SoccerWise - First Touch '26 World Cup Daily Show: Haaland Stuns Brazil, England Prevails & Balogun, USMNT Face Belgium

Episode Date: July 6, 2026

The drama continued with a wild night at the Azteca as England escaped past Mexico, while Erling Haaland and Norway stunned Brazil to book their place in the World Cup quarterfinals. David Gass, Michele Giannone and Eric Krakauer break down both Round of 16 thrillers before looking ahead to a massive day featuring the USMNT against Belgium, including the controversial decision surrounding Folarin Balogun. The crew also previews the heavyweight showdown between Spain and Portugal for a place in the quarterfinals.

First Touch, 26, your daily show, your live source every single day for all World Cup coverage. Live from the Kickback Studios, David Goss here with McKelley, Giannone, and Eric Crackhauer. And this is where we come to talk to you about everything going on at the World Cup. What a day we have for you. We have drama. We have history. We have legacies. We have politics.

We have scandals. I don't know that we're going to be able to fit all of it. some of it I'm excited about a chunk of it I'm really not and you got your Mexico jersey on you're here with me McKayne yeah I'm a morning this morning

I feel like I live many lives yesterday between the Balogon news and all those emotions and then last night with Mexico England we'll talk about that in Norway Brazil and Norway yeah I forgot about Norway and Brazil and today

we have the USMNT plane so it's been it's been fun i guess i don't know it was it was fun for me yesterday but i was watching the game the mexican england game amidst mexican and english fans and i don't want to be in that position today when portugal plays spain because there was so much suffering there was so much exhilaration it was it was everything that you want from a world cup match unless you're a fan of either one of the two teams yeah it was drama absolutely it's one of the great games I think we're going to talk about. I have said over and over again,

Mexico, Argentina in 2006, in my mind, top five World Cup game I've ever seen. I've gone back and rewatch that game numerous times over the years. It was fun. It was energetic. It was dramatic.

And Mexico did it once again, this time against England. And I know from the England fans that I know, this is already like a core memory game of one of the ones you're going to reference back. I think it was Jude Bellingham's Knight to emerge for the 14th time as a 23-year-old onto the global stage and state that he is a superstar and one who is extremely underrated.

And then, of course, there's a lot of question marks about Mexico and what they accomplish, putting that into context as well as their future going forward. It is a wild day of games, though. Portugal, Spain, it could be a World Cup final. Instead, it is a round of 16 match with the way this thing has lined up. So that will get us started at 3 p.m. Eastern time. And then the U.S. men's national team will attempt to go one step further to go to the quarterfinals for the second time in the modern era.

at a World Cup, they will do so out in Seattle in a match against Belgium. So we'll preview those games. We'll talk about the games from yesterday. We've got some tactical pieces to throw in there as well. But of course we have to start with the news that came out yesterday. You mentioned it, McKelley, that Flo Bolligan will be available to the U.S. for their game. The red card has not been overturned that he received in the Bosnia game. His suspension has been suspended using something called Article 27, which you've got to love

when these things happen and all of a sudden a thing no one ever heard of before and no one ever talked about becomes central, although maybe it's something that's been relevant in your life for a couple more weeks than everyone else because of Ronaldo and the use of it for his ability to play in this game. But the news came at that FIFA had suspended Flo Bolligan's suspension. So they don't overturn the red card that occurred. They are not saying that the red card was incorrect. They are putting a situation in here where they have this basically clause where they can do whatever they want inside of where Flo Bollinger. will not carry out the suspension now inside of that probationary period, if he were to receive

another red card or something else, the suspension could come back into play. My assumption would be it actually would be increased, right? If he picks up another red card, he's probably suspended for three to five games because it is on top of each other. I think part of the story, so Ronaldo got a red card in qualifying, it would have suspended him for the first two games of the World Cup. Part of the story around that that FIFA put out there in an attempt to just get a superstar on the field was that he had played so many games without a red card that they felt he had sort

of earned the trust is that correct something like that yeah something like that yeah full balligans got 30 caps so that's probably not what's happening here um since the news came out there's just been reports left and right the initial news was broken i believe by the athletic corroborated by a lot of other sources melisse artis and and dog mcantir were the first to brag yeah okay um and since then there's been a lot of other reporting. I'm not going to roll through all of it because it's very unclear what of it is true. There is a ton of connection between the current White House and FIFA, and there is a lot of reporting on the work that was done at the White House to potentially prepare to try and overturn

this red card, whether it was via the rules and the way they should be established, whether it was via the referee's background, a ton of research it sounds like, and potentially lawyers were brought in for that. There's also, it sounds like, been work on the U.S. Soccer Federation side of things to try and appeal this. Now, we've been put through like 97 different versions of this. And this is the part of all of this that is the most frustrating, which is FIFA doesn't have an above board process. I get it. It's FIFA. Ha ha. Jokes on me that I would even say the phrase above board with them. But when they came out of the Bosnia game, the questions were asked to me, I'm sure to you two as soccer people in people's lives, can they appeal? How do they appeal? What does an appeal look like?

What could the appeal process be? And you have experts out there who have said, no, there is no appeal process. Well, you can appeal the process of how VAR was used. Well, if you appeal, but it doesn't get taken because it's frivolous, then it could be worse. But there's no appeal process. So then the frivolous appeal lives where? We don't know. And that has been the most frustrating part of all of this because I came on this show after the Bosnia game and I fought with both of you saying it was incorrect use of VAR and it was the wrong call for what, 25 minutes? So I understand a world in which Florian Bolligan is available to play in this game. I thought it was the incorrect call.

I don't understand how. And that part's never explained. It's just Article 27, Flo Bolligan will play, and you move on. And that's where I understand Thomas Tuchel's joke about, oh, should we apply for a change with Kwanza? I understand Belgium's complaints to an extent. I don't want to get too like, oh, whoa is Belgium, a player who's available to play and should have been available to play is playing. I understand UEFA putting in the comment they put in. All of that comes from the uncertainty and the lack of process to all of this.

And it takes it from sporting decision to potentially political decision. And players shouldn't be chose to play in a soccer game or not for political decisions. The same way that the Iranian national team shouldn't be called up because of what they do or don't say about their government, the same way that Iraqi players didn't deserve to be pushed out of teams because of what they did or didn't feel about their governments. the whole world FIFA has created is governments cannot affect sports. They suspend pure national teams and federations when governments come in and get involved,

including when governments try to clean up corruption inside of FAs around the world, it is considered government interference. So if there's a reality here in which a government has interfered to get a player on the field, then they've broken their own world. Can I just say very quickly? And to that point,

a tweet alone is government interference. So let's not, we don't even need to go and talk about all the other things. But the fact that there is or are tweets, multiple tweets from government officials makes this a huge blemish or turns this into a huge blemish insofar as this World Cup is concerned. As for the other stuff, what we have proof of, what we don't, the reporting that has come out continuously since this decision has been made. I think the dust will settle and we'll get a better idea. And I don't think that's now. But again, I want to reiterate that point. The fact that there are even tweets already makes this a huge scandal.

So I'm going to be very brief and I'm going to explain my conflict. I'm happy on the sporting side that Balogun got justice. Because I think Dave, Eric, 99.9% of people will agree that it was a misuse. far process and a bad decision from the referee, correct? So if the decision to overturn that was made purely following a sporting process by, allegedly, the FIFA independent panel, then I'm happy because there was sports justice. Balogam deserves to play this match tonight. Justice was served.

I'm sad because what you've said, all the reports, the tweets, the comments. If this was done by political pressure, then it's a tainted process. And that makes me sad because we were doing so well at this World Cup. And now, no matter what happens tonight, but especially if the USMNT wins, it's going to be a tainted process.

Again, sports justice, if the process was correct by FIFA, if it was done by political motivation, then it makes me sad because, in my opinion, it's tainted the process. That's all I have to say. Now, we are in like the craziest of timelines. We're set bladders out here trying to play the moral, like, leader, UEFA's out here trying to play

the moral leader. And I can understand some of the emotion here. I am working hard to not have that be my case because the French don't apologize for Henri's handball and the Germans don't apologize for friends handball and Portugal is not apologizing for Ronaldo playing. I'm happy he's playing. No, no, no, I

get it. I'm saying as someone who understands this experience, I've talked many times on the show, I'm a huge Knicks fan, I've prayed for the Knicks to win a championship. I came to New York City for game three of the Knicks NBA finals the first time and I'm going to watch the NBA finals in New York City. And Donald Trump shows up and ruins the whole thing and becomes the center of the entire

situation. He sucks the air out of every single moment that goes on that he can touch, which is why, whether they are affected with this or not, he's going to claim a victory and he's going to want to be associated. And I can understand if that's not where you want to be aligned, that it starts to ruin your sporting experience. I will say from my side, I am going to support the players on the field in a battle against Belgium. I am going to support, I think, the players who have helped represent this country

at a really great way. And I am going to be excited about the soccer that gets played because I have watched this team play for 23 years. And this is some of the best soccer that they've ever played. And at some point, you have to decide, and it's what we've talked about this whole World Cup, what's yours and what's other people's. And this is a thing that I love and care about. And I'm going to defend it and part of defending it is continuing to love and care about it. But there is no question that it throws into any and I think quite honestly we all would have sat here today and said I think the US has a chance peppy's going to start up top the US has a chance there's a good soccer team playing great soccer yeah Seattle crowd's going to be incredible the momentum's

on their side and this is all sort of just throws that up in the look I think that your point stands right if if you're one of those people and I know some of those people we were just talking about it before the show started who have all of a sudden turned on the U.S. men's national team, then I'm not sure you were completely on board with the U.S. men's national team. Goss also brings up lots of other things that have happened to other teams in the past, where they have been helped by certain decisions, and they don't harp on them. They continue to play.

They don't think about those things. They were benefited, and they move on. And I think the U.S. men's national team will do the same today. There were some calls from some people who have some loud voices. on social media for Pochitino to not play Balagan. I think that is ridiculous. You have been given an opportunity to field one of your best players. The circumstances surrounding that opportunity are distasteful, and we can go on about that

forever. But if I'm a coach, if I'm a team, my goal is to win. You know, I want to get on that field and I want to make as deep as a run in the tournament as possible. I think the issue here is not about the U.S. men's national team. It is not about Belgium. It is about a sacred sporting event that has been sullied. And this is not the first time that it has been tainted to use your word, but it is...

I mean, Russia went to a World Cup quarter final in Russia in 2018. Yes, and you can talk about, I mean, Doyle texted me about other things. And there's Argentina, when Argentina hosts of the World Cup. there's lots of little, not little, there are lots of such events and controversies. But this one, this one is on a different scale. And if you are outside of the United States, if you're not a supporter of the U.S. men's national team, and you already had issues with the World Cup being played in this country, for the same reasons that people pointed to Qatar and Russia,

now you're seeing this happen, and this is something that is going to be very difficult to recover from, in my opinion. So one piece that we don't know yet is the report has been put out there that both Belgium and the U.S. having a window to appeal this decision leading up to 5 a.m. Pacific time, which just passed when we're recording this. I don't know what the U.S. would appeal. There are reports now and comments coming out of the Belgian camp as we come on air that Belgium has been notified that their communications with FIFA in an attempt to understand what happened has been taken as an appeal and has been denied and that it was inadmissible. Belgian Federation says that in the meeting leading into the match, the portion of the meeting which every single matchup at the World Cup states who is suspended

was left out yesterday. And so that they were unaware that it was up in the air. And then I think the U.S. and Belgium both found out via the news. I don't think that they were told directly by FIFA. And now you've got like 500 pages of other stuff in which the Belgian Federation is basically saying that this hasn't been handled in any obvious way. It hasn't been explained to them what occurs and then how they're supposed to carry out going forward. The report was that the team was on the bus to training.

It's a 10-minute drive from the hotel to the training site for the U.S. and they found that in the bus. Yeah, yeah. So my final comment here is that, and I go back to the lack of clarity in the process. And yesterday, I will, if you have access to Twitter or X, or whatever it is called nowadays, to follow Christina Uncle, the ex-referi, ex-referi that works for CVSports, Colasso Network, she did a very good threat explaining what this whole process of lack of clarity in the process is. And one of her conclusions was that don't wait for an explanation because

you're not going to get it. There's not going to be an explanation of the process. There's not going to be clarity. And again, as expected, one side, the expected side of the political spectrum in this country is already taking a victory lap. And what is going to be maddening is when the USM&T wins tonight and if Balogun plays a big part, guess what is going to happen tomorrow. That's the part that I, that's what I said. We're doing so good. And now everything, we're not talking about the game, we're talking about this.

For sure. And this is FIFA to a T. And this has been Gianni and Fantino's FIFA to a T, which is, I don't know how long he's lived in a private jet, but he has no understanding. of how human beings operate. And he only understands how power and dictators operate. And so there was never an idea out of his organization that there should be an explanation to people

because you don't deserve it and you don't need it because you'll show up. Right. And the best players in the world go on the field and what they've done at this World Cup is carry an experience that you talked about two days ago is necessary to humanity. And it has nothing to do with the people who choose to organize it

and the way they choose to organize it. And it is saved. time and again by the fans, by the athletes, by the coaches, and by everyone else associated to it. And there's a lot of bad people in that space as well, but it's continually saved time after time. And it's been that way. And I bet you it will be again today.

I bet you Tyler Adams will have to be the one to step up and save it. A 26 year old is gonna have to probably be the most mature person and the most respectable person in the room as he has been his entire life. Yeah. Just one thing on this, and this is personal to me, and it's been in very important.

infuriating. I absolutely hate, I hate, and I think it is tragic, that these blow-hard simpleton goons that live in the Twitter sphere, live in the social media sphere, and are highly influential in the sporting worlds, are piping up about a sport they know nothing about, have completely ignored and despised and harangued for years. And now they're involved in the narrative. They're involved in the discussion. And it bothers me so much. I mean, we are soccer nation now.

Yes. And we are part of the name. It is part of it. It is part of it. But that's so sad. I never actually thought that that would happen. And that is naive of me. So it's a big game for the players on the field.

And this is all stuff that they're they're going to have to deal with. There's positive. Flobologan's going to be on the field. He's an elite player. Yeah. But there is going to be questions around it and there's going to be work that has to be done as well as preparations for both sides that have to shift and have to change. And for a flobaligan, he mentally didn't think he would be in this game. So he now has to shift and he now has to get connected. You mentioned it. It's insane to say Pochitino shouldn't start him. It shouldn't be Pochitino's call. That's a call that should happen above someone whose pure job is to get a result.

His job is but the best players on the field in their best position to win a game. If there's a conversation that happens above him in a different way, that's fine and dictated to him. It's not a decision that he makes. It's not a space that he should operate in. We've talked about it for a while. So I think let's move into some of the games we saw

and we will preview the U.S. Belgium game as well. But as you both mentioned, this ends up being the conversation. It's really hard to get into, is Leandro Trozard going to pinch inside who defends in Zone 14 when everything else is occurring all around it. Let's start with Mexico because it was the game you were most excited about for the last 15 years of your life. And it was one of the most influential games of the tournament.

England goes down to the Azteca. They get a 3-2 victory over Mexico in the end. They survive after a 56-minute red card down a man. They end up scoring to go up 3-1 at that point. and they end up winning three to two. This was Mexico's big shot. To get to a quarterfinal, obviously we made the jokes about the fifth game,

which they said they broke that curse, but the fifth game was always the quarterfinal. That was the goal. They had a roadmap through the Azteca, their fortress to get there. This is one of the most dramatic soccer games any of us have ever seen. And in the end,

I think that this is a culture-building moment for England. I don't think it could have gone better for England the way that this played out. and I think they have a clear road now going forward to a final, but for Mexico, this was the big chance. Yeah, it was a historical opportunity wasted and squandered. First, I want to mention something of the positive that I think this run, this small run that this team did during the World Cup,

it fixed a little bit, at least on the short term, the relationship with the Mexican fan base. Yeah. that it's always been very difficult. One, because of what you said in the last few years, they've been bad. The results and the performances have been bad. And two, they don't play in Mexico. And that bothers people, the Mexican people.

May I remind you that Azteca was booing this team at half-time against South Africa? Yeah. So watching the build-up to this game and watching the reaction of Afteka and how the players were received, how the players were embraced after the game and how the media discourse, which normally is very toxic, was very positive last night. That made me happy. Now, kudos to England. You said on our group chat, game of his life for Jude Bellingham. legacy game legacy game not just because of his goals

also the work that he did his work rate the way he commanded the midfield in parts of the game Pickford game of his life especially on the first half Declan Rice how he survived over a hundred minutes playing on a yellow

if you put aggregate time on that that was impressive obviously Harry Kane but Javier Aguirre Chalkman Javier Aguirre panic Mexico played with

over 45 minutes when you add aggregate with a men up and he absolutely panic and got the sobs wrong he went to two

three strikers too soon to God Mora took out Quignones that's the one that bothered me the most no ideas a million crosses

Gallardo and Alvarado had no legs they couldn't take one be one against anyone in England at the end. And let's say you want to live and die by those million crosses and set pieces. Why is Louis Chavez on the bench? He's your best crosser. He's your best set piece taker.

Why is not Alexis Vega on the field? The best player that you have that can take one-on-one? Alvarado and Gallardo were dead. And everything was open to the right to Alvarado, try to get a cross in. to the left to Gallardo, tried to get to get a crossing. That was the game that Mexico played for over 45 minutes, when a man up, no ideas, panic, wasted historic opportunity. Mexico was so good before England's first two goals. England was defending, pinned back in their own field. All 11.

Jorge Sanchez and Gallardo were playing high up. Bujaco's Saka and Gordon couldn't do anything. They couldn't even go to Mexico's half before those goals. And then stupid mistake, second goal, I'm sad to say, but it's on Hilberto Mora doing that turn and losing that ball there. First goal, Jorge Sanchez loses the mark. On the third goal, the PKK is concede because Jorge Sanchez again, whose a liability on defense and Javier Aguirre died with him, loses the mark again and doesn't react.

So Mexico committed three mistakes while dominating the game. Three goals go home. Well, stay home. So you were late today, so I yelled at him already about this. So you'll get it now a little bit. Part of my points in all of this is the failure of a lot. lot of like development and the Mexican Federation, but the game in Mexico overall. And I think Heavier Garay is a symptom more than he is the cause. Yes. And the fact that you keep coming back

to Javier Garay to just don't trip on ourselves. That was the game plan, right? You hire Javier Gary at the point in the cycle you did because you failed with multiple foreign coaches or you failed with other coaches you thought would work. And Javier Garay's job was to make sure this team didn't trip. And four wins at home in a row without a goal conceded is technically job done from him. The problem is you can't grow the ceiling and push the best teams in the world and take advantage of this opportunity when all of your resources, energy, go into not tripping. And not tripping on yourself is recalling Memo Ochoa. Not tripping on yourself is relying on Jesus Gallardo for another five years at that position. Not tripping on yourself is still having Raul Jimenez be

the only difference maker in a team. And I think some of the issues in this game, Joboto Moore getting caught, Joe Beto Morr is 17 years old. When he turns in field and tries to go up field, Elliot Anderson closing on him and taking it away from him is a player moving at a speed in a way that he's probably never experienced his entire life.

Yeah. And he's not prepared for it. Premier League speed. They have no other choice because no one else, more experienced, can elevate themselves to be worthwhile starting. Jorge Sanchez, I agree. I've been saying Chino Huerta should start in that spot over and over.

He doesn't play right back. The whole point is he lived and died with Jorge Sanchez because no one else can create a chance. And that's like those are the fault you get with the opportunities. Mexico dominated the game for the first 35 minutes in possession. Every chance they created was a Raul Jimenez header from 18 yards away. Those are not high percentage chances. This is a team that doesn't have ideas of how to score goals. They're not able to develop elite attacking players.

Giobardo Mor is a flash in the pan going back to Hugo Sanchez and Quatomac and Carlos Vela, those are too far and few between. And Roberto Alvarado is an example of it. He was supposed to be the next one, along with eight other Pachuca kids, and they move them around Liga Max, and then they sign Uruguayan attackers, and they bury them on benches, and some of them go to Greece, and some of them go to Belgium, and then they come back, and there's no clear process how to take the national team to the next level.

And for all the strength that League of MX has, it's one of the 10 best leagues in the world. Absolutely. There's no work together to grow everything a little bit further. And they're going to, they continue to fall at this same point over and over again. I agree 100% what you said. We've had this conversation about League MX and the issues they have with players not moving to Europe. Orbelin Pineda is a player. And he was on the bench yesterday, on use during the whole World Cup. For example, he was the next one. And then Alexis Vega was the next one. And then Alvaro was the next one. hopefully it doesn't happen now with Liberto Morra. I agree 100% what you said.

But last night, it's 100% on Aguirre. 100% on Aguirre. The choices he made... Yeah, totally agree with you. The choices he made on the... Were predictable. They made the game one-dimensional. And then on top of that,

let me add to this, by the way, one complaint. Gallardo and Alvarado kept trying to pull the ball back inside to create chances. So it was... Here, I'm going to bring a third... They were dead. I'm bringing a third forward on. Let's pound. balls into the box and then the two guys whose job was to cross acted as if cross was the worst

option rather than play early. So they let England reset themselves over and over and over again. Okay. Can I just jump in here and first of all this? I didn't realize you were on the show. The systemic failures that you're talking about, I think anybody who's followed Mexican football for a while understands and agrees like you said. I do think it is a little harsh to pin the blame totally on.

Aguirre. He is making the player choices and there are other players that he could have used. I think he gets the substitutions completely wrong. Those substitutions actually play in to two whole substitutions and the way that he felt he could hold on to the lead by bringing in three centerbacks. All that said, while those individuals are put on the field by Aguirre, there were individual mistakes in this match that I find almost incomprehensible at this level. Okay, so you're talking about Sanchez not tracking on Bellingham's first goal. And on the third one, it's the picket because he doesn't react and he doesn't track. His involvement in the first goal alone would maybe suggest to me that I have to talk to him at half time or maybe pull him off.

But I'm not just laying the blame on him. I mean, what is Alvarado doing allowing Bellingham to get away not once but twice on that play? That's about desire. There were plenty of times in this game where I looked at Mexican players on the defensive end when England started to push a little bit more, where I thought you're just not playing with the intensity that is required from a game like this. Just hold on a second. You have to give them and you did give them an immense credit for how they were able to circle the wagons for the first 30 minutes in that game. And while they were devoid of clear ideas of how to penetrate, the low convert. rate chances that they did create were denied by outstanding goalkeeping. If one of those goals goes in, the game is conditioned because we know that goals change games. So I think it is, while you're

looking at the game holistically and laying the blame on Aguidi and suggesting that systemic failures have bled into the performance and how in the situation that Mexico was in going into this game and relying on somebody like Aguirre, I think if you're You isolate this game and look at things that happened, players who stood on their heads to make big plays, I think Mexico were very, very unfortunate despite all the mistakes. So I can agree on one side of things. Like I said when we started this, this is a culture game for England. I think this is the best thing that could have happened to them because this is the moments where it's us against the world and they banded it together. And they battled through everything. They battled through the conditions. They battled through the altitude.

They battle through the pressure that was put on them. I go back to the Ecuador game. They battle through a weather delay. Fairly unprecedented for a lot of these players to have your entire warm-up, your entire day, your entire process, reset, and then you have to readjust. They battled through a lot of that. They showed their individual quality in moments. Pickford.

I mean, it's been very clear to me the whole tournament that Bukaiusaka is a difference maker because these other guys are not difference makers. And boom, he helps create the first goal. And Jude Bellingham, I think, is one of the most unnecessary. lamented players on the planet. He carried a team to a Euro final at 21 years old, and it's his fault that they're not better, rather than celebrating the fact that he's capable of doing that. There's a lot of those big moments. On the Mexico side of things, though, if we, and I'll go back to my Japan conversation, if we say they were unlucky for 20 plus years, at some point it's not

luck. At some point, you change the gameplay. And it's the same thing over and over again. So what? They were unlucky in 06. Then they were unlucky in 2010. Then they were on lucky in 2010. Then they unlucky in 2014, then they were unlucky in 2018, then they failed in 2022. It can't just be the same over and over again. You have to have ideas of how to win games. You can't survive in living games. And a part of it was fools gold. So part of it is all of our mistake, which is they play, they very clearly were in the weakest group at the World Cup, right? South Africa got dumped by Canada. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And South Africa is the only team that got out of their group. Yeah. So they very clearly, and then they played a great game against Ecuador. That's like one of the

great Mexico games of all time. We said it here. And it is. And sometimes that will happen and that's great. But if you want to beat the top 10 to 12 teams in the world, you have to have a way that makes you better rather than we're just going to go in. We're going to play standard one to one. And we're going to come out and beat them.

And to your point about the individual mistakes, I think Jorge Sanchez and Gallardo were both scared to step into every tackle 1V1 and they didn't defend the way they normally defend. I thought both of them. I thought, sorry, Guiardo backtracked. and was scared to step to Saka, and then Sanchez kept trying to jump Gordon because he didn't want to end up in a backwards foot race,

and he didn't want to let him cut on him. And I thought Gordon was fantastic. Yeah, he was. In this game, and he was the right move by Tuchel at the right time. 100%. But these are the things that, okay, if my team can't handle this, and like, let's go back to Canada, Jesse plays a scheme.

There's a gimmick to it. But the gimmick is what helps guys get over this line if there's a talent gap, and there is a talent gap. So Mexico has two choices. break the talent gap, which is developed at a higher level, which is not impossible, by the way. If Ecuador can develop three Champions League starters, Champions League final starters,

I think Mexico can as well, if that was what they were committed to doing, or find a way to turn your national team into something different. Become Chile under Bielsa and challenge at a higher level than maybe you're capable of. Do anything, but they've done the same thing for 20 places. But hold on. So, Agirret?

Yeah, go ahead. No, please go ahead. But you're saying become Chile under Bielsa, or let's say become Chile under Sampaioli. Or don't. Hold on. Hold on possession. It doesn't matter.

There was no idea how to win this game. I'm just jumping on that comment, okay? Those Chile teams weren't inspiring by any stretch of the imagination. I won two Copa America. They did. They did. But look at how they won in 2016, for example, under... San Pauli.

Sorry? Sanpali? No, 2016 was in Sanpali. 2015 was Sanpali. 2016 was Antonio, I can't think of... Or maybe I'm mistaking it, but I'm pretty sure it was somebody else. I mean, it was essentially it was one of those games where you're just, one of those tournaments where you're just trying to grind out results.

I think Mexico is trying to grind out a result here and hoping for some moments of inspiration from the center ford who, sorry? Juan Antonio Peasy. Juan Antonio Peasy, right? Hoping for some moments of inspiration from a few players. And that's why you rely on a 17-year-old. You mentioned a lot of guys that could have potentially come off the bench. You mentioned his name. I thought that game was calling for Huerta.

You know, his ability on the 101 on the wing to do things that Gallardo can do, take a risk, pull out Gallardo in that situation and have less players on the defensive end, but have somebody who can carve and imbalance a team. Yeah. Right. He doesn't do that. And he's one of the few that play in Europe. Yes.

Regularly. For a good team. Yes. For a good team as well. So I understand all that. I understand all that. But I think that we also have to take an account, and we haven't spoken about it enough,

how good individually this England team is, how many difference makers it has, and how the collective, while it hasn't been very fluent in its approach, I said that if England played any slower, they'd essentially be in a standstill. But they have a very good, coach tournament tested in the champions league got into a final with PSG was a hair from from winning

it against Byron then wins it with Chelsea so you have difference makers you have a guy who devised a good game plan even though they couldn't get out Mexico also didn't create not because of their own frailties but because England defended well with very good players well also for England it's the first game they didn't have more possession than their opponent yeah it was behind the Croatia game, their highest scoring game. I think it was a more comfortable game state for them. And it's what Tuchel built the roster around. And his personnel choices were great.

And I thought Anthony Gordon was a huge difference maker as well. The way he wins the penalty, for example, the way he's the only player who can stretch and playing on the side against the weakest Mexican defender on the team as well. So a lot went right for England too. And that needs to be a part of the equation when discussing everything that went on with. with Mexico.

Quick, quick on England, because I have a lot to say about Mexico. What you said, and I'm not contesting you. I agree with you. On England,

the past generation and the problem with England, it's always, I'm going to say it in Spanish, they've always been blamed of being Pechofrio. Pachofrio means cold chess. Like,

they shrink in the big moments. They weren't last night. So it's a cultural soccer, maybe shift of momentum forever. Yeah. I don't know. And I think if you're on two,

Cole was aiming for. Exactly. It was a team. Exactly. Not the best players. And as of now, as of now, he's been proven right with his squad selection. 100%. That was throw, everyone was aiming at him with flame throwers when he announced a squad.

On Mexico, they tried to switch courses. Yeah. With a non-Mexican way. With Tata, epic failure. Osorio. Well, first Osorio and then Tato. Osorio. I was a snake oil salesman, but...

Oh, so, yeah. No, I completely agree. So they bought the snake oil. Completely agree. But they'd be Germany on a World Hope game, and they made a little bit of noise, et cetera. Tata, complete epic failure. They didn't advance in...

I would say they might have actually regressed under him. You said something very important in the Mexican conversation. And I lived it in first person, living there, working there. They think they are Brazil. They think they are Argentina. You said this.

They think League of Mexico is the best league in the world. They think that their players, their young players, are better to play in America, in Monterey, in Tigres, than go to Europe to play a PSV, a Porto. And money plays a big part in there too. Money plays a big part. But the culture, they're indoctrinated into stay in Mexico. You're going to be rich. You're going to be comfortable. Your family is here.

Why are you going to waste time in Europe? Making less money? No, we have everything here for you because we are Mexico. League of Mexico is the best. No. League of Mexico, like you said, it's failure after failure after failure. And, yeah, the curse is not broken.

The course will be broken when you get to quarterfinals, right? And then, trying to fix that mistake, they went back to Aguirre. They went back to the same mistakes of the past. So it's this recycle and this cycle that until they realized,

that their problem is a systemic problem and hopefully Hilberto Morra now it's that turn of the page I think we thought to say with Acha Aja Aja Aja. Can I ask you a question? But real quick with Hilbertomara. I understand that, but I think we see and everyone

that I've spoken to they judge Hilberto Mora as a bigger talent that even Hugo Sanchez. No, I don't disagree. My point is we thought with Acha Ache that he had been brought through this new Pachuca Academy that had developed players

in a different way. with a focus on a club that was now built on youth development and then selling players. And he goes and he plays for Porto in the Champions League and he ends up playing for Madocco-Madroo-Mad. And he goes at a young age. And we thought that was the difference. My thing is, Gioberto Mora is a special talent.

He's a flash in the pan. Yeah. Jabilta Mora created Jobato Mora. Yeah. The system entered what everything Doyle keeps saying of please make the right move now, it's on him to figure it out. Correct.

Cholos is not guiding him. And I will say, Obed Vargas is in this team. because Obed Vargas is a special talent, but he's also partially in this team because the Seattle Sounders have a process to take care of him and develop him and put him in the right place.

And now he's a Mexican national team player. The Mexican clubs don't do that. The Mexican clubs, the only thing that matters... I can say the same thing about Gutierrez as well. But you need people like Obed with that mentality. Yeah, he wasn't developed in Mexico, so he wasn't contaminated with that message and culture.

So we remember that. I told you this, I sat down with Obed Vargas, Seattle received offers from America, from Chivas, from Tiggeras, from Monterrey. Obed Vargas said, I don't want to go to League MX. For my better future, I want to go to Europe. Seattle, unlike League MX teams, right, respected that. Because let me give you another example. How much was Obed Vargas paid by Athletico Madrid?

Like two and a half millions? Atlantic Madrid paid to Seattle like two millions or plus a resale I meant to Seattle not two of it

when a European team comes to America they try to fleece them to buy I remember Kevin Alvarez remember Kevin Alvarez like he was

he was supposed to be the next right back even better than Jorge Sanchez a club like Bruges comes to America hey we want to buy Kevin Alvarez

10 million yeah okay but then then so they come to MLS and they go to Galaxy to Julian Arauj. Okay, 3 million. Go ahead.

We're going to support our players. League of Mexico doesn't do that. And that's the issue with Mexico. And let me just say this. There's a part of it that's beautiful, which is Monterey's focus is to be the best club in the world. They're never going to get there, but they fight for it. And they continue to win regional championships and all of that.

And their fans care because the club cares and the club wants to win. But I think as a federation, you have to have work. that you're doing opposite of that. How many players of Monterey in this team? Zero. Zero. Yeah. So what are we doing?

No, 100%. But Monterey's in the Club World Cup. Right? Right. Play in our foreign players. Yes, for sure. You had a question. Can I bring this back to this question?

You guys are talking about recycling Aguirre. I get your points. Given the improvements that we saw, particularly on the defensive end under Aguirre, since he took the job again, do you think anybody could have done as well to re-galvanize this team as Aguette in the short amount of time that he had? No. Okay.

I just wanted to get that out of way because I agree. I agree. Yeah. It's the same with, and obviously it's gone well. It's the same thing I said with Potch and USSF. The solution in the end is not the original sin. The original sin is the lack of process over the cycle. Listen, I thought Diego Coco was the right signing when they brought him.

him in. He was a young foreign manager who had worked in League of MX who had won against big money, right? He wasn't, oh, you coach America, you coach Tigris, and so you win. What he had done with Atlas was I can use my player's skill sets, but also ideas to help us overcome. I thought he was the right move. So I can't be the one out here saying everything they do is wrong. But the process we're talking about is way bigger. And let me finish with this. They fire him after two months. It's insane. Yeah. Everything they do is wrong. on my thing of ways to win games Mexico's won three championships in the last four years, Nations League and Gold Cups. All three of them have come down to stoppage time goals, two of them against Panama, and all of them were dumping direct balls into the box to try and get a win

because they couldn't create chances over the course of the full game. And I think Mexico playing Panama in L.A. is as good of an advantage, of a home advantage, an environment as you're going to get. And you beat Panama 1-0 on like a 92nd minute. That's been the story for the last four years. They couldn't get over the top in 2022. And then you're going back to pre-COVID and different things and whatever. So I think that should be some of the frustration from all of this. The drama and theater of what we saw,

the rain, the energy. I mean, some of the looks on Jude Bellingham's face where you're like, oh, he's feeling it. And all of what we've talked about has been great World Cup energy over the last week. And I'm sad to see that Mexico won't be hosting any more games because it's been an incredible host for the World Cup. And I rooted for Mexico one time and they lost. So I don't know. Maybe you're welcome. Maybe I'll never do it again. Good luck to you. Did England prove to you that they're contenders? Yeah. I think they'll beat Norway. And I think that win, that's how they'll play against, because of everything against them there, not because Mexico are so great. That win, that's how they'll play against an Argentina or a Columbia or Spain or France. And I think that's a fairly comfortable way for them to

play. The margins are tight, but it's international soccer. I still have some questions. You know, you know how on the TV broadcast they pick a player to watch and you usually get the same old in El Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, blah, blah, blah. I was asked by my friends, who's your player to watch? For me, it was Kwanza. Obviously, I couldn't force you the red card. Which was a red card, by the way. Sorry? It is a red card. Of course it's a red card.

But what happens to the dynamics on the right? You clearly, Tujol did not trust Spence to start that game. Livermento went down injured. You don't have a like-for-like substitution in that role. How does that affect how the team attacks? Because you can be fast as Kwanza is, but if you don't have those regimented routines of a right-back, it completely interferes with the movement of a team. He ends up getting a red card.

How does Spence his performance coming in, especially on the defensive side, convince Tuchel to put him to perhaps put him back into the team? Because for me, that is a significant issue with the English national team, is that right side and what it means for England on both sides of the ball.

But it's gotten a little better with Pukaiusaka, who is. an elite defender and an elite chance creator in that spot. He took, I mean, there was no need for Kwanza to overlap or really get involved in the attack. But that's because they're playing Mexico too. For sure. But yeah, yeah.

And that's where Norway becomes interesting. And we should probably move on. Because playing Taylor Hernandez is something completely different. Well, we could talk about Mexico, I think, for two hours. We should probably start a Mexico show. And we could do it there. It's one of, as we've said over and over. It's one of the great soccer cultures in the world.

We didn't even get into all the specifics of the mistakes of the mistakes. mistakes Guyardo made, the mistakes other people made. I will point this out. Walking off the field, Jude Bellingham went and found Gilberto Amora and traded jerseys with him. And what's one of the clubs that's reportedly interested in Gilberto O'Mora, Real Madrid. So Jude Bellingham is working on both levels at the same time.

Let's hope that does not happen. Harry Kane with the gravely voice post game, literally lost his voice playing in this game. It is not sure that's what it sounded like at all. Okay. I think we're good on that side. But Harry Kane will live to see another day, and he will face off against Norway in the next round,

maybe not something that he expected to hear. The Norway national team knocks off Brazil, two to one in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, New York, and they're moving on to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. So Norway remains undefeated against Brazil in competitive games. Five games, three wins, two draws, and this one, maybe the big. biggest of all. I think we thought that these were two teams that don't love the ball right now.

Eric, I don't think we would have expected that Norway would just own possession against the Brazilian national team at a World Cup. No, but, and we said this yesterday. There are some things, or there is one player for me who has changed the way the central midfield, Norway's central midfield operates, and that is the inclusion of Berg from Bodoglimt, who was outstanding this season with Bodeglimt in the Champions League, comes in as a substitute against, who they lose against France, has an impact, and then usurps Frederick Ausnes as one of the center mids. His relationship with Berga and with O'Degard are crucial to what happens against Brazil. Berger can now sit a little bit deeper.

He can cover the back four, although at times he went forward and was really impactful in Norway's rest defense. But there was a synchronicity between those three. And Berg's movement liberates Odegaard. Odegaard was exceptional. Everybody's going to talk about Holland, and rightly so. But Odegaard reminded me of the player that was spreading his, his, Stardust all over the Anueta with Real Sociedad, back when Alexander Isak played there as well. Creative, the shifting hips, the exploiting of pockets that Brazil couldn't close down.

And then in the final minutes, to play with that samba that we expect from the Brazilians, which so rattled and pissed off Namor that Namor is turning into a butcher at the end of that game, was just fascinating to watch. And then the other factor was that the coach, Soopaken, makes two gutsy moves, in my opinion. The first one right at halftime is bringing Oscar Bob in for Soreloff. Changes the dynamic on, sorry, Nusa comes out and Shelder... He took off both.

He took off both. Yeah, both come out. Okay, fine. Okay, I thought for a second, my wires were going across. He makes those changes. Sheldarrup on the left. and Oscar Bob on the right. And Norway all of a sudden

become super dynamic and space opens up for Holland. And Brazil can do nothing because as we know, two of their biggest problems in this tournament so far, they're fullbacks.

And that's where Norway wins the games. I thought I was so impressed with how they performed. You say England's going to beat Norway. Man, I think that's going to be a matchup for the ages. I think it's, it was a press.

proper goodbye to the worst Brazil team in history. It's the earliest Brazil has exited from a World Cup since 1990. Yeah, against Argentina with Paul, Paul Kanesia, killing them. So I have friends that live in Brazil and since before the World Cup, but we've got to remind people that Ancelotti was the third coach during the process when he took over. Yes. They went on.

Dorival and who am I missing before Dorival Denise Right yeah I don't remember the name But Ancelotti was the third in charge during the qualifiers Yeah They qualified fifth in Covemé. They were I think one point or two point off Of going even to the to the Qual-card games

So this team has been also two points off of being second Because it was tight But they were in there Watching Brazil Being a team minimized to bunker and counter-attack when they've been the best nation in the history of this sport tweeting the soccer ball

of the most precious thing in the world. Joga Bonito! It came from Brazil. And talking with one of my best friends that he's been living in Brazil for a decade, people hate this team. They hate watching. And now everything got...

The discourse got more inflammatory with the whole NAMR discourse that now is backfiring. I think it has backfire like three times to different directions. Great word, by the way, inflammatory. That's great. Inflammatory. So it was proper goodbye to a team that doesn't deserve to move on.

Yeah, well. Doesn't deserve, they had their chances. They're missing the Piquet. Fine. They don't deserve to move on. Yeah. Norway, yes, they won a group against Italy. They destroyed Italy the couple times they played.

They destroyed everyone. So I think they showed everyone the Norway. that play the qualifiers and to your point i think their coach was very brave yes at half time taking advantage of that initial tactical decision of of of angeletti of basically putting martinelli taking a pack a time playing basically a four four two let's counter attack and using those spaces once and once brazil was i mean the second goal of hallan hallen stops the ball goes to a bench drinks espresso comes back

takes another touch and shoots just an unbelievable uninspired Brazil team it just makes me sad I do want to say this

I do want to say this about Brazil all that said and we're in agreement this is a game that Brazil allows to get away you've got the missed penalty which that would

changed the entire dynamic of the game. The entire dynamic of the game. So with how good Norway were on the ball and playing to their strengths and the courage shown by Solbaken, Brazil look at themselves in the mirror after this game and go, we missed the penalty. Andrick has a great opportunity to score as well.

Unbelievable pass from Vinicius into Andrick. Anderick did everything well. I thought his second touch was a little bit long and that's why he missed, but Nyland comes off his line well. So as good as Norway were and lethal in their opportunities, I think Brazil to a certain degree

throws away the win. Yeah, I mean, they're Brazil. They're in the game. They deserve to be in the game. But if you're the Brazilian national team, you give up 66% possession to a team in Norway that has never been to a quarterfinals

at a major tournament in their entire history. Like, there are so many things. things in there of like individual moments and a little bit of quality and can this guy turn upfield quicker here and take a better touch. But from like a macro point of view, this is not Brazil coming in saying we deserve to be in a quarterfinal of a World Cup. And it's funny because we've already talked about this with Germany. The stuff that's happening to Brazil is stuff we never thought we would see. Like over the last three World Cup, it's been, oh, wow,

Brazil's really fallen off. And they've, I think they've left the conversation as favorites when they come into tournaments like this. I put them in there because I thought Carlo Enchalati was the right guy. Yeah. I thought the whole like what he did at Madrid, which was individual talent will at some point shine and Rafinia and Venetius Jr. and Endrick and all these guys are good enough and I'll create the structure. I think part of the problem was in 2022 they decided Carlo Ancelotti was their manager and he was unavailable until what, midway through 2024. And they never really dealt with that to your point of the three managers. They basically tempt guys until Carlo Ancelot could get there.

The reason a cycle is four years long is it takes so long when you see players very rarely to build a style and build a culture. And all of that, and Carlo Encelotti has, as a head coach, never managed a national team in his entire life. He's been assistants on teams 40 years ago,

but he's never been the head coach. So I think all of that is part of the problem. I know some people in Brazil are talking about that connection, and I don't think that a manager has to come from the country, although no foreign managers ever won a World Cup. but I do think you see what Stalin's stolen, the connection that he has.

The understanding he has of the history of the national team, the understanding he has of what the players are playing for and their personalities. And like for as much as globalization has changed the world and people are all in the same spaces, there's still unique personality traits for each culture as well as to the individuals. And he seems to have tapped those perfectly

for this Norwegian national team. And they are doing something now that they've never done before. And let me throw one last piece in, and we don't have to re-debat Japan. But when you talk about being brave, to do something you've never done before, it can't just be hold on and hope.

And that's what Norway came out and did. They came and took the game. Japan had 34% possession. Norway had 66. They capitulated in the second half, Japan. But you have to at some point take a risk and be brave. And that's what I'm yelling about with Mexico. And I'll yell about it with the U.S.

I think Canada has tried. So that's where I'm a little bit more satisfied. with them. I think Australia fans are yelling about it right now. I think Mexico fans should be yelling about it right now. There is a line that you are trying to break through. You don't get invited into the club. You have to break the door down. And what Norway did in this, we all thought they were the dark horses, but they were a third pot seed. You had no idea what group they were going to fall in. You have no idea what the pathway looks like. Holland has joked over and over about how they're not going to win the World Cup and all of that. How do you break through the door? You're brave.

I don't think we can have a conversation about this game and Brazil without putting the magnifying glass on Ancelotti as well. We have just given, or the two of you more specifically, have given Aguirre a lot of stick for his decisions. Let's be very honest about why Ancelotti is the Selecionador, the technical, the head coach of the Brazilian national team, Vinicius Jr. Yeah. Okay. Brazil have been trying to figure out a way to turn Venetius Jr., the Real Madrid Venetius Jr. into Brazil's Venetius Jr. Ancelotti was supposed to be that catalyst.

And to some degree, he did that. However, the tactical decisions that he's made in this tournament and specifically in this game were dumbfounding to me. When I saw that Martinelli was starting this game, it was an immediate concern. Did Carlo Ancelote not watch Norway's midfields against France, against one of the arguably the best team in this tournament, and it was a secondary Norwegian team? Did he not see that he would need an extra body, whether it was Paquetta or somebody else?

What happened in that second half against Japan was in part because of Ancelotti's substitute, But as you just noted, it was also because of a lack of courage and poor substitutions from Japan. Martinelli ultimately has an impact in that game, but Japan retreated so they didn't have the difficulties in midfield that you'd envision if you pulled midfielder out and essentially placed a winger as an attacking midfielder. That happened in this game. Brazil just did not have the kind of midfield that could contend with the numbers at Norway threw at them and the quality of players that they ultimately had.

So Ancelotti has to take a lot of the blame for what happened in this match. Which will be interesting. He got the contract extension before the World Cup happened. This is now this great failure. It will be interesting to see if it's his job. I don't disagree with anything you say. I think this is what you're getting with Carl Ancelotti. He's trying to find the right vibes and the right piece.

He's riding Martinelli Hot Streak because that's what he does. He reads the room. He reads the guys and he puts them out there. not the guy who reads the midfield and says this is how we'll invert things this is how we'll shift things and we all do this thing which i love from the outside which is we go back and we re-explain the ideas oh they beat japan because they inverted casimero and guamaris no carlo and chalati trust talent he picks talent he tries to find the ones who are in the right headspace if they're not he tries to get them in the right head space and he puts them out there and he lets them play

that's what you've signed up for when you sign up for him and the reality of this group was they weren't good enough for that casimiro is not good enough right now for that spot. Both the fullbacks on this team are not good enough. There is no true center forward. And so he didn't have Benzima to bail him out. And he didn't have a Benzima to play in front of Vinny to help bail him out. Like all the great things he did at Real Madrid, they were the most talented roster on the planet.

You can replicate them on this. Not everyone can win with the most talented roster. That's what he's good at. Right. But this group isn't that. Now, I don't want us to go too long here because we've got a million games to talk about. We mentioned it a few times. Norway makes history.

This is a huge moment. It's a country of a little over 9 million people. They have zero history at a men's senior international level. They hadn't qualified for a tournament since 2002. Their golden generation was literally qualifying and beating Brazil in a group stage match that didn't matter to Brazil in 1990. Now they're going to quarterfinals.

You guys both said it. They have a legitimate chance against England in that quarter final. And you can see like the whole country. As you see the videos from Azo, I was in a Norwegian bar in New York because our good friend Anders, who's Norwegian, asked me to come and watch with him.

Electric scenes, bar was packed three hours before the game. People are crying as they score the goals. It's unified. And one Norwegian said this to me. He said to me, we are square people. We like order and we like to fit. But this has made us circles. We're all partying and we're all being wild.

Like he couldn't believe the way people went out and partied in the streets after the win against Ivory Coast. So this team has really taken on this country and it seems like it's been one of the parties of the tournament. And now they're playing with House Money, right? Yeah. Nobody's going to say absolutely anything if they go out against England.

And you always talk and you and everybody talk about cultural moments, moments that change the history of a program. And now I'm happy to hear that Norwegians are feeling that way. Because now they can use this. That's the best celebration in sport, by the way. Two final points. It's going to suck. It's going to suck when like the LA Clippers co-opted it in about three months.

And it's going to be at every college basketball game. Like the Thunder Club is going to have the one person who runs the whole organization at, I don't know, CSU Bakersfield trying to get everyone to row. So I just hope that they take this moment to go up and forward. Now. Now. Also, it helps when you have an absolute generational talent up top. Put Hallen in Brazil, Brazil will win the World Cup walking and destroying everyone. That helps.

But let me say this. To your point to Japan, I agree with you. No, no, but it also helps when you have Hallen, it helps to be brave in that moment. You can be brave when you have Holland. But we have... And Bob and Musa... But we have a list of examples of great individual players who come from countries that aren't world powers

that can't take advantage of that player because there's not enough pieces around it. But George Way is obviously... Egypt with... A clear example. Yeah. But also, I think you could say Slatan in Sweden. Yep.

Which is a bigger country with more of a soccer background and with more history... And maybe more pieces around him at the time... Right. Than Norway does. Right. Seb Larsson and guys like that who were in good... spots. So it's not totally fair to just say it's Holland. Also, especially because of the way he

plays. I'm not saying that. I will do a plug here. If you're watching and listening, we did an episode about every country that went, made it to the World Cup. Our episode about Norway, we did a special four pieces about why this soccer nation has developed. And there are a very clear work that they did. The first being building artificial fields so that a country that is covered in snow, and ice, kids can play more often. The second is allowing kids to play a little bit more freestyle. The professionalism of the leagues, the league only went fully professional in 1992.

So we are like just in a first generation of grew up in a country where every player, that's their full-time job, and then the last is immigration. And a lot of the immigrants that have come in have changed a little bit of the style. And we interviewed Antonio Nusa, who's on this team, whose dad is Nigerian for this piece, and we interviewed Pomernerner.

Modu Ka, who someone all of us know very well, who was one of the people who broke sort of the color barrier on the Norwegian national team. And the Norwegian population, from a numbers point of view, has not shifted over the last 30 years, except for new people who have come in from outside the country. And they've brought a different style and a different dedication to this sport rather than cross-country skiing and all the other things that Norway does so well. I'd highly recommend go and listen to that episode. Nusa was great. Pa was great. But it does talk about how Holland is unique. His dad is a professional player.

His mom was a professional athlete. He was raised in a world that isn't. He was genetically engineered. And he was raised in a way like Gilberto Amoro, whose dad was a pro, where he was trained in a way. But there is also systems that have been put in a place to help other players be elevated. Boto Glimt is obviously a massive example of this. And all of this is just pushing the game forward.

And let's not forget how good Odegaard is as well. Yeah. I mean, he's, he may not be a generational talent, but he's not far off of it. Three points. One, I love the fact that Gabriel got posterized on the first goal. He just gets owned. Not only because of their rivalry between the two, but because of his shithousery all season for Arsenal. Loved it.

Two, how does Elfath miss that penalty call when he's right on top of it? Unbelievable. I thought of you. You're already haunting my thoughts. And number three, a word on Namar. One of my all-time favorite players to watch to have called a number of his games for Brazil and for PSG, honor of a lifetime. It's sad that he had to go out like this.

I actually thought that he sprinkled in flashes and he had a better system around him. In flashes, he had these moments where you're like, that's the old Namar, but he didn't have the legs to then get on the other side of it. if this is his last game for Brazil, which it looks like it is, what an incredible player. And what a privilege it has been to watch somebody like him. On a personal level, what I see from his public persona, I'm not a fan.

But what he does with the ball, my goodness, I could watch him play even at this age all day, every day. Okay, we've got still two more games to talk about. but it was an epic set of games yesterday. It leads to England against Norway in Miami. So welcome to the Sunburn Bowl, baby. Let's get, what is it? Copper Tone.

Let's see if we can get a sponsorship for this one. We'll make it into a full college bowl, true American culture. That's a great idea. And capitalism on that one. That one will be coming up. We will have a break in games after this round into the quarterfinals. Obviously, we already know now France, Morocco.

So it'll be France, Morocco. Norway against England, and then we are waiting for the next set of teams to play, and we will learn those teams today. So Portugal will face Spain in the early game at 3 p.m. Eastern time, and the United States will face off against Belgium in the late game at 8 p.m. Eastern time for the chance to face the winner of, I believe, the France-Morocco game in a World Cup quarterfinal. I completely just botched that, and I don't care. I'm going to keep moving on.

We're going to talk about USA Belgium first. Sorry, Eric, because it's a big game and we're here in the U.S. Yeah, I want to talk about that game first. Your Portuguese can stay. Yeah. A reminder to everyone that if you are looking for a place to watch, go, find your local AO chapter. If you're going to be in Seattle, make sure to tap in with AO and see if you get the opportunity, you can march to the game.

You can go to a pregame festivity. I know there's a large amount of people who have been going to the cities without tickets to the game. It will be a perfect place to go. outside of it. I know Jeremiah and the guys that sound are at heart have been hosting some watch stuff as well. I know scuffed has been around. So make sure to check everything out online, but for sure look up the American Outlaws. You can go to their website. You can follow them on socials, go find your local chapter and then tap in with some other fans. This has obviously been an incredible run for the U.S. men's national team. They've scored two plus goals in all four

of their 2026 World Cup matches. They're the first ever non-European or South American nation to score multiple goals in four consecutive games at the World Cup. So they are in rarefied air right now. Morocco are in rarefied air. The two continuing to push the U.S. is where we sit right now. The last of the three host nations still surviving and the one opportunity for Concca Calfa Calf to get a team into the quarter finals. To get us started here, let's go to our boy Matt Doyle. We have our first such tactics board presented by Football Manager 26. Today, he's going to take a look after a remade video about what Flo Boligan will bring back into this team. The big news heading into Monday's round of 16 game for the U.S. against Belgium is, of course, the fact that Flo Balagan will be available.

And obviously, we know how he helps the U.S. in both possession and attack, but what's less commented upon is how effective he is in the press, and I suspect that'll be the key for this game. Pressure isn't about running more. It's about deciding which spaces you can afford to leave open and which ones you can. In March, the U.S. left the wrong one open. They pressed hard but were disconnected and never got close enough to Belgian centerbacks, so too many switches went out unchallenged. And when a team like Belgium finds that gap, they don't waste it.

One pass and suddenly Jeremy Doku isn't contained. He's 1v1 with half a field and a lone fullback at his mercy. That's the real danger of a switch. It's not the pass itself, but what the pass buys. Time, space, and a mismatch nobody chose to prevent. Monday night, that's the fix. Not more effort, better attention. Press the center backs so the switch isn't even on.

Because if Doku gets isolated again, well, he's had a bad tournament so far. That doesn't mean he can't light the U.S. up is given as much time and space as he had in March. It's a small thing, but small things are usually what to decide games like this. Well, we talked about it off the top of the show, Flo Balligan, back into this theme, Doyle breaking it down for us as he's been doing. doing the entire World Cup. We've actually got a piece a little bit about Canada and what they've accomplished.

Coming up in a moment, we have more going on. Doyle's already done some pieces about France, Spain, Argentina. You can go find all of those on our socials at first touch, KSM and on soccer-wise. And obviously this is a big game for both these teams, but for the U.S. opportunity to go to a quarterfinal for the second time in the modern history. The one thing that I've been thinking about a lot with this game,

is the flip between now and 2014 when it comes to Belgium and the United States. In 2014, the expectation was that if the U.S. gave Belgium a good game and kept it close, that was a success. Obviously, Tim Howard has that record-breaking match. Today, the expectation is that if the United States,

at least this is the way I feel the vibe, Let's put it that way. The expectation is that if the United States don't compete and don't win, it is a failure. It isn't a failure of the World Cup. It is a failure because Belgium have not stepped up in this tournament, have not lived up to the quality. I think a lot of us saw that coming.

While the U.S. has been playing really good football and have been dominating their opponents, even the game against Turkey with a second team, they lose by a hair and perhaps should have won that match. So my question coming into this is how will the burden of expectations affect the team, knowing that the majority of people watching them are expecting another very good performance and are probably expecting a win? And what's interesting about that is what happened in March when these two teams played each other.

5-1, 5-2. I don't even remember the result anymore. where the United States ultimately rolls over after the 35th minute and Belgium dominates and that sets off alarm bells in everybody's minds that the US can't compete with good teams or at least European teams which they have a terrible record against but I really think the US come into this match as favorites for me it's just about handling the burden of expectation

well a couple of things have happened since the tournament started Belgium is not the team that we think we were going to have. They haven't shown what we saw in March, for example, when we go to direct confrontation. And when we were looking ahead in the bracket and potentially seeing this matchup before the World Cup would have said Belgium would have come to the game being the absolute favorite, correct? 100%. Now, today, the Betty Nots put the U.S. USMNT as favorites.

Oh, I didn't even know that. I'm not a bad. They're coming to a game on the betting odds as favorites. And I think I have nothing to add because you said it perfectly. If the USMNT don't win this game, it's not a failure of the tournament. What they have done in the past three weeks galvanized this fan base, the whole country, gaining millions of fans. We're not talking about thousands and hundreds.

millions of fans that now are discovering soccer U.S. soccer, the U.S.S. 70. And soccer wise, and first touch. Soccer wise, thank you so much. But if they lose tonight, it will be a failure of the moment. Yes. Great way to put it. Because now,

betty not, you, me, you are expecting for the U.S. to win this game. And there are ways to lose or win a game. But all I hope is that the USMNT is competitive, that we don't see March again, that we don't see a 5-2 again. Which I don't think we will. I don't think I will.

I think the USMNT is going to win. Having Flo Bologon, and now we're talking on the field, it's a major boost, and I think the USMNT is rightfully so of what we seen during the tournament to be the favorite against Belgium. Yeah. I think the interesting part of all this, you talk about pressure, you talk about expectations, it's what Belgium has lived in for the last, what, 12 years, right? back to 2014. Kevin DeBron is 35 years old, got pulled off the field for the turnaround in the last

game. This is probably it for him. And he is one of the great players of our generation of our lives. He's the greatest player in Belgian history, hands down, no question to ask. And he's kind of the last one hanging on from his generation trying to push them a little bit further. Jeremy Dooku and Yuri Tillamins are supposed to take that mantle and carry it forward. And I think there's probably going to be some more ups for Belgium over the next 10, 15 years. There's a strong league that has produced some really strong players, different styles. This doesn't feel like the perfect team. But for them, I think that pressure still remains.

Like, I don't think playing the hosts for all the conversation we're having, I think the conversations in Belgium is still, can this team save this tournament? Can they find a way to get into the next round? Can they sneak into the next round in a tournament they don't deserve to? And so I think there is still pressure. Now, I think the Bolligan red card and the rescinding of the suspension, it changes some of that because I just think it shifts the whole conversation around. And it's probably to Belgium's benefit that now as players, they come in under the radar where no one's talking about them anymore. And it's only really going to be 24 hours, but it was 24 hours where they didn't have to answer questions about is doco a starter, is Kevin DeBrona's starter?

Because now it's just about this. So I think that who plays and who does and who starts and who doesn't for me is the most interesting. interesting thing about Belgium. And it isn't just about Kevin DeBrona and Lukaku. Diogo Morera comes off the bench and makes a huge difference. Luca Bakio comes off the bench and makes a difference. Do those two guys start? There's a possibility that they do if Rudy Garcia has some courage. I don't know if that's going to be the case, but that would mean that potentially Doku could sit. So I'm looking to see whether Rudy Garcia learned something from the end of that game and it isn't just about DeBrena and Lukako.

It's about the other pieces that he's been reluctant to use who were crucial in turning the tide in that match. Let me add Nathan Engo to that who picked up the red card against Iran where Bolligan being back in, now speed in the channels, 1v1 defending for the centerbacks. that becomes a higher priority than what it was against Ricardo Pepi where it was more about organizing, winning 50-50 duels and potentially your work in possession

playing through the press. So that could shift things for this Belgium team as well. I think people in the chat are saying this, for as bad as Doco has been at this tournament, it terrifies you because he's capable of winning a game at the highest level of soccer.

Club, country, it doesn't matter. That's how good he is. He hasn't been for four days, for four games. It's pretty hard to keep a guy like that down. Look at the difference in the defensive structure, though, between the U.S. and March and the U.S. now. They played more or less the same system, but Wea was playing on that right-hand side.

And I thought he did well for the first sort of half an hour. Cardoso helped him out at times. So did Tesvin. But now you're talking about Freeman and Dest, that cooperation and the fact that you have Tyler Adams there, who's been outstanding. as well. I think it's, I, Doco can have an incredible game because he's that sort of player, but I'm confident in on that right side. So that right side. There's some news coming out of

Belgium. There's belief maybe he won't start. I think that's just people are covering this game pretty intensely for the next 24 hours. Lastly, I'm very interesting to see, take out the Turkey game. I think that that counts at all in this analysis. The USMNT hasn't faced scoring adversity yet. Yeah, yeah. So I will be shocked if Belgium doesn't score on this game. Right. And what happens if or when Belgium scores first?

Yeah, yeah. We haven't seen that from the USMNT yet. Yeah. So it's going to be interesting how they react to that. This has a chance to be the only game states where they don't have more possession where you have to be against the ball. I think the U.S. can be very good at that. But the thing they've done really well hasn't been that.

And so now they have to show as a group that they're called. collective enough that they can play in different ways and still be as cohesive rather than just being on the front foot and being cohesive. We're going to be here live post-game right on this set. The moment the game is over, we come on. Matt Doyle will be with us as well. We will celebrate, contextualize, commiserate, whatever word with the C that you'd like to put in there, we will be doing at that time. It's going to be a long day and make sure that you tune into soccer wise. And if things go well, We will have a preview for the USA versus X game coming up in the quarterfinals.

Could it be Spain? Could it be Belgium or could it be Portugal? Either way, we're getting some cheese. We're getting a little bit of fresh bread, probably some red wine. We are going Iberian baby with this one. 3 p.m. Eastern time. Spain against Portugal. Eric has sat back from the microphone.

He would like to breathe for a second and bring it with him. Why don't you go first? What do you think about Spain versus? to go. This is all yours, buddy. All I'm going to say is, I have a feeling that we're going to get the best Portugal that we haven't seen this tournament yet. And I have a feeling that Cristiano, it's going to be very important in the outcome of this game, for better or worse. That qualifier at the end was interesting. But I think we're going to see the best that we haven't seen again from Portugal. And this is going to be. a tighter match that people expect. I'm not so confident.

I don't think that you can change from one game to another holistically, and that's what I think needs to happen with the Portuguese national team. I think this is just too tall a mountain to climb. I really do. It was interesting. I was listening to a lot of Cristiano Ronaldo's press conference yesterday. Did you guys see that? And then I heard Martin Einstein talk about the press conference and the feelings

being inside that press room. He said that what he saw from Cristiano Ronaldo was impressive because he dominated that press conference in a way that showed how confident he is in himself and what he can still do, and he believes that that can help propel Portugal Ford. I don't think that can happen against a Spanish team that has finally clicked.

into gear is playing really well. There aren't any players on this team who are playing poorly. Alameen Yamal, who has finally shaken off the rust. A Danny Olmo, who I think will continue to be the starter, who maybe not playing well can still be a difference maker in the attacking third in the way that he asserts himself in the game, even if it's not with skill, because he can put his body on the line. That's what I like about Deniomo. He's a quality player with great feet, but someone who can get physical as well to win

position. I just don't think Portugal has the arguments right now to win this game, and that includes the midfield that people were extolling for so long in the lead up to this tournament. I don't know if I really said anything there, but... I think it's... Listen, Spainer favorites in this game, speaking of betting odds, by the way. Belgium are plus 105 against the U.S. So it's very slight underdogs.

Portugal are plus 175 against Spain. So Spain are the favorites in this game. I think they're the favorites for many people. I think we've talked about it as the tournament's gone along. I feel like you're getting a different Portugal, like you said, because it's a matchup they understand. Their relationships, they understand. Most of these guys play against each other.

I think they were completely out of their element against D.R. Congo. And so I think this will be the most confident and comfortable Portugal game. We see, and maybe some things in the last game broke a little bit and started to reassess how people feel about their space in the team and what needs to be done. And maybe you see a more committed performance from this Portugal team. But all the things I'm saying are things we say about Spain as well. Right? Spain were good against Austria. Austria were bad. Otherwise, they've been a little underwhelming. They haven't reached the peaks that they want to. So I think it's two teams who are still trying to find themselves a little, and this is the easiest way to do it because it's the most

quote-unquote comfortable or familiar matchup you can have, but that also makes it really hard. I have two quick questions for you. One, do you think the Nations League game last year will play a role, yes or no, and why? And second, give me your starting lineup if you're Roberto Martinez today. So will it play a role? I think it could. which Portugal won, people don't know. Portugal won, but they were hanging on. But they won. Yeah.

You know, what people forget about that Nations League final is how many opportunities Spain had to score that they didn't capitalize on. How fortunate it was for the ball to bounce Cristiano Ronaldo's way. And the incredible performance, the incredible display that Nunuminge had. Nunnijin individually negated everything that Lamin Yamal brings to every game. That's not going to happen again. He may have lots of success against Lamian Yamal today,

but he's not going to put him in his pocket like he did in that game. So will that play a part in this game? If he plays Rafael Leon on the left side who doesn't do any tracking back, I think Minge is going to be isolated far too many times and that's going to cost the team. Starting lineup, what I would do or what I think Roberto Martinez is going to do? What would you do?

What would I do? You, yeah. I would play Diego Dalo on the right. I would play the same center back to tandem between Vega and Diaz because I think those two have done really well. Nunjjj on the left. Then you play Bruno, you play Neves and you play Vitina. On the right side, you bring in Trincaun. On the left side, it has to be rough.

Left side, I put Juan Felix. And up top, I play I play Gonzal-Ramos. Okay. Okay. Let's do this. I say 2-1 Portugal, 2-1 USA. What do you think? I think...

I like the 2-1 U.S.M&T over Belgium. I think Spain and Portugal go again to PKK, like the DIRN Nations League, and Portugal wins. And this is the last show that Eric will host with us because he will die of cardiac or asses. later today. Nice to meet you. Tomorrow's my last one.

It will be just me crying and sobbing. I think Spain wins just convincingly. 3-1 Spain and I think the U.S. go dos a zero. Dos a zero. All right. Well, it's going to be a big night. We'll be back here live tonight no matter what on the Soccer Wise channels. Thank you to the two of you for being here for talking through all the wild and wacky world

of soccer with me. Big shout out to Derek for being alongside us for this one. Happy birthday to him. Once again, else who's involved. Enjoy Portugal, Spain, enjoy USA, Belgium. Follow us on all your socials. We'll have you covered all day. We'll be back live after that game. And we'll talk to you all again. Very, very soon.