June 10, 2026
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58:37Now PlayingThe 2026 FIFA World Cup is here — on American soil for the first time since 1994. And the US men's national team might actually be good. This is the event that can change the world.
In this episode, Matt Robison sits down with Leander Schaerlaeckens — soccer writer for The Guardian and The Ringer, and author of The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts — to break down everything you need to know before the tournament kicks off June 11.
What we cover:
Why this World Cup matters even if you don't follow soccer
The surprising history of how the USMNT went from irrelevant to contender
Christian Pulisic, the 2026 roster, and what success really looks like
The economic and geopolitical stakes of hosting the world's biggest sporting event
The strange and revealing relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump
What a World Cup in Trump's America means for the country and the world
Leander Schaerlaeckens has covered the USMNT at three World Cups for ESPN, Fox Sports, and Yahoo Sports, and his new book is the definitive account of American soccer's wild rise.
Check out the book
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#WorldCup2026 #USMNT #AmericanSoccer #FIFA #ChristianPulisic #WorldCup #Soccer #Politics #WorthKnowing
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