World Cup Recap

Life and How to Live It with Dr. Rocco
Season 2, Episode 3: World Cup Recap with Pete Logiudice and Tim Ruth

Episode Overview

In this episode, I am joined by Pete Logiudice and Tim Ruth to look back on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a tournament that gave us more than five weeks of drama, joy, disappointment, surprise, heartbreak, and unforgettable soccer.

The tournament began on June 11 with 48 teams and ended after 104 matches with Spain standing as world champions. We recorded this conversation just after the final, so the emotions were still fresh. Spain had just defeated Argentina, and we wanted to process not only the final match, but the tournament as a whole.

This episode is about soccer, but it is also about the things sport reveals about life: passion, identity, teamwork, pressure, resilience, disappointment, national pride, and the power of people gathering around something bigger than themselves.

The Final: Spain Deserved It

We begin by talking about the final between Spain and Argentina. The general feeling among us was that Spain deserved to win. Argentina certainly had moments in the tournament and gave us a compelling story, but in the final Spain looked like the stronger and more complete team.

What stood out was not only Spain’s technical skill, but their discipline, pressing, defense, and ability to stop Argentina from finding rhythm. Argentina struggled to string together the kind of attacking momentum they needed, while Spain seemed organized, composed, and confident.

We also reflect on the fact that finals are often tight, tense, and decided by very small margins. A World Cup final is not always beautiful from start to finish. Sometimes it is about control, patience, pressure, and who can stay calm long enough to take the moment when it comes.

Argentina’s Journey and the End of an Era

Argentina’s run was still worth discussing with respect. They gave the tournament a strong emotional storyline, especially because of the legendary players connected to this generation. There was a sense throughout the conversation that we may have been watching the final World Cup chapter for some of the great names of the modern era.

That is one of the bittersweet parts of a tournament like this. It celebrates the present, but it also reminds us that careers do not last forever. Every World Cup closes a door on one generation and opens another for the next.

Argentina had drama, passion, and moments of brilliance, but in the end, Spain was able to neutralize them. That does not erase what Argentina gave to the tournament. It simply shows how difficult it is to climb all the way to the top when the margins are so small.

The Expanded World Cup Format

One of the big themes we discuss is the expanded format. This World Cup had 48 teams and 104 matches, and that changed the feel of the tournament.

There were more countries involved, more fans represented, more matches to follow, and more chances for smaller or less traditional soccer nations to have their moment. The group stage had a different rhythm because of the size of the tournament, but it also created a tremendous amount of energy.

We talk about the balance between quantity and quality. More teams can mean more uneven games, but it can also mean more stories, more national pride, more surprises, and more people feeling connected to the event. In the end, we felt this was a very successful World Cup.

The Joy and Pain of the Group Stage

The group stage gave us some of the great emotional moments of the tournament. This is where hope is still alive for everyone. Every country begins with possibility. Every fan believes, at least for a little while, that something special could happen.

That is part of what makes the World Cup so powerful. For some countries, winning one match or even scoring one important goal can feel like a national celebration. For others, failing to advance can feel devastating.

We talk about how the group stage can be almost like a soccer festival. So many teams, flags, languages, and fan bases are present. There is joy, anxiety, shock, and pride happening all at once. It is one of the few events in the world where so many different people are emotionally invested at the same time.

The Knockout Rounds: Pressure and Drama

Once the tournament moved into the knockout rounds, everything changed. The safety net was gone. One mistake could end a dream. One moment of brilliance could send a nation into celebration.

That is where the World Cup becomes especially intense. You can feel the pressure in every pass, every save, every substitution, and every missed opportunity. It is different from a league season. There is no “next week” in the same way. There is only survival.

We discuss how the knockout rounds brought out both the best and the most painful sides of the game. Some teams rose to the moment, while others came painfully close and had to go home. That is sport, and it is also life. Sometimes you prepare, sacrifice, and give everything, and the result still does not go your way.

Fans, Songs, and Shared Moments

One of the parts of this World Cup that stood out to us was the atmosphere created by the fans. Because the tournament was hosted in North America, there were so many memorable scenes in stadiums and cities.

We talk about fans gathering, singing, celebrating, and bringing their traditions into different spaces. One of the moments that stayed with us was hearing Scottish fans singing “Sweet Caroline” at Fenway Park. It was a reminder that the World Cup is not only what happens on the field. It is also what happens in the stands, in the streets, in homes, in watch parties, and in conversations between people.

The fans bring the tournament to life. They carry the hopes of their countries. They bring color, noise, humor, heartbreak, and joy. Sometimes the fans are as unforgettable as the players.

Young Players and the Future of the Game

Another important part of our conversation is the future of soccer. This World Cup did not only say goodbye to legendary players; it also introduced and confirmed a new generation.

We talk about how exciting it is to see young players step forward on the biggest stage. The World Cup has always been a place where new stars are born. A player can arrive as a talent and leave as a global name.

That is one of the beautiful things about sport. It keeps renewing itself. Even as we feel nostalgia for players we have watched for years, we also get to witness the next chapter beginning.

Soccer as a Global Language

Toward the end of the episode, we reflect on why soccer matters so much around the world. At the club level, soccer is already powerful. But at the national level, the emotion becomes even greater. People are not only cheering for a team; they are cheering for a country, a flag, a history, a family story, or a sense of belonging.

Soccer becomes a language people can share even when they do not speak the same language. It connects people across borders. It can create joy in difficult times and bring strangers together in a way few things can.

We also mention the story of Didier Drogba and Ivory Coast as an example of the power of the game beyond the field. It is a reminder that we should never underestimate sport. At its best, it can stir hope, create unity, and remind people of their shared humanity.

What This World Cup Teaches Us About Life

For me, this episode is not only a recap of matches and results. It is a reminder of what the World Cup teaches us about life.

It teaches us that preparation matters, but so does seizing the moment.

It teaches us that talent is important, but teamwork wins.

It teaches us that joy and disappointment often live very close together.

It teaches us that endings are real, but so are new beginnings.

It teaches us that community matters, and that human beings still need shared experiences.

It also teaches us that passion is not a small thing. The emotions people feel during the World Cup may seem excessive to someone who does not love the game, but those emotions reveal something deeply human. We want to belong. We want to hope. We want to celebrate. We want to believe that something beautiful can still happen.

My Takeaway

My biggest takeaway from this World Cup is gratitude. Gratitude for the game, for the players, for the fans, for the stories, and for the chance to share the experience with friends like Pete and Tim.

Spain deserved to lift the trophy, and their victory will be remembered. But the tournament was bigger than one winner. It was about all the moments along the way — the group stage surprises, the knockout heartbreak, the songs in the stands, the emergence of young stars, and the reminder that sport can still bring people together.

As always, I hope this conversation helps us think not only about soccer, but about life and how to live it.

And remember: life is not a dress rehearsal.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Do you sometimes feel like life is passing you by? How would you like to get more out of life? We explore all things life on this podcast. Welcome to the Life and How to Live It podcast with Dr. Rocco.

SPEAKER_04 0:13

Life and How to Live It. Oh yeah. Live and How to Live It. Oh yeah. Dream, create, connect, just live it.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Welcome to another episode of the Life and How to Live It podcast with me, Dr. Rocco. Well, the 2026 FIFA World Cup just ended about one hour ago. It all started back on June 11th, which is more than five weeks ago. It started with 48 teams, and after 104 soccer games, the last team standing is Spain. Congratulations to the world champion, Spain. They deserve their win today, and we'll talk about that a little later. So what we have experienced over these last five plus weeks is so much joy, disappointment, wonder. We said goodbye to legendary players. So I am joined today by my co-host, Pete Logitis, and our old friend and soccer savant Tim Ruth. To wrap up this 2026 World Cup, apparently. So with a bow and put a cherry on top. Pete and Tim, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_03 1:34

Rock, thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

This is awesome. Yeah, thanks, Rock.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Appreciate it, Rock. Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

So yeah, Nate, thanks for talking over my intro. I love that. That's very helpful.

SPEAKER_03 1:45

Well, since this will be Tim's last appearance, I can build it in. Do you have any other topics? You're uh savant in there, Tim?

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Soccer savant, Tim Ruth. So so what did you guys think of the final? It just ended. I assume you guys both watched it.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

I did. I mean, you know, uh, I probably my comments are probably similar to everybody else's. You know, Spain were obviously the better team, and they, you know, I don't think the statistics from the game accurately, I mean, I think Argentina was in the game for part of the game, but um uh, you know, uh Spain just played a very, very strong ball control, you know, managed the game well. They never really seemed like they were in much danger for except till the very, very end.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

And um, you know, we're in no danger. I mean, yeah, Argentina got like two shots in the whole game, and those were in like act like the 118th minute or something, you know. Right. I I have never seen, I don't I mean, you know, have we ever seen a team not have a shot on goal in in a World Cup final? I don't think no way.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

No, yeah, no, I don't think so at all. And you know, like I said, I mean I think there there were a couple of different opportunities, Spain actually to score a couple more, but you know, that was really the story of it. And you know, the other part that's just kind of uh unfortunate for Argentina because they were such a fun story, and you know, they were constantly coming back and doing all these things, and then you know, you get a red card, and then you have another guy get thrown. I get a red card after the game's over because he threw a punch at somebody. It's just you know, it does it kind of rubs the wrong way. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

What'd you what'd you think, Pete?

SPEAKER_03 3:28

Well, and like you guys, um Spain just was so disciplined, you know. To me, they never seemed out of position, they never seemed nervous, they never seemed too pressing either way. It really looked like when I was watching, and I was really trying to uh watch, and obviously I didn't need to. I was watching, you know, the backfielder, I was watching the defense, and they just never left their lanes, you know, they just were so solid. Yeah, uh hats off to them. They for the whole whole tournament, right when I when they beat France, then I knew you know there we were right there.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

Yeah, that that win against France was very convincing, very convincing too against a team that everyone thought was just gonna run away with it, you know.

SPEAKER_03 4:14

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

Yeah, and you're right. You're you know, you said it. I mean, their back line was so impressive when they moved the ball up. There were no gaps, there was no space for Argentina to play. Right. They just, you know, completely um, you know, controlled them, and uh it it made it very it was very suffocating. Um yeah, great work. Uh and like I said, I think I I do think that there were a few moments in the game where I was like, okay, they're not playing urgency's upplay that badly, but then there were just like 20-minute stretches where it barely touched the ball. It was crazy. Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Yep. And so so that was that was Spain. Spain at at their best, you know, just controlling the ball. Uh their their defense, as you guys are saying, their defense was great, their back line, but it was the the whole team, you know. As soon as they lost the ball, they would press and get the ball back. Yeah, you know, it's like and they did that the whole tournament. And you know, Argentina just could not get any momentum. They couldn't string together, you know, three or four passes. Messi was completely neutralized, which was which was very sad to see. You know, I I'm definitely a Messi fanboy, you know, and I, you know, uh I loved this tournament. Like he was pulling, you know, rabbits out of hats like every game, and and today there was no rabbit. There, there wasn't even a hat. There was nothing. He just, you know, it was it was a sad way from for me to see him go out, which I I do believe this is it for him in um World Cups. So that's that's sad. But if you take the totality of the World Cup, it was a great cup for him.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

And and you know, you gotta remember, I mean, there were people talking he wouldn't even play in the tournament. There was a debate, you know, after he won it, he's 35. Is he even gonna come back? He almost won, he should have won the golden, you know, ball. I mean, you know, I don't know about Mbappe scoring goals in the third place game, and that counts. I'm like, it feels a little weird. But but uh, you know, I mean, the way he played, Rock, like you said it. I mean, the totality of the tournament, it's incredible. I've never seen somebody be that dominant at that age. It's really impressive.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

No, no one's ever seen it. It's never happened, you know. And um, you know, so so we can't imagine, you know, he would he would come back. I don't think he's gonna play Copa America in in two years. I don't know. What do you what do you think, Tim? I I think he's done.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

I wouldn't, if I were him, I would I would be finish it up. You know, he's given the country so much. Um, he's already played in over 200 games for Argentina. Um, you know, uh there's only so much you can expect from a guy. Um, and I don't I don't I think you're right. I don't think he comes back and he'd be 43 years old. I mean, come on. He's barely he's barely running now.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Yeah, I got I got a text from my brother during the game, and and he's like, Does Messi always just stand around? And my answer was yes, you know, I was yes, but but he didn't get to see the but today, like nothing happened, you know. Usually he stands around, he kind of surveys things and then like figures something out and creates magic, you know, but not today. Spain was too good. Congratulations to them. So I I wanted to talk about the tournament itself, you know, not so much the X's and O's, but just the just kind of the feeling of this tournament. You know, when I think back over these last five or so weeks, you know, I was really struck by the how different the vibe is between the group stage and the knockout rounds. The group stage is this sort of it's almost like a soccer love fest, you know, all the teams are in it. If you lose, you still get to play, you get to play your three games, you know, there's lots of fans. I I wonder if you guys have any impressions or memories from the group stage that you like to share.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

Well, I mean, I went to a number of like, you know, parties and watch parties and things for different games, and they were always a lot of fun, you know. Uh I I told you guys about Brazil, Morocco, I went to that. Um, I went to a couple of others here. We also had a bunch of people from the office go to the um the Congo Uzbekistan game, which you know, on paper you're like, this is this is really bad. But the people there's a guy, I think I told you guys who is from Uzbekistan. Yeah, everybody that was an Uzbek in the United States went to this game. It was crazy. Like all of these guys were there. I was joking with uh Alex, his name is Alex Milan. I'm like, hey, does there anybody playing for Uzbekistan whose name doesn't end in a V? Everybody's name ends in a V. It's like Versa Sindarov and Benderov. And he's like, no, everyone's name his name ends in a V. He was joking with me. Um, and uh, you know, they had a tremendous time. You know, a lot of people had a lot of fun, and the games here in Atlanta weren't particularly like well, we were surprised, frankly, by the Spain uh Cabo Verde game, right? That was a surprisingly good game. Um, but a lot of the games were not like you know games you'd write home about. But you're right, Brock. They they sold out the fan fest here every game, sometimes a hundred dollars a ticket. This is not to go to the game, this is just to go to the fan event outside the stadium. And um, you know, there was a lot of passion. I mostly saw it from English fans because those are the people I know and I've met, and um, you know, they were pretty pumped about it. Um, they were pretty excited, and of course, when they lost Argentina, it was not good. I have one guy who I work with who also his office, he's got an Argentinian in his office, so he was kind of bummed about that. But it was fun. It was a lot of a lot of you know excitement and it felt a little special around here. I think I don't know how much it felt for you guys, but you know, because I was so close to the games, I didn't go to the game, but I was around it. Um it made it a little bit more, I I think a little bit more pumped than than you would have. I don't know how it felt elsewhere.

SPEAKER_03 10:33

Well, I can I can add real quick the the atmosphere here in Buffalo for any sporting event, any sporting event that has the USA, any sporting event that has Canada, and yeah, we had it all. You know, our watch parties were they try to top each other each time. You know, they were just amazing down on the water, you know. It was just a must-be place to be. You know, the the the sabres being in the playoffs really, you know, moved into okay, what a great experience. Let's go. And it was it was, you know, one of the things that I liked most, and maybe I'll get a lot of pushback on this. I really enjoyed the schedule. I love that there were games every day. You know, everyone in in the office and all that be, okay, what time is Scotland on today? You know, and it's like what other event has that? You know, it didn't matter who was playing, there was something that we could watch, somebody we could root for at all times.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

Yeah, and and many of those times there were four games a day. Right, you know, so so there was quite a bit of soccer to be had, and and it was it was like I was saying, it was sort of like this like festival of soccer, you know. Everybody was just you know happy and you know, it was like this you know, like the the joy of the human spirit, you know, all these people getting together. And you know, when we did our our preview episode, I was saying how um, you know, it feels like maybe this world cup would be like too spread out, but it it really felt like this, like a continental love fest, you know, like you you would see these things on like on Instagram, you know, where the uh like South Korean fans partying with the Mexican fans in Mexico City. You'd see all this kind of stuff. The Scottish fans like totally took over Boston. Um you know, all of it. Like it just I I think it was just this joy, and and yeah, and the teams had their their headquarters in these like places like Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Kansas City, and yeah, and and it you know, it was so cool to see people just have fun, you know, all over, you know, mostly America, you know, not as not, you know, because we had the most venues. Sure. Yeah, I loved that part of the group stage. Me too.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

You know, one thing I think they did that was smart was um for the most part, most of the teams. I'm not saying that I know that it was true for all of them, but most of the teams played two games in one venue. They would typically play one and then they go someplace else and they come back, right? So there were a lot of teams that played that way, and that got you that kind of vibe like you had with Scotland or you had with like, for example, Spain. He played here twice, and you know, you had a couple of teams that were doing that kind of you know, setup, and it made it a little bit more like you know, not as spread out as you described.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Yeah, like a home base.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Yeah, home base, right? Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 13:48

Yeah, yeah. So I mean, I I thought the group stage was great. I think it was um bigger because there were more teams. So, you know, it's like there's just more, as you said, Pete, games, a lot of games, a lot of games, and a lot of them surprised you, you know. It's like, you know, we'll talk about cow uh Cabo Verde in a minute, but you know, it's I I I just I had a wonderful time watching that, you know. But then I was thinking, you know, about how the vibe changes, right? Like when you get to the knockout stage, it's it's just you're down to business, you know, you lose and you're out. And and every time a new, you know, like you're round of 32, round of 16, you know, round of, you know, round of uh eight, you know, you would lose teams, you would lose fans, you would and the thing just got let you know, it's like more about the soccer and less about the festival to me, you know. So yeah, what what's uh is there any kind of like great memory or or or thing that stood out about the um knockout games to either of you?

SPEAKER_00 14:55

I mean, I enjoyed them a lot. Um, I particularly I think enjoyed some of the Argentina games just for the drama of them.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

You know, they may be all they were so operating, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:09

Yeah, and that's exactly what I was gonna say too, Tim. You're right. Unbelievable.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

You know, that was that was something else to, you know, to see them play the way they did and the way they came back, and you know, I thought that you know it was fun because I had some experience with the Norwegian team. I was in Dallas when they played Ivory Coast. Um and I saw the Ivory Coast bus right outside of our office, and then when I was flying out, there were all the Norwegian guys in the airport. They actually did a little row in the airport. Yeah, yeah, it's kind of fun. They always see them all wearing their shirts and like, okay, we're off to I think it was Miami to play England or something, and they lost that game. But you know, that was that was kind of a fun the some of the drama of it was fun. Um, but you're right, it was less there was a a song, the best sleepover ever. I don't know if you guys have heard this thing. No, I didn't hear that song. Oh, yeah, it's like a a thing that people played with about the group stage. It was all about what you described, you know, Koreans and Mexicans, the Scottish guys drinking all the beer in Boston. I mean, I think it was a really um it was nice to have something really positive, and I think it was positive. And there were a lot of reasons that FIFA tried to make it not positive, but in the end, I think it just it's just such a great game that you know it didn't it didn't matter.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

Yeah, well, I think I think it's time that we should say something about Cabo Verde, right? So because they were a story um in the group stage and also the knockout, you know, and and that um I don't know if you guys remember when we did the preview episode, I was talking about these teams that you know were playing their first World Cup, and Cape Verde is one of those teams. And um, I said that I would have liked to have watched a game in a bar in Curacao. Well, I was wrong. I should have watched a game in a bar in Cape Verde, you know, because they were the surprise team of the tournament. They were they were great. I mean, they're goalie. His name is what? Vozinha? Was that his name? Yeah, I think it's something like that. Yeah, you know, became an overnight uh sensation, you know, had like all of a sudden, you know, this huge increase in the number of like Instagram followers.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

And how old was he? How old is he?

SPEAKER_01 17:34

40 years old. Like he's some you would write a make a movie about him, right? Right, right, yeah. But uh what a story that was, and you know, and that and that spanned, as I said, the group stage into the knockout, and and when they played uh Argentina, yeah. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_03 17:54

Oh what a game. One goal, then the next team, one goal then the next team. It was it was oh my god, it was one of those you know games and uh uh where you get goosebumps and you don't want it to end, you know. Nobody was playing for a tie, nobody was playing for penalty kicks, they were just going for it. It's so exciting.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

Yeah, and and I really had this feeling about that team that they were they were more like just a defensive team, you know, but they scored their goals against Argentina, and one of those goals was just like you know, one of the best goals of the whole tournament, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:33

Yeah, the one from the I guess from the left wing, I think, if I remember. Yeah, it was really good. Well, you know, undefeated in 90 minutes against Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela, you know, and Argentina. That is amazing. That is an amaz a country, what is it, 140,000 people or something? It's a country, you know. I I was like, I was like, they were like the poster child for you've expanded too much, and then they showed me. I was like, wow, these guys are amazing, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

It was that was a great story, it was really fun. It was sad the way they went out, but uh yeah, you know, it had to end somewhere, you know. You can't imagine they would have won the whole thing. So, you know, it had to end somewhere. Um, the the uh knockout game that I really remember and may never forget is uh is uh I can't remember it now. Um is uh when you gotta write these things down. Yeah, I know. When England, when England went down to Mexico City and played uh, you know, at the Azteca, you know, I I you know I didn't I don't necessarily root for England, but you know, I was really like proud of them, you know. They they had to band together and play this game at altitude, and they were down to 10 men, and and you know, it's like they they withstood this onslaught from Mexico for like I don't remember how long, like you know 20 minutes, thirty yeah, twenty, thirty minutes. Was it really that long time? Yeah, it was that long. So that was that's a game all you know, I was really it was really special. And then England went ahead and played their next game. Was it in Miami? And it was like a hundred degree heat, yeah. You know, yeah. I th I thought they were um after withstanding that that they would have gone in and and beaten Argentina. Uh but they almost did. They almost did. They they kind of parked the bus too early. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:41

And that was like what I was saying before, you know, we're did they play to not lose, you know?

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Yeah, they they did. That was the definition of of that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

Amazing game, though.

SPEAKER_01 20:54

Yeah, yeah. So so Tim, you are our uh US men's national team expert. So did the US men's national team have a successful World Cup?

SPEAKER_00 21:06

I'm saying no, okay. Um, and I I um with a little bit of remove from it, a little um more okay with it. I think most of us thought we could get quarterfinals. That was the hope. You know, it's and it's hard.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

But if we did, we would have played Spain, and that would have been the end of the road.

SPEAKER_00 21:30

Correct. And that's and that's fine, but you know, the part that was hard was just it feels a little unfair to me. The reason why I'm qualifying what I'm saying, because I'm basing it almost all on the one game, right? I mean, it's they they played four games, and I really enjoyed the four games they played, and I was like, okay, I feel really good about it, and then you know, it was just so tough watching that Belgium game. It was really difficult. Yeah. Um, you know, they sort of Belgium did what Spain did to Argentina. In a more aggressive way. And um, you know, I don't think, like I told you, Rock, I don't think anything would have changed the game. I would have liked to see Joe Scaly in there at right back because a lot of all of the goals, Pete, were scored from the Belgium's left side are right. Right. And you have a guy in there who is, you know, a good guy. He's gonna be great. I like Alex Freeman, but he's just not a strong defender. And you've already got Dest who's not a strong defender. You've got Reem who shouldn't be playing anymore, much as I respect what he's done for the team. Right. Right. So, you know, that part of it, you know, I was just kind of like, this just feels, you know, it just doesn't feel like we've gone anywhere. You know, we went out in 16 in 2022, we went out in 16 in 2014, we went out in 16 in 2010. You know, you just look at it and it feels like we've reached a level, and even though the players are better, it hasn't gotten better. And I think some of the reason for that is because it's it feels to me like it's really tough to transition from the team that's a low block defending team, take set pieces, take what you can get, get out of the group stage, and then get wiped out in the first knockout game to a team that actually plays and is going for it a little bit. And um, you know, the bottom line is that there were a number of things that you you know Christian did not have a good game. Um the central defense has been a problem all along, although I do think Chris Richards played well, but overall they didn't play well, so so it's tough.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

Yeah, so Pete, what do you think? Do you think that the US team had a uh successful tournament or not?

SPEAKER_03 23:53

And I again, you know, what what were we basing success on? You know, like uh on what we thought would happen, what we wanted to happen, the the growth of some of these young players who were really, really exciting, the growth of the game, you know, it's it's uh the excitement that I felt and I felt you know here and from everyone around while we were playing was what we never see, and it was so exciting, it was so yeah, you couldn't wait for the next game.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

It was you know, you're right, you're right. I agree. And if we had just won that one more game, right, like Tim is saying, you know, they we had just beaten Belgium and kept that that good feeling going for another week or whatever it would have been.

SPEAKER_03 24:45

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

Uh I think it would have been really huge for uh for men's soccer, you know, in the US, you know, it would have been a huge because uh, you know, everyone would have understood when you lose to Spain, you know, it would have been fine. Um not only did they not get to Spain, they didn't even look good. They didn't even look like they were trying, you know. Although I know they were trying, they were just so outplayed. They could, yeah, like Tim said, kind of like Argentina looked today against Spain, you know, they just couldn't like get anything going. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:19

Did you guys think it would be different before the game started?

SPEAKER_00 25:22

Oh yeah. I did. I thought we would play at a roughly I I thought we would play like the way we played against England in 2022. I thought it was gonna be a game that was roughly even. Um, even though we lost to them in the friendly, that was there were not a lot of guys playing in that game back in March. So I was like, I thought it was gonna be a fairly even game, and it it just it just wasn't. I mean, there were moments, the last 10 minutes of the first half, 10 minutes, the first 10 minutes, second half, we actually played fairly well. There were a few guys that played well, but I you never got the feeling that we were gonna win that game. It was always like if we'd scored again, Belgium would have just scored again, like right away, the way that you know, just the way it felt. Right, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

So, so just a great a quick thing, because I I don't want to get bogged down in too many details, but one question for you guys. Do you think how or the let me restate that? How much do you think the whole controversy with Balogun played into them looking so flat?

SPEAKER_00 26:28

I would say I think it helped fire Belgium up a little bit. I don't think it really mattered for us. Pete, I'm interested in your thoughts here.

SPEAKER_03 26:37

No, I think that's that's a great point, Tim. I think it did more for Belgium than it did for us. Um but I do think that we go back to that word vibe. I think the whole vibe of the game changed at that moment.

SPEAKER_01 26:54

Yeah, you know, very good point. I agree with both of you guys that um I think it helped Belgium a lot. It it galvanized them, it was like you know, bulletin board material kind of thing, and uh and it changed the vibe around our team, which was so positive. Yes, right, yeah. So that's a that's a real shame, you know, and and it's nobody's fault, you know, on the team. I I'm we know whose fault it was, but we we don't need to go there. But it was nobody's fault on the actual team, and that I I really wanted um Pochettino to just sit him anyway, you know.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

I remember you saying I I seriously thought about that, yeah. And you know, and like I said, it would have been nice to see what Pepe could have done in a full game. He didn't do a lot in this game at the end, but I would have liked to have seen it, you know, as opposed to him, you know, the way it went. Anyway.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

All right, so so keep moving along here. You know, was the actual World Cup a success? Tim. Yes. Yes, Pete.

SPEAKER_03 28:03

100%, 100%.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

I agree. It was such a successful World Cup. When we did the preview, we had all sorts of doubts, right? Yo, the tickets are so expensive, they're gonna stadiums are they gonna be empty? You know, it's like all the the stadiums were full. I don't know where these people get all this.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

I know I was thinking the exact same thing. You know, this is like when they're saying how much tickets are, how are they full?

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Every game was full, and and you know, thankfully, you know, and there were and there were people, I think most, you know, it seemed like most of them were people that were traveling from other countries, like giant groups of the Dutch. They always travel well, the Norwegians, you know, the the Scottish, you know, it's like you name it, Argentina. Like it looked like we're in Buenos Aires in some of these games. You know, it's like it it was such a wonderful World Cup. Yeah, very successful, despite all the things about FIFA that we can say, you know. It was it was like you said, Tim, the game is too strong, you know. The game, it's it's hard, it's hard to hurt the game because once you start playing and and the passions come out, that's what it is. It's all about the passion, the the beauty of the game. Um so what you know, I I'll I'll start on this one. So the I was thinking back, like, what are some non-soccer memories from this World Cup that are really special to me? And so I've got two of them. One of them, we all have been talking about how Scotland, you know, came to Boston, drank all the beer and everything like that. But the memory that I have is when they had thousands of fans, uh thousands of Scottish fans go to Fenway Park and see a Red Sox game. And they spent the whole game just singing songs and and and when they you know the big song in at Fenway Park is Sweet Caroline, and to hear all the Scottish fans singing Sweet Caroline, uh that that was an amazing memory. I loved that so much. And um, and I don't know what they did, they didn't help their team so much because Scotland kind of got knocked out pretty, you know, they didn't make it out of the group stage, but uh I think they helped the Red Sox because they haven't really lost. They haven't lost since the Scots went and sang. I love it, you know. That's pretty funny. I love it, right? Wow, yeah. And then my other memory is um Mohammed Salah, you know, the probably the best Egyptian player ever, partying in the streets with Egyptian fans. I mean, can you imagine? That would be like Cristiano Ronaldo just out in the street dancing with with the Portuguese, you know, or you name it, you know, any other superstar. This guy, he and he the look on his face when he was with these people was just like pure joy. Yeah, you know, to me that was what the World Cup was about. You know? Yeah. So what about you, Pete? Any uh non-game memories?

SPEAKER_03 31:19

Can I say something that will not be uh well as we've said on the show previously, my memory will be till like Wednesday. But a a can I do a non-good memory?

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Yeah, absolutely, whatever memory you have.

SPEAKER_03 31:33

Today, not the game, the the the pre-game, the halftime, the um buffers, you know, starting the game. You know, it's like I could just imagine you know, relatives and that looking and looking at the spectacle. I know that's what it is nowadays, but I mean to me it looked like a halftime Super Bowl show, and you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:03

Well, you know, we're all a bunch of old curmudgeons at this point. I know I know, and I feel that way too. I said I said to my wife, I'm like, well, here's another halftime show that I can't watch anymore, you know. It's like be it's become totally silly, you know.

SPEAKER_03 32:19

But and I didn't want to spend any time thinking about it or talking about it or reading about it online, and that's all it was was what does this have to do with with soccer? And why was it you know 11 minutes longer or 10 minutes longer than a normal halftime show? And it's like uh two best teams in the world out there.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

Give me another memory, give me a better memory than that.

SPEAKER_03 32:43

Um well, you know what? For not I would have said I had down, you know, uh Scotland, you know, I also had down, and I know it wasn't during playing, but how Erling Holland just captured America, you know. Absolutely, everyone, I mean, and and rightfully so. I mean, I've been watching him his whole career and just loving the attitude, the the the the confidence, the size, the power, the you know, again, there's nothing that guy can't do, but just seeing him interacting, you know, in uh America and just you know, living it up and people just loving him. And um, what that's a great, great memory for me.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

Yeah, well, you you know, I have a memory about him now that you mention him, is him getting back to uh Norway and walking off the plane with the stuffed uh raccoon holding the whiskey bottle that he bought at some taxidermy place in Texas. I love it. I mean, I'll remember that this big, you know, Viking walking down holding this like stuffed squirrel holding a whiskey bottle. Right.

SPEAKER_00 33:55

That's pretty funny.

SPEAKER_01 33:56

Yeah. How about you, Tim? Any non-soccer memories?

SPEAKER_00 33:59

You know, it's funny you mention about the the Scots because um English fans, maybe it's the thing with the British Isles, did the same thing at a Braves game. So they went after they played the Congo, and they they like decided that Michael Harris, the third, was gonna be their player. So they're just sitting out there and they're chanting his name and they're doing all this stuff, and he loved it. He absolutely loved it. And the Braves, yeah, the Braves won the game 5-1, and they were just like, you know, after the game, they're like, you know, he's waving at them and stuff. It was like he it was like he won the World Cup. Um, and I also have to say, from a positive thing, I I loved watching all the games in Spanish. I watched almost every game on Telemundo. I didn't watch the Fox coverage because they did it a little more traditional, Lapete, right? They didn't do the commercials during the breaks, and but they're also really funny. I mean, you gotta say, honest can and the rest of them are hilarious. They're like, you know, it's Reyna has the ball, Reina's moving forward, reina loses the ball, you know, just like making fun of them, you know, and and they had um, you know, uh one time they showed a picture of Marshawn Lynch in the crowd in Seattle. Um, and they're and they're explaining the other guys are explaining to him, you know, like who this guy is. He has no idea who Marshawn Lynch is. And he's like, Esto es el Mundial! Why are we talking about this guy? It was just like I I love those guys because they just they just they know that it's entertainment, they know that it's not too serious, you know. Um and and they know the game completely, but um, it was really fun. Uh, you know, I learned to, you know, a little bit, but it was also just fun to fun to watch it that way. And um, I also, like I said, I went to a bunch of um uh you know things like after I was working in Dallas, I went to the watch party in the Discovery District where they have a screen that's like seven stories high, and we're watching it there, and it was just a lot of fun. It was a hundred degrees outside. Um, and we watched uh the end of Paraguay Germany. Oh, yeah. Right. So you know, and and it was a big upset, right? And uh it was just it was just wild seeing everybody react and you know having a lot of fun, you know. That was something I will remember, is those types of things.

SPEAKER_03 36:22

Tim, I saw a clip today during the game on like and they showed you know our version of what you know, like our broadcast, and on split screen they had the telemundo broadcast, and it was the same point in the game, same everything. You're watching two totally different games. You know, it was it was just like you wanted to party with them, you know.

SPEAKER_00 36:44

Oh, that it it's it's it's really great. And you know, although they don't have that in the World Cup because it's a little more serious, but when you watch Liga MX, it's hilarious because you know they'll do the game and then they'll like in the halftime, they'll have some pretty girl on. I they always have pretty girls on, it's like never inevitably, and then they also have some fat guy will tell a joke. They know that like you know, you want to watch it to have fun, you know. Refreshing, you know. Uh and then meanwhile, you go back to Iandor. I don't think Southampton's gonna make their transfer. Who cares if they make their transfer fee? Yeah, it's like so what? You know, so I I do I did enjoy that aspect of it. It was it was fun to do, and like I said, it was fun to just watch everybody and be together with some people having a good time. And we had we had like lunches and stuff, and you know, it was it was awesome.

SPEAKER_01 37:40

Well, it is sad that it is over that we we have to kind of I don't know what, you know, turn to baseball, turn to all our other sports, and wait for you know the beginning of the other leagues. So, guys, thank you so much for getting together on kind of you know kind of short notice. We we literally just finished watching this final and here we are talking. So uh I appreciate uh you guys being here. Thanks for the conversation. I'm gonna move on to the next segment of the show here, but good night to you two. All right. Now it's time for Dr. Rocco D'Rex. Dr. Rocco Directs. Now it's time for Dr. Rocco Directs. So my recommendation this week is don't let it all end. You know, the World Cup is over, and I know a lot of Americans think that soccer is something that is played every four years uh during the World Cup, and then like everyone gets, I don't know what, bubble wrapped or something, and they they come back four years later and play a bunch of games. And and that is not true. There are leagues all over the world, and if you had fun with this World Cup, pick a league, pick a team, do it. It's it's great. Soccer is great uh at the club level, and and the passion that you see at the national level, you know, a lot of the club games have that kind of passion too, and those games happen every week, you know, and so there are leagues in England, the Premier League is the favorite of many Americans, but you got the league in Mexico, the MLS, etc. etc. So that's my recommendation uh this week is don't let it all end. Pick a league, pick a team. After the Ivory Coast qualified for the World Cup, their captain Didier Drogba brought television cameras into the locker room, got on his knees, and pled with his fellow citizens to lay down their weapons and stop the civil war that had been going on for the prior three years. This action led, at least in part, to a ceasefire and eventual signing of a peace agreement. So don't ever underestimate the power of soccer or the power of sport. Well, that's it for today's show. Thank you all for joining me this evening. And until next time, so long. Thanks for listening to the Life and How to Live It podcast with Dr. Rocco. If you'd like to book a coaching session with me, simply visit the show notes and schedule a discovery call. And if today's episode encouraged you or added value to your life, please subscribe and leave a review. Remember, life is not a dress rehearsal. Until next time, so long.