World Cup Love and Loathe: Messi makes history, Awkward TV on Fox, Hussein's well deserved moment
Messi ties the World Cup scoring record, Mike Grella won't stop talking, Ayman Hussein's emotional goal, and the Fox Sports studio show is already a disaster
With the World Cup underway, here’s a column of some of the most important moments of this summer’s World Cup. With inspiration from The Mismatch, my favorite basketball podcast, here are the things I’ve loved about the days’ round of matches, and things I’ve loathed watching. It will be a tournament ot remember, have this be your morning companion as well (Until the LA Galaxy is back in action).
Love: The GOAT
When Leo Messi scored his third goal of the night against Algeria, it was a moment for all soccer fans to celebrate. It was like watching a superhero move, you know he’s going to save the day but still find a way to enjoy the ending you’re already expecting.
The entire world saw how Messi dominates games with ease. He doesn’t chase the game; it comes to him. He’s mastered the game where everything is simple and pure muscle memory.
Each goal he scored showed that. He created something out of nothing for his first, showed his poaching instincts to score his second goal, and finished off the night with precision on his left foot. With these goals, Messi ties Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
Algeria isn’t the strongest opponent, and the goalkeeping on the night was lackluster. It’s a great moment for Messi and the world to see his greatness on display, but the real memories will be made in the knockout rounds.
Loathe: Mike Grella Media Tour
Media training is a key part of footballers career. What you say to the media can always be interpreted in different ways and can become an unnecessary distraction.
Mike Grella has been a player and, more so, a media personality for CBS Sports in recent years. The former New York Red Bulls Player is making it his mission to be the most disliked man in Australia.
He stated after the World Cup draw that Australia would be a layup for the USMNT. He’s doubled down on that take in recent days and continues to play down the abilities of the Socceroos.
Whether that’s on CBS Sports or his appearances on Pat McAfee Show, Grella is giving the Australians so much bulletin board material ahead of Friday’s game against the U.S.
If this were Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, or even Jozy Altidore on Telemundo, they could get away with it because of their pedigree as players for the USMNT. Grella, on the other hand, doesn’t have that kind of pull or admiration. It feels like this “beef” is purely for clicks.
Love: Ayman Hussein moment
The roar of the crowd when Ayman Hussein scored was 40 years in the making. Iraq is the odd one out in a group with France, Senegal and Norway. Hussein deserved the moment to make his country proud.
In 2008, his father was killed in an attack orchestrated by Al-Qaeda. His brother was abducted by ISIS and hasn’t been seen since. Hussein was interrogated for seven hours when he arrived in Chicago with the rest of the team for the tournament.
That’s not an easy journey for any person. To keep going as a professional is very admirable. Scoring at the World Cup will forever be a memory for Hussein and Iraq.
Loathe: Fox Sports Studio Show
Humans have this instinct to look at tragedy. It’s always hard not to look away from a car crash. That’s the feeling I have when watching Fox Sport’s World Cup studio show with Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Alexi Lalas.
The chemistry issues are glaring. I feel for Rebecca Lowe, whose main job is to keep all three entertained. Henry is a well-respected pundit, and his analysis is on point almost all the time. Zlatan brings that ego he was known for, but I don’t get much from his analysis. And Lalas has been a polarizing figure, given his takes are very unpopular.
It reached the point today where Zlatan had to make a slight dig at his coworkers. After Landon Donovan called the French arrogant during their game, Lalas agreed with take after the game. Then, unprompted, Zlatan jumped in by saying, “Ignorant people call it arrogance while intelligent people will say it is confidence.”
Take a look at the clip, Henry’s reaction is everyone’s reaction to that quick extension. Then Lowe, with the awkward “Thanks Zlatan,” is the cherry on top for me.
I wonder how many more of these moments we will have at the tournament. We will have so many more games to go for this crew to hopefully get into a rhythm together.
Clip of the Day
Argentina’s fans made Kansas City Stadium rock for 90 minutes. The Chiefs have made that stadium a notable atmosphere in the NFL, but international soccer is a different animal.
After the whistle, the fans made sure to celebrate the moment in the stadium together. This is the kind of celebration you won’t see on an NFL Sunday.
Prediction of the Day
Yesterday was a good day for goal scorers, but I don’t today will be the same. I’m going zag when it comes to predicting goals for some of the tournament’s star players.
I don’t see Harry Kane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Semenyo scoring today. I can see them picking up assists but not finding the back of the net.
In Ronaldo’s case, I’m expecting him to be very desperate to get the headlines.
