OverDrive - Laryea on the 401 Derby this weekend, preparing for the World Cup, and dreaming of what it’ll be like to play in the World Cup on his home soil.

Episode Date: August 29, 2025

Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea on the 401 Derby this weekend, preparing for the World Cup, and dreaming of what it’ll be like to play in the World Cup on his home soil.

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Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, Internet, just got better. You see it. All right, so we've got TFC Montreal coming up, and we're inside a year now, the World Cup, right? Bimo Field, they'll be rocking in less than a year. They're also, of course, going to be hosting games out of B.C. place in Vancouver and a guy who's going to be there representing the Canadian national team,

and obviously he's still representing the TFC Club on a club level. Here's Richie Larea joining us here on Overdrive. How you doing, Richie? I'm good. I'm good. How are you guys doing? I'm doing pretty well. Yeah, thanks for joining us. You know, as a local guy, obviously, you know,

you guys aren't having the greatest year. Montreal's not having the greatest year. But what's it been like throughout your career, you know, playing MLS against Montreal, that rivalry, you know the history, the two cities, the two fan bases. How much fun are these matches? Yeah, they're a lot of fun, obviously.

They hit us, we hit them, and these games, usually get pretty fiery. I don't think it really matters one type of season the others have in. You know, this is, you know, bragging rights and all the things. So these games, yeah, the type of games you want to play

and as a footballer, you know, they're intense, they're good. I like them. So, Richie, when you're in the midst of a season like this, you know, where the team isn't anywhere near the spot and the standings you'd like to be, like how do you sort of focus your efforts? efforts and sort of build an attack, a team philosophy that still goes out there with some real

intent to do some damage against the rival. Yeah, honestly, I don't think it really does matter what type of season you're having, like I just said, I think these games just mean a lot more. You know, it means, you know, everything, almost in a sense. So, yeah, I don't really think it matters if you're having a great season, a not so great season. games roll around and, you know, both sides are ready for the game. It's huge. It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a derby game. So it's like your derby games anywhere across the world, you know, it's, it means something. It's very impactful for the, for the city, our club, and vice versa for them.

With Richie La Reyes, so, you know, your first stint with Toronto FC, you guys were at a, you know, a certain level, a very high level chasing MLS Cubs, winning MLS Cubs. And you returns, you know, February of 24, where do you see this, you know, where is this club? I know you're not in management. You're not the one putting the pieces together. But where is this club in terms of taking that next step, in your opinion, to getting back to that kind of golden age of TFC play that we saw a handful of years ago? Yeah, that's obviously what everyone wants in the building. That's what everyone's striving for.

And I think the guys in the front office, Keith, Jason, down to Robin, all these guys together trying and doing some really good things, this past window especially. And I think that's a good sign and telling for what to come in the future. So I like everyone else, fans, and more important, I think people inside the building, that's what we're wanting. We're wanting to build momentum to be able to, you know, end the season on a very high note

what that high note is. We'll see once the season finishes. But, yeah, just on obviously an optimistic note and get in, like you said, back to the glory days. I think that is important, but almost, you know, we've got to rewrite now history that's been done. And it was great.

It was a fantastic time at this club. I think now it's a moment to rewrite history in a different way, but still very good and impactful. So we want to get back. to MLS Cup and all these things. So I think, yeah, like I said, those three guys I mentioned are doing a pretty good job and their support stuff.

And I think the guys at the club and my teammates, myself, I think we're also, it's tough about have been trucking along and still remaining positive and giving our best. I think that also is pretty good, in my opinion, for fans to see that guys haven't thrown it in or anything.

So, yeah, I think everyone's trying and pushing in the right direction right now. So hopefully those better days are coming very soon. So Richie, obviously a ton of excitement, less than a year away from the first World Cup games to be played on Canadian soil. And I know that, you know, there's so much excitement around the men's national team

and its potential to be a player at the top of the world stage. And yet you guys didn't have maybe the summer you wanted to at the Gold Cup and maybe didn't get the results there that you know you would have expected kind of from inside that team how do you see things what's the state of that team and how do you sort of build some positivity as the as the World Cup approaches sorry I lost you there just for a little about the end can you repeat that little end bit please sir yeah no I was just saying like how like how does the men's national team sort of build the positivity as the World Cup approaches, you know, less than a year away?

Yeah, I mean, I think the national team's been in a very good spot now for the last couple of years, honestly, I think since 2019-ish is when it, you know, started moving in a really good direction. I think it's been moving in a great direction since then, you know, there's definitely been some bumps along the way with some of our tournament play and all those things. But, yeah, I think there's a lot for us within the national team to be excited about and a lot for fans to be excited about. We have, yeah, a leader in Jesse who's pushing boundaries for all of us

and is very, very happy about the way we've been getting on. And I think just within ourselves in that group, we have high expectations for ourselves at the World Cup, you know, making it in 2022 was great and was a really big step forward for our program, but I think we all know that there's bigger steps now that we need to take, especially hosting a World Cup here in our backyard, to make a real impact, I think, around the world of football, not just only in Canada.

With Richie Luraya, have you allowed yourself to even kind of picture what this is going to look like? You know, as a guy who grew up here and a Canadian, like, playing for Canada at BMO Field. You know, on this stage, you've done it, obviously, for the national team in, you know, different matches, but nothing can possibly compete with the World Cup. Like, what do you think that build-up's going to be like and how emotional is that kind of walk out onto the pitch going to feel like? Yeah, to be completely honest with you, I am a day-to-day guy.

I try not to look too far, but this one's been almost down near impossible if I'm being honest with you. Like you said, being from here, being a local guy, it's, you know, you see some of the things happening around the city. The fans are super excited, and it's, yeah, it's going to be, it's going to be unreal. I think this is going to be a massive turning point for soccer in our country. Once, you know, we get to host some, hopefully of the biggest nations in the world come here and we're able to compete. and beat, you know, like that's going to turn heads, turn the attention onto Canada soccer. So, yeah, it's, it's a, I could sit on the phone of the day, talk about how crazy and how big of a deal it is, but yeah, it is. It's going to be all the things everyone's probably thinking probably times to end because it's, it's going to have a huge impact on the city of Toronto and the city of Vancouver, but then just the country in general is going to, for what I,

hope and think it's going to happen make this game, you know, blow up in a way we haven't seen ever. So, yeah, it's exciting. Being able to hopefully be a part of that as well is very exciting. And yeah, I think whoever is called upon to be part of that roster, it's going to be a dream come true. It's kind of like your inner childhood dream, something like this is to be able to, you know, one day say you've played, you know, in a world. Cup in your backyard. I don't know if there's many people that get to say that around the world. So, yeah, it's going to be

crazy. No kidding. Yeah, it's going to be amazing. We've got a long way to go to build up to that, but we're looking forward to it. Toronto, C, Montreal coming up, and good luck with the rest of the regular season, MLS, and the build up towards again the World Cup next year and have a great weekend. I appreciate you

doing this. Thank you, Richie. Thank you for having me. You got it. Richie LaRaea of Toronto O.C. and the biggest songs in the world you've heard them countless times now learn the details of how they came to be join ruby car for encore the stories behind the songs you love new interviews and newly unearthed archive footage make for a fascinating weekly deep dive stream encore the stories behind the songs you love on iHeart radio or wherever you get your Podcasts.