May 6, 2026 • 48 mins
Tom Bogert and Tab Ramos break down the latest USMNT storylines as the FIFA World Cup approaches. Tab makes the case for why Diego Luna and Johnny Cardoso dereseve spots on Mauricio Pochettino’s roster, while also expressing why he is now concerned over Christian Pulisic’s recent struggles with AC Milan.
Tab then ranks his Top 5 individual USMNT World Cup performances since 1990 with a surprising No. 1 pick. Plus, the guys expand the conversation globally with a bonus list of the Top 5 individual performances from the rest of the world.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Usually when a comment comes from the president or the
board of a club saying how great the coach is,
you know you're a week away from getting fired, right,
That's how that works.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
So I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
About this compliment and the coach being so happy that
he doesn't think Polisic is doing so well that it
doesn't sound right to me.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
What's going on? Everybody? Welcome back inside American soccer. I'm
your host. US men's aational team is out of Tom
Boger and I'm joined by one of the greatest players
in you A soccer history, a veteran of three World Cups,
and my friend tab Ramos tab I'm in Washington, DC
right now, and I guess the area I'm staying in.
There's a lot of like consulates and whatever. I can't
tell you how many places. First of all, when you
(00:45):
see a flag, I'm just thinking about what World Cup
group are they in? And second of all, I think
I walked by like the Uzbekistan like embassy and it
was just like a big World Cup poster. The World
Cup fever is taking over the nation's capital.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
And that's I mean, we're in a great place to
be although DC is not hosting any games, right do
you see her Maryland? Unfortunately, but that is a great
place to be because you can start feeling it. I
also just got back from Atlanta doing some work there,
sort of promotional things for the World Cup. So I
got to go to Georgia Tech for the first time.
I had never been there, and there was an activation
(01:20):
for the World Cup there where everybody is super excited
about it. So, yeah, there's there's a lot going on now.
I think it's starting to pick up. And although I
know there's been a little bit of, at least from
my side, I've heard a little bit of complaining about Hey,
you know, I don't hear a lot about the World Cup.
I think it's coming and it's gonna come fast, and
it's gonna come.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
You know, it's going to be very big when it comes.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Did you get to see the new US Soccer facilities?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I did not. I did not get to see.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So holda, I need I need to cut you off
here because I'm just going to be anger in your behalf.
The US Soccer should have known that you were going
to be in the area and rolled out the red
carpet so that bothers me.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, well, I think the red carpet has been put away.
I think my red arpid was worn out a long
time ago, so I don't think that's happening.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
We've got a great show today. Listen. We are a
few weeks from Riso Pochatino officially naming his World Cup
squad and camp, beginning with a couple friendlies that start
at the end of this month in early June. Everything
is real. We are again within a month of those
games starting, so we're at the business end of the
season in Europe and the last couple games for MLS
teams before the World Cup breaks. So we're gonna talk
(02:27):
about the recent performances like Sogenio bet dest Is back
for PSV, Christian Polisik once again struggling for AC Milana,
Johnny Cardoso playing in a Champions League semi final. We'll
also have TAB ranking as top five USA men's individual
World Cup single game performances since nineteen ninety plus TAB
is gonna talk about the five best tournament performances for
(02:49):
other countries at the World Cup. I'm gonna assume that
there's gonna be no USA players on that top five,
but we'll see. So it'll be a good way to
get that World Cup fever going. But let's start with
the latest news and the latest going his arms around
the US national team and Johnny Cardoso. He started the
first leg against Arsenal in the Champions League at home
when they drew, and he was on the bench to
(03:10):
start against Arsenal like too, he came on for the
last thirty three minutes Atletic Co Madrid were unable to
get past Arsenal. Arsenal win that tie two to one.
One nothing on the day, but still we have an
American playing a serious, serious role in a Champions League
semi final.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Yeah, no question.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
And you know, Johnny didn't play over the weekend, which
gave us a little bit of a thought about, hey,
maybe they're saving him because he's going to start against
Arsenal and maybe who knows if that's a way for
Cholo to throw off our Teta a little bit right
on in the lineup because he's of course, these things
happened just like they happen in youth soccer. You know,
coaches try to outdo each other a little bit. Although
(03:49):
there's not a whole lot of secrets at that level, right,
because everybody knows everybody. I think what's important about this
is the way. So Johnny only played the thirty some minutes,
but that was a very difficult environment to get thrown into.
You know, I was just putting myself in his shoes
every time he received the ball.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, if you.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Were watching him, he had to run twenty twenty five
yards just to get into a spot where he could
potentially turn or just play a one touch ball. I
you know, I really like how quickly his brain is
working at this point, how good his feed are because
he didn't lose the ball in very difficult situations in
the middle of the fielding in an extremely fast game.
(04:32):
Because although you know, obviously when you watch Byron in
PSC is a little bit different than watching Athletico and
are so little because it's just but the game is hard.
There's no room for even a little bit of a
mistake because any mistake in Johnny Cardozo's area could turn
into a goal the opposite way. So very happy with
what I see from him and knowing that he's playing
(04:54):
in one of the absolute top teams in the world.
Hard for me to imagine a US team without Johnny
Cardozo in it to be honest at this point.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
So, I've been very impressed with Johnny for Atltico Madrid,
and that's been the theme of he looks so much
better in La Liga than he does with the national team,
and I've been struggling to like identify why. And one
of one theory that I have is, yes, Atltical Madrid,
it is a very difficult environment, particularly against Arsenal, and
(05:26):
what he's asked to do is not easy, but it's
more about preparation and like reaction rather than like, so
give you an example, So you talk about those quick
touches in tight spaces. He's really really good at that,
and I think that suits his game really well. Then,
like when he plays with the national team, sometimes he's
like asked to be the deep line playmaker and okay,
(05:48):
give you the ball at the top of our box
at to like start a possession, pick your head up,
think too much. That's like not his best role and
I think that might be why. And also with him
and Tyler Adams, like I think Johnny really good, Tyler
Adams is a better version of Johnny in that like
their strengths overlap, and Tyler's just a little bit better
at a lot of those things, so it's been a
(06:09):
little bit of a weird fit. I'm very very curious
to see because again I think it's he's a no
brainer to be on the roster. I'm very curious to
see him in those two friendlies because if he plays well,
you should probably be starting. But we we all talk,
we talk about this hypothetical because we haven't seen this
Johnny with the national team, and I'm struggling to explain
(06:31):
why and that that's the best kind of analysis I
can I can then give you.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Know, and this is a great point of discussion because
now we go back to why haven't we had like
a solid starting eleven for a while that we can
work on now, because because like you, like you said, okay,
you're so what you're saying, it's sort of the same
situation that that every fan is in and me too,
by the way, because we're all saying, okay, we hope
(06:56):
that he does well in these two games, but we
haven't had those combinations working together in the middle of
the field. Those combinations haven't made the mistakes that we
can correct. We haven't figured out that maybe, yeah, maybe
if Johnny and Tyler played together. Tyler needs to be
the one that comes to receive a little bit deeper,
and Johnny is a little bit more of the eight
(07:17):
out of the.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Two, right.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
So, but these are all things that you figure out
on the run as you put the team together. And
unfortunately we've seen that the team hasn't been put together yet,
so we're we're gonna have to wait till June and
find out. But I haven't said all of that. I mean,
he's playing at a huge club, big, big minutes, and
I just don't think we have another player that can
(07:38):
compare to that, because even if you said, okay, Juventus
is a bigger club than Athletico Madrid, of course everyone
has every right to say that, because they are, but
they're just not right now, a bigger club than Athletico Madrid.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
So so I just don't think we have a.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Player playing in a bigger club right now that plays
such an important role.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, and it's interesting that we're talking about like probably
I don't know if he can make the eleven just
because things are different. One little like quick thought with Johnny.
So he's a dual national with Brazil, and when he
was committing to the US, it was like yeah, yeah,
I mean, obviously he's never gonna play for Brazil. Like
that's just how you kind of look at it. I
(08:17):
think he would have a really good chance of making
the Brazil roster and like maybe getting playing Simont this
World Cup. It's just it's just kind of funny to
think about, Like a few years ago, it's like, okay, cool,
Like Brazil is not gonna be recruiting him, Like obviously,
if he wants to play, he should be playing for
the United States. And now he gets to the World Cup,
and like he would have a really good chance to
make it this Brazil roster, but elsewhere another dual national,
(08:38):
because that's the stage of this country. We are in
the globalization of everything. Serginio desk he picked us over
the Netherlands. He's back on the field for PSV. He
returned and they have two games left in their season,
so he'll have more chances to get minutes and get
a little bit fresh before the camp. He's obviously a
player that's going to be on this roster. The question
imediately becomes, as long as he looks mostly like himself
(09:01):
over the next few weeks, is he the starter at
that right wide.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Wolf I think that's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I think it's a matter of looking as at do
we have Sir Genio Desk at one hundred percent or
a ninety five percent, and then that's a spot. At
this point, you know, Waya has done a decent job
out there, although he didn't play this weekend because I
think because of cards, but he's been doing a good job.
And now you we have Freeman as well, so you know,
(09:29):
I'd like to see Desk be be the one plane
in that position, but remains to be seen how he
does over the next two three four weeks.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
I would agree, and I think that it's like his
to lose, but you never really know with his coaching
staff and this team, and again we're at the World Cup.
It's whoever's looking best, whoever's looking fit in form all
of that elsewhere in Europe. I just really quickly Tyler
Adams first start back from injury, which is big. He
went seventy minutes. Anthony Robinson first start in a month
(10:01):
for Fulham, so that's good. I always appreciate to see
that Chris Richards wasn't starting, but he did end up
coming in because of injuries. That is obviously because Crystal
Palace has the Conference League semifinal this week, so it
was a completely rotated team. The manager gave one of
my favorite quotes that I've seen this year. He was
kind of asked about it and he goes, it's kind
of like, you have your wedding next weekend, but this
(10:23):
weekend you have your friend's birthday party. I'm sorry, we're
just more excited for our wedding, which is just delighted.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
No, that's great, and it shows you the importance of
the player, right so, and how well he's doing, how
important he is to that club, and the great job
that he's done the whole season because he's had a really,
i think, a very consistent season for them. So no
questions there. I have to tell you, out of all
the players you just mentioned, I'm a little bit worried
about Anthony Robinson.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
He did play, like you said, that's a great thing.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
He's not the Robinson that we've seen for the last
five or six years.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
He's really not at that point. A little bit concern
about that.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I'm hoping that he gets the next couple of games
and that he gets his I just physically, I'm not
seeing that coverage that he had before. I'm not seeing
him comfortable getting up and down the field, just seeing
a different player at this point. I'm hoping getting a
couple more games under his belt will get him back
to what we're used to.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
I co sign all of that. Further up the field,
both Baligan and Peppe score again. They are on fire,
particularly Bowigan in France. He is getting closer to his
career best season. It's been awesome, particularly in the calendar
year of twenty twenty six. We've seen Pochettino at times
play with two forwards. Particularly last window, there was some
(11:44):
really good moments between Peppi and Azimunk on the field together.
I don't see that being more than like a situational
Heyward chasing a goal or something really specific. I don't
think that Pochettino will go with that, and if he does,
I think it's more likely that it's polistic as like
a second forward type of player. But the way that
(12:05):
these two are performing, you have to ask a question
on if, hey, could they seem more minutes together than
just Hey, it's the eighty fifth minute, we're chasing a game,
and you know, put them on together.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Yeah, it's a good point and I don't see that either.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I think that it will happen likely if we're chasing
the game last ten to fifteen minutes, it's likely that
we have the two forwards, because you have to think,
you know, how do you fix the rest of the
team if you have two forwards, So that means Pulisic
is not on the field, And if Polisic is, then
is mckinne not on the field?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
And I don't think you can afford that necessarily, So
I just I.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Don't think there's another way to sort of fix the
team to fit both of those guys.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
At the same time, I agree, and this isn't even
necessarily a knock on Polisic. So if you're defending them
in a four to four to two, he's a left
mid and I don't want him extending a ton of
energy in that spot. Plus I want him further up
the field for when we win the ball to transition.
So I just, while it could be nice in theory,
like it too many knock on effects for the players
(13:06):
around him, and particularly some of who we're expecting to
be the drivers of the performances for this group going
to MLS. Diego Luna scored free all Salt Lake, so
did Zavi r Gozo. The two of them were rampant
against the Portland Timbers. It was I don't know. That
team is so much fun to watch and the two
of them are performing super super well. And Luna I
(13:28):
think he appeared in like sixteen of eighteen games something
like that last year for the national team. He had
missed some time this year due to injury. He's clearly
got fired to try to make this World Cup roster.
I know that poach Tino trust him. If we're reading
into things too much, Diego Luna was involved in Fox
Soccer's World Cup commercial in the US Jersey, So maybe
(13:51):
I don't want to read too much into that, but
I think Diego Luna seems like he's in a pretty
good spot right now for the roster.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, and you have to read into all those things, right,
It's like when we were talking about roll Down doing
all of the going to the Super Bowl, Right, you
start to think.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Well, there's got to be a connection there.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You always think about that because it's rare that the
coach is not involved with these decisions when they come,
you know, so they usually consult with the coach and
say is it okay if this person does this, And
I'm not saying it happened, I'm saying that's how usually happens, right, So,
which is a good sign. And by the way, besides
all that, I think he deserves it. He's playing well.
(14:27):
He's in a good spot. I think for me, as
you saw my roster for me, I had, you know,
sort of Luna or Raina as potentially the last spot.
So could could Sindajas and Aaronson be included and you
know as three of the four you know, that's where
that's sort of where we are. But I think certainly
Luna is in good position to be on the team
(14:47):
and he deserves it.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
In the next few weeks, TAB and I will give
our official final roster projections before they are announced, So
look forward to that. Here inside American Soccer, a couple
more Simy and to Miles Robinson, both of which are
still not back. I don't I still think it's all minor.
But Tim Reeen was supposed to be back last weekend
and the weekend prior Miles Robinson. They he got stubbed
(15:10):
off and they said it was just a minute restriction
and neither of them were playing again. I think that
they'll be fine, but it's not ideal. And lastly, speaking
of not ideal, we've covered this, I think every week
the last few weeks. We don't have to go super
long on this. But once again Polistic struggling and still
does not have a goal in twenty twenty six, and
AC Milan are in a bit of a tailspin. The
(15:30):
manager Alegrie said quote talking about Polistic for the future,
these difficulties won't weigh when he's strong. He belongs to
Milan and players like him are hard to find. You
have to evaluate the whole picture, not just the season.
Recently he's lacked goals, but he's done well. This is
a better defense of Polistic from the manager than a
(15:51):
few weeks ago. He pretty much just said like he's
very sensitive. So I don't know if this was that
play there, but at least begrudgingly, he's getting the backing
of of his manager and again a very very bad
time for acing Milana. By the way, I'm not expecting
a likely to be the manager next year.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Yeah, you know, I'm not sure how to take that
compliment because you know it's usually and I mean the
latest compliment because it's usually and you've heard, you're and
you know about this more than I do. But usually
when a comment comes from the president or the board
of a club saying how great the coach is, you
(16:27):
know you're a week away from getting fired, right, That's
how that works.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
About this compliment and the coach being so happy that
he doesn't think Polisic is doing so well that it
doesn't sound right to me, you know. And by the way,
as you've known, because you've pushed me on this show
about this, I haven't been worried about Polisic because he
has been on the field, and I always feel like
it's the coach's job to see what he's doing through
(16:53):
the week and then and then according to that, he
puts him on the field, and sometimes you know, just
results aren't there or the goals contributions are there. But
now he's not on the field. I think I'm starting
to worry about this because I think maybe there's some
some other issues going on that we don't know about.
But definitely the coach coming forward and saying that everything
is great is not a good sign.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Having to be asked whether things aren't great. It's usually
indicative that there's some truth there. So that's the latest
around the current US national team. Let's look back. We're
gonna take a quick break, but up next, Tab is
gonna rank his top five US M and T single
game individual performances at the World Cup since nineteen ninety.
Please rate, review, and subscribe in South American Soccer with
Tom Bogert tab Rabbles wherever you get the podcast, Welcome back.
(17:49):
It's in South American Soccer again. We are getting so
very close to the World Cup kicking off and hopefully
we will see some historic type of performance. It'll see
some very very memorable ones for the US national team
this summer. So let's look back at some of the
iconic US national team performances at World Cups since nineteen ninety. Tab,
(18:09):
you have a top five? Kick it off?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I do, and I think you know, I may be
a little weighed on these by by just how I
remember the moments, right, and so maybe it's not so
much the full performance in a game, but those certain
moments that I think we remember because they're important to us,
and by the way, moments that are big for US
(18:31):
soccer and for the fans in US. As I always
do with lists. Whenever I put a list of five,
I always have to name six, and when I do
a list of ten, I always have to have twelve.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
So I'll just have his honor and broll mention to start.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Jermaine Jones performance against Portugal in twenty fourteen, and that
not just the goal against Portugal, but but just his
performance was you know, to be the player in a
game with so many great players on the field was
really an outstanding performance. So I'll say I'll just name
it as an honorable mention, but it's really.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Deserving of something a little bit bigger than that.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
But because of what I just said before about fans
and the way fans remember, I have other moments that
I think are more important.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
So I'll start number five.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I'll take I'll take Clint Mathis versus South Korea in
two thousand and two.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
And by the way, in that game, Brad.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Fried also saved the penalty, and brad friedel saying two
penalties in that in that two thousand and two World
Cup that sort of kept us going in the tournament.
So I will say Clint math Is two thousand and
two scored a great goal where O'Brien sends him a
bowl over by the way, a great goal over all
with the way that they connected, but O'Brien sends a
great bowl over the top. Math Is controls with the
(19:47):
right foot and finishes with the left foot.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Great finish, great game for him in one of the
old time best performances.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Oh, I'm glad that you've got something from O. Two.
I was curious kind of which which player, and I
think this is the right choice. If we were gonna
do top five worst performances, I think the referee against
Germany would be in there at that two thousand and
two Brooke Cup for missing the handball. But I get
like that was the particularly modern times at least like
best US national team finished at a World Cup, and
(20:16):
when we had more optimism for the twenty twenty six
World Cup a few years ago. This with this performance,
this team, this run was viewed as as the bar
that this group was gonna hopefully be able to clear.
We haven't had much talk about that given the latest
that was going around the team. But yeah, Clint Mathis
right of the show. That was a wonderful performance.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Number four, I'm gonna say Christian Polistic two twenty two
World Cups. So the past World Cup, we needed a
win against Iran to get us to the next round,
and I think fans will remember it this way too.
That was a that game was a great effort from
Polisic and although you can say that, you know, it's
not just about the plays that he made in that game.
(20:57):
It was about the effort and how in particular that goal.
We will remember how he just dove like headfirst into
that play where he could have suffered a serious injury
to get us that goal that eventually qualified as to
the second round. So I would say Christian Polistic twenty
twenty two, yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Bringing us back to that like that, that was the
peak I think of the last World Cup and just
the moments, the emotion and going into the game, like
World Cups always set up for like geopolitical side like
story lines, and there was an like Iranian journalists, I
don't know they weren't weren't Probably shouldn't say something dumb here,
(21:40):
but I don't know if I would use the term
journalists when talking about some of them because of the
way that it was just trying to parrot whatever came
from their own government. And before that game, Tyler Adams
was absolutely grilled in the media, including like I think
he said, I ran in an answer and he was
being it was a pretty eloquent answer, and like he
got caught off midway by Ron and like Tony, thank
(22:01):
you very much for correcting me, like I want to learn.
So going into that game, not just the on the
field pressure, but the off the field geopolitical everything else.
Like so for Polistic to step up in that moment
was something special.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
So number three, I have an iconic moment. I think
it's an iconic moment. I think it's more than just
whatever happened in that game. Landon Donovan's goal against Algeria
in twenty ten, I think I think everybody remembers that
moment as one of the great American moments because we
were actually I think Tim Howard made a save at
(22:34):
the other end, we almost lost the game. You know,
Algeria was attacking. God gave yes, they almost beat us,
and we go from a Tim Howard save to him
distributing the ball to us running one of the best
fast breaks. I haven't seen a fast break like that.
You're too young for this, But since the Denver, since
the Denver nuggets of the eighties. That was a great
(22:55):
fast break and an iconic moment with the players celebrating
in the corner, everybody, everybody jumping on top of each other.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
I actually can't think of a better moment than that one.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
And because of that, I'm gonna say Landon Donovan Algeria
in twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
I don't remember a single other moment from that game
at this point, because that is all you ever need
to know. I can the Ian Dark commentary. I still
can have it word for word, every every moment of
that play, what the camera cuts were, that was seried
in my brain. I think I was like fifteen at
that point, so it's particularly around the age where you
remember every moment of big, big sporting games. And yeah,
(23:34):
Landon Donovan obviously a legend for a billion reasons, but
that one might be the top of the list.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, and I'll go with number two.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
I'm gonna have to say moment that I think, you know,
most people will remember obviously because that wasn't it wasn't
so long ago, so it's more recent, you know, And
that would that would have to be Tim Howard's performance
against against Belgium and two thousand and fourteen World Cup.
(24:04):
You know, Tim had sixteen saves that game, basically stood
on his head that day to keep us in the game. Unfortunately,
we couldn't win the game in the end, but it's
certainly a performance that even caught you know, I think
the ear and the eye of the president at the time,
the whole country really got behind Tim Howard after that game.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Yeah, I think that there's strong arguments for this one
to be number one. He like speaking of iconic performances,
like not just from an American player, like that was
one of the best goalkey performances of any player at
a modern World Cup. Sixteen saves, it's still the World
Cup record, and we were close to stealing that, Like
(24:48):
the chance an extra time that felt to want a Lowski.
Who knows what could have happened, would have happened. That's
a player that buries that chance. Oh he made a
career off of it and leading scorer in MLS history.
So those fine moments the thing that have to kind
of come together, and how awesome and superhuman Tim Howard
had to be to even keep the team in the
game in that moment that was the game. Julian Green
(25:10):
scored is one goal.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Again, these are things that you can't predict, you can't
plan for, and just man like that tournament, that run,
that performance from Tim Howard is just iconic and unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
I agree with the way you frame that because I
had a tough time not making that one number one.
And the only reason I didn't make it number one
was because my number one is Tony Miola's performance against
Colombia nineteen ninety four. And I have to say that
not because obviously Tony is my friend, so is Tim,
by the way, it's more because of the significance of
(25:49):
that game and the impact that that game had on
really everything that's happened since. You know, Tony really stood
on his head in that game against a great Columbia
team that was one of the FAI riged to win
the World Cup.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
And we eliminated them in that game.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
But we would have never done that without Tony's performance
in that game.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah, I mean again, going being able to look back
and talking to you guys, talking to Tony. Obviously, Tony
would would never call it the best performance because you know,
you know uncle Tony how He'd be humble but well
and truly like stuff of legends, the stuff that again
all of the promotion for this World Cup, like how
many shots of you guys in like the starting eleven
(26:30):
with an and national anthem of Tony making a save
of the own goal from from Columbia and that win,
like it is the foundation that that a lot of
this is built on. I would have one one more
maybe to add, what about that same game a midfielder
named Tabramos. Is that anywhere within the discussion.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
No, yeah, I mean that was all right that game,
but uh but uh no, I you know, I think
you know. And here here's the thing. You know, we
talked about Lennon Donovan's goal being iconic. I think the
Columbia game is an iconic game, right if you took
it the whole history. And by the way, only because
we're talking from nineteen ninety till now, right, because it's hard.
(27:11):
Obviously none of us saw the nineteen fifty game against England, right,
we're us upset England.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
So I want to be respectful of that.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I want to be respectful of the nineteen thirty team
that made it to semi finals, although there was only
like eight teams in it.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
But you still want to be respectful of that.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
But I think in recent history this is an iconic game.
It's hard to remember another game that would be more
iconic than that one. Maybe US beating Spain and the
Confederations Cup, I think around twenty ten, right, that comes
up as like a big, big moment. But I think
that Columbia game nineteen ninety four is the one game
(27:49):
that everybody talks about.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
For sure, and even like I think that era in
twenty ten and around like the Confederation's Cup because I
believe that they took the lead of the FI I
know as well because this was like, oh my god,
like are we actually like have we finally arrived? So
like we can go into a games against Spain in
Brazil and feel like semi confident. Like again, at that time,
Spain went won the Euros, won the World Cup, won
(28:13):
the Euros, like that was one of the best teams
of all time. So but but that is all built
off the foundation I think from ninety ninety four that
kind of era, and like you said, giving the great
respect to the team's a long long time ago, particularly
that one in the nineteen fifties that that beat England.
Some other performances for me. I was trying to think, like,
what was the best Michael Bradley performance at a World
(28:35):
Cup because thinking about that era too weirdly, like the
Slovenia game that the United States drew, Like, I thought
he was incredible in that. I thought that was it
was a weird one. Obviously refereeing controversy, but like, I don't,
I don't. Michael Bradley was always so good. I thought
(28:55):
it's kind of hard to pick out what was his
best performance because of just how consistent and like he's
he's going to you know, the seven and a half
out of ten, not going to drop a lo seven,
but it's going to be rare that like he has
one of those big moments where again the landa Donovan
goal or a performance where a goalkeeper can be insane
just because of the nature of the position, his style
(29:16):
and his role within the team. So I don't know
if one comes off the top of your head for
a Michael Bradley performance, because he was just always reliable.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
You know, I would put along the same lines of
where you put Michael Bradley, I would put John hark
Or along. It's sort of that sort of that category
where like, maybe you can't we can't think of an
amazing John Hark's game, although he's had a lot of
good ones. It was kind of the same where like
you always got that consistency of somebody who delivered right.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
And Michael Bradley was that type of player who.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
You knew what you counted on, you knew when you
had your you put together your starting eleven. Regardless of
how you played. He was part of the starting eleven.
And I agree, totally agree, Michael was just consistent.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
App Before we we talked more about the wider World
Cup performances. I'm gonna make you uncomfortable and make you
stick into what I think your best World Cup performance
was that Columbia game. What do you remember from that day?
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Uh? Yeah, I mean it was, uh, you know, obviously
difficult game.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
This is why we talked about Tony and the significance
of the that that game being iconic for for our
really for our programmer, national team kids, in the future
of soccer in this country. All those things I do
remember in that game, sort of towards the end of
the game, taking trying to take the responsibility going all
over the field to get the ball so that I
would have it, so that I could get fouled.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
And that the time would go by.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
So I recall sort of feeling like, man, I I
have to do more, uh for us to be able
to win this game.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
So it was, uh, yeah, it was uh. It was
a good performance that day, and it was you know,
it was a great day for us.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
I'm I think that's poetic and perfect that you want
talking more about those moments than the assists, because like
the those you can tell when somebody's being a passenger
or somebody's kind of hiding, and in those the most
tense moments when the other team is pressing ferociously, you
can tell which guys are like I want the responsibility
(31:13):
give me the ball, versus maybe somebody's checking for the
ball but not quite as hard, maybe not really trying
to lose the defender. So tab, I think that shows
a winning mentality that you're talking about that more so
than the assist. So I think that goes to show
what we all know about you. But we'll see if
maybe a couple months from now, we'll be revisiting this
top five to see if there's any twenty twenty six participants.
(31:35):
I hope that we have a few to choose from.
But now we're gonna take one more quick break and
Tap is going to rank his top five individual tournament
performances of the wider Modern World Cup since nineteen ninety.
So stick around for that. Thank you for listening to
Inside American Soccer. Please rate, review, subscribe, we'll be right back.
(32:02):
Welcome back to Inside American Soccer and TAB. We're gonna
keep it up with the theme of ranking and as
we're getting closer to the World Cup. While we've been very,
very focused on the US men's national team because that's
what the show is, that's what we know you guys
want to be listening to, let's set the scene and
talk about some of the iconic performances at the World
Cup since nineteen ninety. And again, this is going to
(32:22):
be tournament overall performances from an individual rather than the
individual games like we were talking about with the national team.
So let's set it up TAB Top five.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Yeah, I mean, I think setting the scene is a
good way to a good way to say it, because
you know, we're just a little bit over a month
from the World Cup and you know it's getting exciting
and it's good to remember the moments because obviously the
World Cup is so much bigger than just our team.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
You know, it's been you know, it's been.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Going on for one hundred years and there's a lot
of history there. So we have to mention moments, you know,
as I always do with you know, I will have
my top five, but I think, you know, since the
top five is only considering nineteen ninety until today, I
think just mentioned a couple of things, you know, like
Maridona's nineteen eighty six run. How can you how can
(33:10):
that night be whole? That whole run is iconic?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Right, Pele.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
From nineteen fifty eight through nineteen seventy, he played in
four World Cups, won three of them.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Let's not forget.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
He might be four of the top five if we
went back and then Maratona.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Right, So we'd have to do a full show on
those guys alone.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Right, you know, Paulo Rossi in nineteen eighty two, and
how that Italy team eliminated so many teams. I'm getting
to the final, you know, but this is where I
started nineteen ninety. So my number five would be Luka
Modric in the twenty eighteen World Cup. He led the
Croatia into the semi final. I mean, you know, and
(33:51):
here's a player that has had so many incredible club moments.
He has had such consistency over the last fifteen in
eighteen years, playing at the top, top level, day in
and day out, always playing the same and in this
World Cup he kind of put that team a little
bit on his shoulders and let that team into semi finals.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
And by the way, I'm sorry to the final.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
And let's not forget, of course, this was the World
Cup of France, right, France had a great team.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
You know, Imbappe was just.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
A young kid at eighteen years old led his team
to win it. So you could potentially say and babe,
but I think for what I've seen him of Modrids,
and knowing that likely this summer is the last best
of Modrids that we'll see, I wanted to include him
on this list because he's deserving to be in a
list like this.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Modridge won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player
that year. I'm really happy that you have him on
this list. It is again we talk about at these tournaments.
It's moments, it's little things. They won the round of
sixteen and penalties. They won the quarterfinals and penalties, and
they won the semi final after extra time. Again, they
needed every single touch in every single pass that LUKEA
(35:06):
Modris delivered for that team.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
As number four, I'm gonna stay Diego four Lon twenty
ten World Cup from Uruguay. So that's the World Cup
that we all will remember as Spain having an amazing team.
As a matter of fact, that team was so good.
I've done a couple of appearances with.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Mata. He was representing Man United.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
I was representing Betty's about a year and a half
ago when they played each other in San Diego. So
we were together and I asked him specifically about that
Spain team twenty ten and he said, tab he goes,
that team. Just being in training with that team was incredible,
he goes. We were all coming from teams like Chelsea.
He was a Chelsea at the time. He goes, we
(35:51):
were all coming from big clubs, but we all realized
that being in our training sessions was so much.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
Harder than just playing for our clubs.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
So that the same team was truly special, and it's
hard to pick one player that kind of led the
way because they were all so good. But Diego Furlan
really put Uruguay's team on his shoulders. And if there
are other things that remember for that from that tournament,
I think it is Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball
that tournament. And not only that, I think we remember
Diego Fernan and we remember the Jabulani ball that could
(36:22):
oh yeah, and Diego Ferllan could really hit a ball
and took advantage of that. So on his way to
leading Uruguay and semifinals, scored five goals.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
I mean, and they were the team of the tournament.
That was a younger Luis Suarez as well, but again
Diego four Lan leading the way, oh man. Like, when
I think of the twenty ten World Cup, you think
of the Jabulani. You obviously think of the Spain team
and all of that, But you think of the Jabulani,
you think of Fourlan's hair and Evertress's goals, everything else,
(36:52):
those iconic light blue Uruguay kids. Oh man.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Like.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Again, like you said, he won the golden ball at
that tournament. While you were talking about I brought up
the Spain, the Spain starting eleven from the final, the
back line is Ramos pik PuO captain via midfield trio
of Chabi Alonzo, Sergio Busquetz and Chabi and attack three
of Iniesta, David Villa and Pedro. The players that came
(37:17):
off the bench with Cess Fabergas, Fernando Tors and Hayes's
not las. I can't believe that the Netherlands got them
the extra time, right, And I.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Mean that's what that's what you know. Manta was telling me.
He's like, you know, it's hard to just get on
the field and you couldn't you couldn't blame the coach
because everybody was great. So yeah, that that was one
of the best teams ever. I'd have to for myself,
if at some point we do team rankings, it's hard
to rank any team above that one. I'd have to
go back to the nineteen seventy Brazil team that you know,
(37:45):
apparently was incredible to won the final four to one
against I think it was Italy, but but yeah, incredible team.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
So I'll move on to number three.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Number three would be and since we made us we
you know, the idea was to go back to nineteen ninety,
using you know, recent history. I have to say Salvatory,
Toto Scilachi and the nineteen ninety World Cup. So he scored,
He scored in every game against except against US. So
(38:16):
so you know Italy. Italy went on to play all
seven games in that World Cup. He scored six goals,
but didn't score against the US and and sort of
let his team, you know, coming out of nowhere. He
sort of let led Italy all, you know, all the
way to making it to the semifinals and actually took
third place in that tournament. Let's not forget that's the
(38:36):
World Cup with Maradona that you know, Maradona makes it
to the final for a second time in a row.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
Yeah, total scolote. I didn't I didn't know much about
him until we spoke about him a while ago in
a previous episode. And yeah, that's that's invaluable to go
back and like just rediscover some of those performances and
some of these players, like you know, you knew most
of the big names from that tour, but that was
one that they kind of had escaped to me. So yeah,
(39:03):
for him and and for Digo Maridona getting back to
the final after eighty six, Like, yeah, there's not there's
not too much more to add there.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Just yeah, and then this goes to show this was
a player that even within Italy, if you had a
name like the top five or six players, he wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Have been one of them going into a tournament, you know.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
And so I I think it goes to show sort
of the impact that the World Cup can have for
a particular player. And this year, could that be I
don't know, Nico Paz, Could it be someone we're not
thinking about, you know that all of a sudden comes
in scores a couple of goals, and you know, and
and turns it turns the whole thing upside down. So
at number two, I'm gonna have to go with Ronaldo.
(39:43):
That's Brazilian Ronaldo. This was the best sort of Joga
Bonito era where we all thought Brazil was just the
coolest team in the world and everyone had a bill
jersey and and if you recall back that far, it
was all the commercials with the Brazilians and the airport
juggling the ball and like all these things are going on,
(40:05):
and it was really exciting times for soccer. That was
the team that had Ronaldinho in it too, you know,
and that was just that was just an incredible, uh
Brazilian team, and and and you know Ronaldo's performance, if
you recall, he was injured going into that World Cups, so.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
We didn't even that's why he did that night.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
So we didn't even know if he was gonna play.
And then all of a sudden, he scores eight goals
in this tournament. And and you know, and let's not
forget that Oliver Kahan won the Golden Ball in this tournament.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
By leading I think he led.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
He led Germany into the final, but he was really
standing on his head on his.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Way on his way into it.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
But but Ronaldo, you know, I think a great tournament
and one to uh definitely not forget.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Yeah, I think I have I have a guess at
what number one is. But before the last tournament, this
was like the gold standard of individual performances, and and
so he had those photo was of Ronaldo with just
the little hair island at the top of his head
and not anywhere else. Genuinely, that was because he was
coming into the tournament with the knee injury and he
(41:08):
didn't want anybody to ask him about it, so he
was like, what can I do to distract? And so
that's why he did the haircut, which is just adds
to the lore. You said, Oliver kan wins the Golden
Ball instead of Ronaldo. Ronaldo scores two goals in the
final against the Golden Ball winning goalkeeper. Brazil wins. Which
we talk about iconic teams, just a front three of
Ronaldiniel Rivaldo and Ronaldo, wing backs Cofu and Roberto Carlos.
(41:33):
Like man, that that that that era of Brazil again,
the the Ronaldo feminine Femino, the R nine, all of that,
Like that was some of the stuff that of lore.
Like that was the first like Brazil teams that I
knew and then you learned about Pele and everything because
I was probably seven at this tournament. But those guys
are just mythical creatures just for what they could do
(41:54):
with it.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's likely that no team
has had such an effect on sport because I'm sure
that Brazil team made soccer and created so many more
fans just by the way they play, how fun they were,
and how those guys always had a smile in their face.
Let's face it, those guys were always you think of
the Brazilian that Brazilian team and think of any of
(42:17):
those players that you mentioned. It's hard to think of
any one of them without a smile on their face.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
That's just always what you're thinking, right, And so yeah,
that was a great team. So and that leads me
to number one. And number one, I'm gonna.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Have to say that would have to be you know,
Messi's performance in the twenty twenty two World Cup in
katark because how I mean, you know, and by the way,
just just you know, and I'm sure you were there
and just as you were, and you get inside information
on teams as I was working for TV at the time.
I was working for Telemundo and Guitar, and you get
(42:51):
inside information. This was an Argentina team that within the
Argentinian circles, they didn't really believe in this team. I
recall in the first round, people thinking, wow, this team
is just like it's going nowhere. They thought nothing of
this team until the bulls started rolling a little bit
more and Messi started taking over games. And it was
(43:13):
not easy for Argentina to win this tournament. Had it
not been for Messi, they would have been nowhere near
that final even and for Messi to lead, you know,
this team was really an incredible, incredible performance. And by
the way, by doing that, he won the Golden Ball
and he was the first player to win it twice
(43:34):
and so and I think, well, deserving to be at
number one.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
This list, I would agree. And if you go back
to that tournament, Argentina's opening game against Saudi Arabia, they lost.
They end up winning the group anyway by beating Mexico
and Poland in the next two games. But like they
lost their first game to Saudi Arabia, and yeah, it
wasn't not a lot of people were believing them at
(43:58):
that point. They get to the knockout and I rout
that game, he just goes super human.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
Actually we went to that game as not not exactly
what you're hoping I imagine.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
Yeah, yeah, Like, so again he didn't he won the
Golden Balls the best player, he didn't win the Golden Boot,
killing him. Bape had eight goals and maybe the way
that we'd be talking like this game goes to extra
time to penalties and and there were trying to think
of the timeline. Kolu Mawani had a chance right at
(44:30):
the end of extra time, a one on one, an
insane save by Deebu Martinez and again then they go
to penalties. Messi scored his and Pope scored his and
then after that we were talking about two of the
best individual performances. We're talking about legacies. We're talking about
this France gonna go back to back his Messi get
his his first World Cup and elevates him too, and
even you know, he was already a god in Argentina,
in to the soccer world, but like the Golden God,
(44:52):
I don't even know how much higher you can go.
And this comes like a kick save by Deevo Martinez
and then two France penalties not going in, and we're
talking about this Argentina team. Yeah, like that that run
through the knockout rounds by Messi, like it was to
a point where you'd you'd believe anything that anybody told you, like, hey,
(45:12):
you like they rolled him a goal kick and then
he dribbled from there and scored. Good. Did you see that?
Like people I'd be like, oh, yeah, that sounds right,
like I missed that highlight. Let me go find it.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
And hopefully, you know, hopefully all these things and ending
it on that twenty twenty two final and gets us
all into the spirit of this World Cup coming up,
because we're only a month away from who knows how
many more iconic moments we'll.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
See, right and and oh man being here just really quickly.
It's a couple like you didn't have any performances, like
obviously there's there's only top five, so there's only a
finite amount of space. But nineteen ninety four, like Ro
Mario won the Golden Ball Stroycough Baggio, but Bajo had
the bad moment end. But those are a couple a
(45:54):
couple individual performances. Oh six in Germany, there's the Don
but there's that Italian team Fabio Karro. Those would probably
be kind of my shouts from that tournament. But I
think that your top five is IRONCLADU. I wouldn't I
wouldn't take anything off.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Yeah, I mean it certainly not easy to pick, right,
But I did skip a couple a couple of World
Cups that I thought didn't have sort of the impact
that these moments had, you know, nineteen ninety eight.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
I didn't pick anything from nineteen ninety eight either. I
think ninety four, ninety eight, two.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
Thousand and six, So there was a couple of World
cups that I thought just these moments from nineteen ninety
till now.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
If I had to pick five, I just decided to
go with these.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
We'll have to revisit this list after the tournament as well.
I'm looking forward to it. There is for all the
correct criticism and disappointment to come from FIFA and the
things around the tournament, the way fans are being extorted,
the way that at every turn the FIFA president could
(46:55):
not be more tone deaf, including he tried to get
the officials from the Israel Palestinian federations to take a
picture together, which is I don't know what bubble this
guy's living in. All of the negative things that again
fairly criticize, we should be giving them crowd for Nope, Nope,
despite FIFA, despite all of the missteps, the tournament is
(47:16):
going to get here and it's gonna be a thing
of beauty. And I hope to be learning in many,
many years about stories that the next generation will be
telling about that twenty twenty six World Couples that was
the first one I got to go to a game.
All of that, We're almost here and I can't wait
to have it.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
Yeah, and by the way, you got to mention FIFA
quite a few times for free.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
So that's a good thing, right. I think we can
mention it for free. That's how that works, right, at
least for now. At least for now, we can save
FIFA for free. So let's enjoy.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
That all right. On that note, thank you so much
everybody for listening to Inside American soccert Please rate, review,
and subscribe wherever gets your podcast tapped. We'll be back
next week. We can't wait.
Usually when a comment comes from the president or the
board of a club saying how great the coach is,
you know you're a week away from getting fired, right,
That's how that works.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
So I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
About this compliment and the coach being so happy that
he doesn't think Polisic is doing so well that it
doesn't sound right to me.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
What's going on? Everybody? Welcome back inside American soccer. I'm
your host. US men's aational team is out of Tom
Boger and I'm joined by one of the greatest players
in you A soccer history, a veteran of three World Cups,
and my friend tab Ramos tab I'm in Washington, DC
right now, and I guess the area I'm staying in.
There's a lot of like consulates and whatever. I can't
tell you how many places. First of all, when you
(00:45):
see a flag, I'm just thinking about what World Cup
group are they in? And second of all, I think
I walked by like the Uzbekistan like embassy and it
was just like a big World Cup poster. The World
Cup fever is taking over the nation's capital.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
And that's I mean, we're in a great place to
be although DC is not hosting any games, right do
you see her Maryland? Unfortunately, but that is a great
place to be because you can start feeling it. I
also just got back from Atlanta doing some work there,
sort of promotional things for the World Cup. So I
got to go to Georgia Tech for the first time.
I had never been there, and there was an activation
(01:20):
for the World Cup there where everybody is super excited
about it. So, yeah, there's there's a lot going on now.
I think it's starting to pick up. And although I
know there's been a little bit of, at least from
my side, I've heard a little bit of complaining about Hey,
you know, I don't hear a lot about the World Cup.
I think it's coming and it's gonna come fast, and
it's gonna come.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
You know, it's going to be very big when it comes.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Did you get to see the new US Soccer facilities?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I did not. I did not get to see.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So holda, I need I need to cut you off
here because I'm just going to be anger in your behalf.
The US Soccer should have known that you were going
to be in the area and rolled out the red
carpet so that bothers me.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, well, I think the red carpet has been put away.
I think my red arpid was worn out a long
time ago, so I don't think that's happening.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
We've got a great show today. Listen. We are a
few weeks from Riso Pochatino officially naming his World Cup
squad and camp, beginning with a couple friendlies that start
at the end of this month in early June. Everything
is real. We are again within a month of those
games starting, so we're at the business end of the
season in Europe and the last couple games for MLS
teams before the World Cup breaks. So we're gonna talk
(02:27):
about the recent performances like Sogenio bet dest Is back
for PSV, Christian Polisik once again struggling for AC Milana,
Johnny Cardoso playing in a Champions League semi final. We'll
also have TAB ranking as top five USA men's individual
World Cup single game performances since nineteen ninety plus TAB
is gonna talk about the five best tournament performances for
(02:49):
other countries at the World Cup. I'm gonna assume that
there's gonna be no USA players on that top five,
but we'll see. So it'll be a good way to
get that World Cup fever going. But let's start with
the latest news and the latest going his arms around
the US national team and Johnny Cardoso. He started the
first leg against Arsenal in the Champions League at home
when they drew, and he was on the bench to
(03:10):
start against Arsenal like too, he came on for the
last thirty three minutes Atletic Co Madrid were unable to
get past Arsenal. Arsenal win that tie two to one.
One nothing on the day, but still we have an
American playing a serious, serious role in a Champions League
semi final.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Yeah, no question.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
And you know, Johnny didn't play over the weekend, which
gave us a little bit of a thought about, hey,
maybe they're saving him because he's going to start against
Arsenal and maybe who knows if that's a way for
Cholo to throw off our Teta a little bit right
on in the lineup because he's of course, these things
happened just like they happen in youth soccer. You know,
coaches try to outdo each other a little bit. Although
(03:49):
there's not a whole lot of secrets at that level, right,
because everybody knows everybody. I think what's important about this
is the way. So Johnny only played the thirty some minutes,
but that was a very difficult environment to get thrown into.
You know, I was just putting myself in his shoes
every time he received the ball.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, if you.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Were watching him, he had to run twenty twenty five
yards just to get into a spot where he could
potentially turn or just play a one touch ball. I
you know, I really like how quickly his brain is
working at this point, how good his feed are because
he didn't lose the ball in very difficult situations in
the middle of the fielding in an extremely fast game.
(04:32):
Because although you know, obviously when you watch Byron in
PSC is a little bit different than watching Athletico and
are so little because it's just but the game is hard.
There's no room for even a little bit of a
mistake because any mistake in Johnny Cardozo's area could turn
into a goal the opposite way. So very happy with
what I see from him and knowing that he's playing
(04:54):
in one of the absolute top teams in the world.
Hard for me to imagine a US team without Johnny
Cardozo in it to be honest at this point.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
So, I've been very impressed with Johnny for Atltico Madrid,
and that's been the theme of he looks so much
better in La Liga than he does with the national team,
and I've been struggling to like identify why. And one
of one theory that I have is, yes, Atltical Madrid,
it is a very difficult environment, particularly against Arsenal, and
(05:26):
what he's asked to do is not easy, but it's
more about preparation and like reaction rather than like, so
give you an example, So you talk about those quick
touches in tight spaces. He's really really good at that,
and I think that suits his game really well. Then,
like when he plays with the national team, sometimes he's
like asked to be the deep line playmaker and okay,
(05:48):
give you the ball at the top of our box
at to like start a possession, pick your head up,
think too much. That's like not his best role and
I think that might be why. And also with him
and Tyler Adams, like I think Johnny really good, Tyler
Adams is a better version of Johnny in that like
their strengths overlap, and Tyler's just a little bit better
at a lot of those things, so it's been a
(06:09):
little bit of a weird fit. I'm very very curious
to see because again I think it's he's a no
brainer to be on the roster. I'm very curious to
see him in those two friendlies because if he plays well,
you should probably be starting. But we we all talk,
we talk about this hypothetical because we haven't seen this
Johnny with the national team, and I'm struggling to explain
(06:31):
why and that that's the best kind of analysis I
can I can then give you.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Know, and this is a great point of discussion because
now we go back to why haven't we had like
a solid starting eleven for a while that we can
work on now, because because like you, like you said, okay,
you're so what you're saying, it's sort of the same
situation that that every fan is in and me too,
by the way, because we're all saying, okay, we hope
(06:56):
that he does well in these two games, but we
haven't had those combinations working together in the middle of
the field. Those combinations haven't made the mistakes that we
can correct. We haven't figured out that maybe, yeah, maybe
if Johnny and Tyler played together. Tyler needs to be
the one that comes to receive a little bit deeper,
and Johnny is a little bit more of the eight
(07:17):
out of the.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Two, right.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
So, but these are all things that you figure out
on the run as you put the team together. And
unfortunately we've seen that the team hasn't been put together yet,
so we're we're gonna have to wait till June and
find out. But I haven't said all of that. I mean,
he's playing at a huge club, big, big minutes, and
I just don't think we have another player that can
(07:38):
compare to that, because even if you said, okay, Juventus
is a bigger club than Athletico Madrid, of course everyone
has every right to say that, because they are, but
they're just not right now, a bigger club than Athletico Madrid.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
So so I just don't think we have a.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Player playing in a bigger club right now that plays
such an important role.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, and it's interesting that we're talking about like probably
I don't know if he can make the eleven just
because things are different. One little like quick thought with Johnny.
So he's a dual national with Brazil, and when he
was committing to the US, it was like yeah, yeah,
I mean, obviously he's never gonna play for Brazil. Like
that's just how you kind of look at it. I
(08:17):
think he would have a really good chance of making
the Brazil roster and like maybe getting playing Simont this
World Cup. It's just it's just kind of funny to
think about, Like a few years ago, it's like, okay, cool,
Like Brazil is not gonna be recruiting him, Like obviously,
if he wants to play, he should be playing for
the United States. And now he gets to the World Cup,
and like he would have a really good chance to
make it this Brazil roster, but elsewhere another dual national,
(08:38):
because that's the stage of this country. We are in
the globalization of everything. Serginio desk he picked us over
the Netherlands. He's back on the field for PSV. He
returned and they have two games left in their season,
so he'll have more chances to get minutes and get
a little bit fresh before the camp. He's obviously a
player that's going to be on this roster. The question
imediately becomes, as long as he looks mostly like himself
(09:01):
over the next few weeks, is he the starter at
that right wide.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Wolf I think that's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I think it's a matter of looking as at do
we have Sir Genio Desk at one hundred percent or
a ninety five percent, and then that's a spot. At
this point, you know, Waya has done a decent job
out there, although he didn't play this weekend because I
think because of cards, but he's been doing a good job.
And now you we have Freeman as well, so you know,
(09:29):
I'd like to see Desk be be the one plane
in that position, but remains to be seen how he
does over the next two three four weeks.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
I would agree, and I think that it's like his
to lose, but you never really know with his coaching
staff and this team, and again we're at the World Cup.
It's whoever's looking best, whoever's looking fit in form all
of that elsewhere in Europe. I just really quickly Tyler
Adams first start back from injury, which is big. He
went seventy minutes. Anthony Robinson first start in a month
(10:01):
for Fulham, so that's good. I always appreciate to see
that Chris Richards wasn't starting, but he did end up
coming in because of injuries. That is obviously because Crystal
Palace has the Conference League semifinal this week, so it
was a completely rotated team. The manager gave one of
my favorite quotes that I've seen this year. He was
kind of asked about it and he goes, it's kind
of like, you have your wedding next weekend, but this
(10:23):
weekend you have your friend's birthday party. I'm sorry, we're
just more excited for our wedding, which is just delighted.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
No, that's great, and it shows you the importance of
the player, right so, and how well he's doing, how
important he is to that club, and the great job
that he's done the whole season because he's had a really,
i think, a very consistent season for them. So no
questions there. I have to tell you, out of all
the players you just mentioned, I'm a little bit worried
about Anthony Robinson.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
He did play, like you said, that's a great thing.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
He's not the Robinson that we've seen for the last
five or six years.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
He's really not at that point. A little bit concern
about that.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I'm hoping that he gets the next couple of games
and that he gets his I just physically, I'm not
seeing that coverage that he had before. I'm not seeing
him comfortable getting up and down the field, just seeing
a different player at this point. I'm hoping getting a
couple more games under his belt will get him back
to what we're used to.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
I co sign all of that. Further up the field,
both Baligan and Peppe score again. They are on fire,
particularly Bowigan in France. He is getting closer to his
career best season. It's been awesome, particularly in the calendar
year of twenty twenty six. We've seen Pochettino at times
play with two forwards. Particularly last window, there was some
(11:44):
really good moments between Peppi and Azimunk on the field together.
I don't see that being more than like a situational
Heyward chasing a goal or something really specific. I don't
think that Pochettino will go with that, and if he does,
I think it's more likely that it's polistic as like
a second forward type of player. But the way that
(12:05):
these two are performing, you have to ask a question
on if, hey, could they seem more minutes together than
just Hey, it's the eighty fifth minute, we're chasing a game,
and you know, put them on together.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Yeah, it's a good point and I don't see that either.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I think that it will happen likely if we're chasing
the game last ten to fifteen minutes, it's likely that
we have the two forwards, because you have to think,
you know, how do you fix the rest of the
team if you have two forwards, So that means Pulisic
is not on the field, And if Polisic is, then
is mckinne not on the field?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
And I don't think you can afford that necessarily, So
I just I.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Don't think there's another way to sort of fix the
team to fit both of those guys.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
At the same time, I agree, and this isn't even
necessarily a knock on Polisic. So if you're defending them
in a four to four to two, he's a left
mid and I don't want him extending a ton of
energy in that spot. Plus I want him further up
the field for when we win the ball to transition.
So I just, while it could be nice in theory,
like it too many knock on effects for the players
(13:06):
around him, and particularly some of who we're expecting to
be the drivers of the performances for this group going
to MLS. Diego Luna scored free all Salt Lake, so
did Zavi r Gozo. The two of them were rampant
against the Portland Timbers. It was I don't know. That
team is so much fun to watch and the two
of them are performing super super well. And Luna I
(13:28):
think he appeared in like sixteen of eighteen games something
like that last year for the national team. He had
missed some time this year due to injury. He's clearly
got fired to try to make this World Cup roster.
I know that poach Tino trust him. If we're reading
into things too much, Diego Luna was involved in Fox
Soccer's World Cup commercial in the US Jersey, So maybe
(13:51):
I don't want to read too much into that, but
I think Diego Luna seems like he's in a pretty
good spot right now for the roster.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, and you have to read into all those things, right,
It's like when we were talking about roll Down doing
all of the going to the Super Bowl, Right, you
start to think.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Well, there's got to be a connection there.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You always think about that because it's rare that the
coach is not involved with these decisions when they come,
you know, so they usually consult with the coach and
say is it okay if this person does this, And
I'm not saying it happened, I'm saying that's how usually happens, right, So,
which is a good sign. And by the way, besides
all that, I think he deserves it. He's playing well.
(14:27):
He's in a good spot. I think for me, as
you saw my roster for me, I had, you know,
sort of Luna or Raina as potentially the last spot.
So could could Sindajas and Aaronson be included and you
know as three of the four you know, that's where
that's sort of where we are. But I think certainly
Luna is in good position to be on the team
(14:47):
and he deserves it.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
In the next few weeks, TAB and I will give
our official final roster projections before they are announced, So
look forward to that. Here inside American Soccer, a couple
more Simy and to Miles Robinson, both of which are
still not back. I don't I still think it's all minor.
But Tim Reeen was supposed to be back last weekend
and the weekend prior Miles Robinson. They he got stubbed
(15:10):
off and they said it was just a minute restriction
and neither of them were playing again. I think that
they'll be fine, but it's not ideal. And lastly, speaking
of not ideal, we've covered this, I think every week
the last few weeks. We don't have to go super
long on this. But once again Polistic struggling and still
does not have a goal in twenty twenty six, and
AC Milan are in a bit of a tailspin. The
(15:30):
manager Alegrie said quote talking about Polistic for the future,
these difficulties won't weigh when he's strong. He belongs to
Milan and players like him are hard to find. You
have to evaluate the whole picture, not just the season.
Recently he's lacked goals, but he's done well. This is
a better defense of Polistic from the manager than a
(15:51):
few weeks ago. He pretty much just said like he's
very sensitive. So I don't know if this was that
play there, but at least begrudgingly, he's getting the backing
of of his manager and again a very very bad
time for acing Milana. By the way, I'm not expecting
a likely to be the manager next year.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Yeah, you know, I'm not sure how to take that
compliment because you know it's usually and I mean the
latest compliment because it's usually and you've heard, you're and
you know about this more than I do. But usually
when a comment comes from the president or the board
of a club saying how great the coach is, you
(16:27):
know you're a week away from getting fired, right, That's
how that works.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
About this compliment and the coach being so happy that
he doesn't think Polisic is doing so well that it
doesn't sound right to me, you know. And by the way,
as you've known, because you've pushed me on this show
about this, I haven't been worried about Polisic because he
has been on the field, and I always feel like
it's the coach's job to see what he's doing through
(16:53):
the week and then and then according to that, he
puts him on the field, and sometimes you know, just
results aren't there or the goals contributions are there. But
now he's not on the field. I think I'm starting
to worry about this because I think maybe there's some
some other issues going on that we don't know about.
But definitely the coach coming forward and saying that everything
is great is not a good sign.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Having to be asked whether things aren't great. It's usually
indicative that there's some truth there. So that's the latest
around the current US national team. Let's look back. We're
gonna take a quick break, but up next, Tab is
gonna rank his top five US M and T single
game individual performances at the World Cup since nineteen ninety.
Please rate, review, and subscribe in South American Soccer with
Tom Bogert tab Rabbles wherever you get the podcast, Welcome back.
(17:49):
It's in South American Soccer again. We are getting so
very close to the World Cup kicking off and hopefully
we will see some historic type of performance. It'll see
some very very memorable ones for the US national team
this summer. So let's look back at some of the
iconic US national team performances at World Cups since nineteen ninety. Tab,
(18:09):
you have a top five? Kick it off?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I do, and I think you know, I may be
a little weighed on these by by just how I
remember the moments, right, and so maybe it's not so
much the full performance in a game, but those certain
moments that I think we remember because they're important to us,
and by the way, moments that are big for US
(18:31):
soccer and for the fans in US. As I always
do with lists. Whenever I put a list of five,
I always have to name six, and when I do
a list of ten, I always have to have twelve.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
So I'll just have his honor and broll mention to start.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Jermaine Jones performance against Portugal in twenty fourteen, and that
not just the goal against Portugal, but but just his
performance was you know, to be the player in a
game with so many great players on the field was
really an outstanding performance. So I'll say I'll just name
it as an honorable mention, but it's really.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Deserving of something a little bit bigger than that.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
But because of what I just said before about fans
and the way fans remember, I have other moments that
I think are more important.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
So I'll start number five.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I'll take I'll take Clint Mathis versus South Korea in
two thousand and two.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
And by the way, in that game, Brad.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Fried also saved the penalty, and brad friedel saying two
penalties in that in that two thousand and two World
Cup that sort of kept us going in the tournament.
So I will say Clint math Is two thousand and
two scored a great goal where O'Brien sends him a
bowl over by the way, a great goal over all
with the way that they connected, but O'Brien sends a
great bowl over the top. Math Is controls with the
(19:47):
right foot and finishes with the left foot.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Great finish, great game for him in one of the
old time best performances.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Oh, I'm glad that you've got something from O. Two.
I was curious kind of which which player, and I
think this is the right choice. If we were gonna
do top five worst performances, I think the referee against
Germany would be in there at that two thousand and
two Brooke Cup for missing the handball. But I get
like that was the particularly modern times at least like
best US national team finished at a World Cup, and
(20:16):
when we had more optimism for the twenty twenty six
World Cup a few years ago. This with this performance,
this team, this run was viewed as as the bar
that this group was gonna hopefully be able to clear.
We haven't had much talk about that given the latest
that was going around the team. But yeah, Clint Mathis
right of the show. That was a wonderful performance.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Number four, I'm gonna say Christian Polistic two twenty two
World Cups. So the past World Cup, we needed a
win against Iran to get us to the next round,
and I think fans will remember it this way too.
That was a that game was a great effort from
Polisic and although you can say that, you know, it's
not just about the plays that he made in that game.
(20:57):
It was about the effort and how in particular that goal.
We will remember how he just dove like headfirst into
that play where he could have suffered a serious injury
to get us that goal that eventually qualified as to
the second round. So I would say Christian Polistic twenty
twenty two, yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Bringing us back to that like that, that was the
peak I think of the last World Cup and just
the moments, the emotion and going into the game, like
World Cups always set up for like geopolitical side like
story lines, and there was an like Iranian journalists, I
don't know they weren't weren't Probably shouldn't say something dumb here,
(21:40):
but I don't know if I would use the term
journalists when talking about some of them because of the
way that it was just trying to parrot whatever came
from their own government. And before that game, Tyler Adams
was absolutely grilled in the media, including like I think
he said, I ran in an answer and he was
being it was a pretty eloquent answer, and like he
got caught off midway by Ron and like Tony, thank
(22:01):
you very much for correcting me, like I want to learn.
So going into that game, not just the on the
field pressure, but the off the field geopolitical everything else.
Like so for Polistic to step up in that moment
was something special.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
So number three, I have an iconic moment. I think
it's an iconic moment. I think it's more than just
whatever happened in that game. Landon Donovan's goal against Algeria
in twenty ten, I think I think everybody remembers that
moment as one of the great American moments because we
were actually I think Tim Howard made a save at
(22:34):
the other end, we almost lost the game. You know,
Algeria was attacking. God gave yes, they almost beat us,
and we go from a Tim Howard save to him
distributing the ball to us running one of the best
fast breaks. I haven't seen a fast break like that.
You're too young for this, But since the Denver, since
the Denver nuggets of the eighties. That was a great
(22:55):
fast break and an iconic moment with the players celebrating
in the corner, everybody, everybody jumping on top of each other.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
I actually can't think of a better moment than that one.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
And because of that, I'm gonna say Landon Donovan Algeria
in twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
I don't remember a single other moment from that game
at this point, because that is all you ever need
to know. I can the Ian Dark commentary. I still
can have it word for word, every every moment of
that play, what the camera cuts were, that was seried
in my brain. I think I was like fifteen at
that point, so it's particularly around the age where you
remember every moment of big, big sporting games. And yeah,
(23:34):
Landon Donovan obviously a legend for a billion reasons, but
that one might be the top of the list.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, and I'll go with number two.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
I'm gonna have to say moment that I think, you know,
most people will remember obviously because that wasn't it wasn't
so long ago, so it's more recent, you know, And
that would that would have to be Tim Howard's performance
against against Belgium and two thousand and fourteen World Cup.
(24:04):
You know, Tim had sixteen saves that game, basically stood
on his head that day to keep us in the game. Unfortunately,
we couldn't win the game in the end, but it's
certainly a performance that even caught you know, I think
the ear and the eye of the president at the time,
the whole country really got behind Tim Howard after that game.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Yeah, I think that there's strong arguments for this one
to be number one. He like speaking of iconic performances,
like not just from an American player, like that was
one of the best goalkey performances of any player at
a modern World Cup. Sixteen saves, it's still the World
Cup record, and we were close to stealing that, Like
(24:48):
the chance an extra time that felt to want a Lowski.
Who knows what could have happened, would have happened. That's
a player that buries that chance. Oh he made a
career off of it and leading scorer in MLS history.
So those fine moments the thing that have to kind
of come together, and how awesome and superhuman Tim Howard
had to be to even keep the team in the
game in that moment that was the game. Julian Green
(25:10):
scored is one goal.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Again, these are things that you can't predict, you can't
plan for, and just man like that tournament, that run,
that performance from Tim Howard is just iconic and unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
I agree with the way you frame that because I
had a tough time not making that one number one.
And the only reason I didn't make it number one
was because my number one is Tony Miola's performance against
Colombia nineteen ninety four. And I have to say that
not because obviously Tony is my friend, so is Tim,
by the way, it's more because of the significance of
(25:49):
that game and the impact that that game had on
really everything that's happened since. You know, Tony really stood
on his head in that game against a great Columbia
team that was one of the FAI riged to win
the World Cup.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
And we eliminated them in that game.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
But we would have never done that without Tony's performance
in that game.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah, I mean again, going being able to look back
and talking to you guys, talking to Tony. Obviously, Tony
would would never call it the best performance because you know,
you know uncle Tony how He'd be humble but well
and truly like stuff of legends, the stuff that again
all of the promotion for this World Cup, like how
many shots of you guys in like the starting eleven
(26:30):
with an and national anthem of Tony making a save
of the own goal from from Columbia and that win,
like it is the foundation that that a lot of
this is built on. I would have one one more
maybe to add, what about that same game a midfielder
named Tabramos. Is that anywhere within the discussion.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
No, yeah, I mean that was all right that game,
but uh but uh no, I you know, I think
you know. And here here's the thing. You know, we
talked about Lennon Donovan's goal being iconic. I think the
Columbia game is an iconic game, right if you took
it the whole history. And by the way, only because
we're talking from nineteen ninety till now, right, because it's hard.
(27:11):
Obviously none of us saw the nineteen fifty game against England, right,
we're us upset England.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
So I want to be respectful of that.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I want to be respectful of the nineteen thirty team
that made it to semi finals, although there was only
like eight teams in it.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
But you still want to be respectful of that.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
But I think in recent history this is an iconic game.
It's hard to remember another game that would be more
iconic than that one. Maybe US beating Spain and the
Confederations Cup, I think around twenty ten, right, that comes
up as like a big, big moment. But I think
that Columbia game nineteen ninety four is the one game
(27:49):
that everybody talks about.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
For sure, and even like I think that era in
twenty ten and around like the Confederation's Cup because I
believe that they took the lead of the FI I
know as well because this was like, oh my god,
like are we actually like have we finally arrived? So
like we can go into a games against Spain in
Brazil and feel like semi confident. Like again, at that time,
Spain went won the Euros, won the World Cup, won
(28:13):
the Euros, like that was one of the best teams
of all time. So but but that is all built
off the foundation I think from ninety ninety four that
kind of era, and like you said, giving the great
respect to the team's a long long time ago, particularly
that one in the nineteen fifties that that beat England.
Some other performances for me. I was trying to think, like,
what was the best Michael Bradley performance at a World
(28:35):
Cup because thinking about that era too weirdly, like the
Slovenia game that the United States drew, Like, I thought
he was incredible in that. I thought that was it
was a weird one. Obviously refereeing controversy, but like, I don't,
I don't. Michael Bradley was always so good. I thought
(28:55):
it's kind of hard to pick out what was his
best performance because of just how consistent and like he's
he's going to you know, the seven and a half
out of ten, not going to drop a lo seven,
but it's going to be rare that like he has
one of those big moments where again the landa Donovan
goal or a performance where a goalkeeper can be insane
just because of the nature of the position, his style
(29:16):
and his role within the team. So I don't know
if one comes off the top of your head for
a Michael Bradley performance, because he was just always reliable.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
You know, I would put along the same lines of
where you put Michael Bradley, I would put John hark
Or along. It's sort of that sort of that category
where like, maybe you can't we can't think of an
amazing John Hark's game, although he's had a lot of
good ones. It was kind of the same where like
you always got that consistency of somebody who delivered right.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
And Michael Bradley was that type of player who.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
You knew what you counted on, you knew when you
had your you put together your starting eleven. Regardless of
how you played. He was part of the starting eleven.
And I agree, totally agree, Michael was just consistent.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
App Before we we talked more about the wider World
Cup performances. I'm gonna make you uncomfortable and make you
stick into what I think your best World Cup performance
was that Columbia game. What do you remember from that day?
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Uh? Yeah, I mean it was, uh, you know, obviously
difficult game.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
This is why we talked about Tony and the significance
of the that that game being iconic for for our
really for our programmer, national team kids, in the future
of soccer in this country. All those things I do
remember in that game, sort of towards the end of
the game, taking trying to take the responsibility going all
over the field to get the ball so that I
would have it, so that I could get fouled.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
And that the time would go by.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
So I recall sort of feeling like, man, I I
have to do more, uh for us to be able
to win this game.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
So it was, uh, yeah, it was uh. It was
a good performance that day, and it was you know,
it was a great day for us.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
I'm I think that's poetic and perfect that you want
talking more about those moments than the assists, because like
the those you can tell when somebody's being a passenger
or somebody's kind of hiding, and in those the most
tense moments when the other team is pressing ferociously, you
can tell which guys are like I want the responsibility
(31:13):
give me the ball, versus maybe somebody's checking for the
ball but not quite as hard, maybe not really trying
to lose the defender. So tab, I think that shows
a winning mentality that you're talking about that more so
than the assist. So I think that goes to show
what we all know about you. But we'll see if
maybe a couple months from now, we'll be revisiting this
top five to see if there's any twenty twenty six participants.
(31:35):
I hope that we have a few to choose from.
But now we're gonna take one more quick break and
Tap is going to rank his top five individual tournament
performances of the wider Modern World Cup since nineteen ninety.
So stick around for that. Thank you for listening to
Inside American Soccer. Please rate, review, subscribe, we'll be right back.
(32:02):
Welcome back to Inside American Soccer and TAB. We're gonna
keep it up with the theme of ranking and as
we're getting closer to the World Cup. While we've been very,
very focused on the US men's national team because that's
what the show is, that's what we know you guys
want to be listening to, let's set the scene and
talk about some of the iconic performances at the World
Cup since nineteen ninety. And again, this is going to
(32:22):
be tournament overall performances from an individual rather than the
individual games like we were talking about with the national team.
So let's set it up TAB Top five.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Yeah, I mean, I think setting the scene is a
good way to a good way to say it, because
you know, we're just a little bit over a month
from the World Cup and you know it's getting exciting
and it's good to remember the moments because obviously the
World Cup is so much bigger than just our team.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
You know, it's been you know, it's been.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Going on for one hundred years and there's a lot
of history there. So we have to mention moments, you know,
as I always do with you know, I will have
my top five, but I think, you know, since the
top five is only considering nineteen ninety until today, I
think just mentioned a couple of things, you know, like
Maridona's nineteen eighty six run. How can you how can
(33:10):
that night be whole? That whole run is iconic?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Right, Pele.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
From nineteen fifty eight through nineteen seventy, he played in
four World Cups, won three of them.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Let's not forget.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
He might be four of the top five if we
went back and then Maratona.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Right, So we'd have to do a full show on
those guys alone.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Right, you know, Paulo Rossi in nineteen eighty two, and
how that Italy team eliminated so many teams. I'm getting
to the final, you know, but this is where I
started nineteen ninety. So my number five would be Luka
Modric in the twenty eighteen World Cup. He led the
Croatia into the semi final. I mean, you know, and
(33:51):
here's a player that has had so many incredible club moments.
He has had such consistency over the last fifteen in
eighteen years, playing at the top, top level, day in
and day out, always playing the same and in this
World Cup he kind of put that team a little
bit on his shoulders and let that team into semi finals.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
And by the way, I'm sorry to the final.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
And let's not forget, of course, this was the World
Cup of France, right, France had a great team.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
You know, Imbappe was just.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
A young kid at eighteen years old led his team
to win it. So you could potentially say and babe,
but I think for what I've seen him of Modrids,
and knowing that likely this summer is the last best
of Modrids that we'll see, I wanted to include him
on this list because he's deserving to be in a
list like this.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Modridge won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player
that year. I'm really happy that you have him on
this list. It is again we talk about at these tournaments.
It's moments, it's little things. They won the round of
sixteen and penalties. They won the quarterfinals and penalties, and
they won the semi final after extra time. Again, they
needed every single touch in every single pass that LUKEA
(35:06):
Modris delivered for that team.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
As number four, I'm gonna stay Diego four Lon twenty
ten World Cup from Uruguay. So that's the World Cup
that we all will remember as Spain having an amazing team.
As a matter of fact, that team was so good.
I've done a couple of appearances with.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Mata. He was representing Man United.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
I was representing Betty's about a year and a half
ago when they played each other in San Diego. So
we were together and I asked him specifically about that
Spain team twenty ten and he said, tab he goes,
that team. Just being in training with that team was incredible,
he goes. We were all coming from teams like Chelsea.
He was a Chelsea at the time. He goes, we
(35:51):
were all coming from big clubs, but we all realized
that being in our training sessions was so much.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
Harder than just playing for our clubs.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
So that the same team was truly special, and it's
hard to pick one player that kind of led the
way because they were all so good. But Diego Furlan
really put Uruguay's team on his shoulders. And if there
are other things that remember for that from that tournament,
I think it is Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball
that tournament. And not only that, I think we remember
Diego Fernan and we remember the Jabulani ball that could
(36:22):
oh yeah, and Diego Ferllan could really hit a ball
and took advantage of that. So on his way to
leading Uruguay and semifinals, scored five goals.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
I mean, and they were the team of the tournament.
That was a younger Luis Suarez as well, but again
Diego four Lan leading the way, oh man. Like, when
I think of the twenty ten World Cup, you think
of the Jabulani. You obviously think of the Spain team
and all of that, But you think of the Jabulani,
you think of Fourlan's hair and Evertress's goals, everything else,
(36:52):
those iconic light blue Uruguay kids. Oh man.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Like.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Again, like you said, he won the golden ball at
that tournament. While you were talking about I brought up
the Spain, the Spain starting eleven from the final, the
back line is Ramos pik PuO captain via midfield trio
of Chabi Alonzo, Sergio Busquetz and Chabi and attack three
of Iniesta, David Villa and Pedro. The players that came
(37:17):
off the bench with Cess Fabergas, Fernando Tors and Hayes's
not las. I can't believe that the Netherlands got them
the extra time, right, And I.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Mean that's what that's what you know. Manta was telling me.
He's like, you know, it's hard to just get on
the field and you couldn't you couldn't blame the coach
because everybody was great. So yeah, that that was one
of the best teams ever. I'd have to for myself,
if at some point we do team rankings, it's hard
to rank any team above that one. I'd have to
go back to the nineteen seventy Brazil team that you know,
(37:45):
apparently was incredible to won the final four to one
against I think it was Italy, but but yeah, incredible team.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
So I'll move on to number three.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Number three would be and since we made us we
you know, the idea was to go back to nineteen ninety,
using you know, recent history. I have to say Salvatory,
Toto Scilachi and the nineteen ninety World Cup. So he scored,
He scored in every game against except against US. So
(38:16):
so you know Italy. Italy went on to play all
seven games in that World Cup. He scored six goals,
but didn't score against the US and and sort of
let his team, you know, coming out of nowhere. He
sort of let led Italy all, you know, all the
way to making it to the semifinals and actually took
third place in that tournament. Let's not forget that's the
(38:36):
World Cup with Maradona that you know, Maradona makes it
to the final for a second time in a row.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
Yeah, total scolote. I didn't I didn't know much about
him until we spoke about him a while ago in
a previous episode. And yeah, that's that's invaluable to go
back and like just rediscover some of those performances and
some of these players, like you know, you knew most
of the big names from that tour, but that was
one that they kind of had escaped to me. So yeah,
(39:03):
for him and and for Digo Maridona getting back to
the final after eighty six, Like, yeah, there's not there's
not too much more to add there.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Just yeah, and then this goes to show this was
a player that even within Italy, if you had a
name like the top five or six players, he wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Have been one of them going into a tournament, you know.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
And so I I think it goes to show sort
of the impact that the World Cup can have for
a particular player. And this year, could that be I
don't know, Nico Paz, Could it be someone we're not
thinking about, you know that all of a sudden comes
in scores a couple of goals, and you know, and
and turns it turns the whole thing upside down. So
at number two, I'm gonna have to go with Ronaldo.
(39:43):
That's Brazilian Ronaldo. This was the best sort of Joga
Bonito era where we all thought Brazil was just the
coolest team in the world and everyone had a bill
jersey and and if you recall back that far, it
was all the commercials with the Brazilians and the airport
juggling the ball and like all these things are going on,
(40:05):
and it was really exciting times for soccer. That was
the team that had Ronaldinho in it too, you know,
and that was just that was just an incredible, uh
Brazilian team, and and and you know Ronaldo's performance, if
you recall, he was injured going into that World Cups, so.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
We didn't even that's why he did that night.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
So we didn't even know if he was gonna play.
And then all of a sudden, he scores eight goals
in this tournament. And and you know, and let's not
forget that Oliver Kahan won the Golden Ball in this tournament.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
By leading I think he led.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
He led Germany into the final, but he was really
standing on his head on his.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Way on his way into it.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
But but Ronaldo, you know, I think a great tournament
and one to uh definitely not forget.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Yeah, I think I have I have a guess at
what number one is. But before the last tournament, this
was like the gold standard of individual performances, and and
so he had those photo was of Ronaldo with just
the little hair island at the top of his head
and not anywhere else. Genuinely, that was because he was
coming into the tournament with the knee injury and he
(41:08):
didn't want anybody to ask him about it, so he
was like, what can I do to distract? And so
that's why he did the haircut, which is just adds
to the lore. You said, Oliver kan wins the Golden
Ball instead of Ronaldo. Ronaldo scores two goals in the
final against the Golden Ball winning goalkeeper. Brazil wins. Which
we talk about iconic teams, just a front three of
Ronaldiniel Rivaldo and Ronaldo, wing backs Cofu and Roberto Carlos.
(41:33):
Like man, that that that that era of Brazil again,
the the Ronaldo feminine Femino, the R nine, all of that,
Like that was some of the stuff that of lore.
Like that was the first like Brazil teams that I
knew and then you learned about Pele and everything because
I was probably seven at this tournament. But those guys
are just mythical creatures just for what they could do
(41:54):
with it.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's likely that no team
has had such an effect on sport because I'm sure
that Brazil team made soccer and created so many more
fans just by the way they play, how fun they were,
and how those guys always had a smile in their face.
Let's face it, those guys were always you think of
the Brazilian that Brazilian team and think of any of
(42:17):
those players that you mentioned. It's hard to think of
any one of them without a smile on their face.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
That's just always what you're thinking, right, And so yeah,
that was a great team. So and that leads me
to number one. And number one, I'm gonna.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Have to say that would have to be you know,
Messi's performance in the twenty twenty two World Cup in
katark because how I mean, you know, and by the way,
just just you know, and I'm sure you were there
and just as you were, and you get inside information
on teams as I was working for TV at the time.
I was working for Telemundo and Guitar, and you get
(42:51):
inside information. This was an Argentina team that within the
Argentinian circles, they didn't really believe in this team. I
recall in the first round, people thinking, wow, this team
is just like it's going nowhere. They thought nothing of
this team until the bulls started rolling a little bit
more and Messi started taking over games. And it was
(43:13):
not easy for Argentina to win this tournament. Had it
not been for Messi, they would have been nowhere near
that final even and for Messi to lead, you know,
this team was really an incredible, incredible performance. And by
the way, by doing that, he won the Golden Ball
and he was the first player to win it twice
(43:34):
and so and I think, well, deserving to be at
number one.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
This list, I would agree. And if you go back
to that tournament, Argentina's opening game against Saudi Arabia, they lost.
They end up winning the group anyway by beating Mexico
and Poland in the next two games. But like they
lost their first game to Saudi Arabia, and yeah, it
wasn't not a lot of people were believing them at
(43:58):
that point. They get to the knockout and I rout
that game, he just goes super human.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
Actually we went to that game as not not exactly
what you're hoping I imagine.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
Yeah, yeah, Like, so again he didn't he won the
Golden Balls the best player, he didn't win the Golden Boot,
killing him. Bape had eight goals and maybe the way
that we'd be talking like this game goes to extra
time to penalties and and there were trying to think
of the timeline. Kolu Mawani had a chance right at
(44:30):
the end of extra time, a one on one, an
insane save by Deebu Martinez and again then they go
to penalties. Messi scored his and Pope scored his and
then after that we were talking about two of the
best individual performances. We're talking about legacies. We're talking about
this France gonna go back to back his Messi get
his his first World Cup and elevates him too, and
even you know, he was already a god in Argentina,
in to the soccer world, but like the Golden God,
(44:52):
I don't even know how much higher you can go.
And this comes like a kick save by Deevo Martinez
and then two France penalties not going in, and we're
talking about this Argentina team. Yeah, like that that run
through the knockout rounds by Messi, like it was to
a point where you'd you'd believe anything that anybody told you, like, hey,
(45:12):
you like they rolled him a goal kick and then
he dribbled from there and scored. Good. Did you see that?
Like people I'd be like, oh, yeah, that sounds right,
like I missed that highlight. Let me go find it.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
And hopefully, you know, hopefully all these things and ending
it on that twenty twenty two final and gets us
all into the spirit of this World Cup coming up,
because we're only a month away from who knows how
many more iconic moments we'll.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
See, right and and oh man being here just really quickly.
It's a couple like you didn't have any performances, like
obviously there's there's only top five, so there's only a
finite amount of space. But nineteen ninety four, like Ro
Mario won the Golden Ball Stroycough Baggio, but Bajo had
the bad moment end. But those are a couple a
(45:54):
couple individual performances. Oh six in Germany, there's the Don
but there's that Italian team Fabio Karro. Those would probably
be kind of my shouts from that tournament. But I
think that your top five is IRONCLADU. I wouldn't I
wouldn't take anything off.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Yeah, I mean it certainly not easy to pick, right,
But I did skip a couple a couple of World
Cups that I thought didn't have sort of the impact
that these moments had, you know, nineteen ninety eight.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
I didn't pick anything from nineteen ninety eight either. I
think ninety four, ninety eight, two.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
Thousand and six, So there was a couple of World
cups that I thought just these moments from nineteen ninety
till now.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
If I had to pick five, I just decided to
go with these.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
We'll have to revisit this list after the tournament as well.
I'm looking forward to it. There is for all the
correct criticism and disappointment to come from FIFA and the
things around the tournament, the way fans are being extorted,
the way that at every turn the FIFA president could
(46:55):
not be more tone deaf, including he tried to get
the officials from the Israel Palestinian federations to take a
picture together, which is I don't know what bubble this
guy's living in. All of the negative things that again
fairly criticize, we should be giving them crowd for Nope, Nope,
despite FIFA, despite all of the missteps, the tournament is
(47:16):
going to get here and it's gonna be a thing
of beauty. And I hope to be learning in many,
many years about stories that the next generation will be
telling about that twenty twenty six World Couples that was
the first one I got to go to a game.
All of that, We're almost here and I can't wait
to have it.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
Yeah, and by the way, you got to mention FIFA
quite a few times for free.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
So that's a good thing, right. I think we can
mention it for free. That's how that works, right, at
least for now. At least for now, we can save
FIFA for free. So let's enjoy.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
That all right. On that note, thank you so much
everybody for listening to Inside American soccert Please rate, review,
and subscribe wherever gets your podcast tapped. We'll be back
next week. We can't wait.
Popular Podcasts
Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb
Joy is essential. And it's also elusive. You can't order it, borrow it, or simply hope it into life. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence: The Joy 101 Podcast with Hoda! Best known for her Emmy-winning work and co-anchoring Today, Hoda Kotb infuses her authenticity, curiosity, and warmth into conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Entertainment legends, sport icons, wellness experts, and everyday folks will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. Hoda will offer her own tips and takes on seeking a more balanced, harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune in to these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup, joy as an empty-nester, joy after loss, joy as a caretaker — Hoda's new podcast will speak to you. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, an iHeartPodcast.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com