Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #690: Gio scores, plays well, let's GO

Episode Date: May 11, 2026

Sanjay joins Belz and Vince. Gio scored and was influential in a late-season loss for Gladbach. Not much to play for for the Foals but this was an excellent World Cup audition from the dark prince. Pepi scores again, assisted by Dest, who looks "uninhibited," says Sanjay. Johnny likely to miss the World Cup, a news break that arrived as we were wrapping up the recording. Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Scuff podcast where we talk about U.S. soccer. Hello everybody, it's one month, one month until the World Cup. Got Sanjay joining Vince and me today. Sanjay, how are you? I'm doing great. Interesting weekend, a lot to talk about, but it's starting to feel real, really real now. And it's crazy. I was thinking about it. like this is something that's been anticipated for more than like half of my life, right?

Because we thought ever since the 2010 World Cup, which is like the first one, I can really remember that well, we were expecting to host a World Cup. And that's like 16 years, you know, since we thought we were getting a World Cup again. So for it to actually be happening soon is like kind of surreal. So I'm pumped. Yeah. Can you believe it's been 16 years since 2010? Holy smokes.

It's crazy. Life is flying by. But we're going any further. It's when I graduated high school, number one. Number two, the car I drive, release in 2010. So it has been a long time. My Honda pilot is still kicking. It's good as new.

You know what I'm saying? $250,000 on that thing. Hey, let's go. They don't make them like they used to, so I'm going to keep it. And I'm not trying to pay no car note. Et cetera, et cetera. But anyway, am I as excited as Sanjay about this World Cup?

We're going to cross that bridge when we get there, man. You better get excited, Vince. Time to get excited. Fox has a new ad. Fox has a new ad out about the World Cup. It's got Pulisic hitting in Olympico for a game winner in a final against Brazil, which is pretty fantastical. I think we can all agree on that.

It's framed as someone's daydream, kind of, like two guys talking about it in a bar, and then one of the guys at the end is like, no, man, there's no way this happens. There's no way the U.S. wins the World Cup. And then I believe it's somebody from the 1980s hockey, the 1980 hockey team who is sitting there and says, what, you don't believe in miracles, and then turns around and walks out the bar. The team that Pott was very inspired by, by the way. Yeah, dude, miracles, like, hockey is everywhere in American soccer today. When he did his obligatory anthropology to understand the United States of American and a sporting culture.

Yeah, it was a one-credit class, I think. It's putting it lightly. The new Shakira's song has got me more excited than anything, to be honest. It's coming out this Friday, I think, or Thursday. Is she the World Cup, art? Oh, Shakira. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, they like previewed it. I think it was from the Maracana, which was, you know, South American flavor there with Shakira and that teaser. But, you know, if it's a banger, which it sounds like it is.

It sounded okay. That's when it's World Cup time, you know. Nothing might ever talk Waka Waka. I saw a tag tweeted that. Probably agree with that. But, you know, something catchy to get the vibes going. I really don't understand the soccer world's appreciation. Like, Waka Waka is a fine song, but it's just a fine song. And I love Shakira. You know what I'm saying?

She Wolf, wherever, whenever, you know what I'm saying, etc. I've been known to dabble on a little Shakira here and there, being the pop head that I am. But also, I think there's some Burnaboy on there on the song that's getting released. So, you know, I'm a big burner boy. fans saw him in concert in New York Governor's Ball um 2021 I think but uh

yeah so I mean it sounds it sounds great but I just people act like Waka Waka is just this perfect song that just cannot be topped and um I respectfully disagree that's all that's all I'm gonna say here

I've I want to say a couple things about it one I've teared up watching the Waka Waka video in the last 15 years you know it's happened like it's I love the combination of the song and the video with like you know people missing the penalties and everybody involved however i do think it's kind of funny that uh for the first world cup in africa they the face of it is the face the face of it is a Lebanese Colombiana come on

respectfully and then they let that one the one South African artist have like a little cameo on the video uh but it's mostly about Shakira uh who, you know, is not from Africa. Or North America, but we'll take it. She's kind of, she's kind of, she's universal, you know. Yeah, I mean, but this, I guess it's reparations now, because now we got Shakira with Burnaboy, so they're like, we really, we got an African on the song now,

which, I guess, yeah, I really don't have much more to say about it, but, yeah. Yeah, I mean, so far, We got a, was jelly roll? Jellyroll made a song that I saw. It was a jelly. Man, I don't get me lying. Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims, one of them dudes.

That was a song, and then Shakira Bernard Boy. I don't know. Sure. I guess this is to be expected from FIFA. Not saying this in a derogatory way or anything like that. I don't expect anymore, nothing less, anything like that. I'm just, I have been wondering about the walk-a-waka thing. I don't have like a walk-a-waka agenda.

And also, Bills, you describe a phenomenon that, you know, the music video can, can up the song for you, like significantly. You know, you see an artist's vision, like, fully realized, like, with the visuals connected with the song, and then you understand the song a little bit more, all the different types of stuff. So I said it to say, I haven't watched the Waka-Waka video, and maybe that's the piece of the puzzle that I'm missing.

I'll also never play FIFA seriously. Yeah. So, you know, I'm missing a lot of different pieces and bits of context, et cetera. I mean, I was there for the South Africa World Cup. I was watching that. I was watching, watching, brother. But, yeah. Yeah, I do think for me, Waka Waka Waka, is the song and the video together.

I don't know that I would be quite as excited about it if I was just listening to the song by itself. injury concerns. We got some... Go ahead. Well, real quick, just because... I would be remiss if I didn't mention this. I found a new way

to get my three-year-old to sleep and it's playing a lullaby version of Waka-a-Waka. She loves it. Huh. You know, it's like, you know, with the little ding-dings like the...

Bing, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, be, ding, ding, you know, like that type of thing. Yeah. And it works. I mean, knocks her straight out. You turn it on,

snoring with that three, minutes. So thank you, Shakir for that. Yeah. That's all I got. That might be the most useful piece of

info from this podcast to be honest. So far, yeah. True. Kids do love that song, Waka Waka. I feel like, in general.

So injury concerns. Johnny's ankle, a little something wrong with it. Tim Wea, a little bit, has been out of action. But Christian

Pulisick. taking some time off here in the run-up to the World Cup. Is he really hurt, or is he just proving his patriotism? Might be both. I think we're all kind of holding our breath, waiting to see. We know it's a glute injury with Christian. Yeah, I don't know how much of this is QB. Neal versus, like, there's some lingering concerns.

We do know with Tanner Testman, Paul Tenore reported that he's expected to be good for Kant, so that shouldn't be a concern. But the other ones, I mean, it's not ideal. I mean, with the information we have right now, the most, the serious one is the Johnny one. Like, he has a high-angle sprain, you know, high- ankle sprains. You know, that puts you in the, I mean, the search, the search turn on. ankle. Tanger angle. No.

Okay. He's all running. But anyway, that does put you in like the search territory of recovery time, though. Where we're talking about, like, sometimes for these high ankle sprains, we're talking about like a month and a half at the earliest, depending on the severity of it. And it, I didn't read what Athletico Madrid said exactly, but I mean, they confirmed it was a high ankle sprain. And so that comes.

with a little bit of severity. So Johnny's not kneeling it out, but these other ones, you know, a glute, a cheeky glute injury, you know, for one Christian Politic, like, I mean, I think he's, you know, at Lindsey Wilson College, we call it the victory formation.

Victory formation, you know. Yeah. Coach would call out, like, I would go on victory, you know, we're about to kneel it out, whatever. If we're practicing it, whatever. I think Christian's going victory. Tana Testman. Very smartly.

Like, if you feel anything at this point in time with it being May the 11th. Go ahead. Go and nail that thing out, bro. The thing is, for Pulisic, A.C. Milan's Champions League spot is in peril at the moment. So, I don't know. Maybe that, maybe Christian doesn't really care about that. But it seems like they would be using them if they needed to or if they could.

although he hasn't scored and you know he hasn't scored since 2010 so I guess it could be both things the Johnny injury yeah going off what what Vince said you know there's been a lot of talk about the lack of chemistry lack of reps these guys have had together I wrote something about specifically

if you just look in the midfield whoever's playing together this summer is going to have barely any experience together but it looked like it was looking like Johnny right Like it was kind of gravitating towards Johnny and Tyler. And now that's totally up in the air. So in a weird, like, circular kind of way, like, you know, we had criticized Potch for not really prioritizing chemistry and reps, but we're getting to the tournament.

And this, you know, and you're looking at who's not available, like, I'm now wondering, did it even matter if we would have done that? because like it's a constant shuffle. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And despite the vibes regarding the national team and everything, yeah,

we've mostly looked okay within chopping and changing, you know what I'm saying? Did I did all right against Portugal with a, with a Sebi, Adam Morris-Smithfield. He said that specifically. When I asked him before the last camp, like, are you worried? And he was like, no, I'm not worried.

and he specifically said the Uruguay game, right? Vince, where they changed a lot and he was like, yeah, we did that and look what happened. So it's like, okay, if that's what we're doing. Tell me, Tillman, hit him with a U. up, you know what I'm saying, at 3 a.m. or whatever. And, you know, got the response back. Tim came into camp and, you know, yeah, provided the moment of the Potch era, maybe. Probably. Well, actually, I think it's going to be the Diego Luna. It's the Diego Luna, bloody knows. I'm not going to take that away from Diego. No, I think it's the, I think you were right the first time. You think so? You think so?

You think so? You think so? Or was it 4-1? 4-1? Yeah, they did score, yeah. That's, to me, probably the high point of the, of the tenure. Fair enough. I mean, yeah, it's all, none of it matters compared to what is going to happen next month.

But, you know, We're talking about who's in the midfield. Maybe it's Johnny. Johnny's ankles hurt. But look, who's coming around the bend in the river? Look in the distance. The rur. Coming down the river valley.

With a big pole and a raft, it's Giovanni Raina. Scored over the weekend. It's the first time we can say that. I don't know. For how long has it been since 2010? It's been a long time. It's why I'm here today.

He's why I'm on today. And the thing is, you know, I think what this tells me is not just the goal, but the performance, because he was dealing in a way we haven't seen from him lately. He recorded five shot assists. So he set up five shots in 37 minutes. And some of them were really nice sequences from him. He was a little bit explosive. I guess, you know, we can talk around.

it and figure it all out. But basically what I think is it's enough. It's enough for Potch to say, yeah. Absolutely. He's coming. And I think Potch already wanted to bring him, definitely. Probably was going to bring him no matter what. But you see him play like this off the bench and a 3-1 loss to Augsburg.

It takes away any doubt. He's coming. He's coming next month. Yeah, because the thing is, like, Like we say, all right, if he's not going to play with this club, but then he shows up and plays well, sure. But we saw the limits of that in March, right? Like at a certain point, no matter who you are,

it catches up to you, the rust, right? The lack of sharpness. So it was always going to take some minutes. He was quietly getting more, you know, relatively anonymous ones, more medicine, Tillman, but who's counting lately? But now you finally see him wake up. You could tell pretty quick, right? Like, they're down two goals.

He's coming into the game on a mission, and immediately, like, you look like a different player. With his vision, with his technique, you know, nice little slip pass in the box. Really nice turn. And you know right away, like, this guy's back. Knock on wood. All right, right.

Look. I'm not going to, okay, okay, okay. I'll say this. I'm not here to poo-poo on Giorina's performance in this match. I was thinking the same thing as I watched it. I was like, you know what, this is enough. This is what you would like to see when Giorina comes on the pitch for Glybbach, especially in a match when they're down.

It was, okay, first of all, there's some of these, you'll, listener, if you are a $5 patron subscriber or more, you will see these in the clip notes. some of these instances and some of these pockets that he's picking the ball up in, pockets of space that Augsburg are affording him. You know, if this was Diego Luna playing a sporting KC, we would just dismiss it offhand. You know, some of this stuff. But there was some big area, some big open spaces. I mean, I'm talking about cavernous.

But, but that doesn't take away from the performance because, you know, with, regardless of that, He also executed difficult things in tight spaces, you know, that they were very nice. But also, you know, even with the space that he was afforded, you know, you can see different things like the quality, like way to pass or something. Or even when a defender catches up with them, you know, the way, I mean, he caught like two defenders. Like, he made like two defenders following this match just off like just shifting the ball to his right. and like you know you maybe movement that you would think is like kind of innocuous you know he's like kind of carrying the ball until the attacking third stops pushes it out with his right like kind of comes in field and like all of a sudden it's just a German man falling on the ground and so you know

you do see these things and like you know the goal was nice um you know his best plays probably weren't even the shot assist for the most part I think there was one that was nice um but yeah you also saw him you know there was one nice passage of play where he kind of just does the he gives you the full the full geo thing where like he got it in his own third and then and then keyed the move is that the one yeah yeah yeah that one got it in his own third kind of passed back like um came back came back to the duty pass two got it back wrote a challenge passed it back one more time then popped up in the right back spot got it back, like 20-yard pass forward that found feet. And I think the dude he found laid it off to Joe Scali, who kind of first-timed it to a glad back of Taku got a shot off. It was a very nice move. But yeah, all this stuff together, you know, the final third quality, the hope that maybe

he'll be able to like tempo set in the midfield for us when he's out there on the pitch. Yeah. The fact that he's when he's feeling good. like he was in this match specifically, the fact that he's just always going to show for the ball to like a comedic extent and maybe even chase it if he's not getting on it. These are probably things that we will probably need.

And, you know, I was looking at Sanjay's tweets this weekend, I knew that we're going to talk, and looking at the show rundown, we're going to talk about Jack McGlynn later. And, you know, I'm not anti-Jack McGlynn, but I was just thinking to myself as while I was seeing the discourse and seeing what he was doing, Like, you know, is he a needle mover?

You know, I'm just like, I mean, I can't just, I'm just not getting excited about anybody who may, like, who might, you know, give us a moment of quality in a match. You know what I'm saying? I mean, that's fine. I'm not, I'm not poo-pooing. Like, they could definitely happen if Jack McGlynn comes. The left foot is sweet. All this different types of stuff.

But, you know, Gio, it's a potential needle mover for this team. And it's, you know, it's always, that's always, that's always. been the rationale for sticking with him as sticking with him through, you know, his trials and tribulations or whatever the hell. But yeah, yeah. So I just, let me, let me, we'll get to McGlynn, but let me just say something about him, uh, showing for the ball, Gio, showing for the ball. Greg Velasquez, you know, our friend and yours, uh, went, has told me the way to, one of the ways to teach little kids how to talk on the field is to tell them to say, feet. if they want the ball to their feet

and say through if they want it played through so it forces the kid to think through both options you know like do I want this ball to my feet or do I want it into space and um Gio always wants it to feet he never

he's he's saying he's going he's pointing at his feet he's coming he's coming to the ball he's pointing at his feet tempo setter not a line stretcher even when he's when he's at his most robust which is what he was in this game. And, you know, I do want to just emphasize one of the points you made about this game for Gio. You know, there was a little explosivity in there and some more alacraceous running than we've seen previously.

Yeah. You know, so. Got a knock on wood right now. Just knock on wood. Every time we see him be a little bit explosive, then there's. a, you know, bad news shortly after that. So let's just... Yeah, you know what?

Sanjay, to your point, he might have passed a sprint test in this match. He did. He closed a few guys down in a way where I was like, wait a second. What year is it? So, I think, I agree with you about,

look, like, McGlens will get to him, but he's a situational guy. If this is the baseline from Gio right now, if we can nudge it up a bit more, great, but if this is the baseline going into May camp, you wonder if they can build them up towards starting level because we can talk about Tillman later but

as far from a guarantee that he's going to be ready to start or he should start and if Gio's giving you this and it's just a question of getting his legs under him a bit more like you have two friendlies in two weeks to do that right so again careful what you wish for who knows like you said bells we see something we get excited and then suddenly we find out you know some shit's happened but um this is a this is really big from this weekend.

Biggest thing by far. It's huge. It's huge. It's, I mean, I think we all agree. If Geo's firing at the World Cup, we are, our ceiling goes up by, like, a lot. I think it matters more than Christian, to be honest. Yeah. Okay.

Geo will help you control a game. Pulisic will score a goal, probably. You know, if anybody's going to score a goal, it's going to be pool. Yeah, yeah, for sure. But, I mean, I can see where Sanjay's coming from. It's not a bad shout. One match left in the Bundesliga season.

Glabok are at home against Hoffenheim. Less than nothing to play for. I mean, they have nothing to play for. They can't be relegated. They can't go, can't move up in the table. Hoffenheim will be playing for Champions League qualification. Okay. Them and Stuttgart are tied on points.

and Stuttgart has the gold difference lead by quite a bit. So they got to beat Glabok Bad if they want to get back in the Champions League, which I think they haven't been in a while now, maybe in three. Stuttgart looks like a hell of a place to watch a game, by the way, whenever I turn them on. There's something out of the stadium and the fans all in white. Brother, I haven't stopped thinking about the Bundesliga since. I'm trying to go to every stadium, bro.

Like, it's... Yeah, it's really something. Place is the real deal. You know, at American outreach they're doing, they need to keep doing it, turn it up. Man, because, like, more people need to know. Yeah.

Also, before we go on, did y'all know, Shaaka's back? I saw that. Good to see it. It, yeah. And, you know, I knew it was a big, club and that was kind of a point I wanted to make about the just whole experience of being over there like in the cologne thing is like this is a club that was in the second division

type of thing but like yeah shalka as well but like I was watching like some videos on youtube bro shalka is huge like it's like the third biggest club in germany like your shit like third biggest by like memberships i think yeah like the veldons arena is like humongous Yeah I mean that's the thing is all these stadiums are 50, 60,000 they're like football stadiums they're like NFL stadiums and they fill them every single game

Yeah So yeah I mean if we get back to the rear valley Definitely gotta go that way I'd like to see West do a pre-retirement retirement retirement there You know That'd be sick Go back, go home And yeah see how that goes

So that's Go ahead. My Bosnia. Eden Jekko, still doing it. You know, they led Bosnia into the World Cup and let Shaul come back to the Bundesliga. I think they signed him like mid-season. He scored like seven goals.

But what a dog. What a guy, yeah. So that's, that is the big news of the weekend. Gio actually playing well, not just Bell's, you know, searching in the tea leaves for something positive to say, but he actually did play well and looked like the kind of player we want him to be.

Also, pretty big deal that Serginio Des started for PSV. So he's back back and assisted on Ricardo Pepi's goal. This was just a rope that he hit with his left foot from the end line all the way into the box. And Rico flew into the air and nodded it down and in. really pretty much just how you draw it up. That's 18 goals in all competitions this season for Rico, six in the last month, about a goal per 90 when you break it all down. And PSV beat, go ahead, he goes 4-1.

So let's see those two with the U.S. in a few weeks here. Yeah, Serge didn't look very inhibited, which is what you love to see after that. That's a great way to put it, yeah. That kind of injury. Like, you know, he cut in a few times. Dribles, showed some burst. You know, he looked comfortable carrying the ball.

I think only one real mistake. He had like a heavy, loose touch on the 34th minute that led to a counter. But besides that, I thought he was good. And, yeah, obviously the assist was a great moment. Left foot. Right on the money. Come on, man. the thing

it's so funny like surge you know you think about all the whimsical funny unusual stuff that makes you know Sergenio death serdine dez or whatever when it comes to that ball

he's a serious as a heart attack brother like so it's like you know when when the injury happens and he puts out his like Instagram message or like whatever

like I'll be back like you you can take it to the bank you know what I'm saying he'll get in the gym Yeah, he'll get in the gym. He'll find that parking garage that he was in or whatever when Javi exiled him. You know, but he's not playing around.

Like that's the thing. There's different levels of, I mean, we all, you should know this as a sports fan, the different levels of professionalism and application for these athletes or whatever. Like, I mean, me, for instance, I mean, it wasn't my job, but like, you know, kind of, but in college or whatever, you know, I get hurt. You know, I might be liable to not show up to the treatment. that day. You know, I mean, I got, I got class.

You know, I got class. You know, you're trying to get a nap in for a practice. But anyway. Dude, my lack of dedication as a college soccer player is shameful to me to this day. Like, like, I didn't work on my touch at all, like, outside of practice. Like, what the hell? Like, I just, I was just, I was just a one-dimensional sub off the bench outside midfielder who would just steam up and down.

the line with no ideas in his head, just running hard. And I didn't, the coach was like, yo, you got to watch some teams, like, score a really nice goal against us, and you'd be like, that's what happens when you strike the ball 10,000 times, you know? And I was like, oh, yeah, interesting, cool. And never. Go right back to the door of roof. Yeah.

Yeah, I was like, yeah, let me go, let me go find a six pack of beer, and that'll be that. So, yeah, I feel that. Surge is like, I'm getting in the gym, I'm going to get better, I'm going to play in this World Cup, and he's back, and he looks uninhibited, and it's wonderful to see. I thought there were some moments of nice hold-up play from Rico, too. Okay. Yeah.

Vince sounds he has to go. I mean, I don't watch him every week, but. It's just, you know, it's the same old stuff. you know, from Rico. Even last week when Bell said he thought Rico was R.8 against Iax or whatever, I kind of disagree. You weren't that. I mean, he'd be chasing that thing around, man.

Chasing the touch around. But it is what it is. He puts the ball in the back of the goal. How about that? Chase that at the back of the net. You know what I'm saying? Right. Right.

Yeah. No, we got to be really careful about criticizing RICO, you know. Bro, I don't want to. I don't want to, man. You know, it's just, and I, back in the day, I used to be on the respect Pepe's feet train. I thought, it just, yeah, I don't know. There's been a lack of playing time, right,

since the transfer from Augsburg on, Konda. You know, I had the Groningen season, but, and I mean, he's probably racking up a decent amount of minutes in this season or whatever, but, you know, It's like, it's still, he's still young in his, in his, in his, in his, in his football years. Well, as a young man and just. For a striker. Yeah.

For a striker for sure. And he just hasn't, just hasn't played that much. Outside of MLS, I guess, I guess, you know, I don't know this. I haven't really looked up as many accounts, but, you know, it sounds right to me. He's like 22, 23 years old. His first touch is not going to improve at this point in his life. but it puts the ball in the back of the net. Like you said, chase that.

But, but you know, it's like, it's like if the base improves, right, his strength improves, we talked about this. But strength improves and it allows him to, you know, use his base more and all that different types of stuff. That's going to help your application, right? That's going to lessen the variance in your touch when you receive it with somebody on a backgie.

and if you can't do it against you know steaming van hoyland or whatever the hell you know a Dutch centerback generic Dutch centerback's name would be I'm just

I'm just wondering bro look at the end of the day there's no substitute for his natural finishing ability nerds be damned one of my coaching mentors he's a director of coaching where I live

super super Dutch guy He's actually a go-head of Eagles fan, but I talked to him before that game a while ago. And he watches the league, and I asked him about Rico. And that was the first thing he said. He's like, they don't make guys like this anymore. So whatever you want to say about if he's going to be ready for the prem and all that, like the ability is rare in our pool. Yeah, it's rare in general.

I mean, man, he gets his head on the ball. He's a chance is going to be a goal. He did miss a header in this game. He had five shots. I just want to be accurate with what I'm saying here. All right. Jedi went 90 again against Bournemouth. Both teams ended up going down to 10 men.

Tyler came on in the 43rd minute for Bournemouth. What do you say, guys? I don't have much to say. It's just a relief with Jedi. and same thing with Tyler I mean if he was going to be in QV Neil mode or Bournemouth you know

we're going to play or whatever like I would I would have been fine with that so this is good I guess but let's just get him in healthy yeah yeah man five yellow cards two red cards in this game so

things are beautiful things were happening Ali's in Dejas remember him Ever heard of him? Scored a brace and got an assist in the Liga Emeki's playoffs against Pumas. Unfortunately, they got knocked out. It was the away leg for Clubamedica, or the home leg for Club America was 3-3,

and then the away leg was also 3-3. I think they play in the same stadium, right? But Pumas went through based on a stronger regular season record, but not without some heroics from Sandaas. I mean, he got a penalty. He scored a header at the back post. That was like really nice for a short man to score a goal like that. And then he got the assist.

Is he – Sanjay, what do you think? Is he coming to the World Cup? I don't know. I mean, it depends on, like, everyone tries to make it about the position groupings and, like, you know, or if you drop that guy, then that guy gets in. And I think it, you know, I was talking to people that night, and it's, it's, for me, it's about how you put the whole roster together. Because, like, I think if you're taking one less holding mid or one less centerback, maybe,

or one less fullback, you're not taking Max Arson or something, I think that's the opening to someone like Zendajas rather than, uh, well, like Geo's gone, like you said. I think Luna would go. I'm not sure. But, and then we'll talk about McGlynn too, but it's tough when you just look at that position. It's a log jam, but I mean, it should be said. I don't really think a lot of people are beating the drum for him

because they don't watch him every week. They don't watch a league every week other than like Herc. And in our, you know, Twitter world. And I'm glad Herc's beating the drum because, like, the league is definitely better than MLS. and he's doing it more consistently than anyone's really doing an MLS. So, and he has, you know, just quality. Is he a game breaker?

I don't know about that, but he's a great finisher. And that's very important. We'll talk about McGlynn soon. But, like, I think there's a way in which they should both go. And it would probably be, like, at least someone like Luna's expense, assuming you're bringing Brendan, and I'd be okay with that. I just don't, yeah, what's the, argument for bringing Brendan over either of those two guys.

It doesn't give you anything. But I think it's just having it. What do you get from Brenda? Nothing. No, I don't know. I think it's about putting together enough different people's skill sets. And like Brendan, like Brendan and Luna both work hard, but Brendan covers great. Like he runs better and presses better than any of those guys, like statistically, right?

So is Luna like more well-rounded than any of those other guys? probably, but should you bring him instead? I don't think so. I'm kind of happy to leave this in Potch's hands, you know, honestly. Right. I mean, which is like, once again, back to like the, I forgot the analogy I just used early in the show. What game changes?

What, uh, sealing razors? What did I say? What were talking about Gio? I don't forget. But move the needle? Move the needle. Needle movers. That's right.

That's right, brother. I knew it was one of those, uh, what do they call those things? Platitude, not platitudes, but axiom, cliché. Clisys, cliché, that's what else. Axiom also. Anyway, yeah, I mean, first of all, first of all,

and the thing that I always refer to, first and foremost, is the coach of the team. You know, you got to, you got a coach of the team, has the coach been able to see this dude play? Has he, you know, has he been in camps? Ali's and Dejas, yes. You know, after he played inside camps, did he get called into, you know,

did he get called into camps after that? After that, like, no. Recently it's been a no. I know there was an injury, right? Yeah, injury, yeah, yeah, yeah. There was an injury in there? Same thing with the Glen, too, yeah.

Was he injured? What was he called in? In the fall, in the fall. No, I'm saying, was. Was Zendos injured in March? No, no, no, no, I'm not talking about March. Okay, okay, that's what I was... Okay, so, yeah, that would lead me to believe that maybe he's out the plans, bro.

Yeah, I mean... Yeah, I mean, you can't bring everybody, that's the thing, as Yergen Klinsman demonstrated by cutting Lennon and Donovan from the 2014 World Cup roster. It's great with Zendahas, because you know there will always be a Spanish-speaking journalist, like a Mexico-based journalist, asking about him if he's not in a squad. Yeah, because of the Club America shine, right? Yeah. And understandably, so.

I'm thinking about it in their perspective, looking at this league and the guys get called up here, and it's like, this guy's one of the best players in the league. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we should, speaking about one of the best players in the league, we should talk about Jack McGlynn a little bit. There it is.

I did that just to see Vince's eye roll. This would be what eye roll. Come on now. No, I'm not real about it. It's just, I'm laughing at the fact that we've been foreshadowed in this topic like me. Dude, that goal he, the first goal he scored was an absolute delight. I mean, it gets laid off to him. This is like the pride of MLS, right?

This is like one of the best teams, if you, if you've looked at, since they've come into the league, I'd say overall, they're probably been the best team in the league. Who? And this guy goes in... And this guy goes to their house. You know he's not talking about the Houston Dynamo. The pride of MLS. I mean, he just goes there and, you know, we know, Hey, Zeus is out there.

And there's some people who are, like, wondering why. Like, he's obviously there for Jack McClint. And we saw why. So I've been... I'm going to talk about being the drum. Like, I've been saying this for the longest time. And now everyone's kind of really... realizing it on the on the cusp of the world cup on the evening world cup like who's everyone

dance your victory dance sanger who's who's who's everyone sanger because i just saw you and and a and a marcus sherez retweet of you that's all i saw all the time line everyone's thinking it i mean i mean like like seriously though you you can bring 26 guys to a world cup and you're telling me there's not room for a guy who consistently for his club and for the U.S., whenever he's played, threatens the goal. Like the best group stage opponent is Turkey. We're wondering if we can beat them in the group, right? We're wondering if he can top the group because of them.

Meanwhile, this guy played against them, scored within a minute, threatened their goal the whole time he was on the field, and he did that without all the good players in the team being there. He did it. He's on his own. That was the game where Johnny Janied and Luga del Torre started too, I think, right? Yeah, Johnny, Luca, Malik, Miles Robinson, Alex Freeman, Max Arstead.

Malik, I know they're different players. They're very different players, and I think Malik's a good player. He's a fine player. Has Malik created or scored like nearly as much as Jack McGlynn when he's been on the pitch with the U.S.? We can talk about all the deficiencies, but, like, he's, he's, you bring him for a situation at the end of the game that the U.S. always finds itself in. The U.S. isn't going to be leading in games up until the final and then win the final, no problem. Like, there will come a point where you look at your bench and say, all right.

Who can get us a goal? Shit, yeah. Because, and maybe Gio's heard by that point, or he's had to come off. but Luna and Zendahas can't do it the way and it's not just like the goal stuff which is great and gets everyone's attention he makes great decisions every time he gets the ball.

I think that's, I agree with that. He knows when to force it when not to. Maybe he'll look for a shot more than others but like, you know, whatever that Kroif quote was like technique is playing it to the right foot at the right weight. Like the guy does it every single time. So I don't give a damn. what happens, off the ball, like against the ball, which I think is greatly exaggerated, by the way.

Like, he's not a traffic cone. But, like, this is impossible to ignore. And I know Potch rates him. And, you know, whatever Hay-Zus is going to report back after being there in person should get him on the roster. Yeah, because if we talk about, I mean, I'm for it. I'm, again, leaving it in Potch's hands. but I think we're talking about moving the needle. I hate to beat up on him again.

But like, what do you get out of Brendan? You get somebody who presses hard. We're not even going to be pressing most of them. What do you get out of Christian Rodon? Like, what do you get out of a lot of guys who are like, you know, competing for his spot? If you want to talk about production, I guess a future World Cup opponent, I mean, come on. We can't. We can't, we can't mismerge Christian Rodon's name.

Yeah, he had a nice little assist. and yet a heads up play. So I guess it's two assists, right, against Australia? You're talking about? If we need Christian Raldon to beat Australia, brother, we got problems. I mean, if we need Jack McGlynn to beat Turkey, I mean, you can make the same. No, no, no, no. Lade an extra time when guys are tired and...

Jack McGlynn can be... And everybody's moving at the same speed as Jack McGlynn? Jack McGlynn can help you beat anyone. I genuinely believe that. Jack McGlynn can come on and help you beat the best team in the world because they will have no choice, but to respect him and close him down. And that opens up gaps, right, even if he's not doing it. Like, that doesn't exist for anyone else besides maybe Geo.

Maybe. All right. These are Jack McGlynn's first two goals of the season, seven games into the MLS season. He was injured for a little while. 563 minutes in this MLS season. At a quasi-to-bytes about 690s, you know, equivalent of 690s minutes. Two goals to assist so far in this MLS season. Diego Luna, the much maligned in this discussion, about the same amount of minutes in the MLS,

been doing bits recently, specifically, four goals, one assist. I just wanted to, as an unbiased arbiter. As you want to talk about who else endorsed this man last night, Matt Doyle calling him the best striker of the ball in program history. Some people might argue that to stretch. I don't really know if it is. No one in my lifetime, I don't know. You want to go into the early autism 90s?

We don't think it's a stretch. We don't got a lot of ballstrikers, bro. No. Exactly. So make room for him. I hate how people are like, oh, yeah, like the end of the roster, who cares? It's not going to matter. Like, this is the guy we're talking about

who does the most important thing in the sport. And we're just going to leave him because of, you know, someone who's, you know, good at Fortnite or interprets well? Like, give me a break. It'll be a fascinating decision for Potch. Yeah. This type of, this type of Brenda Slander can only, can only, you know, fly right now when, you know,

oil is very expensive, you know, everything's going on straight, or hormones, etc. Their attention is divided. So I understand, get it all off now. Get it all off now before a ceasefire. deal something like guys reached. You want to, you, you, you,

you want to go at the end of a game. You don't, you don't call Brenda. Like, that's, I don't, I don't know why you're making this about Brenda though, because Brenda,

there's a situation for him, too. He's a sprinter. He's a close the game out kind of guy, like track back. You just said we're not going to be closing games out. We, we might early on. Brendan,

if guys are sluggish, if it's hot, guys aren't really pressing. Like, they could both be on the field, conceivably, at the end of a game. I don't think, I think they should both go. I don't think it's, it's in either-or. Okay. I think it is, probably is with Luna, and maybe one other guy.

Also, I, I can't stand how all these roster predictions have, like, like, four holding mids going, or maybe more. Like, you got to plan a roster and account for Weston being able to play there, and Tillman. I like it. I would. Yeah. I'm just so, I'm just so, I'm so persuaded by your pro-McGlynn propaganda, Sanjay, that I, that I'm looking for people to cut.

And obviously the first one who comes to mind is the Medford Messi. For me. I would cut, I would cut, you saw Serge doing on the left the other day. Again, it's like, like I'm saying, it's a knock-on thing. I would cut Arston if you had to choose someone and it came down to like that. You know that ain't happening, right? That's not happening. Probably not.

the the the the the the the the the the brenno thing he's firmly in the cut pile potentially cut pile because of once again the coach and his decisions and what he's done um with regards to brendo and his in his plan time but even with arston like if arston is there because he's a left-footed guy right and there's no one else for an attacking situation couldn't that be zan dais ha's said have to be arston because arsson should not be playing when you need defending if you need someone to play there and defend as a backup for jett should not be Arsden. Hmm.

Okay. Well, I don't know that we solved any of it, but I do hear you on Jack. And I've, like, we haven't really even talked about the goals he scored. The first was from like 25 yards, just an absolute galazzo into the top right corner. I swear, every time I watch a Spanish language broadcast and there's a goal scored, they call it a galazzo. It's like every single time. Now, you just watched McGlynn every time. That's fine.

Well, but this really was a galasso is what I'm saying. I think that word is overused now. And then he scored another really nice one, just kind of like got on it to the right of the goal and just took one step and put it down in the bottom left corner. Yeah, he nearly had a hat-trick, too. He almost crawled one that hit the post. And on both the goals, he was involved in the build-up, too.

It's important to note. I don't know why Vince is laughing. This actually happened. On the first goal, he played it out to the left side, you know, kept the plate moving nicely. And on his second goal, that was a weak-footed ball, right, to trigger that move. He played with the right foot, nice long ball. So he's doing it all. He did something really smart on that first goal, too, which is he kind of ran to his right to get the defender to go that way,

and then he just peeled off and he was open at the top of the box. simple but effective go ahead Vince I was just laughing because well first of all we got a tweet from Milan Post no injury has been

Detective for Pulicit the club is trying to have him ready again for the match against Genoa and so from that post Jorge Castillo what hip hop Jorge in the in the discord

He quoted it on Twitter and put the picture of Tiger Woods kneeling after his D-Y I love that, Horace. I love that. But the Neil, the Neil's really catching on. It's been a lot of... I saw a Kaepernick, Jeff.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Christian has got out of work for a week, man. No injury. has been detected. DMP heartbreak. You know what I'm saying? Should we, let's talk about a couple, couple three youngsters in MLS.

Kevin looking pretty good lately, Sanjay? Yeah, yeah, he looked light on his feet. Not like, I remember there's a game. You said Bell is where he kind of looked like a wrecking ball. And he's obviously gotten stronger, so there's times where, you know, he's running around just looking to hit guys, but he was playing soccer.

The other night, he looked good on the left side. You know, he beats a guy, you know, like create space for a shot pretty effortlessly. He was doing a lot of good things on the ball. And there's been, you know, talk about playing time with him recently and maybe some friction with Bradley Carnell, but Bradley Carnell was trying to play that down saying, you know, anyone would be, anyone would be,

frustrated and they got to rotate guys. So I think, you know, if he keeps getting minutes like this till the end of the season, I think he's going to be in a really good spot by the fall. Call up wouldn't be crazy, especially if you're really, you know, lend some young guys get out there in the fall. Yeah, the fall should be pretty experimental, right? We'll have some kind of interim coach, most likely. And Jesse Marsh. But, yeah, yeah. I thought Payne Miller was good in this game, too. Good to see him getting into a rhythm.

At left back, I think he's going to be a really good player. Good floor. North-South guy, technically good. Ball retention is good. Defensively, I haven't seen anything that would make me concerned yet about him. Probably has some room to grow, but he's going to be a nice player. I don't see it with Brooklyn Raines, by the way. I don't know if anyone does, but I'm never really...

Is that impressed when I watch the revs and he's out there? But Peyton Miller are going to be a player. Okay. Well, I won't rush to Brooklyn Raines' defense on this Monday, May 11th, 2026. And then go- It's a good time to get that out. It's not February, so I have no objection. Gozo getting more and more tempting for you, Sanjay?

For a call-up. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, when you just, again, it's one of those things. Like, I don't know who exactly is losing their spot. because of him, but when you add everything up, right, like we got the injury concerns now with Polisic and maybe Wea. And in any case, like, there's not a lot of wide players. It's good to have Serginio back, but there's not a lot of wide dynamic guys.

And if the guys who are of that profile are coming in with Knox, it's even more reason to bring him. So I think you want to bring the young, explosive, informed guy who will definitely be be in Europe soon, really soon. Makes me think of, I've mentioned this before, makes me think of DeAndre Yedlin at the 2014 World Cup, you know, just a baby at the time, just zooming up and down that right wing. He looked like, he made an impact. He did.

And Gozo's got so much attacking upside that the U.S. could really use right now. I think Yedlin was just like pure speed then and for the rest of his career, but Gozo's got a lot to his game. Hey, respect DeAndre, man. No, I don't know if, I don't think Gozo has DeAndre's speed. No, he does not. He does not. But he's got a lot.

I mean, I always thought DeAndre would have been a right back. There was, there was, you know, a debate about whether he should have been a winger early in his career. I think for his profile, he was greater right back. Gozo, I think, is a forward. He's versatile, too, right? Like, the end of the game, they're losing. And he's just, like, you know, operating, like, a second striker.

Like, there's a lot you can do with him. So, they need. to make room for him somehow. I realize I've said that about three or four guys today, who were on the outside looking in maybe before, but... You're saying they need to make room for Gozo on the World Cup roster? Yes. All players from and from or have ties to MLS.

It doesn't make you think. It doesn't make you think, Sanjay. Why are you here today? Who put you up to this? Well, I just said it because, because I need, like, Gozo is going to be gone in the blink of an eye. And everyone's going to be loving him when he has a different badge next to his name. Like, I've been keeping up.

I've been keeping up, you know, it's... Try the, I would drop other MLS guys for these guys. It's not a, it's not an MLS agenda. It's, um, but, you know, I'd bring Audrey Metti too if it's up to me. But that's not a human error. Like, come on, you're talking about how many, too many hold mids on the roster. See, he's buying to pay for He's bought to pay for he do more for he do more for he do more to help team win games than the guys we're going to bring

I'm being I'm being dead serious right now Well in terms of his incisiveness and ability to play the ball forward and you know he'd have body guy bodyguard to bodyguard Tyler with him um Like I genuinely think he'd be a value guy he's another guy he'll be gone before long He'll have a different badge next to his name before long and you're gonna look back and wonder Was he really that much better six months or now, a year from now than he was then. Like, was he doing that much more?

Is he doing that much more now than he was right before the World Cup? It's a rhetorical question. Like, he could help the team tomorrow. I actually asked Michael Bradley about it after the game the other day. I tried to tempt him into endorsing Audrey for the World Cup. And he definitely, you know, deflected it. He smiled, though. Well, he's a double agent now anyway.

He's compromised for sure. Who is that? Michael Bradley. Why? What does that even mean? Former Canada assistant? I mean, yeah.

No, but, I mean, I think maybe, I mean, if you put Ada Morris in MLS right now, I mean, he would be, he would be looking a lot like,

not to take from, not a take from Audrey. It's hooping. It continues to hoop. That's the thing about it. So far. You know, but, um, I don't know.

Aida Moore, Sebastian Burrhalter. Oh, oh, some, hey, Sebastian Burrhalter, you talk about somebody who might be somewhere else in a year. I mean, I don't know really how that's going to go because it's like the national team. You do see the limitations of his game, kind of. As far as like when it comes to, like, actually midfielding, you know. but he's putting up those type of numbers

in the MLS that makes you think that to where somebody will swoop in I think I think well I mean he's just gonna leave right because he's not under contract so he'll go some you can pick and he'll have options he got those connections I mean he might you know PSV Nepo baby I mean I don't know

you know he's not he's not 19 though but like like you know I'm putting more stock in to to a Eunice Renaissance than Sebastian Berthor Halter, Ray and Morris, like taking this team to a different level. Man, the next pro-ckel. Like, they can help us qualify in the next cycle

and they can, you know, be death guys for now. But, um, Audrey's gonna be, this is gonna be Audrey's team before alone. Oh, good. I'm dead serious. Oh, yeah, I'm not. I, I don't disagree. Um, but also the Eunice thing,

he, he really should have went on the pilgrimage at a different time. Like, you could, you could, but you could have went on a pilgrimage, you know, after the World Cup. You know, World Cup ends, you know, let's say we get out early. Eh, nah, that's probably pushing it. But look, man, you could have found a different time.

I was thinking about it. He could have gone to the Gold Cup and balled out and not played the whole year. And it might not have mattered because he still would have been, you know, because of the Gold Cup. It's such a shame. It's tough. it's tough but but yeah that's the thing i was it's like you know even when he was getting the plan time or whatever it's like looking at it like oh you know potch call him in or whatever but you know

and potch is fully within his right to be like you know you know what if you yeah respectfully respectfully you know because because like obviously you know it's not a totally unexcused absence but but you know there's no reason why while pod should view it as not unexcused, like, you. I hate to be associated with a podcast full of so much anti-Muslim sentiment. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.

It's just, though, like, going on a pilgrimage, which I've never done, you go on the pilgrimage when you want to go on the pilgrimage, you know? No, look, and we also don't know. decides when the pilgrimage is. We also don't know if it was just that, right? Like there could be like he alluded to other stuff. So we're not trying to make it about just that. I know.

I was obviously kidding, everybody listening. But whatever the reason, yeah, wish it wouldn't have gone this way. All right, you got something you want to say about the training center, the new training center before we get out of here? It's just reopened, right? Yeah, now it's officially open. I mean, yeah, we, we talked about it, I think, uh, on one of those like pregame hits from the last camp, like it's, oh. Hold on.

Everybody take a deep breath. Fabrizio Romano. Johnny Cardoso. Set to undergo surgery as Athletico Madrid confirmed and now expected to miss the World Cup. I, I, I, I never seen a can't get right. like this before. You know, you got, you got those people in life. They may be talented.

Some may not. But it's like, every time you turn around, you're like, bro, you're doing something. How did you even get into this? You somehow were free from trouble and found your way all the way into trouble. And like, look, you know what I'm saying? Obviously injuries happen, whatever. But, you know, you put everything together that Cardoso's. the ankles.

Like between the Cardosos and the ankles, like, damn, bro. If it ain't a Cardoso, it's an ankle. If it had an ankle, and he's in camp, it's a Cardoso. Yeah. You know, it's always moving around the corner.

Who the hell hurt him in training? Who did this? This is ridiculous. Bro, and you know, they had a bad run of form. You know Cholo had him going super hard. You know. It's like,

it's like, uh, it's all hype I want to be disappointed that he's not coming to the World Cup but the reality is it's all hypothetical like he could be good maybe for the U.S.

And but he hasn't been yet so no I disagree I think he showed enough in the Belgian game I think that happened Belgium was enough for us to I thought it was very good I thought it was very good that that gave me the hope that he could be the pivotal

piece because the damn sure ain't going to be Malik now he's not going to you know, doesn't look like he's going to pick up the slack here and take us to another level. So fingers crossed for geo. This, yeah, ramifications of this for us are going to be interesting. I don't think we should just take the next holding mid, as I made clear on this pod. I think you've got to find another way to include difference makers. And I'm serious.

Like, I would think about bringing him out of it. It's not going to happen, but. Yeah. I feel like I'm talking to myself in 2017 when I was really mad at Bruce Arena for not bringing West McKinney to World Cup qualifiers. You know, it's a little bit like that. And the truth is, West McKinney probably should have been there. Maybe Medi should be there too. I don't know.

I think that's it from us today. That's a damn shame. Good thing we caught that, though. Good thing we started later. We had our delays and we got that. Yeah. We got two big pieces in for me. Man, that's tough.

Damn, Johnny. Yeah, it's too bad. All right. Well, we'll have to regroup and figure out our roster's over again. Thanks everybody for listening. Sebastian Burr-Halter we trust, man. Come on. Come on, man.

Burlhalter family. Look, everything's coming full circle, bro. Everything's coming full circle. we ended the 2022 World Cup in, you know, scandal, tragedy. It will all be redeemed. It's all going to be redeemed.

Sebastian Burrhalter set piece. Gio Renna header. They get us to the quarterfons. It'll be Gio's second-headed goal of his career. Hey, thanks everybody for listening. We'll see you.