croatia has had England's number for some time. Yeah. So for me, I think, look, when you think, for me when you tell me they've had all these disasters, part of me just goes like, well, these are the chickens coming home to roast because of coronalism. We didn't talk about, we didn't talk about their kids being stolen. I'm like, no, that's reparations being taken back. But look, it's almost hard to, because of what they did. I'm like, hey, you know, this is the English getting their comma pens. I think this is just the English getting a moment of of testing before they received their reward. Mark my words, you remember these conversations. The English are gonna do way better than you think. - I think there was make it deep rant. I think way better than you think. - Way, way, way better than you think. - I think Sora's going to end in a spectacular collapse. - Oh, I wrote down a few things I wanted to make sure we get to, who do you think's got the best player story so far at the World Cup? - Without a doubt, Raul, you mean it's for me. - Not are you boy? - Not are you boy? - Not at all. - Raul, he means, shouldn't be playing football. - What do you mean? - He shouldn't be playing football. Remember, he got a fracture with his, when he had a collision with the keeper, and then his fracture, he said, eight months out, they had to do like things with, he wore a. - He stole it from me. - Oh yeah, he wore this car, okay. - For the longest time, he shouldn't be playing football. He wasn't supposed to be playing football and then it's quite difficult for the World Cup. He was crying, he wasn't tears. So for me, that's the most heartwarming story because it shows you the redemptive power of sports. - It really does, best goalkeeper moments. For me, I'm gonna pick Japan's goalkeeper Suzuki. I know they concede the two goals against the Dutch, but I think he was phenomenal. - You can't blame him for either. By the way, he had a tough time. He's also like another, not as big as Raul, do you mean it? But his story is redemptive because he had a tough Asian cup. When he first, he's debuting in a big tournament. He was criticized here at the tough time. And everyone was going like, "Oh, he shouldn't be playing for Japan and all of this." And he had a wrist injury at some point and then he has bounced back. But it shows the tough for me. It shows the baptism of fire. When he first started in his big tournament for Japan, many other keepers could have been broken. 'Cause if they whole, it's a different thing when you're playing for a club. 'Cause then it's just your club fans on top of you. But when the entire country is questioning your inclusion in the team and your black player in Japan. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - And you still have the character to come back from that and play the way you played. I think, yeah, I think that's a beautiful story. - It was phenomenal. Best celebration, I mean, for me, easily, Quinones from Mexico, to do, that was yeah. - The South African celebration from 2010 when they scored against Mexico. He wasn't even there. But not just to do it, to do it perfectly. But no, let me ask, do you think, was it trolling or was it celebrating? Sipi Washa Barara. - No, I think he's trolling, obviously he's trolling. - You don't think he's celebrating 'cause that was an iconic, it was an iconic celebration. - Yeah, yeah, but he's doing it against the same team that scored against them. - And he was so scored, the opening goal. - And I think it's because they think of the stories and the videos and everyone kept on playing that over and over again. And it was this idea that's haunting Mexico. Oh, here comes South Africa again. And remember the goal they scored against you and it was this whole thing. But what I was impressed by was the fact that for him to practice the dance means he. - You need to know that you're going to score. - Yes, he believed. But he's black, I'll give it to him. I'll give it to him. You know what? I'll say he remixed. I'll say he remixed Trump and Alasabee. - He just was, yes, he just knew it. - Yeah, it was in his bowels. - He has the rhythm. - Oh, that's what he meant. - The thing you've just said, he did it perfectly. - That's hilarious. - And it's so funny because no other mix can play during the game. 'Cause they didn't have the moves. - Yeah, he's black, I'll give it to him. Come on. - Now man, he did it. I know this is a World Cup podcast, but I feel like part of the World Cup. Like a storyline that's been adopted into the World Cup just because of where we are has been the New York Knicks. - It was, I know this sounds weird, but it felt like one of the World Cup games. - Yes. - It just felt like it part of the euphoria because you had New York City packed, packed, packed, packed with Moroccan fans, packed with Brazilian fans, and packed with New York Knicks fans. - The funny thing about that is, Brazil played more of three believing that they were gonna win. - And all of them very passionate. - Truly. - And all of them dominating every space. - Truly. - They come into, the funny thing about that is, I don't come from a basketball country, but I think when you're in New York and New York is winning, it's very infectious. - It's crazy man. - Very content, beautiful. - The energy in New York is, as you said, people friendlier, everyone, it just feels, and so when Brazil was playing Morocco, which is supposed to be a huge big game, it felt like a cutting razor for the next game like that. - It actually did, it literally did feel like that. - Yeah. And I think in many ways it also felt like a curtain razor for the specter of like triumph in the face of everyone saying it was impossible. I know Morocco didn't win, but, they played Brazil back, I mean, they outplayed Brazil. It didn't feel like, by the way, it was, I was surprised that Vinicius got men of the match. - Yes, it should have been a Yub. - I was really surprised. - But I think also, I feel like, when you score a goal, normally that's. - Yeah, they give you like a little rating, but you don't think? - No, I feel like, I mean, if you like a Yub word, we'll be appreciated by the purists. - Okay, it's a lot harder to appreciate. - Yeah, like literally, we're 16 of 16 passes commented in the attacking field, except all you're in the taking home. - The way it turned down the pressure, purists love that side. But, when you're doing the ball, when you're choosing the man of the match, normally it's a perpetual choice. You have to either have scored or assisted. 'Cause people look at those stats, they don't look at the intangibles that actually. - So that's why, I guess, Branson, then he was always gonna win. - If he scored, Ojano Nobim, some people argue had better impact, or had more impact on the next winning. - I mean, especially in Game 4, I don't know, I'm not even gonna claim to know basketball like this, but it felt like one of the most balanced teams. - Yes. - And what I mean by that is, it felt like you didn't know how the house was gonna be built, but every player was bringing a certain amount of bricks. - Yes, but Ojano Nobim, as you see. - No, he was. He was phenomenal. - He was phenomenal. - A lot of the time. - He didn't miss his shot. He was rooming in Game 4, rooming in his play. Everyone remembers the put back. What people don't remember is that when the Aaron Fox got that turn over and rushed through, and he went for the layup, who went with him, who blocked him without actually fouling, it was Ojano Nobim. - Yeah, but then again, heart has had some of the most amazing performances. He like, his steals, his blocks. - But then you also blew the layup in that game. - But did you see his face? - Yes, you know what I'm saying? - He had a mirror down. - One thing I. - He saw his life flash before he saw this. - One thing I appreciate in all sports is the feeling a player gets when they, when they, when it looks like they've thrown it all away. - Yes. - Heart is one of the smartest, most diligent workers on a team. When he missed that layup in Game 5, to take the lead for the next against the spurs, you could see he was going, "I've thrown it all away." - You know what I think has happened these days as well? - Yeah. - When a player does that, they see, in their minds cosplayers are so online. - You think they see the memes? - Yeah, they're going to become a meme now. - They see the memes. - Yes. It's like, this is it, this is going to. Did you see Larry David's reaction, by the way? - To what? - When Heart blew the layup. It was like straight out of cup. - I didn't see it. - He like, he almost collapsed. He almost, you should see it. It's so funny, he almost died. Like Larry David was this close. Like if you see, because he expects and then, and then you see him just like, people are to hold him up. That's how short he was. But I'm saying that every Nick contributed, even the players of the bench. - Yeah, no, no, no, the next world. - But for me, and Nobby's influence on that game. Remember, and Nobby actually is also the one who threw the inbound pass to game. And then he ran all the way there. They had the desire at that time in the game. It wasn't the beginning moments. This was towards the end of the game. You've been running back and forth. They had and desire for you to run and get that put back. And I can put it back in his, his people are debating him and who is the finals MVP. Because those are Nobby really good. - Yeah, yeah. - I think every there are 22 points. Branson, average 24, but remember Branson takes double the shots that Nobby gets. But I think Branson, when he scores 42 in a decider, you can't look by same. - Well, man, you know what I also can't look past, New York City itself. You know, people always say as a platitude, or New York, the greatest city in the world, New York, is I don't know many cities in the world where you could have a game five of a historic NBA championship, also have a World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco. Have all of that happening at the same time as like a Puerto Rican day parade. - Oh, yes. - Have all of that happening, streets packed, people, you know some people were just going out for dinner that night as well. - New York is that, or it's, yeah. Some people in New York didn't even know all these other things were happening. The city is chaos, people are in the streets cheering, climbing on top of things, some people are breaking things, you name it, and the next morning, the city's still there. Like it never happened. I genuinely was like, yo, nothing. New York used to have, I don't know if you were ever around in New York, around Hurricane Sandy. - Oh, yeah. - They had like the song that they put on and was like, we are stronger than the storm. And they're like, we're stronger than the storm. And I remember watching them. I was like, no, guys, come on. We're even stronger than this. Yo, seeing New York and I was like, okay. No, New York is, New York is impenetrable. - No, if it doesn't matter what it is. - No, there are people complaining. 'Cause there are people complaining going like, why would FIFA scared you that game? 'Cause they're going to call the NBA player of scared you. We knew, but why would FIFA? 'Cause they're going to get such a logistical nightmare for the city hosting like all these. And New York, I don't know. But just remember New York is so resilient. - New York is a city that it bounced back after 9/11. Many other cities would never bounce back. - New York, New York. New Yorkers show like New York now I'm excited for the final because I want to see I want to see what a New York final is gonna be But we're still we're still ways away from a final. What are they saying? It's not happening in New York I don't know why New York keeps claiming this New York. It's in jazzy the met life is in jazzy I mean where the game is played and where the fans are totally different Fans are like no, we don't want to spend our time. Yeah, I mean, you know From New Jersey can say what it won, but it's like like what is it? New Jersey's the liminal space of this world cup Yeah, I mean like you know what I mean they can say what they want, but like let's ask the fans I'm willing to bet money if you go to any fan who went to any of these games or is going to get the games ask them where they were I'll give you $10 for every person who says they were in New Jersey. No, even people in New Jersey don't want to stay in New Jersey I have a friend if we're not careful We're gonna be as hated by women yama, but in New Jersey I had a friend invite me back to me. I had a friend had a pattern to tell me to invite me to New Jersey And I went like sorry, but I can't make it because if I came to your party in New Jersey even New Guns would go like dude You'd rather just come back to Uganda. Why would you go to New Jersey? Why would you leave you again and with New Jersey? But the thing is the thing on it's about New York and sports fans love this They love without underdog stories Yeah, we love more rocker making your run We love yeah, but the thing that New York taught me and sometimes we take it for granted is Sometimes it's good for the sport For a big team with a big passionate base with big fans to win because what New York is that always I'll give you No, but sometimes you like Greece winning 2004. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, the publicity and the and the the contagious energy around New York You know, you know, the celebrities. I'm standing up. Sometimes the sport needs that sometimes let me put it like this sometimes David needs to hope I'd rather go live needs to wait needs to whip David's yes, sometimes yeah, but I argue this wasn't I don't think that this No, I don't think this was Goliath beating David. I think it's the other way around. Okay. Let's put it. Let's go with this sometimes The fans of David like they get to such a point like David's fans get so big that David needs to win the fight Cuz I argue that the next weren't Goliath in this fight. No, no, no, but when you look at the way basket board No, I know what you mean, but like the market teams. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so someone told me the next the next word like yo No, people said people said whoever wins the game between okay. See and It's going on to win this thing. Yes, right? I'm saying is when you look at the teams when they talk about so when they talk about big market teams. I hear you Yeah, but they were still there were like a small There was no team in a big mom in a big man now they become the biggest team in the biggest model Cuz the thing is the amount of hype cuz we've seen okay, so we've seen Denver Nuggets. We've seen the Milwaukee backs win We never saw this kind of hype cuz I'll tell you this tell us with so what you were about her She's not going to Wisconsin towards the backs. She's not going to Oklahoma City to watch however good they are She's not going to watch the thunder. She's not going to Denver towards the Nuggets. Yeah, but I mean to be fed to her She's also like lived in New York, so yeah, no, but people will make people also making it like she just pop out of nowhere I understand where they were coming from. Yes, cuz I can imagine if you were a next fan even if you were celebrity Yes, like if you were a celebrity who is below Taylor Swift Which is almost all celebrities and you couldn't get into that game and then you see Taylor Swift dancing up there with her friends And you're like which other games where was she? Yes, yes, yes, you don't mean you're off the year where was I can see why people were angry but at least you know But for me, so yes, have Timotha Shadamon currently the biggest movie standout. Yeah, but Timothy yo Yes, no, no, I mean he's a fan of the niche. Yo fan is an understatement. Yes, yo, but I'm saying it's more market team Like okay, see doesn't have a Timotha Shadamon. Okay. Yeah, I'm like a team like Denver Nuggets. Don't have to So Timotha Shadamon helps the sport go from the back pages To pop culture. Yeah, that's true. That's true. Okay. I see what you're saying then. You're saying it's it's good for the sport Jack Nichol has moments that pop it into pop. Yeah, I argue that's what team USA did so for me the biggest reason I was happy for team USA To win is because the stadium had Tom Cruise David Beckham. You're not a decaprio Justin Bieber. Hayley Bieber. I show speed. Yes, Dremon green Like because of that I was happy for America for Americans for the sport for the global spectacle of it all So that it also didn't become like a side show. Yes, I don't want people to come then be like is this the soccer you guys are talking about Was like oh, this thing is real and we have a real team and we have a real moment. That's that's what I enjoyed about it So for me, that's why I say you always need in a way the big but and I know sports fans don't like it But it's almost like if you want sport to grow and if you want to support to transcend sports Yeah, you know, you know, a sport doesn't go if just the die had fun right right right if you wanted to go mainstream You want it to cross over from the back pages to TMZ you want to see US you want to seek policing And all those guys being like Harassed by the TMZ reporter, you know, you know, I'm just thinking of now. It's essentially this is what you're saying In order for David's victory to be to mean something yes. Yes, we need Goliath to be Goliath. Yes fundamentally, that's right because if Goliath doesn't become Goliath. Yes, then David just hit some random dude with a story Yes, I know. It's not a story. Yes. So we need Goliaths to be made so that the David's so that the David's can fell them I like are you in it's the same with Brazil if you don't gonna find it. You don't have that If David if David hits some random dude. Yeah, if they'll just hit some random stone. It's like all right You hear what David did you do it'll be a proverb. Yeah, he's hit another guy with a stone Man, that guy needs to put that slingshot away, man He just yes. He's he's a hell. He's nothing license. He needs to hit Goliath. Yeah, he's gonna For Goliath to be a thing Goliath has to be Goliath. Yes. You know, I mean the reigning champion of the world Which games are you most excited for this week? I'm excited for the one we're going to cover first of all tomorrow Uh, no wait the one we're going to cover France Senegal. Yeah. I love that game. That's big. That's big. That's big 2002 World Cup. That's big Senegal shocks France And France gets France had won the World Cup in 1998. Yeah, Senegal shocks them and that said the tone because France didn't make it out of the group Even with Zidane. Yes, and injured Zidane, but he still didn't make it out and that by the kickstarted this trend where Whichever team had won the World Cup before you didn't make it to the next World Cup So France didn't make it to the next world and so for me this game has lots of history It has lots of coronio history as well. Yeah, yeah, because Senegal and France, of course, they have their coronio ties And I think Senegal is a good team. I think Senegal is good enough with Sadiomani and all that. Right. He's supporting us There's such a good team that they will give France a game because your France are the favorites. Yeah, yeah In the World Cup, but this is going to be their first huge huge test because they lost their last game Against every course. Yeah, which is a different massive moment. Yes, which also had like the coronio history. Yeah. Yeah. Massive for me. This is going to be A good test of where France are I don't call them scandals, but the stories around the game You know, there's been like a few of them one We've seen all of these press conferences where reports are trying to speak to the players in Spanish. Yes Yes, the players are trying to respond in Spanish And then the FIFA riff where those are saying no you only speak in English But the irony of it is they're saying you can only speak in English because that's the only language. You can be translated from So it seems like they just didn't account for the fact that many of the players only speak Spanish. Yes It's one of the most spoken languages in football specifically But I think FIFA likes encouraging English as the standard language because yeah, it's the most Encouraging and dictating What's FIFA if not a dictatorship? FIFA is not a democracy. I'll tell you that FIFA is not a democracy. They've been I think FIFA look the other thing has been like the all the players of the Senegalese fans Like do you think it will affect the team them not having them not having their fans there? I think you did your fans, but I also think when you're playing at a world cup if you need extra motivation then you shouldn't be at the world cup Just being at the world cup. It's almost like yes, but I would also almost like asking someone. I should your Waiting have like cherry does know if you're getting married. You should want to get married If you want extras to get married then maybe you shouldn't be getting no no, right If none of your family come to your wedding you might start to doubt whether or not you should be having that waiting There's just going to be moments you're leaving your family this is going to be moments When you're standing up there and then everyone cheers for your bride and then nobody cheers for you and you're going to be like should I be here? Do I deserve to be here as moments you always need your support as well. Look at look at the Scottish fans. Oh, yeah They will the ball into the net in that game. They like they like sucked it in they tan every city they go to even Japan The Japanese fans. I think a part of the reason that like they they didn't get tense against the Netherlands They carried on singing they carried on drumming away. I think it's it's a part of the reason as always Sure. This has been a pleasure my friend. Oh man any time we've talked soccer you know me we could talk for hours by that way and we will we have many more hours coming We have many more but let's save it. Let's save us for then for now for now my friend. It's full time I'll see you I'll see you the next one. No, it's all it's fun. Sorry, it's a pleasure. This was fun Thank you again so much to the sponsor of today's episode Verizon They've given their customers unmatched access to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Including thousands of free tickets people Meet and greets with socket legends and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch a portion of the FIFA World Cup from the pitch from the pitch All just for being a Verizon customer if you're not with Verizon No sweat stop by a Verizon store to get in on the action and learn about their amazing offers for new customers What now with Trevinoa is produced by day zero productions in partnership with Sirius XM The show is executive produced by Trevinoa Sanasiamin and Jess Hackel Rebecca Chain is our producer. Our development researcher is Marcia Robe You music, mixing and mastering by Hanna's Brown, random other stuff by Ryan Hardoof. Thank you so much for listening, join me next week for another episode of What Now.