USMNT’s Berhalter vs. the Reynas, A Tribute to Pelé & The World Cup Final with TDS Soccer Experts

It's been a few weeks since we last spoke, Joe. There's so much going on in the world of football. How are you doing, my friend? I'm doing great, you know. Um, Mom, Mom, I'm well risted the batteries that we are back is already a great new year for soccer fans over the world. We had a great past, so I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good. Nice. I personally having World Cup withdrawal. You know, after the whole tournament was just fantastic. The final was

just box office what a game. I mean. You know, after Argentina goes up to zero in the first half, you think it's gonna be a comfortable when after seventy five minutes France decide to start playing killing Embaby scores a brace in two minutes to force extra time. Argentina strike first an extra time but then in Bobby late in Bobby penalty forces penalties, drama and the penalties uh Martinez was fantastic and Argentina prevail, putting a cap on

a wonderful career for Leonel Messi. There's just so much to unpack here. Let's dive straight in. What are your thoughts in the game? Wow? Boy, First of all, our grew with you everyone. I think every soccer fan is having it's very, very terrible World Cup withdrawal because the season restarted. But people are not yet as willing to get back into club football having witnessed how magical the World Cup can be. But yeah, we are started getting

back in. My thoughts about the World Cup final. Greatest World Cup Final in the history of the game, without a doubt. So battle and as you say, you expected it to be extroll in the park for Mescy and company. But wow, what a pro twist at the end. I don't think any writer in Hollywood would have scripted this any better. It was full of you know, dramatic process pro twists, It was a full of drama, it was

full of intrigue, it was full of a tension. It was sortains that at some point it stopped being enjoyable and almost stand into a soccer version of torture. Because for I think from the seventy eighth because I was, of course I was rooting for Macy um of the view that football old messy World Cup. So from the seventh eighth minute up to the end of the game, I wasn't having fun it. I think it might have

shaved ten years of my life expectancy. That's how bad and how it tends that game was like towards the end. But you know, in hindsight, one of the greatest, greatest games, without a doubt I've ever had the yea of watching, of course, and what ALTI also made it fantastic was it was huge performances from the biggest players, Messy with a brace and Bobby with a hat trick. Die Maria put in a man of the match performance. Uh then also Martinez the goalkeeper for Argentina. What what what? Yeah?

For sure, so you know it leaves you wanting more international football, Like I said, we'll get some more of the of the of the club football. Uh later, but you, Joe, Uh, we're living your best life in Qatar, rubbing elbows with the likes of David Beckham and Didi a Drogba. What was it like to be there? Oh? Boy? I And I think I've talked to friends about this, like I'm I'm a guy who cares? Who thought I think I

still do? Who cares about human rights? So when I went to I didn't spect I should have enjoyed it the way I did. It basically left me going like, why maybe not care aboutman rights? Away? I should be? Should I be more work? But that's how enjoyable this World Cup was. And I wasn't the only one having the conflicted view of the World Cup. There were many soccer fans, There were many soccer legends. Did they drop

by the breakup? Would hold it? I run into all these players and they were all so having the same feeling. They're going like, is it supposed to still be this enjoyable despite everything surrounding it? But it was a great World Cup. You can't deny that it was probably the best World Cup in living memory, at least the one of wand and these collegiens have watched like World Cups before. And they also testified the fact that this was so

many surprises. From the moment that Argentina lost to South Arabia, we were off and running and it didn't stop. It didn't later. You know, all the games Brazil, Croatia, dramatic, England, France, can missing a penalty at the date, dramatic, Argentina, Netherlands, that freaking creative freaking by the Netherlands for extra time, dramatic. The games were Japan beat both Spain and Germany. It

was like drama drama. It felt like there was a Catari script writer just going okay, now we need another twist. Now the audience is getting a bit, we need another twist. And it was. And as you said, you know, I rab Bill was with all the legends, it was. I think for me, the experience was if you're a soccer fan, this was like a once in the electron opportunity and

once in the electrom experience. I enjoyed every bit of it, and I'm also happy for one thing, at least I showed more restraint, more restraint than Yeah, I mean, look, I embarrassed myself, but I did go by so so at least at least because there's only one rule. When you go to these UH matches and you happened to run into these regions. You can't go through today, but you can never full sort of bay. And so at least you know that I have that going for me.

I think the other thing the World Cup taught me is the other reason is that life comes at you first, right, because life can hamble you. Because I spent two weeks hanging with football Royalty and royalty royalty, because I was also hanging with I was watching from the sky boxes with the princess and the mayors like brothers and all that. And now look what I'm doing here, I am being

a podcast with George? What down grade? What? Now? This is the I feel like this is the biggest fall from grace, going from hanging with a football Royalty and reality Royalty to hanging with you know, with all due respect to hanging with George, this is like the biggest It's the biggest part from grace since since since Andrew Ted decided to tweet, to tweet at a greater tum back, like life comes at you first. At one point I was living my life and now a crushed. Don't go

very very humbly. That's the big mortism from Oh my God. And well and Joe's living his best life and guitar with Royalty. My World Cup final was definitely not as glamorous. I'm gonna share a quick personal story. Uh so, my kids have had their Greek school winter pageant where they sing their Greek songs at the at the church at eleven am on Sunday of the game. The legends, that's that's that's that's like scheduling the kids recital, right, Oh

my God. And the person who's the legend is my father because he had the goal to ask both my mother and my wife, is it cool if George and I stay and watched the game? And you know, so we have with the agreement was basically, we're gonna watch the first half, So the first forty five we're gonna shoot in. I guess, yeah exactly, and and so and so we we shoot into the city. We're watching the start of the second half on the game. At the

sixty minute, I go in the church. This church service is running along, and uh and my Dad's like, I'm going to stay out in the car and watch on the phone until you you chext me. When it so, my dad's watching the game. I go in. Yeah, my dad's like I text HI, would come in. He walks on like. I'm like, Argentina, lock it up, and he's like, em bought. They scored twice in two minutes, end of its end of full time. I'm like, you pose it. He's like, yeah, so they do they do? They do

the recital, We take some photos, we shoot out. We don't see anybody because the game was still going on. There were like flags in the street yet. So we sprinted home and watched the last we were winded the game, like the sixty minute where I stopped and then turn on notification and watched the rest of the game. But it was a tense, a tense couple of hours in the church. I'm sure it's some sort of sin, but but we got we got through it. Yeah, I was rubbing.

It was royal rubbing, I think. But on the bright side at least was how much that's right, that's how much how granddad loves me. I can't imagine your dad. I can imagine your dad walking in. I'm going like squad twice and I mean no, like uh, we've a scheduled that an enemy of the Betel game. It was. It was insane and like I said, it took every ounce of restraints to not turn it on during the church service. But that that was that. Glad to hear you had a wonderful time in the guitar and it's

great to have you back. Joe is always um. But there is some sad news that unfolded over the break while we While we were gone, Brazilian legend Pale, winner of three World Cups and arguably the greatest player to ever played the game, passed away at the age of eighty two after a long battle with colon cancer. He played nineteen season with Santos in Brazil and three seasons

with the New York Cosmos UH, including friendlies. He scored one thousand, two hundred seventy nine goals in one thousand, three hundred and sixty three appearances if you include friendlies, what alleged incredible numbers and believable numbers potentially and repeatable numbers. And you know, I love Messine and we grew up you know, Washping the grades two that's Pelley and Maradonna. We didn't have I did have I can't speak to how all you have, but I didn't have the pleasure

or owner of watching Pelley. I watched Maradonna in n when he came to uh the US for the World Cup, but that of course ended in disgrace with you know, with the doping scanderd all that. But I had stories about a Pelley. I had the incredible, magical stories about Pelley, fantastic stories. I watched clips of Pelley, and it's almost hard to put into words what Pall accomplished as a player.

Because Pelly won Brazil It's first World Cup. Everyone thinks of Brazil now as this soccer giants, this soccer pall house. But before Pelley came into the scene, Brazil had never won the World Cup, which is unfaculable now because they have the most at five, but you want them. The first World Cup in nineteen fifty eight in Sweden, and the craziest detail form that World Cup is Peller was seventeen. Peller was seventeen and he led Brasil. He wasn't carried.

He carried Brazil to the World Cup in eight and he did this at seventeen as a teenager. Scored six goals in four games. That's unthinkable in this day and age. If a player did that, if a teenager did that, just think how much there was would be. And so Pelly was a big deal. And that's the other thing that people don't get. Pelley was a big deal. I'm a funk of Messy, but I'm in all when it comes to how big play was. Petley was a big deal pre Curact TV. She was a big deal pre computers.

He was a big pre social media. So Messy and Ronald are big, but they've been fueled by the information age. Pelle was a huge deal back then when information wasn't as global and the world wasn't as small a village as it is now. And it's almost hard to put into wards how big Pelly was. But I'll just use an anecdote to tell some of our maybe younger, younger listeners or younger viewers, how big Pelly was. Pelley once avoided getting groped at gunpoint in Brazil because the thieves

noticed who he was and they respected how big he was. Like, just imagine how crazy and how big that is. Because pet he was in the shower driven Mercedes in Brazil into a polo and then he stops at the red light and these people jump out, two thieves, and they tried to mag him. And of course because Pelly used to wear a cap in baseball baseball care so that he could't get recognized because he was big. He was

like a god in Brazil. And so the thieves when they put the driver gunpoint and they said, hey, occupants in the Capello was in with his wife at the time, Please give us your valuables, give us your money, and then you will leave. No one needs to get hat and the pellet put off the baseball up and they recognized him him and they immediately gave him a thumbs up, apologized and turned and walked away without taking a thing.

That's how big this guy was. Think of how many players wouldn't do that kind of respect from people who have come to my god guandpoint in this stand age. But that just gives you almost a view or a

perception of how larger than life Pelly was. And I think even if like we celebrated him, I don't think he got are the kind of respect he deserved from like the younger fans, because our grand probably like your dad, our elder, our eldest respect him way more than and I think, fun enough, the circle will come around, because probably in twift there's going to be a younger kid who would be like killing it, and then we'll be trying to tell our kids, under grand our grandkids how

big Messy was, how good Messy was, and they won't get the same kind of respect. But Messi and Ronaldo have they have They they what you'd called the gift of having played at a time when almost all their games what an advice. So we will be able to show evidence. But I don't think because we didn't see all place games, all place games device only, so they highlights.

I don't think we've got to appreciate just how good Pelley was absolutely, um you know, and one of his bigger contributions outside of Brazil, uh, I think in ninety five, after nineteen years at Santos, he came to the New York Causmos in the North American Soccer League and really, um, he's he's kind of credited for sparking kind of the growth of interest and Americans fall in love with the beautiful game, and uh, you know, we're you know, still seeing the the effects of that of such a global

star like imagine, you know, Michael Jordan's went to a different country where basketball wasn't popular and just made it

h and brought exposure to the sport. It was, but even bigger glow belief Probably why the biggest contributions absolutely off the peach was making the Americans, because you can actually draw a line between arriving at New York Customos and the US hosting the World Cup because most of the kids who ended up feeling the stadium in what kids who grew up and started laughing the game because their parents so pay they played for the New York custmos. Yeah,

it's wonderful, absolutely wonderful. We gotta take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. Unfortunately, this growing exposure of football in America has led to kind of some bad headlines for the US men's national team, involving a black mail scandal. Uh and for those you don't know, I'm gonna give you a quick recap of what's what's

going on in the headlines. This all started at the World Cup when arguably one of the US men's national teams best most skilled players, grena Um, was kind of surprisingly left out of line up in the total in the total four three group stage games and one knockout game by the yea yeah, yeah, he played a total of only fifty three minutes in four games. And it was, you know, kind of leaked. Everyone knew that he was he was fit, and he was uh you know, and

he was one of the best players. It was clearly there was something up with the manager or something something was up. But you know, so since then, um uh coach Greg burr Halter was at like a leadership conference where he made I think what he thought were off the record comments that then became public where he described the situation in Qatar without naming Geo by name, but this information league, uh, this is what was said in

the last World Cup. We had a player that was clearly not meeting expectations on and off the field, burr Halter said, one of twenty six players, so it stood out as a staff. We sat together for hours deliberating what were we going to do with this player. We were ready to book a plane ticket home for him. That's how extreme it was. And what it came down to was We're going to have one more conversation with and part of that conversation was how We're going to

behave from here on out. There aren't going to be any more infractions. Okay, so that's a snippet from the statement and then yamping in. But it was a bit native in this and age for Great to think it won't leak. I know he made at a conference, and I think he was talking about modal leadership, and he

didn't think it was a private conference. But in this the age called social media and people recoding and phones, I don't think you can't say anything to a crowd of more than ten people and you think it's going to stay private. So Great even just a bit native

of him to think it won't creak. Agreed, Agreed, And then obviously everyone knew who he was talking about, and gi Rainia himself acknowledge this, and he thought he had to make a statement and he did on Instagram, and a snippet from that is just before the World Cup, coach Burr Halter told me that my role at the tournament would be very limited. I was devastated. I am someone who plays with pride and past. Soccer is my

life and I believe in my abilities. I fully expect and desperately want to continue to the play of a talented group as we tried to make a statement of the World Cup. I am a very emotional person and I fully acknowledge that I let my emotions get the best of me and affect my training and behavior for a few days. After learning about my limited role, I apologize to my teammates and the coach for this, and

I was told I was forgiven. Thereafter, I shook off my disappointment and gave everything I had on and off the field. Then it starts to get a little crazy, Joe. It was just had to jump in. Disappointing from Geo. The attitude because when a coach makes a decision as a player, you supposed I didn't agree, and I think I made this very clear in the past podcast. I didn't agree with Greg's decision. I think uh G and I should have been the corner stone of the U

S team. I think he want polistic at the most time to play as in that team and it was a bit um of a laid down to see how limited this role was. But as I said, it would be disappointing the attitude problems from Urine about up to remember, he's a twenty old player and the actor noted that is very emotional. And if you're as talented a player as he is, and this is your first World Cup, you come in thinking you're going to play a major role and then you're of course consigned to like a

bit past role, it can get disappointing. But as he said, you know, he pulled the socks up. The senior players talk to him. But I can't see how disappointing and toxic it can be in the World Cup setting to have a team who is not a teammate who's not pulling his weight because it's disappointed that he didn't get the role he desires, for sure, So obviously it seems like a typical thing that would happen on on many football teams. Star players are benched for many reasons and

are unhappy about their lack of playing time. But the story takes a twist and starts to get a little crazy because on Tuesday it seems to get ahead of

a potential story. Greg birt Halter posted a long statement on an unverified Twitter account uh about a domestic dispute claim between himself and his wife Rosalind that took place in nine quote during the World Cup and individual contact the US Soccer saying that they had information about me that would take me down, an apparent effort to to leverage something very personal from long ago to bring out about the end of my relationship at US Soccer. In

the fall of I met my soul mate. I had just turned eighteen and I was a freshman in college when I met Rosalind one night while out drinking at a local bar, Rosalind and I had a heated argument and continued outside. It became physical, and I kicked her in the legs. Rosalind left him after the incident, according to burd Halter, and they worked through their issues and

rekindled the relationships seven months later. Since then, they have been married for twenty five years and have four children together. USA Soccer has launched a formal investigation into the matter and named Anthony Hudson as the head coach for at least the January US men's national team camp. Burd Halter's contract expired on December thirty one and has yet to be renewed. It was a crazy It was a crazy post one of course, as you said, it was all

and and verified account, so great clearly filth. He had to get ahead of the news and you know, with of course even masks saying people have to pay eight dollars to get you know, the missinformation on everything. At first, she didn't know how legit at this supposed to stand out to be very illegitimate, and yeah, things just snowboard from there. I didn't they sure did. So where did this come from? Well, I'll tell you where it came from.

It came from GEO Rayna's mom. In a statement of Fox Sports, GEO Rayna's mom, Danielle says she reported domestic violence to the US men's national team of of of Greg Burhuld to the USSF Sporting Director Ernie Stewart after burr Halter's post broke up comments on GEO. She later clarified, I want to be very clear that I did not ask for Greg to be fired. I did not make any threats, and I did not know anything about any

blackmail attempts. Another relevant thing to this is that h during this time, Daniel Raina and Rosalind burr Halter were teammates at the University of North Carolina on the same maybe before, maybe before you even get into their relationship

entanglements of the pack is involved. It's what noting that the blackmail aspect almost stands this criminal, which is why it was so shocking when Greg said this was an attempt to take him down, that they had information to take him down, and which is why it was so critical for jeous mom to say, I did not try to threaten, to threaten or have him fired. I just

expressed disappointment, because that's what she did. So the thing is, she knows the head or one of the top guys in US soccer, and so she said it's hypocris what what she from her statement, because this is a he said, she's aid kind of story. From her statement, she makes

clear that she didn't want Greg fired. What she did was she was disappointed that despite Geo asking for forgiveness and apologizing, Greg hadn't extended the same grace to him that was extended to Greg when he apologized for his mistakes in the past. Because Greg made the mistake of you know, of course, assaulting his future wife when he was eighteen, which is basically around the same age that

Geo is. Deo is twenty, and so Geo's mom felt it was a bit hypocritical that Greg wasn't extending the same amount of grace and forgiveness to Geo that he was extended when he was also a young man who let his emotions get the better of him. And so she said she actually contacted because she was saying, I hope this is the last statement Gregg makes about the situation, because my son is being attacked online. My son is being issued with death death threats from like all sorts

of accounts. So she said he did it to protect a son. But as I said, you know, it's a bit of he said, she said, And it's it's all very much. But then there's of course the relationship perspect which even takes it into soap opera editor now, so now it gets even more crazy. So the other elbum to this is Geo's dad. Cloudy Arena is a US soccer team legend. Uh he is the US He was, yeah,

and he used to play. He was a teammate of Gregg Berhalter as well, right exactly, So not only were they close teammates, but you know, my understanding is that both families were close family friends. Um, and so then you know, ESPN has reported that Cloudy Arena threatened to share allegations about burr Halter, though Claudia Arena denies these claims um but he does admit to voicing his frustration with other senior officials at US Soccer, other teammates of his,

uh you know, from back in his playing days. So this is just just insane. It's some next level kind of soccer mom ship. Like, what are your thoughts on the whole thing? I'll say this, so I've seen most of the reactions, especially from the U s you know, soak up pandit for us. Who are you know? People who I say journalists and also former players who have kind of vested interests or a completed interests because they

know the parties, they're close to the parties involved. And most of the reaction has been this is a sad indictment on US Soccer. This is a dark chapter, tragic, tragic the US Soccer. This moment you to be happening. And I get that, totally get it, because any time anything involves a cross of all families and kids and also involves you know, domestic violence, it's a very serious and tragic event. I get that. But the comedian in

me thinks everyone is missing the big picture. The comedian in me as a comedic premise, I think people are not thinking outside the box because George, if you think about it, if you think about it, this scandal could be the best thing, actually not could be his, hands down the best thing that has ever happened to you a soccer. For Get Pelle coming in the seventies, Forget the ninety nine World Cup, forget the LANs of the launch of the MLS, forget even the World Cup is

coming up. This is the best best thing. This scandal for me, George marks a turning point in U a soccer And yes, I know you think it's crazy, but just think about it. The drama, the intrigue, the suspense that he said, he said, the insane portraits we've been experiencing this past forty eight hours. That's everything you want in a soap opera. That's it. This is like a soap opera. This is like a telen Noveda American style,

but on steroids as well. So for me, this is good for your soccer because Americans are addicted to drama. Americans love reality TV. And this is the first time I think that US soccer has trended outside of the world for this long like this. US soccer has trended for this long. So this for me, the reality TV element of it, I think it's a huge, huge bone for your soccer. This is like the Kardashians meets just

S Smalley makes the Real Housewives. It's got everyone grips, has everyone cup fitted, everyone online, even accounts who I've never shown any interest in soccer are getting involved because of the drama in it. This is like this, This is like it should be on Brabo. It shouldn't be on Twitter, it should be on Bravo. This is the first time that a story I think on you a soccer is actually making headlines on TMC. And for me, this this is like a crossover moment for your soccer.

Suburban moms now all of a sudden care and where do they care? It's because one, this is a relatable scandal because of course, the soccer mouth is a world known cliche in America, So all the suburban moms go like, yes, we would have done the same for our son. If a coach was messing with our son, would also leak information about him. And then it's also relatable because George, as I said, Americans are addicted to drama and the relationship aspects of the parties involved in the scandal are

just off the charts. As you said, the only way JeOS Mam knew about this domestic assault domestic bios is because she was a roommate to Greg's wife. They're not just roommates at the University of North Carolina, they were actually teammates on the soccer team, So that's how she knows about this. And then of course the relationship between the two men is even more intriguing because not only what they high school teammates, they actually played in two

World Cups together. Cloud Youregna was the captain. Greg Greater went on to become the coach. And not just that he's the kicker, Cloud Your Rainer was the best man

at Greg Bata's wedding to Los Are. That's how conbrouted, and that's that's not like intermixed, and that's how dramatic, and that's this it's like something out of like a tableau, or something out of like a romantic It's like something out of and I think if you're a U S sockerman who's not interested in soccer, if you are a U S, if you're an American who thinks so as boring where you have to think again, because this drama just shows that it's not. And for me, it's also

very relatable because it's very very American. Yeah, this is American, uniquely American thing because it almost reminds me of because American parents are always willing to do anything to help their kids succeed. They're willing to do anything. Most American parents are willing to do anything. You know, terms like snowplow parent, terms like helicopter parents, those are all American terms. We don't have those terms outside in the rest of

the world. And so this almost reminds me of the university and the college admission scandal and yeah, aunt baking from full house, like, you know, falsifying the accomplishments of our kids so they could get into the universe of South car over South can from USC. So for me, this this is a uniquely American dramatic scandal. And it's also very American in the sense that it's very capitalistic because American is like the whole bit of capitalism, and capitalism.

One thing all about capitalism is it really fuels a win at all costs. Mentality doesn't matter how many people you take down doesn't matter how many peoples tape over, so long as you succeed in the end. And this story has that, and so for me, I think, Um, it also makes me realize I didn't Americans care about the beautiful game this much because there's some pople like American doesn't care about so away it cares enough about

soccer to blackmail the national team coach. Not even in Brazil, the national team coaches get blackmails so that the sounds of some parents get playing time. And for me, George, and that's what I'm saying, this is a turning point. This is a good thing from a comedic standpoint. Of course, I know it involves like serious issues like domestic violence, but from a comedic perspective, this is a great thing

for US soccer. And I think your soccer should be celebrating this moment instead of trying to play down That's what I think. I think that should be a big promotional push, you know, just you were Soccer using this scandal to just promote the game. For Americans, I can imagine like taglines like soccer so addictive it will make you betray your best friend. Soccer is so addictive. It will make you back your best friend just so that you can get in some of the action. That's for

me that I think what we soccer should be. They should be capitalizing on this instead of treating it like some shameful it. So this is a blessing in disguise. Yeah, I mean that's a very very funny take. I mean, it's it's so insane to me that a woman like that, that Jail's mom would use the trauma of I mean, again, this is serious stuffs. Yeah, it's very serious because for me,

part of the and you talked about trauma. Part of the thing that makes it very great is she has forced and of course she says she didn't mean for it to go this far. But again the Greg being native thinking the moment was private and this moment his comments wouldn't leak. This was very native from Jeers Mam to think that it wouldn't escalate like this because the moment you a soccer had about this, they had to launch an investigation and then you need to leak to

the press. But as we said, very great situation because kids something you know, as I said, Greg, later you know made up with the uh then girlfriend they are now married Pam five years, they are four kids, and they're being forced to relieve this publicly. Back again, George. I'll say this from a comedic standpoint, this is a lifetime movie. This is a leftime movie. From a comedic standpoint. If you get studio with a good enough budget, this

could actually oscar bait. This could discabined, you know, because it could do. It could do for us soccer what Tanya Harding for us figure skating. Just think about it, Tanya Harding, you know, trying to break Nazykerogan's knees becomes this big thing. Later there was even a movie Can great movie, great acting got around Margo Roby. I think I could actually if this scandal was to be made into a movie, I can ready cast the movie. I

can see how playful in this film. I can see you go, Robbie can I'm gonna be playing both women because she's very, very fastiled she's extremely but she can she can play both women. I can see Paul Bettany, who plays Vision in The Avengers, I can see him playing Greg ber Alta. And then I think, of course you have would play Gurinas box office goal and I think I think potty as Durina and I think you have an Oscar yes, sorry as crowd yes, as as as the father of Geo, and I think you have

an Oscar winning picture on our hands. This this this for me, And again I have to I say this because I know it's a serious matter, but I'm saying from a comedic standpoint, because I'll lead it to the serious pandits at and domestic violence expacts to like pick apart, how serious and good this is. But for me, from a comedic standpoint, this is an Oscar winning movie waiting to happen. Executives at paramount plus time you heard it

here first, this is a pitch, do not steal. I personally thought that the US soccer should not have renewed his contract based on his team selection and time. He should have been sucked. Yes, yes, yeah, okay, So now all of a sudden, even if there were people who were in his corner that thought he should continue, Clearly, now it's enable, it's it's it's it's it's you know, it's only a matter time where he's there. The former investigation runs its course and they they're probably gonna search

for news outside the outside. For me, without even all this drama and the cloud hang over this. As a coach, the moment you almost admit that you can't integrate your most talented playing to your team, that's a sackable offense. That's the suckerble offense. As I said in past podcasts, this would be like the identine coach admitting that he has to put Messy on the bench because for some reason he can't build a team orund Missy. You can never hear the Brazilian coach saying I can't build the

team around name. You can never hear the Portuguese coach during Ronaldo's prime admitting that you couldn't integrate from Ronaldo into the team. So for me, just that admission by Greg Beralta was exacable offense. And that's before we get into he did a note for your soccer, But I think he had run his course and I think at some point divorce was imminent. And I think this is just this last straw that should push this and holy and side marriage between Greg Beralta and US Soccer to

its inevitable conclusion. For sure, and for sure you did mention Ronaldo in that last little tipit and I think you'll take us back to the Middle East where Christianity, but making before sorry again maybe for getting to that. There have been questions, like serious soccer fans I know are very very concerned about what this means for your now with such parents, can you ana car Can during his career with the US men's national team continue. He's

just twenty. He's the most skilled, hands down, most talented your super player ever and so people are wondering how this will affect his career with the national team going forward. And I think it should. I think Gurin should still be an integral part of US soccer. I think he's still young, and I think he lant lesson. I think the fact that he was willing to step up and apologize before his teammates was a good sign of his macurity. He's still young. At twenty in soccer, you're still young.

You know, he's like a start at document, so he has a bit of a negle. You also don't get good as a player without having an eger. We remember your messy. You had a problem with Lewis Enrique at the beginning of rich You know, at some time at Barcelona, all players for you to become the best player in your age, in your generation, you have probab a bit of that chip on your shoulder. So I think it should affect his career. I think During is, of course, as I keep as I keep happening going, he's the

most talented player in the whole u S history. He just happens maybe maybe to have crazy parents, but then who of ustas it? I mean, look at you. Your dad almost missed his daughter as pageant because he was watching in the parking lot. No, I'm so, I'm saying, you know, he's the most in the player. He might

have creasy parents. Hey, no one is perfect, No one is perfect, So I think this shouldn't I think the scenes of the parents, the scenes of the father and mother shouldn't visited onto the sun or shouldn't be like passed on to the sun. And I think during now this has been an embarrassing episode, the most embarrassing episode in his career. And also we've seen him move followed during the Adbunman. He has never had this kind of problem before, so it's not like he has this is

a pattern of bed that we've seen happened. This is the first time this is happening, and I think, yeah, I think we should extend him the same grace that society should and mask extend young Greg for what he did. You should condemn him. It wasn't a gain. His forty

was his parents. Everyone has crazy parents. And I think he should be able to continue his career with the US because him not continuing would be not just robbing him of the pledgure and owner of you know, representing your country, but it should be robbing the US soccer fans, the long suffering US soccer fans of watching one of

the most brilliant talents in world for worth. Yeah, and it will be interesting to see whoever the new manager, maybe how he helps smooth the serve over and keep harmony in the locker room moving forward, hopefully with with you being a big part of what the future team is. Well.

I think the first decision that U the new U S quote and as if Gregg is nontrenewed, I think the first thing, the first act that you, the the new potential new U S Court should do is to file a restraining order against the rear, Yes, against the rein of family. Please keep them as far away because you need the parents to stay as far away these problems about selection and playing, and they should be sorted

between the player and the manager. Of course they players parents should be no way near that set up because

there are two emotional and they're two invested. So this is like, you know, we see this happening in US youth soccer, but the World Cup is just simply too high and event, too big an event for you to have this kind of amateurish tactics or how much I like, you know, behavior clouding what should have been like a great cutting raiser for what US is going the US is going to do in six absolutely absolutely Well, like I said before, we're going to now turn it back

to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo signs a two and a half year deal worth upwards if you include commercial agreements upwards of two hundred million a year. First what I were doing amounts yeah, for Saudi Arabian club own master. Uh is this a fitting final chapter for Christiano Ronaldo's career? Well, I'll say this, Georgia, I'm always happy to go back to the Middle East. I can see why Christiano Ronaldo decided to go back.

They were frankly Carta was very was it was an experience. And but talking about this move in particular, of course, is it No, it's not, no, it's not. I think Crissano Ronaldo deserved the better. Um. I've always in the Cristiano Ronaldo messy debate. You know, I've always been messy. But I think Cristiano Ronaldo was a good rival. I think Christian Ronaldo has given sort of fans very very very precious memorable moments and I think his his his

career deserved a better corner than this. I think I should have ended on a high. I think I would have liked him. I would have like to see him at least win another Champions League or maybe another title. And when left Real Madrid, I didn't think the slide down would be this quick and this stick because he went to the Venus and he had a great time, but then it didn't end where he went to Manchester United, which was amazing, which was like something that every football fan.

I don't care if your promise of Coronaldo, this is something you wanted because it was basically Ronaldo returning home. You know, he might not have been returning to spotting, but it was with him returning home, and it started well enough, and you know, he scored some big goals.

He was the top score in the first season, but then it quickly fell apart when Oregon A Sourcier left as coach because the new coach demanded that everyone contributes the same, which I think as a coach has its downsides, because Ronaldo doesn't have the limbs, you know, to seven year old legs won't track back the way eighteen year old legs will, and so Ronaldo suffered because because of that, and because Ronaldo Ronaldo's game is all about scoring goals.

When he wasn't scoring, then his weaknesses and his flaws were even cast in grimmer lights. So I think I would have liked to see him come to the US or maybe you know, because I'm ambest here and I think he's huge in the US. I think it might even be bigger than Messing in the US. And I think it would have been a treat for his that had funds in the US, or at least I would have brave to see him return to Portugal. And maybe

they're the same way. Some people want Messy to editing at your new words, old boys, Sauda Arebbia came out of the left field. I was blindsided because I didn't see that coming the sat Arebia. Of course, people always talk about messy going to miss funds. I've been loving this, by the way, because not the Funds for the last two years had been working Messy for going to the farmer's league. Well, if Francis the farmer's gonna getting what's out Arebia is so. But you know, all that aside,

I think I don't think he's a deserved ending. I think Ronaldo deserved better. But of course I also think mock him all you want. I think Ronaldo has earned the rights to collect this big baddy. I think he's given Funds enough joy, He's given it, Funds enough. You follow here. Over the course of his career, he's given us an incredible moments that will hold and treasure even as a massy fan, that will hold. And yes, he has given me memorable moments against my own teams, you know,

women squad and did the calm a celebration. So for me, I think he has earned the right to collect big at the end of his career. And the you know, he has been mocked, but I don't think that matters. And of course the earth coal concerns when it comes to this here as normally they are with anything in the Middle East. You know, sad Arabia is not exactly a model country. You know, the whole thing with a castrogy, them slaughtering and murdering game in the embassary hasn't exactly

been buried. Then this feels like them trying to sports wash, and they try to do it with the live golf tour. They have so much money to spend, and I feel like Ronaldo going there almost legitimizes as Sarabia in a way. And it's not the only one doing this, because even Messi has a deal I think with Sardah Rabia to be their towaries members. And I think if you're if you're a human rights activist, this is a very very

disappointing move from a human rights standpoint. The same way Messy's deal with Stabia is disappointing from a human rights standpoint, because if you think Cata was bad, which I feel it was a bit unfair because Kata has almost the same human rights issues that other you know, countries with anti homosexuality laws have my own country and has those laws so I think it has the same issues. But I think Sardaribia is even worse now because in suther

Arabia women are really king Katar. Women don't enjoy the same rights that women in America enjoy. But Cata, in its defense, actually strives. Cata has three women in the cabinet, which is just two women fewer than by them in Santa Rabia. Women have just and right to drive. And so seeing like a global icon, seeing like a great ambassador of the game, like Ronaldo going to sauth Araba

for me as a football fan, extremely disappointing. But as I said, but as I said, he has earned the right collect big But from my player who was winning champions leagues, yes, you know a few years ago, from a player who was playing for Matchess United at Ultra for the Theater of Dreams to now be playing in basically retirement home. That's the Saudi League. That's that's that's that's that's such a down grade and they pick got downward. It's it's it's it's such a huge fault from words.

I think it's the most dramatic fall from grace since I left Gata to come and do this podcast. Me, it's the most such crashing down for a cast exactly. So I mean for me, obviously I'm a massive, real Madrid fan. For now that I've said this before, it's

brought me a lot of joy. I wish that he was willing to take a little bit less money and embrace a smaller role to be at a bigger team in Europe because I think he could have been a big contributor off the bench for a team if you look at guys like it's lots of Ibrahim as you look at the accepting if you're willing to accept your role, yes, if if you want to accept the role he could have, he could have been contributing. And I know, I know it's important to Ronaldo to be you know, patting those

stats that he likes to pad. You know, he could have been more relevant staying in Europe with a smaller role. But I think that if he one of his you know, must have in his new contract was I'm gonna play every minute of every game, then it would mean going to a league like you know, in you know, the Middle East or in MLS or something like that. So I'll say this, though we are you and I we are mottos, we are no moreman, we are not gods.

So a playeric Ronaldo, who has been the first name of the team ship all his career, for when he was a kid, he was always the main man, He was the first option, He was the go to guy. Uh, it can be a bit of a struggle to transition from that to being a bit pat player. If you're enjoyed to building in Hollywood, if you're always the first name that appears on the screen on a movie, it can be hard to become a character actor latter in

your career. So for Ronaldo to go from first name of the teamsheet to now a bit part player, it's just it's not good for your ego, and ego won't

take it. And also so I feel like we as mottors, we as Normamin might not understand while Ronaldo is not willing to accept his role, a player like le Bron Gyms, a player like you know, thank God Michael Jordan's who retired the way I think Ronaldo should have retired, the way I think uh Messy deserves to retire on a high of winning his sixth cheap Those players are not used to beat patrols, ever, from when they were kids.

At the playgrounds, there always the best players, and so for them it can be a bit hard to come off the bench and play two or three minutes or the last ten minutes in the SoCal game as the case maybe. And so I think I understand where another would struggle with that, And I think like we the fans who are normen, tend to struggle to understand where

these players are coming from. But as you said, yes he still has a lot to contribute, but he wasn't willing to one take a pack catch, He wasn't willing to take a cut en role. And also more importantly, how many teams were willing to deal with him? Because another comes with a lot more than just the football baggage.

He's like a whole corporation upon himself. And then of course he did that interview with prs Morgan and that if you are in a coach willing to take a bet on him, to take a gam on him, if you saw that, you would have gone a here, this is a bit too much drama for for me to

deal with. And so I think I think that that interview with Pr small Gan, I think just complete complicated matters for him and again, and I will say, you know, for if you're like a walk person, or if you're if a person who believes in sports icons being role models and all that, and having to use the platforms for the fossil good not moving to saud Arabia, it's not just disappointing as a human rights movement, it's almost

disappointing as a trend. I have noticed with Ronaldo recently, like he seems to be hanging around or padding around with characters of questionable moral value. I'll put it like that. So he did the interview with ps Smogan of all people, and he Smogan all his crimes are well documented, lengthy and well documented. Um, then he was paddling around and the thing hanging around that Jordan Peterson, who is another character of questionable uh uh, you know reputation if you

would say that online. And then like so I think, I hope, I hope, and I say this is the point, but I hope like next time we don't see it Ronaldo hanging around and low or even wat for sure. Well there you have it, everybody. I think that's gonna conclude our our latest episode of our podcast. Thank you all for joining us Joe as a pleasure as always and look forward to doing it against So until next time,

my friend. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at eleven tenth Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast