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These World Cup Awards Might Shock You
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Noah and Ari are back during the midweek break to wrap up the 2026 FIFA World Cup with their takes on how Seattle showed out, give out their tournament awards and talk about how MLS can take it from here.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Podcast Partnerships & Sponsorships
00:00:00
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As you know, we are big fans of supporting small business, and we have partnered with Seattle coffee roaster QED Coffee to bring a full spectrum of coffees to our listeners. Matt, the owner, he is a diehard Sounders fan, an inaugural season ticket holder at that.
00:00:16
Speaker
who often can be overheard talking about the latest Sounders game from behind the bar making your espresso. Thankfully though, you don't have to live in Seattle to get high quality coffees. QED offers their high quality coffee subscription service with our favorite blends right to your door at lobbingscorchers.com slash coffee. First time subscribers can get 25% off your order. And additionally, QED is offering Lobbing Scorchers supporters 25% off site-wide with code l s seventy four Visit one of their three locations in Mount Baker, West Seattle, and Three Tree Point, or go to lobingscorchers.com slash coffee and use code LS74 at checkout.
00:00:56
Speaker
There's a version of shopping that doesn't feel like a chore and Podium and Edmunds is it. You walk in, Nick, the owner greets you. What's up dude? Massive Sounders fan, probably someone you've already argued with or agreed with in our comment section at some point. And suddenly you're 45 minutes deep into a conversation about the latest Sounders news and you haven't even looked at the clothes yet. let me show you around And then you do look around and everything in there is the kind of thing you buy once and keep forever.
00:01:23
Speaker
Filson, Red Wing, Heritage, Taylor Stitch, Portuguese flannel, nudie jeans, wax London, domestic and European brands built properly, meant to last. They're at 114 4th Avenue North, right in the heart of downtown. And Nick is going to take good care of you.
00:01:38
Speaker
Lobbingscorchers.com slash podium.
00:01:43
Speaker
Hey everyone, Ari here. I'm excited to tell you about one of our sponsors, Hakes and Ferments. Hakeson is a Seattle-based hot sauce and vinegar brand, making some of the most flavorful hot sauce around. We've partnered up to craft a small batch green blended hot sauce fermented to perfection with bright flavor and medium heat.
00:01:59
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We love it so much, the label even has our faces on it. You sold out the first batch, so we made another. Visit lobingscorchers.com slash sauce to order and be sure to check out the full line of Hakeson Ferment Sauces, including their limited seasonal flavors.
00:02:14
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. Why the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher.
World Cup Significance & Coverage
00:02:35
Speaker
Welcome back to Lobbing Scorchers. My name is Noah Reif. I am joined with the one and only Ari Lillianwall. Today, we are going to be talking about a tournament that just ended. Ari, I don't know if you've heard of this, the World Cup.
00:02:50
Speaker
you Have you heard of this tournament? I've heard of it. Yes. ah Rumor has it that a lot of it was hosted here in the city of Seattle. In many, many such cases, many people are saying that the United States um made a show out of the World Cup for better and for worse. We're going to talk about all of it today. But before we get into that, I want to let you all know we are sponsored by many people, but you people are the most important. And what can you do to help support us?
00:03:23
Speaker
Like this video if you're watching it on YouTube. Subscribe to our channel. Follow our podcast feed. And you can also check out Hakes and Ferments, Podium Menswear, Full Pull Wines, and of course, Lobbingscourchers.com slash coffee, QED coffee, our beloved, keeping us powered through the entire World Cup, frankly. um Ari, how are you doing?
00:03:47
Speaker
And are you excited to talk about the World Cup? we We kind of wanted to cram this episode in before we talked about the Sounders. So if you're here and you're like, Noah, Ari, the biggest meltdown in Seattle Sounders history just happened.
00:03:59
Speaker
Why the hell are you not talking about it? Well, we did. There's Lobbing Scorchers kickoff, which you can go watch Nico and Ari talk about. And additionally, we have a three-hour marathon reaction after that game that I would highly recommend you go check out. So check those out. And then we'll also have another episode out, I believe, on Friday in between the Austin FC game and the weekend Sounders match. So I'm tossing it to you, Ari, after that lengthy intro.
00:04:24
Speaker
Yeah, no, I'm excited to talk about the ah World Cup. Like you mentioned, we've had to talk about the Seattle Sounders quite a lot. And, you know, things are going really great for them right now. They had a really positive, awesome start to the MLS restart. So, you know, there will be plenty of time to get into all that in the ah days and weeks to come. But I do think I feel good about getting to put a bow on the World Cup. It was such a...
00:04:48
Speaker
eventful summer for, ah for the city, but also for us and our show and all the games that were in Seattle and everything that went down and also doing our USMNT coverage. So I don't, I didn't want, I wouldn't have wanted that to end without us getting to do, uh, one last hurrah with the world cup hosted in the U S and Seattle. And I'm actually, I'm very excited to get into our first segment of the world cup awards. Cause I think we got some fun topics and segments lined up. So, Yeah, man, let's ah let's get into it.
00:05:19
Speaker
Well, I want to start just immediately.
World Cup Performances & Highlights
00:05:21
Speaker
We have a vibe check on the World Cup right before we roll in to these awards. But how are you feeling? The six weeks is over. I personally it exhausted me and I wasn't even doing half the amount of stuff that you were doing.
00:05:35
Speaker
Did it live up to your expectations? And like what what was your favorite like personal memory from it? I would say it exceeded my expectations. I think there was kind of a lot of uncertainty in the buildup to this tournament with the ticket prices and then just the general vibes. But once it actually started, which I think we kind of predicted that once it actually started, the vibes were pretty immaculate and it was it was more fun than I even thought it would be kind of just going down on game days to where everything was happening and just really seeing what it's like to host a World Cup and how the different fan bases from all over the world take over the city while their teams are playing. And then ah the games themselves, which I was fortunate enough to get to every single one of the ones that were here in Seattle.
00:06:20
Speaker
And that was just an incredible experience to get to go to all the different types of games, but then also get to do like onsite match coverage for the USMNT and have my byline on world cup stories about the, about us soccer, which obviously I've followed very closely for a really long time. And I've reported on the USMNT in the past, but to get to do it for a world cup and two matches that were in Seattle, that's like, that was bucket list stuff. So yeah, shout out to everyone who followed our coverage and my written coverage. Hopefully you all enjoyed it. And, uh, Yeah, once in a lifetime stuff, man. I'm definitely never going to forget a lot of the stuff that we're about to talk about.
00:06:55
Speaker
No, absolutely. I was able to go to Iran, Egypt just as a fan. The rest of the games, I was out in amongst the ah the masses hanging out in Seattle and just having that breath of fresh air, which we'll talk a lot more about how Seattle showed up later in the show. But let's jump in to our World Cup Awards. Ari, we have been known to be the number one award givers.
00:07:21
Speaker
we have We pick agendas, we award heroes, unsung, breakouts, all of the above. And so we took it upon ourselves to craft a master list of who we think shined and stunk at the World Cup.
00:07:39
Speaker
So I'm going to kick this one off, Ari. Let's talk about our team of the tournament from the 2026 World Cup here in the United States. Yeah. So my pick for, uh, this one, i don't know what we're going with on the pronunciation on this. I've been yelled at for doing it two different ways. Uh, but I got, uh, Capo Verde, Cape Verde, Capo Verde, however you want to say it. Like I said, I was saying it one way when we started the world cup and I got yelled at. So I switched to that. Uh, and then I got yelled at for the other way, but either way, uh, regardless of how you want to say it, uh, this is my team of the tournament and the case is not best team. All right. We're going to talk about that, but to me, it's more of the team that best embodied the tournament, you know, first ever world cup, make it out of the group, shut out Spain with Vosinha going viral internationally, uh, gave Argentina everything they could handle in that round of 32 loss. That was an incredible game. So for a country of
00:08:37
Speaker
what half a million people just being there was historic and then actually becoming one of the tournament's memorable teams. It was just, it was absurd. They're the purest argument for why the 48 team format actually kind of cooks. So, uh, then to me, they embodied everything that this tournament is about. And I loved every second of their Cinderella run.
00:08:59
Speaker
I was right there with you. Cape Verde for me is the one and only team that I was able to truly like get behind and feel like I was a part of. um Obviously, our producer, Jaden, she is a huge Cape Verde family from Cape Verde. So we were following along even before the hype popped off. So let me say, i was watching that Spain game before all you fools turned it on. But regardless, to be able to Hold a nil-nil draw against Spain in the opening round of the world. You watched how good Spain was. You watched how good Spain was.
00:09:37
Speaker
I really do think that ah they could have gotten that Argentina match done if it weren't for, you know. FIFA wanting Argentina to advance. i'm not i'm not saying I'm not saying that happened, but I'm saying, you know, conspiracy-wise, it might have. So I am in full agreeance with you.
00:09:56
Speaker
Cape Verde, what a run. And the 48 teams, haters be damned, kind of proved you wrong. This is legitimately the sickest Cinderella story ever. I love i mean, I love a Cinderella story. Like, that's that's kind of the only reason that i watch...
00:10:15
Speaker
March Madness. I don't know about you. ah Yeah, honestly, just kind of going through and looking at some of the other options. I don't even know what team you would really put up there. I mean, you could say Spain, but like just I don't think winning it is what the spirit of this award is about. It's about like capturing hearts and minds. And I don't think there's any really other candidate.
00:10:36
Speaker
Yeah. drop Drop them in the comments, though, if yeah you have them. give us Give us your World Cup Award winners as well in the comments. So team of the tournament, congratulations, Cape Verde.
00:10:47
Speaker
Let's keep it pushing here. Number two, our favorite team to watch. What was the most entertaining soccer? What was the most beautiful footy? I have my answer, but Ari, I'm going to go to you first.
00:11:00
Speaker
i got I got three written down for for this one. like Well, there's there was a few. i'm I'm interested to hear if we have any of the same ones. But I'll stick with Morocco for one of them. They kind of were not as hot of a pick, it turned out, I think, as I thought it would be going into the tournament, especially after they looked really good against Brazil. it They turned out to not be quite in that elite tier. But I just think the footy that they play is is beautiful at times, even if it feels like they're one of those teams that plays beautiful footy, but doesn't have like the, the finishing shout out to the Seattle Sounders. Uh, but that sort of, that's sort of how they strike me, but I did really enjoy watching them play.
00:11:39
Speaker
and then I have a, this is kind of an outside ah the box one, but I got Mexico. Hey, that was going to be my pick too, yeah so I like that. I think they they acquitted themselves fantastically. they They definitely played the best and had the best product on the field of any of the host nations. And then just a few of the individual games that they that they played in, especially the last one against England, it was enthralling to watch. And they really they played in that game how I wish the USMNT would have played against Belgium. That's what I'll say about that. They actually went out there. and they competed their asses off, and they made their country proud. Every single Mexico fan that was at the Azteca for that game should be proud of their country and their team after that. And so they were they were fun to watch just from that perspective as well. And then this is kind of an obvious pick, but...
00:12:26
Speaker
I had to put Spain in there as well. I just think, especially we'll talk about the final, but like the way that they just can so take control and strangle a game and just not give up possession and just exert dominance over their opposition. They flew through basically this entire tournament doing that to everyone that they played. And that was impressive to watch, especially like you saw it in the final against Argentina, They only won that game 1-0, but like was there ever one microsecond, nanosecond of that game where you thought that Argentina had a chance? No. No, absolutely not. They didn't have a shot on goal until like the 111th like so you'd like Just the ability that they have to do that, it's very impressive.
00:13:10
Speaker
I think for me, i was also between the same. I was between these three, I will say. i really liked the run that Norway was able to make. um How can you not like Holland? How can you not like Holland? I have them for later stuff, but yeah. Yeah. But you know, I think, I think they were really fun to watch and it was just that idea that like you have this massive tall striker duo, like two of the biggest guys you've ever seen play soccer in your whole life. And it,
00:13:41
Speaker
It cooked. It kind of cooked. Like, that was incredible. My number two, and honest honestly, it was who I was hoping we would both have on here so that we can just kind of come on and give Mexico this their flowers because playing in the Azteca, playing entertaining football the whole time, looking like they could hang with anyone, I really think, I really think if they had made it out of that England game,
00:14:06
Speaker
Who knows what happens? Like, who who genuinely, who knows what happens? That could have been their game against Argentina and... Or against Norway and then, you know, against Argentina. I don't know. I don't know. I'm just saying i had Mexico as a sleeper pick.
00:14:24
Speaker
I thought that they performed really well. You know, what are you going to do? You lose to England, who are the third-place victors, scoring six goals um in a 10-goal match. But them number two, and then I'll agree with you, man. Spain...
00:14:38
Speaker
I came in knowing how good they were. I came in knowing like what they were capable of watching them at the Euros. They improved on that. And maybe a slow start out of the gate, but oh my God.
00:14:51
Speaker
Watching them be able to toy with their prey, especially Argentina, was like one of the most satisfying, but also, like if i was an Argentina fan, horrifying things to witness.
00:15:04
Speaker
In the entire World Cup history. I mean, their possession is unmatched I've never seen anything like it. Remember in a club world cup when we were talking about the sounders playing against PSG and we were like, yeah, two zero, not that bad, but like realistically it never looked like they were even trying that hard in the game and they were just still so much superior. That's how Spain plays against everyone. Like it looks like they just don't even need to kick into full gear ever because of how dominantly and thoroughly they control every match.
00:15:37
Speaker
Yeah, it's... i was I was shocked at how well they did while also picking them to be in the final. And I think that's just that just goes to show just, like, how dominant they were in that final and how dominant they have looked just in general. So... The Euros are about to be crazy. The Euros are about to be crazy. Let's move it on, Ari, to the worst team in the World Cup to watch.
00:16:08
Speaker
Who are you awarding with this prestigious trophy? I have two written down for this. I think the actual winner is pretty obvious. I don't think there's any debate here. It's Paraguay. They they basically I think of them as they're the Ramsey ball representatives of this tournament. And they really after the U.S. s absolutely destroyed them in the first game, they really leaned back into that identity. And it was terrible to watch at times. I will say, though, it did work. They eliminated Germany on penalties and they took France to a one zero. So I can begrudgingly respect that. But I did hate watching every second, most every second of that team. But at least, you know, they know who they are. But then this is my outside the box pick for this. And it's it's especially after the final. But Argentina.
00:16:55
Speaker
Yeah. Argentina at, uh, when they realized how overmatched they were in the final, they morphed into Paraguay. That's what they did. And it was like, it was even more egregious, you know, like they were there. They had a lot of games that were dramatic, but at least they were, uh, you know, exciting, but aesthetically, especially the final, it was, that was a slog, just physical, cynical, constantly turning the match into just this like warfare grimy type game. And that that culminated in the final where the number I saw was they had 26 fouls. And they also had Enzo Fernandez, who is famously an idiot off the field, yeah yet get a a red card. So like they kind of they and after the game, they did the inner Miami crash out cry baby start a brawl bit. What is it with Messi's teams and doing that? They did exactly what an inner Miami did after the League's Cup final. So I came out of that final being like Argentina.
00:17:49
Speaker
go home. Like you guys are whack. Like that's disgraceful. Disgraceful. Yeah. My, my takes were number one, uh, Qatar. Uh, I forgot about them. Yeah. Like for having hosted a world cup, putting put, they put so much money into building their national team program. They might genuinely be one of the worst national teams ever.
00:18:10
Speaker
in the world and yet somehow they're like winning qualification games and do like it's when they get onto the big stage they play unentertaining soccer and anytime you let canada put six past you it's like you should like you what are you doing what are you doing you don't you don't deserve to be here they have that one guy the little the little number 10 like he is yeah yeah i feel bad for him i feel bad yeah he's actually good No, he was, I mean, there's good players on every team. So, I mean, like, I think, i think I agree with you, but, but my number one pick, and I think our official designated um worst team to watch was Argentina.
00:18:50
Speaker
I mean, for all of the reasons that you just said, plus the fact that like throughout the entire tournament, they kept getting bailed out in the stupidest possible ways, limping their way to the final just to get absolutely exposed. Zero shots on goal and regulation.
00:19:07
Speaker
With Messi on your team. With Messi on your team? Setting World Cup records every minute and you can't get a shot off. that is That's honestly crazy. It's so bad. The team looked bad. The team looked bad in almost all of the matches they played. They never looked like they were dominating or a solid winner. And it's like, I'm sorry. If you are the defending World Cup champion...
00:19:29
Speaker
I expect you to play better than that. So worst team to watch personally and professionally, Argentina. Congratulations. Round of applause, confetti.
00:19:43
Speaker
You guys suck. um Let's keep it pushing here. Drunkest fans. I like the inclusion of this one here. Yeah, I threw this one in here just so I could give my shout out to the Australian fans. Yeah, they win. unbelievable performance from the Australia fans in Seattle. I have never seen a group of human beings that drunk, but I mean, okay, I've seen people that drunk, but not at that hour of the morning. It was incredible. I was down there looking at the scenes like in the morning before the games and I'm walking by these packs of Australia fans and it's like, brother, it is 8.37 guys either started at 6 a.m. or got so lit
00:20:21
Speaker
started at six a or got so lit between the hours of eight or between the minutes of eight and 830 AM that you're not, you're not going be able to make it into the stadium. And to be fair, they all did. And, uh, they seemed fine for the most part, but damn, that was impressive.
00:20:38
Speaker
Yeah, I saw a video online of ah a fan in New York, Australian fan, incapacitated, passed out drunk on the street.
00:20:50
Speaker
this This local a New York lady woke him up and then they he said, and she was like, i'm his I'm his girlfriend now. And he was just incredibly blackout drunk still walking down the street. They were partying. He's like, let's go back to the bar. I mean, incredible scenes. They were dancing in all downtown Seattle. Congratulations, because the Shoei reigns king. And frankly, I think that's a bigger award for all Australians than winning the World Cup. So shout out to our drunkest fans, the Australians, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.
00:21:26
Speaker
Now we have to talk about it, Ari. We have to talk about...
Controversies & Memorable Moments
00:21:32
Speaker
Best cheating scandal in the 2026 World Cup. It was a banner year for FIFA, for cheating, for breaking norms, breaking rules, VAR, all this, that, and the other thing. I'm going toss it to our official cheating scandal correspondent, Ari.
00:21:55
Speaker
Where are you at? Yeah, you know, see, this is where you got to give it to the USMNT. All right. There's not even anyone else who's eligible for this category. And I think what's funny about it is I was doing a bit at the beginning of the tournament in the group stage, giving them all this kind of joking credit for not having a blackmail scandal yet, which we had 2022. And so I kept saying, you know, oh, well, you know, we made a a game and a half into the tournament and no blackmail scandal yet. So that's good. You got to give it to the boys for that. And then we, of course, wrap it, the whole thing up with a cheating scandal. Balogun gets sent off against Bosnia initially. No apparent route to appeal the suspension. And then Article 27, baby. Article 27 for the win to overturn it ah meet amid a...
00:22:42
Speaker
just a really surreal political controversy involving both the president and Infantino. And he gets cleared to play against Belgium. There's all this controversy over it because we blatantly cheated. And then we get absolutely waxed for one anyway. You know, I have to admit with the benefit of hindsight, the cheating scandal was pretty funny. Like,
00:23:03
Speaker
it's It's very funny. If we had actually won the game and Balogun scored a couple goals or something, i might be like, oh man, you know the optics of this or whatever. But like the fact that we did that ah only to get blown out, pretty funny.
00:23:16
Speaker
Yeah, to do that and then immediately go out in the same round that we go out in every single World Cup was incredible. It was like we finally did it. We finally got an advantage. We were playing at home, playing in a stadium they had never lost before. Playing well.
00:23:34
Speaker
Playing well. the The stars were aligning and, you know, don't lie. Matt matt freeze charges off his line. like Oh, my God. Was Matt, free I mean, Matt free, we got to think about this though. Cause like Matt freeze, he's, he's a Harvard guy, right? He's a Harvard guy.
00:23:51
Speaker
Yeah. Allegedly. They're like, they're like all, they believe in like honor and like dignity and Veritas, whatever that means. Do we think, and this is something that I think we should start.
00:24:02
Speaker
Do we think he threw the game because he believes in the rule of law and ethics? ah you're You're kind of cooking. You're kind of cooking. I'm just saying we can't put it past him.
00:24:15
Speaker
I don't, you know, i don't think so. But would he do anything differently than charge off his line like that if he was? I don't know. But congratulations to the U.S. men's national team for beating out every VAR official for best cheating scandal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
00:24:35
Speaker
Now we move in. To a a prestigious award, the Golden Ball, as they call it at the World Cup. But we call it the normal name, player of the tournament. Because I feel like personally, Golden Boot, like I get it. Golden Ball seems very similar to that. I don't like that it's the same, too similar. We're not European. We are lobbing Scorchers. So we're going to give our player of the tournament.
00:25:03
Speaker
Yeah. And I'm again, like similar to best, uh, the, the team of the tournament, I'm going more for the vibes than like the actual best player, which i have no issue with that. But, uh, I got, I got Vosinha, man, 40 year old goalkeeper, cold figure on their first ever world cup run, uh, that game, watching him in that Spain game was one of the greatest footballing experiences of my life. And I just don't think you can argue with going from 50 K to, I just looked at it. He's at 29 million on Instagram now. So that should just give you an idea of how large scale this kind of character became. And he's a, he's a footballing legend for the rest of his life, which makes me happy because that this is a guy that's been just grinding the most non-glamorous footy
00:25:49
Speaker
that no one knows about ever. So for him to be the one who emerges and gets this status and has that performance against the team that went on to win the world cup, it was, it was incredible. Uh, so that's my kind of, uh, bit answer. But then if I, if I had to give like a more, uh, analytical answer, I would say Erling Holland, man, um, Norway had already broken through just by qualifying, but he alone, not alone, but he was ah the biggest reason they became a legitimate force in the tournament. And then obviously his performance against Brazil was incredible, but then also he really, ah he he optimized his
00:26:30
Speaker
moment in the spotlight. Like he was hilarious on social media, which he's just kind of a funny guy, but like out of anyone I think who probably gained the most fans and has now become like a super, super mainstream kind of icon and celebrity in a way that he wasn't previously, he might be, he might be it.
00:26:47
Speaker
I think those are two really good choices. i'm going to agree with you on Vozinha. Like, Vozinha, you talk to a ah little kid now, and they're like, oh, yeah, I know Vozinha. And it's like, okay, where does he play?
00:27:01
Speaker
And they're like, i don't know. He's like he played in the Portuguese, like, second division. I couldn't name a single team there. I could i didn't know who he was, but he'd been grinding it out, like you said, for, like, 40 years. And to be able to...
00:27:17
Speaker
Just have that kind of tournament. I mean, what what a what a player. well like What a player. I don't know. he's he's super He's super cool and seems like a really down-to-earth guy. In my favorite interview he did, he was like...
00:27:33
Speaker
Yeah, kind of sucks being famous now. Like, I used to just like chill and like grill in my front yard. And now like everyone's like in my business. And I'm like, dude, I get that. like's Like, that's like he was so close to retiring and just like being like, you know, he would be the uncle at the cookout that was like, well, back in my day, you know, I played in a World Cup. And now it's like, okay, i have to go be on the Today Show. So So it's like the Uncle Laura has like exceeded expectations and he's been thrust into a full celebrity. But seems like a great guy. I mean, I love i love Cape Verde, so I think that's been great. I'll give my two that I really thought. My number one, Jude Bellingham.
00:28:15
Speaker
Jude Bellingham. Actually, that's a better pick than Holland. yeah ju Jude Bellingham, every time I watch him play. One of the best in the world, like might be the best player in the goddamn world. i know and Okay, that's exactly what I was going to say. So I am a huge Yimini Maul fan. I love him. i think he is going to be the best player in the world. i think that he he has so much raw, natural talent and just like ability that like it's impossible to deny. But I truly do think right now...
00:28:44
Speaker
In this World Cup, the best player was Jude Bellingham. And to be able to do that at this stage, bail his team out so many times against intense competition, I think you do have to say he is, at least in the conversation, for best player in the world.
00:29:02
Speaker
Now, do I think he's going to win the Ballon d'Or? I don't think so. But um I don't know. This tournament, player of the tournament, Jude Bellingham for me, i was so impressed by him. And I mean, I shouldn't be considering his pedigree.
00:29:18
Speaker
But it's like, man, he's 23 years old and he just looks disgusting. Disgusting. My second was going to be Rodri.
00:29:29
Speaker
Rodri for Spain. He actually won. He won it, though. He did win. yeah and We should acknowledge him. Yeah. Yeah. And that's I just wanted to acknowledge it and say, like, he's probably in contention to win the Ballon d'Or now. And yeah.
00:29:44
Speaker
I mean, like he's incredible at Man City and he's just been such, and I love ah i love a player like him. I mean, like, yeah'd sam you know, like that is that is the type of soccer Jude Bellingham might be the best player in the world. Roger is the most valuable player in the world. Yes, exactly. Exactly. It's like, it's that it's that point in the field, that that like tempo setter, that guy who can contribute all across the field, who is like just that core piece of the team.
00:30:14
Speaker
similar to how the Sounders played with Christian Roldan. And it's it's just someone who I'm just so impressed with and just like love watching. So shout out, Rodri. Shout out, Jude Bellingham. Should we just give it to Vozinha? Should we just say, fuck it and give it to Vozinha?
00:30:28
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, we should. Okay. Vozinha, congratulations on winning the 2026 Lobbing Scorchers player of the tournament for the FIFA 2026 Cup. All right, moving down the list, we're going to hit Breakout Star. Now, there's a lot of games played. There's a lot of different people who are making their debut in the World Cup, Ari. Who did you have for your Breakout Star? i got another i got another Spain guy for this one.
00:30:59
Speaker
Pau Kubarsi. Yes, yes. Like we, we got a lot of talk about Rodri and I don't know if we had unsung hero on here, but if we do that, do okay, well this is my pick for both, I guess, breakout star and unsung hero. So we can wrap those into one. Cause I think he was ah both, but like, let's talk about Spain's defense during this tournament because Rodri was a key part of that, but their team defending and their back line, it might've been the best run of Defending I have ever seen seven clean sheets, one goal conceded across the entire tournament. And I don't know how many people know this, but Pau Kibarsi is 19. Yeah.
00:31:35
Speaker
yeah And he is already he's like he's like the Lamina Mall of defense. This kid, like if you actually watch Spain's games, he does not he doesn't make mistakes at all. ever But also, like look at the teams that they had to go through, man. like It was a lot of really, really good attackers. He's going up against Killian Mbappe. He's going up against all these world-class talents. And he's kind of just owning them every single time. So, ah yeah, the already the best defensive player in the entire world at...
00:32:07
Speaker
age 19. Like what's the ceiling for, for this kid. I'm not going to lie. Like I didn't really know much about him or the spade national team in general going into this tournament, but like watching him, i just, it was kind of mind blowing to watch.
00:32:22
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I got to go with your pick as well. um I don't know if he it's necessarily fair to say that he's a breakout player. I mean, he's a starter at Barcelona and is one of the best in La Liga at this point, but I think... But how many people, like, casuals, like, in the U.S. know about him? that sort of Sure, yeah. Like, if you're not yeah if you're not paying attention, i think that's that's super fair. um But, like, yeah, like, I think i think he he is...
00:32:55
Speaker
He's what do you what what can you say other than like, yeah, you just look at the stats and you are just absolutely impressed by by everything that they've been able to do. I'm trying to remember, too. There was a there was a kid. I can't remember. I think it was Cote d'Ivoire. He was a winger. Yeah.
00:33:13
Speaker
I can't remember his name, but he was going to be my other my other pick. I should have been on this, but um I think Kubarsi is definitely like the right pick on that.
00:33:28
Speaker
Diamande? Yes, yes. Diamande. Jan Diamande. Jan Diamande was also absolutely insane, and he's rumored to be going to PSG now for like $110 So...
00:33:42
Speaker
ah And he has an inspirational inspirational backstory. everyone and I would encourage everyone to look up his inspirational backstory. Yep. Shout out Yann Diamande, the legend. den he in didn't he's He played in the U.S. too, which is crazy.
00:33:55
Speaker
um All right. Let's keep it pushing here. well we' Well, we'll go. ah let's Let's do. on Do you want to do Unsung Hero or do you want to just? just i just i have this I have the same pick. I have the same pick. Okay. we'll We'll just go with the same thing. If you have a different pick, by all means, but I but i would say the same guy. it's not worth it. We'll just go with Breakout Star. All right. And we're going to dive in now.
00:34:17
Speaker
The best match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was... i have ah I have a few written down here, a couple of which involve England. i think we have to mention the third place match. like I know that it was kind of a joke and like clearly i don't think either team cared that much about defending for it to end six to four with a combined 10 goals. But God damn it, if that was not electric to watch. That honestly might have been the most fun I've had watching a soccer game like... Maybe ever. Like, in just in terms of, like, the the comedy and the back and forth and the... ah It was exhilarating even for a third-place game. So I do think we have to shout it out. Even though I think that has an asterisk of, like, it's the third-place game. Who really cares? I think the players were... But you know, they viing yeah i think that there were just vibing, but it did hit a point. You could tell where they were like, Oh, I care now. I care now. Like I got, especially when France had to come back from, I think it was four zero England in the first half and France had to come back to make it four, four. And when it became like four, three France, like the crowd was so into it. So that was honestly for a third place match that was electric. ah But then I also have the England, Mexico match. That was one of my favorite ones to watch the ah Argentina.
00:35:34
Speaker
uh, Cape Verde match. That was a legendary one. I'll remember that one forever. And then for ones that I was at, uh, in Seattle, Iran, Egypt was yes yes so good. That was, even though it was very sad how it ended and, it was kind of bullshit how it ended. It was still, ah an incredible, an incredible match.
00:35:56
Speaker
I am fully in agreeance with you on the Iran-Egypt match. That was like, it ah it had all of the stakes that you want a final group stage game to have. It was drama. It was like the perfect encapsulation of 2026 World cup Bullshit VAR calls, just absolute emotion, drama, late, late, late theatrics, a packed stadium, a real 50-50 crowd, Egypt fans, Iranian fans having literally the time of their life cheering and chanting in Seattle. So i that is my vote.
00:36:32
Speaker
My second pick, i loved I loved that Argentina game with Cape Verde, and I will not forget it. But Netherlands-Morocco, was that the best draw you've ever seen in your life? Because for me, that was one of the best examples of a match that you can show a casual and be like, this is why draws are actually okay in soccer.
00:36:56
Speaker
It was just back and forth. It was electric. It was fast-paced. I loved that match. Maybe a little bit of a sleeper, but those are my two picks. So, uh... Let's give it to Iran, Egypt, give it to a Seattle game and shout out to Iran. And I think after that was one of the most legendary post-match interviews and photos with Ramin um of Iran, where he won player of the match and was like,
00:37:24
Speaker
I've disappointed every person in my country and like, we just wanted to do it for you. So that was like that. I feel like all of the allure, all of the, the like political context around it to just what a game, what a game, um, best goal of the 2026 world cup. There were a ton of bangers. There was a ton of shitty goals as well, honestly. So Ari, I'm interested to know who do you have,
00:37:54
Speaker
for your winner maybe a little bit of an outside the box one but i think my favorite one was holland's second one against brazil where it was already 1-0 and he just has the ball at the top of the box and he just decides this is this is over i'm not i don't want to deal with this anymore. And he just lines up and just kicks an absolute missile. Like you, you cannot kick a ball any harder than that. But what I thought my favorite part of it was the celebration. Like he does that. And he did his little, like, I'm not even going to celebrate thing. I'm just going to walk around. Like, yeah, I'm that guy. Like,
00:38:29
Speaker
God, that must be just the best feeling in the in the world, like when you when you hit one like that. But just the, I don't know, it was more the celebration of it than the goal itself. But I think that was, I was going through all of them. And that was my favorite goal, even though it wasn't the most spectacular. You know, Mbappe had a couple of ah bangers. Messi's against Algeria. that was ah That was a great goal. I'm sure there's a lot more that ah that I'm missing. But that the Holland one, again, in the Brazil game is the one that stands out to me.
00:38:59
Speaker
Yeah, I think that my vote will be Sidney Lopez Cabral, Cape Verde, Argentina. Yeah, I should have mentioned that one. yeah i just it's in like I know everyone's picking it because it's Cape Verde over Argentina.
00:39:13
Speaker
the the The curve on the shot, the like the technical ability to be able to pull that off in that moment was insane. Just incredible. What a strike.
00:39:26
Speaker
absolutely the ball, like that it was a similar to the Holland thing where it's like the balls to take that and be able to just like lock in in that moment and technically finish so perfect that it was unstoppable.
00:39:40
Speaker
in the top And then the celebration runs into the crowd, jumps over the barrier, moves over a security guard, finds his girlfriend, gives her a hug, gives her a kiss. The entire Cape Verdean team is just doing laps around the field. Like, did this shit just happen? I don't know. That was that was definitely my best goal of the tournament. Yeah.
00:40:04
Speaker
But we have been giving Kate Verrett a lot of love. So ah why don't we why don't we give it to that second Haaland goal? I like that i like that second Haaland goal a lot. I think it was it was beast mode. And if anyone deserves to win a ah ah goal a goal award, it's Erling Haaland.
00:40:25
Speaker
All right, we're coming down to the final ones here, Ari, and then we're gonna take an ad break and then we're gonna come back, but best individual performance for you. who was that I mean, to so to stay on theme, I kind of feel like you've got to give it to Vozinha against Spain. I know there's there's definitely... I mean, you could give it to any, like, Rodri in any of the games, like we were talking about, or Pau Cabarsi in any of Spain's games. ah
00:40:57
Speaker
You know, Messi had a hat trick against Algeria where he looked insane. But, like, I'm sorry, but Vozinha shutting out the Spanish national team, which went on to win the... World Cup. Like, I don't know how you pick against that. Do you do you have any other candidates? Yeah. um I mean, I was just going to go with Jude Bellingham again, um either with the Norway or the Mexico match, just to be able to put the team on his back in those two moments. like those I think that's those are those are the only ones that I think are in the... Like, if we gave it to that instead of Ozenia, be like, yes, that's
00:41:30
Speaker
Yeah. No, I think i think i think the Vosinha ones were incredibly impressive. um even his Even his performance against Argentina, they lost whatever. But like genuinely, that performance was just as impressive to me as that Spain performance. I know he set a record against Spain, but...
00:41:50
Speaker
I don't know. those Those performances to me were were good. So i'm go I'm going to defer to you to pick who we are going to give this award to. let Let's give it to Bellingham because we already have a lot of Vozinha shine and Bellingham deserves shine for the tournament that he had. I mean, we we talked about it, but he was he was just out of his mind. That's about as much of an individual tear as it's possible to go on in the sport. So I'm down to give it to him.
00:42:19
Speaker
I completely agree. Shout out Jude. And now we talk most chaotic moment in the 2026 World cup are Yeah.
00:42:31
Speaker
Yeah. I got the, uh, that whole situation in the Iran Egypt game where Iran scored what should have been the game winning goal. And they're celebrating because that would have sent them through, which is so heartbreaking in hindsight, but they were celebrating.
00:42:45
Speaker
And, uh, so it was just this insane moment of release in the, in the crowd, because that was one of the craziest crowds I've ever seen. But the Iranian fans all think that they scored the goal that's sending them through. So they're going crazy. Egyptian fans were not shy about wearing their emotions on their sleeves. So they're going crazy in a negative way. Meanwhile, I'm in the press box where you got the entire yeah media apparatus of the country of Egypt losing their minds as if they were in the crowd. So there was that chaos factor to it. Then you have the pitch invader hook over the the wall to go celebrate with the Iranian team. And then five cops jump on top of him. So you have this and then he gets up and he just starts fighting. So that you have this five on one with the cops, with the Iranian players celebrating a goal that's about to get disallowed right there. And it was just I've never seen a stadium devolve into more chaos than after that goal, that disallowed goal went in and everyone thought it was a goal. And then the pitch invader with the it was just it was it was incredible scenes.
00:43:42
Speaker
And to like it to literally be by like a toenail yeah offside by literally a toenail. Like that was, that was incredible. I'm just giving it to that. Cause like, I completely agree. I'd say the only, this the only secondary to me was like the last 10 minutes of, or just stoppage time in general of the Egypt, or I'm sorry, the Mexico-England match, where Mexico was just barrage shooting, trying everything, just going out. But I don't think it gets as chaotic as Pitch Invader tackled, fights cops, taken off. And by the way, that Pitch Invader posted a selfie with the cop with a handcuff on like this after the game. So...
00:44:27
Speaker
and' i don't think I don't think it gets much much more chaotic than that. So congratulations, Egypt and Iran. You have won most chaotic moment of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
00:44:41
Speaker
We're getting down to our final two, Ari. What player and team were you most wrong about that you are here to give them the award of my bad, bro.
00:44:52
Speaker
My bad. ah So I just have teams written down for this one, but I got, I got three. ah The first one, honestly, I would just, I would say Spain. I, and this is where like, I, you know, I don't know all that much about international footing. I i don't follow it as closely as I follow MLS, obviously, but like, I kind of had this perception of them as like the weakest of the elite, if that makes sense. Like, you know, you had the upper tier teams that everyone knew was going to be in the mix at the end, and I considered them in that category. But for for whatever reason, I had the perception that their firepower was not of other teams, and I just did not account for it all the fact that they are probably the best team in possession that we've ever seen and the best defensive team that we've ever seen in the same squad, apparently. So, like, I just had that way off. I had them, like, getting upset by Portugal in my bracket, I think. Like, I was just way off on that. And then I would say Norway, I kind of thought of them as, like,
00:45:48
Speaker
They have Holland and and what else? like I did not think that they were going to go far at all. And i think they proved that they have a much stronger squad than just Erling Holland. And when you throw them on there, they're a real they're a real factor. like They made a legitimate run. And then ah I got one that might ah that might surprise for some people.
00:46:07
Speaker
The USMNT, the USA, the Yanks. And i've I've said this multiple times, and I understand that ah a lot of people don't agree with it because of how the tournament ended. But I maintain, and I say this someone who has been ah very negative about the USMNT lot of my life, like going into the tournament, I thought that they...
00:46:29
Speaker
people, my friends were like, ask me, like, how's the U S going to do? Are we good? And my response before the tournament was, no, we're not, we're not good. And we're not going to do well. I hate watching this team 85% of the time that I watched them. And like, you know, I, I was feeling a little better than that after the, the Senegal and the Germany friendlies where I was like, damn, we're actually playing pretty good. What's going on. Are we about to like make a run or something? But in the back of my mind, I was like, there's this, I know the USMNT, I know this team, like the back of my hand, I know that they're going to go out there.
00:46:59
Speaker
Probably look like a bunch of jackasses and embarrass the country and let us all down. And they did that at the end. But honestly, in the group stage and in the ah in the Bosnia game, they really did not like they played genuinely well. The level of footy was crazy.
00:47:14
Speaker
It was a lot better than previous generations in a way that, you know, I thought maybe there would be stretches like that. But no, like in a lot of these games, ah our team came out, was organized, you know, looked clean in possession, defensively solid. The attacking footy was really good. There was tiki-taka one-touch stuff going on Gio Reyna was scoring bangers there were some really good goals there were some genuinely good footy played by the team in a way that I did not think that they were going to come out and do that consistently and I know that it got overshadowed because we looked like a bunch of jackasses right at the end but like I I don't think I would be being honest if I tried to act like they played to my expectations like they actually played pretty well for a lot of that tournament
00:47:59
Speaker
I'm completely agreeing with you on the U.S. I was basically thinking that maybe they'll get out. I mean, I thought they would get out of the group stage, but I was like anything past that, I guess, is gravy.
00:48:13
Speaker
That first game, the Paraguay match, truly exceeded my expectations on all fronts. The way that they played against a team that They basically perfectly executed the game plan that that they needed to do. And i was I was shocked. They played incredible. And to go on to advance, you win a knockout game. Granted, it's a a bit of a Mickey Mouse knockout. but I don't think so, though. I don't think so. Bosnia was not a bad...
00:48:40
Speaker
team like to be able to like my thing is like that Bosnia game is ah is a game that this team used to that you did not used to be a comprehensive two zero victory especially because of the Balogun red card and how long they had to go playing down a man in that game like I think I think that win ah I think that win counts Yeah, I mean, and I think the the the like the emergence of you know players like Malik Tillman and, you know... I don't know. I think I was just the most wrong in general about the team. You know, thinking that ah like players...
00:49:16
Speaker
ah like Dest and Pulisic would be these like catalysts when they really weren't. It was players like Malik Tillman. It was players like, you know, we both like Balogun and we've both been Balogun fans, but to the extent that he would become a national hero was not something that I was expecting. So I think just in general across the tournament, and this was a team that we covered the most out of all of them in the lead up,
00:49:39
Speaker
I was absolutely the most wrong about the U.S. And I think I completely agree with you um with that. so and And I'll say my my other team, which I think this is kind of funny that they're paired up, Belgium.
00:49:52
Speaker
I was talking a lot of shit about Belgium. I was talking a lot of shit about... That's a good point. Yeah, I was too. This team this team is not that good. They look washed. They look trash. I swear, that was that was founded, though. That was founded. It was. It was founded. But I will say, the second that they stood they sat there washed-ass old men, what happened? That team looked incredible. That team scored a goal on Spain.
00:50:17
Speaker
They scored a goal on Spain. That's crazy. So, shout-out Belgium. I think they had an incredible tournament. I think they probably had the most unrecognized tournament for what they did. Going up against the U.S., beating them, um and becoming kind of like a real... a real um and That was a real hurrah for the rest of the world. So that Senegal game wasn't easy too. Granted, they got bailed out.
00:50:42
Speaker
I'll be completely honest. They should not have probably won that game in regulation. But, I mean, it's ah congratulations to Belgium. I i think i was I was definitely being a lot of a ah ah more of a hater than I should have been because their their team did end up looking really solid. I mean, they certainly made light work of our country. Yeah. Can't really say much.
00:51:06
Speaker
Can't really say anything to that. So let's give it to the U.S. Congratulations. We were wrong. Our bad. ah We will be sending flowers in the mail to the U.S. men's national team. But Christian always knew. Christian always knew we we we we loved him. So that's all that really matters. Our final and closing award here, Ari, before we go take an ad break,
00:51:29
Speaker
What was your personal favorite memory from covering and watching the
Seattle's World Cup Experience
00:51:34
Speaker
tournament? I know we talked about this a little bit at the top, but I want to hear specifically what you're what your favorite was.
00:51:41
Speaker
Oh, man. It's so hard to ah to pick one because all the games that I got to go to were incredible.
00:51:51
Speaker
But I think I almost feel like the one that stands that's going to stand out the most with time was getting to go to and cover the U.S.-Australia game because that was the first one in Seattle and the vibes were They were so electric in a way that was more like relevant to my life yeah because of how long and close I've been following the USMNT. Like getting to see the other fan bases take over was incredible in its own right. But to have the fan base of the team that I care the most about take over the city that I live in and then have that type of atmosphere, have the type of game that that was where the US went out and ah beat Australia and played really well, electrified the building that day. Did not only not embarrass the country, but made the country proud. And then to be there and then to get to go like report on it and interview the players after the game and write like ah a story about a U.S. World Cup win. That was pretty like top of the list. I don't know if I'll ever be able to top that.
00:52:52
Speaker
No, I'm going to agree with you on that. Australia, U.S., being able to go down. I didn't get to go into the game, but I was just around the stadium. the way that Literally, it felt like every single person that lived in Seattle was just down in that area, in Pioneer Square, in everywhere. It was chaos. It was beautiful. The vlog we filmed did incredibly well. I had a great time. I drank good beer. I watched the game. It was...
00:53:21
Speaker
It was exactly what the World Cup was always pinned as. It was this community event, this thing that even if you don't go to the game, you're going to feel the culture. you're going to feel the energy around the stadium. Being able to experience that in the city in which I grew up in was something that I'll never forget. And honestly, I'll advocate to have it back. like i That moment, I was like, yeah, it's worth it. whatever Whatever we have to do to get it back here, it's worth it. Because that that energy...
00:53:51
Speaker
I wish I could bottle it, man. that that was That was something special that I'll never forget. And getting to cover it with you, Ari. You're the best. We love we love working together and what a joy it's been. Yeah, getting to cover it on our show was was awesome. We weren't really sure what that was going to look like and we kind of became like a quasi-USMNT show where we talked about the rest of the tournament. But like, yeah, just actually getting to like, you know, do the written content, but then also our show along with it. It was awesome.
00:54:21
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. All right, we're going to go take a quick ad break. Please stay with us. Listen to these ads. They're very important to your health, and we will be right back. Welcome back to Lobbing Scorchers. If you skipped those ads...
00:54:36
Speaker
You are about to have Vozenya show up at your house and slap you across the face with his glove. He promised that to me. He promised me. He said, i'll ill I'll find him, Noah. I promise. Ari, we ended our last segment talking about how much we loved having the World Cup in Seattle. So I want to go and talk quickly about how it was having...
00:55:00
Speaker
having the most prestigious tournament in the world here, what overall was your feeling and review of how Seattle hosted and what met your expectations and what didn't meet your expectations? I just think it turned out to be the perfect place for it on so many fronts. Uh, logistically, i think, you know, I didn't experience it anywhere else, but it was just, it was ended up, that was one of the things people were the most worried about. And that ended up, I think working out really well, the whole scene down by the peers and the barge was incredible. But I think in terms of just like accessibility, ah
00:55:43
Speaker
it it was It was great. And that made the vibes and the atmosphere, I think, so much better because no no one was like stressed about how to get anywhere or what was going on. It was just like everyone was vibing. And I think like the...
00:56:00
Speaker
just how the city is set up ended up lending itself to that even better than, ah than we could have thought. And then also the fact that it was just like stunning Seattle summer weather for all these games that we're talking about. It just, it really felt like a situation where people, and I know this cause I talked to the people like they, people came here from all around the world, Egypt, Bosnia, and like you name it. And they all said like, wow, this place is incredible. So it just created this feeling of like,
00:56:27
Speaker
yeah, we get to like share what we all love about living here with the rest of the world. And it felt like there was like a source of, uh, like pride in that. So I think because of that, it all of that combines to make, i don't know, man, like was, is there a conversation for what the best host city was? Like, don't, I don't think so. Anyone who went, a lot of fans went to multiple of them and all of them were were saying that the vibes in Seattle were the best. So I think undeniably in the United States, Seattle was the best host city. I saw some people throwing Boston out there, but but the thing, the that's what I meant. That's what I meant in the U S yeah. Yeah, the the the thing that that makes Seattle so different is just the amount of density around the stadium and like the fact that it sits directly in downtown. like You can go to the waterfront. People marched. like the um The ability for them to close off an entire road
00:57:24
Speaker
Have 100,000 people march from the waterfront where there is a giant TV screen, a barge, that just beautiful landscaping, Pike Place Market, everything, march through the city to the stadium?
00:57:40
Speaker
You can't say that about any other. you like You truly can't say that about any other venue. I went to L.A.,
00:57:49
Speaker
That stadium sucks ass. Like there is nothing around it. There is a liquor store and a gas station and a Starbucks drive-thru. I don't know about you, Ari, how the fuck are you pre-gaming at a Starbucks drive-thru? You're just getting really caffeinated. Yeah, like, ah you know, and and the ability for Pioneer Square and and home teams specifically to set up that whole area as a watch party, it was lit throughout the entire tournament. There's so many restaurants. There's such a revitalization down there by the stadium. You still have, you know, your vendors, like, everything. Oh, my God. It was just, it was exactly what
00:58:28
Speaker
It should have been, and I thought they executed it perfectly, closing off the streets around, having like thousands of Lime bikes and Lime scooters just available and ready for when people could just come and park them and take them away after the game. Just like all the logistics, being able to open um more bike lanes and stuff right before the World Cup happens. everything's just, it it kind of turned out perfectly. And we were pretty critical of a lot of things in the lead up to the World Cup. And I think those things were valid criticisms. But when it's all said and done, you gotta you gotta hand it to them. That's not an easy thing to make happen. And there was definitely some things that were maybe not perfect.
00:59:11
Speaker
But the shine that Seattle got I mean, there was literally a conversation on Twitter for like four days about how Seattle is, is this the best city in the U S so that's what, that is what which i I appreciated seeing that. Cause you know, we take a lot of heat yeah nationally. yeah lot of a lot of people who don't live here have a lot to say about, uh, about the city. yeah so For it to get positive coverage from people from the outside who are the actual objective ah arbiters on something like this and not people who just say stuff because they have an agenda about it. Like, that was, I took satisfaction in that. Like, yes yeah, yeah only that's what it's actually like.
00:59:55
Speaker
Seattle was so lit, the White House was posting hype videos shot in Lumen Field. The White House was posting hype videos shot in Lumen Field.
01:00:05
Speaker
Among the people who have the most negative stuff to say are using content from our our city to, I mean. i mean Let it be known.
01:00:16
Speaker
Let it be known. Let it be known. um i think I think I just have a couple of questions. I had a ton of stuff written down here, but I think let's hit the the things that are really the most important.
01:00:28
Speaker
The U.S. s men's national team getting a knockout game here. How important was that for the city? And then secondarily, obviously Seattle doesn't get many U.S. men's national team games. They played here for the first time in like what, six since 2016 in Copa America. um And they don't play here because there's no grass normally. That's what they say. ah So...
01:00:50
Speaker
did Did the lack of games, maybe maybe this is like ah this is like seven questions I'm asking you here, but like did the lack of games that the U.S. men's national team have played in Seattle help with the hype around the team coming back here? And should they consider um you know making Seattle a permanent stop?
01:01:10
Speaker
I just think having a couple of the biggest U.S. games here, it really showed well, first of all, it was kind of cool to see the home field advantage that we associate with the the Sounders and the Seahawks. Like, I was curious, like, how is that going to transfer to a USMNT game where it's going to be a crowd that's heavily pro-USMNT, but in, you know, in...
01:01:33
Speaker
lumen field or seattle stadium and it turns out that it translated like seamlessly at least in the australia game the belgium game it famously did not translate to anything but you saw what when the team is playing well and actually kind of getting on top of the other team which they did not do against belgium but against australia it did it created the same type of just kind of overwhelming energy that you would see at a sounders or a seahawks game and we talked about that going into that game I was very confident that the U.S. was going to beat Australia because of exactly that. I was like, you're really you're telling me that this Australia team is going to go into an environment like that and be ready for the smoke? And they were not. And I think that is, to me, that shows what makes the the stadium such like an intimidating and imposing home field advantage, but like how perfectly USMNT can capitalize on that if they actually play well, which they didn't do in the last game. But like that that was the biggest takeaway for me and why i think that it's absolutely like a place that they need to come back to because,
01:02:39
Speaker
I think there there's a unique a unique advantage in that. I think it there was clearly, to me, the best home field advantage that the team had. And I say that while acknowledging like the the atmospheres in the other stadiums looked incredible as well. Even the L.A. stadium, I thought the home field advantage in the Paraguay game that they got in L.A. was very, very obvious, even on the broadcast. So ah I think all of that is is definitely true, but that, like...
01:03:06
Speaker
the seattle Seattle provided, i think, kind of a unique advantage in that way. I think like the the it being outside, too, the visuals of it, like just everything.
01:03:18
Speaker
Being a football stadium, but in the heart of a city, like that is... Man, I don't i don't know. i just think that... that was the perfect place to play those games. Regardless of the outcomes, it was showing off the culture of a city who actually accepts, loves, and adopts sports. And also, here's my thing.
01:03:41
Speaker
The L.A. games, a lot there was a lot of like influencers and like you know kind of celebrities at that game because of the proximity, obviously, to celebrity culture in l L.A.,
01:03:52
Speaker
In Seattle, there's a lot of people with a fuckload of money, but who loves soccer? Like, I think that's that's the difference is like, there's a lot of people in the Pacific Northwest who make amount an amount of money that buying those tickets to go to those games is not a factor. And also, they know ball.
01:04:08
Speaker
Like, they know ball and they're going to that game to watch the team and support the team because that's that's like a part of them. And so I think if you're looking at that, that that played a huge role in it.
01:04:19
Speaker
That played a huge role. That also played a huge role in why the tickets were so expensive, which sucked. But I do think that like that was truly why, in my opinion, the Seattle crowds were much better than the l L.A. crowds, though that opening L.A. game was was pretty impressive. um I want to know.
01:04:38
Speaker
Because you know Seattle is such a soccer city, having the World Cup here and getting all of the like international shine, has that changed Seattle's identity into being even more a soccer city? Because I asked Craig Weibel about this in his press conference, and I said, Seattle, Soccer City, USA, Texas.
01:05:00
Speaker
The World Cup came here. The whole world's eyes were here. Has it made it easier to sign players away from places like LA or New York? And he said, absolutely not. Yeah, wrong guy to ask.
01:05:11
Speaker
Wrong guy to ask. But still, you know, someone who's directly involved with the business is saying, yes, this was great. It brought eyeballs and attention and players were here, but it didn't necessarily translate in helping build its stature on the national global transfer market.
01:05:28
Speaker
Maybe that's for other reasons, but I want to hear what you think. Did we elevate Seattle in the eyes of a global soccer community? I'll be curious to to see, but my prediction would be that, yes, we did. Not only because of the influx of fans from around the world that were here, but you heard Christian Roldan say it when the USMNT was in Seattle. He was like, yeah, a lot of my teammates came up to me and were like, damn, like you get to play here year-round? like I could get used to this. And he said that there was multiple guys on the USMNT that expressed like, man, I would love to come play here one day, which I don't know which, uh, uh, players said that hopefully it's, you know, but like the point is that if there was multiple guys on the U S team that, uh, felt like that, I have little doubt that there are guys on other national teams that had not really thought about it before that came to maybe more than one of these cities, but I, I would be,
01:06:24
Speaker
I'm sure there was guys that came to Seattle, saw what it's like in the summer, saw the crowds, played at the stadium, and were like, man, this rocks. I want to come back here. I would love to play here someday. So I don't know. we We'll have to see what benefit the the club actually gets from it and what benefit the city actually gets from it.
01:06:43
Speaker
But i definitely I definitely think showing out like that, it definitely can't hurt. In in those regards. And I think we might actually come to find that it did plant the seed for ah players, which, you know, which players, how high profile they are. I don't know.
01:06:58
Speaker
But I do think there's players that probably are more inclined to think about coming to Seattle that were not previously after seeing what the scene was like for the World Cup.
01:07:09
Speaker
I hope so. Like, I do hope so. I think there's a lot of players where... and And I'm just going back to this Craig conversation because we just had this and, like, this is my reference point. Granted, listen, you can say what you want to say about Craig Weibel, but, like, he's pretty honest when it comes to stuff like this. Like, he's a pretty open book to a fault even sometimes. So I think, like...
01:07:31
Speaker
him saying it hasn't made it easier to sign players because at the end of the day, it's the money that they want. like if if the But if the money could be there, the stature is there.
01:07:44
Speaker
So i think I think that's, I mean, that's literally what he said. You don't have to you do have to pay for those players, which might be a challenge for this particular organization. They don't seem to process that. They're not interested in banking players, but if there was someone- They're like, yeah, i mean, we'll take them if they if they come play for free.
01:08:01
Speaker
Yeah. Hey, buddy, have you heard of Tam by chance? ah Will you go sign for FC Dallas and then we'll trade for you, actually? No. But I think, like, Seattle is one of those sports cities that...
01:08:17
Speaker
when you can finally attract those big players, they come here and they stay here and they want to stay here. Like, that's happened for so long. Like, being able to get Nico and Raul, Jao Paulo, all of those things. Like, those are players who...
01:08:33
Speaker
had a lot of options of places they could have gone. Granted, they spent, the Sounders spent the money to get them, but they stayed here because once you're here, it's really hard to leave.
01:08:44
Speaker
And, you know, I was thinking like the momentum behind the world cup would be challenging to drive interest for the Sounders. Cause I was like, I don't really know if there'll correlation, but then that Portland match was basically sold out on a midweek game. And,
01:09:03
Speaker
Granted, is that a momentum dead now, maybe, but it did seem like it was kind of translating. So I'm interested to see how how the legacy lasts. But um last question on this, and then we are going to take one more ad break before we close it out here.
01:09:19
Speaker
Where does this World Cup rank in terms of sporting events Seattle has ever hosted? Is this the most important? It's the most important to me. I think this is the biggest sporting event Seattle has ever hosted. I think it's the biggest sporting event they will ever host. Even if they host the World Cup again, your first one is always the one you remember.
01:09:37
Speaker
Yeah, I don't even think there's much of a dialogue to be had on that. The World Cup is the objectively biggest sporting event on the on the planet. This was the first time that Seattle had those games here, and the whole city blew it out. So no question about it.
01:09:55
Speaker
There it is. We are going to go take one more ad break. Listen to the ads. They're like vitamins. They help you stay alive. We will be right back. Welcome back. We are in our final segment here. We talked a little bit, Ari, about how the Sounders can benefit and Seattle can benefit from the World Cup. But let's transition to talking about how the league, major league soccer, the MLS, just kidding. It's MLS for those of you who are new here. How could they benefit? Now, they took a lot of backlash and heat from what I would call the worst CGI AI ad I've ever seen in my life featuring MLS Taxi and a bunch of MLS players who kind of unceremoniously exited the World Cup. um
01:10:44
Speaker
They've been pushing this campaign. We'll take it from here. We'll take it from here. And i e you know...
01:10:54
Speaker
I gotta be honest with you, Ari, I just don't think that's gonna work. I don't think that's going to work. they There was a great article in Backheeled, I believe, talking about, I think Joe Lowry wrote it, um talking about how they're going into this shortened season next year. like They've basically set themselves up for failure. Any momentum that they would have gotten, there's been no DP changes and like setting themselves up for the summer season. It seems like everything basically that they have done is reactive. They were like, oh shit, wait, we had the World Cup and people like soccer and it sold out a bunch of seats. We should probably do something to capitalize this.
01:11:34
Speaker
how what's What's your gauge on the pulse of that in the league? And I don't know. I'm just, maybe me personally, i feel like they dropped the ball.
01:11:46
Speaker
Yeah, a lot to ah lot to get into here. But I think you know it's a question of did ah did the league fully maximize the opportunity that they were given by this? Mostly, I think, from a marketing standpoint is what we're talking about and you know trying to grow the game and grow the league off of that. So like just to that question, my short answer would be probably no. I don't know that the league felt...
01:12:12
Speaker
omnipresent enough during the world cup for a competition whose teams play in every host market in the U S and Canada. And, uh, the thanks world will take it from here campaign. I was not as aggrieved about that as some people. I think it was arguably ah little corny and self congratulatory, but I think it was like horrible, but, uh, you definitely can nitpick whether MLS did enough to explicitly tell this enormous new audience, uh,
01:12:39
Speaker
Hey, all this soccer that you guys are enjoying, it doesn't disappear when the World Cup leaves. So I think, you know, there could have been that could have been more done in that regard. ah But, you know, I also think we can like overstate the importance of that, like how much league marketing determines whether there's a World Cup pump.
01:12:56
Speaker
you can't manufacture soccer fandom like with an ad campaign. The bigger question to me is what happens organically. You know, you have millions of people and ah especially kids, I think, you know, just spent six weeks watching this tournament in their own cities and in their own country. So like what I, what I would hope for is that, you know, kids in Seattle who went to a world cup match, watch the USMNT at Lumen field or went to a watch party or just saw the city completely consumed.
01:13:27
Speaker
by the tournament, they're not necessarily going to become a Sounders fan because they saw an MLS commercial. But like, I think what we got to hope is that they now associate soccer with that feeling, like that they want to go back to the stadium, that they want to start playing, you know, maybe their parents take them to an MLS game and then that's how you start following players. That's the real long-term impact, like the organic growth of it more than like whether MLS knocks it out of the park with the with the ad campaign, which, you know, I don't think
Post-World Cup: MLS's Role & Responsibilities
01:13:56
Speaker
they did. But like that sort of, i think the it's a distinction between like,
01:14:01
Speaker
immediate like short-term immediate bump versus like generational impact. So, you know, maybe the league's not going to probably get 30% higher ratings next week. Uh, but that, that wouldn't mean that the world cup failed to move the needle. Like the real, the real payoff, uh,
01:14:18
Speaker
it's probably going to be hard to quantify immediately and it's probably going to happen down the road, but it'll, it'll be measured by like, are there more kids playing? Are there more people casually following the sport? Are there bigger crowds for important games? More people recognizing MLS clubs as part of the city's sports culture. Uh, so, but what I would say is like,
01:14:37
Speaker
it is now the league's responsibility to now to give those people somewhere to go. Like the world cup kind of did the hard part for them, created the emotional connection. and MLS can't recreate messy in a world cup final or 70 K people losing their minds in a knockout game, but you know, they can do their part to make sure that when somebody thinks that was awesome, I want more soccer. The local club is visible, accessible and compelling. So that's still, that's what the is. That's what the onus is on the league.
01:15:07
Speaker
to do But overall, like like I understand like what you're saying about the ad campaign. I just think it's probably something that is getting assigned more on importance on it than it actually is. And we'll we'll see if they can capitalize it and actually...
01:15:24
Speaker
take it from here. But I think that's going to be like decided more by these organic elements that I'm talking about than anything you can do marketing wise. So I don't know. That's just how, that's how I see it. Maybe that's the cop out answer, but like, I honestly, I honestly think that's, that's what it's going to be measured by.
01:15:41
Speaker
I think that's the right answer. Like, i I don't think I'm necessarily fully aggrieved by like a shitty commercial or a bad, you know, tagline. I think that's less important than, you know, the actual mechanisms for making,
01:15:57
Speaker
Your league easier to watch or enjoy or whatever it may be. Or, you know, one of my ideas was you should basically for rivalry week and a couple weeks, out you know, weeks after make basically restreaming of your product completely open like get streamers get people like us who are invested in the league who have an audience of people who were just watching the world cup to be able to like rebroadcast share everything partner with people like that there was no like grassroots ground game behind these campaigns so i think inevitably it was always going to fail
01:16:34
Speaker
My brain always goes to marketing. That's like, that's what I do for us. You know, that's, that's my part of this equation. And I just think second, like, and that's, it's important. You can bring people in, you can give people an opportunity to see what you're doing. And as a league, I think that they just need to figure out how to move forward with all of the grassroots,
01:16:53
Speaker
ah eyes that have happened, especially through social media. And like social media has changed the game in so many ways. You talk about Vozinha, you talk about a guy who like, yes, he would have been known maybe 20 years ago, 30 years ago.
01:17:08
Speaker
ah But he's now going to be able to do like million dollar ad campaigns because he has 50 million followers. And i think I think just from that and the expansion of all of that, It changes a lot of how important and valuable marketing is in using these grassroots you know these grassroots places to kind of push your brand and continue to push your brand. And listen, people will call it superficial and all of that kind of stuff. But I think that that's one side of the coin.
01:17:36
Speaker
But I completely agree with you that it's about creating a platform and a space for soccer to thrive in the US. And how are you doing that? Were you ready for that to already start turning right now, I think they made some missteps, but something that I brought up was 10, 20 years ago, MLS, if you're, if you were watching in 2011, if you were watching in 2011 and you were like, I love MLS, you were a sicko. I mean, like you were truly a sicko. Like the soccer was not good.
01:18:08
Speaker
Like the the the football was not good. Like I was religiously watching at 11 years old MLS. It was bad soccer. translate that to today, even go 10 years later, 2021, we're in 26 now.
01:18:23
Speaker
They have become a top, some will say seven, some will say 10. So I always just say top 15 league in the world from what was probably a top 50 league in the world. They did the work to do that. That's impressive. And you have to give them their flowers for that. And um I think it's yet to be said, like you said, how this will end up looking long-term It is about you know getting people to be long-term soccer fans, engaging with kids, doing all of that kind of stuff, and growing the game of soccer in the U.S., which the first World Cup did.
01:18:54
Speaker
It created MLS, and we'll see what happens in 21 years when we're still podcasting, and um maybe it's the biggest league in the world, so that That I think is the final sentiment here, Ari. We are running up here on time. So let's close it out here with any final thoughts we have um on MLS and World Cup, and then we'll say our goodbyes. Yeah, you know, just talking through it right right now, I almost feel like it becomes a question of like, does MLS or did MLS need to create the World Cup bump or does it now just need to avoid fumbling the bump that the World Cup created? That's kind of how I see it. So we're going to have to wait and see on that. But like I do, I do have faith that just the organic energy that this event and this tournament created and just how much like
01:19:48
Speaker
positivity there was flying around, especially in these trying times as a society, think people were like craving that. And I think the fact that soccer gave people that and the sense of community around it, ah I think people are hopefully going to want to recapture that and learn and figure out of ways to do that. So that's kind of that's kind of where I come out of it feeling.
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01:20:13
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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01:21:31
Speaker
Bye bye. Peace.