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Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America is a weekly podcast for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how youth soccer development really works in the United States.
Hosted by two dads, filmmaker Liron Unreich and investor Matt Tartaglia, the show covers everything from grassroots soccer to elite pathways like MLS NEXT and ECNL. Combining data, real experience, and expert insights from academy directors, college coaches, and former pros, each episode explains what families truly need to know.
Weekly episodes focus on the core aspects of youth soccer: player development, coaching culture, college recruiting, tryouts, travel costs, and the challenges of parenting in youth sports in today’s competitive environment.
For families navigating youth soccer’s complex system, Chasing the Game offers practical advice, credible voices, and relatable stories from two dads working to make sense of American player development, one episode at a time.
Liron: Hi, everyone.
Welcome to Chasing the Game.
Uh, you know what?
W- I've been pressured to do a
World Cup special, and here we go.
We're doing it.
But it's not exactly the one you
think, and this is not a regular
soccer one where we bash the US Men's
National Team and… or we're not
gonna talk about Spain too much, and
we're not gonna dissect anything.
This is a little bit different.
I got a call from a parent
in need, and this is what we
do this podcast for, right?
Parents in need.
And this parent didn't ask
for me to put their kid in
some crazy camp or an academy.
They said, "Look, I got a few
tickets to go see the first soccer
game of my life, and I'm taking my
two daughters, a World Cup game.
And guess what, Liron?
I know nothing about soccer.
Give me a crash course not to embarrass
myself in front of my teenage girls."
And we all know what it is to embarrass
yourself in front of teenage girls.
So Matt and I got on the job,
sharpened our pencils, and we
have Harris Faulkner with us.
Hi, Harris.
Harris: Hi, guys.
Oh, I'm so excited, and thank
you for coming to my rescue
Matt: Yeah, we're thrilled to do it.
And just like My Italian, our
goal here is to make you know just
enough about soccer to be dangerous.
Liron: So our guest today is
Harris Faulkner, a six-time Emmy
Award-winning Fox News anchor,
serious American football fan, right?
Gridiron football fan.
Harris: I, yeah, that's my game.
Uh, uh, the NFL is Everything
Liron: right, Chiefs, right?
I just want the team to be
a little less distracted.
Like, I need, I need
Kelce to kind of focus in.
Although I love love, and I'm happy
for him and Taylor, I just haven't
really seen that ball clutching
ability that I'm used to from him
since she walked up in the scene.
But, you know, it is what it is.
We have a, what?
Three Super Bowls in the most
recent era, so I can't get
Liron: Look, I, I can't complain about
the guy when, when my wife sees me
work, I've… It never works out well.
So it's just, yeah, this is just not
Matt: That's why, that's why,
that's why she, that's why she
keeps us in the basement basement.
Liron: That's why we're in a basement.
Matt: so for, for our audience, I mean,
Harris has traveled to some of the
world's most dangerous places for her job.
Now she's stepping into a different
type of danger zone, the world of real
football with France, Senegal, World
Cup history, colonial history, Mbappé,
Mané, and her judgmental teen daughters
next to her with nowhere to hide
Harris: Wow.
I, I mean, I feel like I'm on an
episode of something that Lionsgate
is about to put out to the public.
Like, who wrote that script?
That was
Matt: you are?
Liron: Matt asked me
exactly the same question.
Matt: Think actually Matt
asked me the same question.
Harris: I
Matt: Uh,
Harris: love
Liron: and I love your note, uh, which was
obviously in private, but immediately I'm
gonna broadcast it, that your girls are
already looking for an outfit for Tuesday.
So this is the, this is the amount
of pressure you're gonna have on you
Harris: I don't know if FIFA's
ever seen this much fit checkin'.
Matt: s- soccer players are very drippy,
so we'll, I think it'll all work out
Harris: so you guys are answering my
call, and I'm a little embarrassed that
I know so little about soccer, but I did
look up just a tiny bit today because I
understand that France is a big deal, and
I was looking at the odds, and I'm sure
you guys know they're, like, favored only
just behind Spain to win the whole thing.
So I feel like I'm seeing
an important team on Tuesday
Liron: Uh, and, uh, we know how
much Americans love the French and
speak on their behalf, so we're
gonna do a lot of that today.
Uh, and,
Harris: You're funny.
Liron: Oh, thank you.
Harris: Do they really?
I didn't know
Liron: Um, so th- uh, let's start
with a massive question here, okay?
How are we gonna call this?
Are we gonna call this soccer or football?
Harris: Oh,
Liron: now
Harris: I have to call this soccer.
I mean, I, I can't get this
confused with the Super Bowl,
I mean, football has my heart, for
the purpose of this discussion,
if there are things that you must
say in soccer language, I can hang
Liron: Yeah, I don't know, Matt.
What do
Matt: Okay.
Yeah, I think we can do it.
Liron: Yeah.
All right.
So in America we call it soccer, I
guess so, and we are in America, so…
Harris: Oh, did I ruin the whole podcast?
Liron: No, we, uh, we… Actually, the
podcast is called Youth Soccer in America.
We're just, we're just…
Harris: oh, what?
Yeah.
Okay
Liron: So, um, Harris, tell
us a bit, a little bit about
your relationship to soccer.
There's gotta be something there.
Harris: Oh, oh, actually, you know,
this is a really fun little tidbit, and
as parents, we all can kinda get this.
Um, my only experience with
soccer was soccer tots.
And my oldest, who's now 19, just
finished up her freshman year in college,
Bella, was about 18, 19 months old.
And we would go to the, the community
center gym, and it had all these mats
all over the floor 'cause I guess,
you know, we bubble wrapped our kids.
So our kids, I don't even know if
it qualified as soccer because a lot
of them were sucking their thumbs,
and snack time was really popular.
I remember that.
But they were learning how to
just kick the ball back and forth
together, and it was hilarious
because, I mean, they would get tired.
They'd sit down in the middle of it.
It was so funny.
But I did learn a little
bit about the dexterity.
You can't use your hands.
And the kids were natural.
The little toddlers were natural.
They love to bang stuff on their heads.
So that went over well.
like, my daughter was,
like, so super speedy,
And Bella always wanted
to take the ball home.
So there was this confrontation
at the end of every soccer tots.
"Ma'am, um, we're gonna have to insist
that you bring your own ball if your
daughter won't share." She just wanted it.
So we thought she might
be a soccer player.
That's as close as I got, because
she's a good tennis player, but
soccer was not gonna be the game.
Liron: but Harris, you're so right
what you said about this idea of
perception of the sport, 'cause I
remember when, uh, I talked about it
in the podcast in our first episode.
I remember when I brought Lavie to his
first soccer training and it was whatever
it was called, United Soc- Soccer Stars.
He was also four or five years
old, and the first half of the
training they were singing songs.
Harris: Yeah.
Liron: and I was like social hour,
Yeah.
So I mean, that's not… Yeah, and
I, I don't imagine football training
to be that way, so I, I guess
this is not a very American kinda
machismo way about treating sport.
But I think we're gonna help you
reshape that vision a little bit.
How's that?
Harris: All right.
So, you know, one of the things I
am curious about, just sort of the
outside of the game, um, because as
a fan, I don't even know what to do.
Whenever I have seen a soccer match
just flipping through, you know,
the sports channels trying to get
to football, uh, American football,
I h- when, when you stop on a
soccer game for even just a second,
And people aren't even playing
yet and they're already screaming.
It's, it's almost like it's
programmed in and they just hit,
it's like cheer button, people are
just on their feet the whole time.
So I wanna know, as a fan,
what, what am I supposed to do?
And America won't be playing,
so do I just, like, stay silent,
let the French drown us out?
Matt: Yeah.
Well, that'll, that'll
probably happen anyway.
I mean, your question is a great
one because I think what people
who are born in the United States
and who don't necessarily have an
understanding of soccer/football
culture in the rest of the world is
that it is embedded in their culture.
literally football is life, as they
say, and them screaming and standing
is the only way they understand how
to respect and appreciate the game.
And I think s- soccer around the
world, except for here, which is
starting to change, which is wonderful
for us to see, is very similar.
Liron: If you travel around the
world, watch soccer, you see the
rowdy fans, you see the atmosphere,
and in most stadiums, no alcohol.
Harris: Get Out
Liron: soccer has no breaks, so you
can have it at that five-minute break
in, in the, in the halftime, but all
that passion is absolutely built in.
Harris: I love that.
And the passion with which I watch
football, I don't drink at all.
And so, yeah, so when I go to, like,
the Super Bowl, I'm all into it.
and I'm sure nobody really appreciates it,
I can do a play-by-play for the entire,
you know, four hours, including halftime.
I'm all into it.
So that passion I really do respect when
you tell me that, yeah, when they're in
their seats, that's just from their heart
Liron: So we have a problem, Matt.
We have somebody who pays attention
to details, so I think we gotta
reshape the script a little bit.
Um,
Harris: Oh, no.
Liron: yeah, the, the, the good
news… Look, look, the World Cup
is an amazing entry to soccer.
You, you're lucky that way,
'cause we came in from the club
level, the grassroots level.
We had to fall in love with teams
that were, in my town, were associated
with my grandfather's political
party, and it was just… Europe
is a mess and South America's a
mess, but the World Cup is pure.
It's pure.
It's…
Harris: Politics and soccer?
Liron: Every team that you would see
outside of the United States is somehow
involved, or in a, with a, a historically
a political party, or with some sort
of factory, let's say West Ham United
was the team of the dock workers, or
Arsenal, what they call the Gunners.
They worked in the armory.
So these were teams made locally
in the areas that would play each
other, and are now, 100 years
later, are these giant rivals.
Uh, in Spain, Barcelona and Real
Madrid are two opposite polar
ends of the political spectrum.
So the games that they used to play, those
were political battles that eventually
turned into these sports battles.
So you're coming in, you don't
have to know any of this.
You only have to know two
teams, S- Senegal and France,
And so that's what you're about to see.
You're about to see two, I would
say soccer powers, right, Matt?
Matt: I would say you have one
superpower and you have one medium
power.
Harris: Ooh, I'm excited
Liron: I'll another little
tidbit just for you.
You know that, that thing you Americans
have called, uh, the World Series, right?
Where you host, uh, teams from the
United States and from, where…
Other, other countries, uh, Canada,
and what, Puerto Rico maybe.
Where… You know, th- that World Series
you have, this is a real world competition
Matt: it's like the Super Bowl
when they say they're world,
they're world champions too, right?
Harris: And so I know of the 104
games, I believe, a chunk of the world
will see on US soil the World Cup,
and that, that's a big deal to have
all of those countries coming here.
Like, I'm excited about that.
I grew up military brat, so we lived
in Germany and, um, you know, my
father was stationed in different
places, so I've traveled quite a
bit and, and as a journalist, I've
seen big chunks of the world too.
Um, and I have a great
appreciation for people seeing us.
I'm glad that people are going to come
and play a sport that maybe we don't know
as well as they do, I'd like to know, I'd
like to know, what am I looking at really?
Liron: You will for sure.
And, and you can, uh, you know, be a mom
for one minute and check the girls and
make sure that they recognize the flags.
They're gonna see two flags, make
sure they know which flag is which,
Matt: this is the really cool
thing about the World Cup that
even Americans who don't appreciate
soccer I think understand.
It's countries, it's flags,
it's passion, it's anthems, it's
pressure, it's a scoreboard.
For 90 minutes, you get to
treat another country like they
have spent four years training
specifically to ruin your afternoon.
And this match is not random, right?
France versus Senegal, and Liron, because
he's been spending so much time with
Claude, is gonna tell us about the World
Cup, the World Cup history with the two
Liron: I want you to feel the drama
when you're sitting there, okay?
Harris: I like that.
It's like election night.
Liron: Senegal made their World Cup
debut in 2002, which is very recent,
France at the time, on that first World
Cup, were defending world champions.
Senegal met them and beat them
one-nothing, and this was a,
it w- this was a, a, a massive
shock in the world of soccer.
So besides all the political
background and the history between
the two countries, you're here to
watch a historic, historic game
Harris: That is gonna
make me look brilliant.
at you guys.
I mean, that's really fascinating.
So it's a David and Goliath moment
these two teams get
together, and I love that.
Liron: And you know, Senegal
was French West Africa.
Harris: oh, I'm excited.
Okay, so what do I wear?
I love asking two dads this question.
Liron: God.
Le- let me, let me
Harris: you both look at each other
Liron: Ser- let me get
Sarit on the phone here
Harris: is it okay for
me to wear our colors?
My girls aren't the only ones looking
forward to a fit check All right.
The game.
How does it start?
Is there like a… There's not a kickoff.
Matt: There is a kickoff.
Yeah.
Harris: Oh, really?
Just like American football?
Matt: So you have 11, you have 11
players on each side, You've got
one goalie on each side, so 10,
outfield players they call them.
And, uh, the, the referee
will blow the whistle and,
uh, the clock begins to start.
Liron: In soccer, the clock
runs up, doesn't count down.
So as you're sitting there looking
at the clock, don't call the
manager and say things are broken.
It is not opposite land.
The count, the clock s- goes up
towards 45 minutes on each half.
Now, here's the, here's the kicker.
We've all been frustrated with
international clock timekeeping.
The end of a soccer game is suggested
only, and what does that mean?
That means that at the end of the game,
the referee can make a decision how
much time they want to add to the game.
So they will say, okay, let's say there
were a few injuries, and I decide to
Harris: Wait a minute.
The referee gets to lengthen the game?
Liron: it-
Matt: So, so here's,
so here's what happens.
What he means by
that
Harris: if he doesn't
like one of the teams?
I mean, is this even fair?
Matt: so soccer, soccer players,
um, much like NBA basketball
players now are, fairly famous
for their dives, meaning they're
Harris: Oh, flopping?
Matt: pres- precisely.
So if, um, if there's a lot of flopping
going on to the degree where they may
be sitting on the field for one minute
or two minutes, the referee never
stops the actual clock, So therefore,
he could decide that there's five
minutes of added time on top of the 45.
It could be seven minutes, but
nobody has the ability to argue
with the referee and change it.
So back to does he like the team or
not like the team, we don't know.
Liron: even after that extra time
expires, the referee can continue
that time until they see fit
Matt: But they do, one thing
they do, he will announce.
So as 45 minutes expire, or if it's at
the end of the game, 90 minutes, they
will hold up a sign on the sideline
that says five minutes or four minutes.
it adds to the excitement of it.
And if it's 0-0, which I'm sure most
American fans, you know, get incredibly
frustrated, you could sit there for
two hours and not see a team score, um,
Liron: maybe we shouldn't
tell Harris that.
We, uh, we were gonna skip
that thing, that it can be 0-0.
No?
Harris: y- you know, like I said,
I was a Chiefs fan this year, so
Liron: Oh, that's where
the zero comes from.
Harris: Yeah.
Yeah.
I I did watch some of the
women's soccer Olympics.
but I don't know if maybe they don't
add as much time, 'cause I didn't
notice that happening as much.
I do know what a penalty kick is
'Cause it sounds like a good
idea, like you're grounded,
nope, you get a penalty kick.
But I, I don't like the idea of
just adding more time because that
benefits one side over the other, I
would imagine at least 50% of the time
Liron: I will tell you that Americans
have fought this tooth and nail.
In college soccer, still
the clock counts down.
That's number one.
They haven't given that tradition up.
In the MLS, when it started in
the United States, they were still
counting down, and then FIFA said,
"If you wanna get serious, no more.
Count up
Harris: All right, so that was
an important detail to tell me.
Liron: I just wanted to remind you
of the why the detail is even more
important, 'cause as Matt said, the clock
doesn't stop means no bathroom breaks,
no hotdog breaks, no popcorn breaks
Harris: What, what do you
mean no bathroom break?
No, that's not possible
Liron: Well, you let
me know after Tuesday.
The game goes on.
It does
Harris: if you have to, what, how
long do the games normally go?
Liron: of 45 minutes per half.
So
Harris: So an hour and a half,
and potentially some cranky
referee is gonna add more time,
But you can go to the
bathroom during halftime
Matt: Oh, I mean, you can go to
the bathroom during the match, but
people will look at you like you're
crazy because why would you get
up when the match is happening?
So in the U.S., we have to entertain fans.
Liron: as we move away from the
clock, there is one of the greatest
rules of soccer, and this is,
our, again, our warning to you,
and don't say we didn't tell you.
The only interesting thing that
will happen during the game is when
you get up to go to the bathroom.
So another thing Matt, can you
describe what an offside is?
Matt: So I've
Harris: been
Matt: reading
Liron: You have to.
Harris: a little about this 'cause I
knew we'd get to this point.
You can't be, you can't be a player
that the ball is coming your direction.
You cannot be past the ball if
you're too close to the goalie.
You have to always have a
defender between you and the goal.
You have to have a
defender between-- Is that
Matt: Yeah.
Yes.
Yes
Liron: Bravo.
And now they have something called
VAR, which VAR is the video assistant
referee, they will be able to look on the
computer to see if a player is offside.
And when I talk offside, Matt, are
we talking about a fingernail here?
Matt: Yeah, this is, I mean, I think
the reason we were both sighing
about offside it can be a fingernail,
and there's so many technicalities.
But what- what's happened with VAR is
that, I don't, I don't think the point
was ever to call somebody offside for
being offside by their fingernail, it's
taken away from, from the organic nature
of the game to a, to a large degree,
and they have not figured it out yet.
Liron: soccer for me has always felt, I
mean, it's- I didn't make this up, it's
called the beautiful game for a reason.
It's, it's this organic dance.
It's about things going wrong,
improvisation, a lotta, a lotta
dead time, but in that dead
time, what is it that you do?
The decisions that you make on the fly.
Where, for example, in football you
can have… And we'll talk about the,
the roles of football versus soccer.
You have a lot of players
doing very small things.
They do them very well, but
I don't know if you have a, a
somebody on, on the, like a center.
The center would- the center's not
gonna run and start catching balls.
It's never gonna happen.
It's not the sport.
Matt: Well, they can't.
Liron: They legally cannot do it.
Soccer is organic, where a center-back,
which is your defender, can score just
as many goals as a striker in a game
Harris: Oh, so there's not an eligibility
for a player is what you're saying?
Oh, that's
Liron: flowing.
It's a, it's a flowing game in theory.
Um, a- yes
Harris: I got you
Matt: And, and the other, I think
the other I mean, every play is
called in football, for example.
There's improv, there's improv
that happens during a play, but
there's always a play called.
Basketball, there's often a play
called by the coach or by the point
guard, and they have all of these sets.
Baseball, I mean, they've got mics
now and ear- they have earbuds where
they're calling the pitches through.
Everything is choreographed
to a great degree.
Soccer, there's a, a massive level of
tactics that go into a game, right?
And strategy that goes into a game.
But once you're out
there, you can't stop the
Liron: No timeout.
There are no timeouts
Matt: Yeah, so you may adjust slightly
or you can substitute, but you're
also limited in substitutions.
So it's really these players figuring
it out on the fly in the most tense
environment ever, and a World Cup
happens only So the pressure to get
through your group stage to keep going,
every single goal is meaningful, right?
Every goal matters.
Every call that goes against you or
for you can change the outcome of
these kids who have dreamed their
entire lives about playing in a World
Cup and playing for their country.
Harris: how do you make a
decision about when to substitute?
'Cause I do watch, you know,
in, in American football the
substitution can be around an injury.
I mean, in watching the Knicks play
they were rotating it guys in and out
because of the penalties against them.
Is it something like that in soccer
or do you just … How does that work?
'Cause you see guys running down
and off the field constantly.
like, "What's happening?"
Liron: No, actually soccer is very
cruel in that sense because you
only get five substitutions per
team, and you cannot substitute
a player who's been substituted.
It's a one-way
Harris: Whoa, what do you mean?
Liron: So le- let's say, for example, Matt
decides to substitute me in the podcast.
If we were playing soccer, I would
never be able to welcome back again
Harris: For the entire game?
Matt: Yeah.
and you're only allowed, what is it?
Five substitutions
Harris: if you got hurt?
You can't come back if you feel better
Matt: So if you get hurt, you often,
if you're not really hurt, you'll
see a player eventually get off to
the side and wait until then they
can come back on if they're okay.
Otherwise, they'll substitute them, and
then they're off for the rest of the match
Harris: So if that player comes off for a
bit, you just play with 10 instead of 11?
Matt: done.
Yes.
Look
Liron: we go.
Harris: I'm very coachable So all right.
Liron: let's talk about the color yellow.
Let's talk about the color red.
Harris: I love yellow,
Liron: I don't know, have you seen,
uh, the yellow cards in soccer?
Have you seen that?
Have you seen that
Harris: I've seen cards, like when
I'm watching the Olympics I'll
see it, but I don't know what they
Liron: Matt, go ahead.
Yellow, red
cards
Matt: So a yellow card is a
warning, So it's, but it's the
ref's discretion at all times.
Harris: Oh my gosh, these refs.
What's up with them?
Matt: yeah.
But, but if you think about it, is that
not only do you get a foul called, but
then you're given this yellow card,
and if you have one yellow card…
Harris: to carry it
with you while you play?
Liron: That,
Matt: but that would be amazing.
That is a good idea.
That…
Liron: Wait,
That, wait, that is amazing
Harris: now it's a game of Uno
Matt: yeah.
No, right, until you get red, and if
you get red, then it becomes, uh, very
devastating to you and your team because,
so if you get two yellow cards, the second
yellow card auto- equates to a red card.
Or you could get a straight
red card, which is if you do
something horribly bad, Punch
somebody, elbow somebody in the
face, come in with your cleats up
constitute a red card, and when
that happens, you're off the field.
You miss the next game, but your team
plays with 10 men the rest of the match,
Liron: No substitute.
Harris: Wait a minute.
You're off the field,
you miss the next game?
Matt: for a red card,
Harris: Are there any players,
maybe one or two, who are
known for that kind of nasty
Liron: Way more than one or two.
And I don't
Harris: Well, I mean,
just a name that even I
Liron: I'll tell you the most
famous, speaking of France, okay?
So this one, now, now I'm
gonna make you look cool.
Matt: Oh, he's gonna talk about
Liron: gonna m- now I'm gonna make you
Harris: Okay.
But now I got to take
my other phone and start
Liron: Now you're gonna
Harris: when you mention the
word cool, my teenagers will
tell you my brain shuts down.
Liron: giving you a good, a big one now
Harris: Okay, give me some, some pro tips.
Here
Liron: There is a m- there is
a very famous I- French player.
His name was Zinedine Zidane.
He was the, he's one of the greatest
soccer player to ever play the game.
There was a finals between Italy
and France, a World Cup finals,
and France was heavy favorite.
They were killing everybody in the
tournament, and everybody knew it
was France's golden generation.
one of the Italian defenders,
he was cursing chewing Zinedine
Zidane's ear the whole game.
In the 60th minute of this match
where France was in complete control,
Zinedine Zidane turned around and
headbutted this player in the chest
Matt: He broke
Liron: His spirit broke, he was
ejected, and France lost that World Cup.
It's the greatest red
card and most dramatic
in the
history of football.
But the French loved him so much, They
remember that as a point of defiance,
and there's a sculpture of him.
It is a, it is a beloved
moment in French culture.
So they were willing to lose that
game as a country and a culture
to have a man stand for his honor.
So that's soccer for you
If you
know that,
you don't need to know any other story
about red cards and yellow cards.
You're good to go and wait till
your daughters even hear about that
Matt: But, but speaking of
players, you should know two names.
So for France, you should know
Kylian Mbappe, who is, uh, ar-
arguably one of the greatest, He
also plays for for Real Madrid.
He played for PSG.
Uh, and he's a top, arguably
a top five, in the world.
A dyn- dynamic, incredible footballer.
Um,
Harris: see
Liron: Oh, you'll
Matt: oh, you will see him.
He will jump off the page like
Patrick Mahomes on his best day
Liron: so you have
Mbappe, write that down.
He's number 10.
Number 10, very important, and
Senegal has an equivalent number 10.
His name is Mane, Another fascinating
player, played in Europe for
many years, beloved by everybody.
Those two are going head-to-head.
They're both offensive players.
You'll see them on two sides of the
field, and you're, you're in for a treat.
No, Matt?
What do you think?
Matt: Of course,
Harris: I'm taking copious notes
Matt: and then
Harris: you guys are so kind to spend
all this time with me and get me ready.
I wanna make sure I got
Liron: Make us look good
Matt: And you know, here's another
one 'cause Liron just gave you a bit
of a hint, but typically the most
creative player on the pitch, scoring
a lot of goals and the number 10.
There's a ton, a long, long history
of number 10s being that player.
So that's why in, in soccer you
never see anybody retire numbers,
if you haven't noticed, right?
American sports you see
retired numbers everywhere.
You could never retire the number 10.
As soon as Messi left Barcelona, the next
year Ansu Fati was wearing number 10.
Like how could that ever
be?
Harris: wild.
But that particular
number is important, 10
Matt: 10 is, and number nine
is typically their striker who
often scores the most goals.
And then you have number seven or
number 11 who are their wingers.
So it's very systematic
Liron: What would be the equivalent of
a quarterback in, American football?
Matt: I think it's a number 10.
Can
Liron: 10.
So there you go
Harris: And so the striker would be
like your lead wide receiver or, um,
Matt: Correct.
And the winger, yep
Liron: uh,
two on the wings too usually, which
would be your guys on the, on the sides.
So in that sense, similar.
Harris: Wow, that is, that's fascinating.
Um, all right.
So now at, at that point, at
that halftime, what's happening
for fans during the halftime?
Liron: Probably not as, uh, much
action as you're used to from football.
I would say that's when people run
to… No, people It's when peop- No.
I think that's when people
run to the bathroom.
Matt: for the, for the, for
the World Cup final, it's, it's
Harris: no, seriously,
there's no entertainment?
There's no music, nothing during halftime?
Matt: for the final.
Shakira, I think, was, has been
asked to perform in the final
Liron: think otherwise, no
that's your time, Harris.
It's your time to go to
get that hot dog, you know?
I'm gonna go back to football, I'm gonna
go back to baseball, and then I know the
sports that you know so much about, that
when you look, when you read a newspaper
article about it and you watch on TV and
there's a, a line of stats like this.
In soccer, there's probably
four or five stats.
possession, the number of shots, maybe
the number of corners, and the team that
is gonna have the biggest and the highest
number of those can still lose the game
Matt: Well, you think, I mean, you could,
you could have possession 80% of the
match, meaning possession, you have the
ball, um, and they could counterattack.
Yeah, but you don't score.
The goalie could have a great day.
Harris: Right.
That
Matt: maybe you have possession
and it's in your third of the field
but the other team can score on a
counterattack and win the game 1-0.
Liron: I mean, Harris, you, you
know me and, you know me and Sarit.
Like, I could be a great
husband all day long.
I can get the kids, take the
dog, clean the house, drive
Harris: I am not going there.
I am
Liron: I'll for- I'll forget two plates
in the sink, and that's what will be
remembered the next day, and that's soccer
Harris: Well, you know what it
reminds me of, though, with the
stats in You Still May Not Win, Roger
Federer made such an impact on me.
It was a couple of years ago.
He was being interviewed about
nervous times in a, in a match when
you double fault at an incredibly
important time, or you have a bad
game and you go for a period of time
where you don't score as many points.
And he said, "You know, it's just
about winning and losing. It's
like your opponent can score more
points than you, or about the same,
and you can win or lose a match
depending on when they get scored."
It really does come down to, you know,
in your three or four minutes when you
have it, if you score three goals and
the other team had it for 90 minute-
Matt: and that's the beauty of
the, of the tactics of the game.
it's chess, right?
It's not checkers
Harris: Right.
Oh, I like that.
Liron: So, um,
Harris: Okay
Liron: So, um, to wrap this
up, 'cause I know your time is
precious, and unlike ours, I'm-
I left the most important thing.
you standing in front of your daughters
and not having a little bit of lingo,
we're gonna throw a couple of words
at you that you can freely throw
them and yell them in the field,
and people will be like, "Wow, this,
knows what he's talking about."
Harris: Okay, now I'm nervous.
Okay.
Okay, here we go
Liron: He got Megged.
Harris: He got "megged".
Liron: It-- That means that a
player passed another player by
getting the ball between their legs.
Harris: Like nutmeg
Liron: That's it, like nutmeg.
Matt: Like nutmeg.
Exactly
Harris: I have heard that
before, not in this context.
That must be like a universal thing.
so interesting.
But it, it's not a penalty
Liron: It's just humiliation
Matt: just humiliation.
Harris: just humiliation
to the player that has
Liron: Oh, boy.
Yes.
Hence they got Megged.
Yes
Harris: Wow.
Okay.
That's a good one.
I like it.
I'm ready.
And I don't say nutmegged, I just
Liron: Try not to.
Matt: You can though.
Harris: I don't know, but you're
trying to make me look cool.
I can establish not
being cool all by myself.
Matt: so here's another one.
That winger is cooking him.
Harris: That winger is cooking him
Matt: Yeah, there you go.
That's so good.
Liron: That was a good
Matt: good.
So that, that essentially means
Harris: Thanks.
I have no idea what I said
Matt: that means Think of a wide
receiver and a, and a cornerback, right?
They're almost on an island out there,
and their job is to go at that defender
and beat the defender, so it's a lot of
very fancy, at times technical dribbling
at high pace, and then once they're
through, they create a lot of the offense
Liron: I actually heard yesterday from
one of the kids, that he got sauteed.
Which that, yeah.
So, so it's, you're so
cooked that you're sauteed.
So that, that's a big one, um, as well.
Harris: oh, like sautéed.
Liron: My, my accent no good.
Yes.
This is why I'm never g- this is
why I'm never gonna get that job
in Fox Sports.
Yes.
Harris: No, no, no, I'm
just trying to understand.
All right.
So I can say that winger got
cooked or he got sauteed.
Liron: Oof!
Matt: I love it.
Well, if you go sauteed,
you've really, like
you've, you've crossed the chasm
Liron: "Wow." I'll be
like, "Who got sauteed?"
Harris: All right.
I like it.
Now what has to happen to that
guy in order for me to say that?
What's going
Liron: You'll be able to tell.
Uh, they're basically left a mile behind.
Harris: So he's, he's… So he's
coming down the field and, and you
think he's gonna pass or score or
whatever, and then somebody sideswipes
him and takes the ball and hikes it
and goes in the other direction and
you go, "That winger got sautéed."
Liron: That's it, done.
Harris: Okay.
Liron: I li- I li- see-
Matt: No wait, by
Harris: That's so
Matt: by the way, by the, by… Hold on.
The winger doesn't get sauteed.
The winger's doing the sauteing.
The d- the, the def- the defender,
that defender got sauteed.
Now we're, but now we're confusing
wings, like chicken wings and saute.
Like, I don't know where we're going
with
Liron: Let's say, uh- All right.
Well, I mean, look, I'm hungry
Harris: I'm just hungry.
Liron: 9:30 at night.
Yeah, Now I'll give you a couple
of just, a couple things about the
game, and And this, this, this you
can always look cool doing that.
Game goes on, whatever, 0-0, whatever.
And you go sit next to whoever
you're gonna be sitting there, We go,
"Relax. Mane only needs one moment,"
Harris: I love that.
And it only counts for Mané?
Can it count for
Mbappé too?
Liron: Mbappe is more, Mbappe
is a, is a, is a wind-up.
He's like a train.
Mane is this, Only needs a moment.
Matt: I think the next one, you
typically have to be on such a level
of sophistication that only Liron can
speak and understand this one, which is
don't watch the ball, watch the space
Harris: Don't watch
the ball, watch the sp-
So you're gonna watch the whole
scope, you're not just watching the
Matt: Ex-
exactly
Liron: What that means the players
are watching the ball, and they're
not watching the space of where
the ball is supposed to go.
So you go, "Oh, got caught
Harris: so it's a dual perspective.
It's for them and for us as voyeurs
Matt: it is a dual perspective.
You're exactly right
Liron: Exactly.
Harris: Okay, I got you.
Okay, this… I like that.
I wrote that down too.
Matt: Senegal cannot let France
run at them in transition.
Liron: a good one too.
Matt: That's a good one
Liron: Yeah.
I'll send you
Harris: And not what?
France.
Now what does that mean?
Run at them in transition.
Oh, when they're transitioning
from defense to offense?
Matt: Yeah, look at this.
See?
You're a natural
Harris: I love sports, you guys.
That's why I wanted to come to the
best, to raise my game in soccer.
Because if I had this conversation with
you enough, I think I'd really get it.
I know I'm, I'm at a very rudimentary
level right now, but that transition
was just… It's learn- I'm learning.
I'm, I'm like the board with you guys.
I'm just getting it.
I feel
Matt: I'm so happy that the best wasn't
available today and you ended up with
us, and then we got to demonstrate
Harris: You guys are the best.
Oh my gosh,
this is so awesome.
Thank you
Liron: y- Harris, this was so… Usually,
usually these, these episodes for us,
we, we end up so depressed after each
episode because we have these directors
and scouts, and everybody talks about
how difficult it's gonna be for our kids
to progress in sports, and you just,
you just brought in this light in here.
and this was so much fun
Matt: Yeah, it was so fun.
It was great.
Thank
Harris: right, so I'm gonna practice one
Matt: Yeah, let us know how it
goes.
Liron: We want an update.
Harris: Mane only needs a moment
Matt: That's so good.
I've waited a long time to say this.
Wow America.
Chasing the game is now officially the headquarters of every parent in the United States.
You you you know what I loved about this conversation, aside from that ridiculous
statement, is that it started with a very simple question.
A parent called us and said, I've got tickets to a World Cup match, I'm bringing my
daughters, and I don't want to embarrass myself.
And honestly, that's a lot of you soccer parents, us included.
Maybe not the World Cup part, but the feeling.
Your kid falls in love with a sport and suddenly you're learning a whole new language.
Offside.
VAR.
Stoppage time.
Why does nobody go to the bathroom?
And why the referee apparently gets to decide when the game ends.
You know, and that's I uh Harris didn't accept that.
She absolutely refused.
She said, I'm a type A.
I don't know if I can let this go.
And honestly, that might be the most American reaction to soccer I've ever heard, because
we don't get a lot of American reactions to soccer in this podcast.
But she also said something else.
Actually she said a lot, which was incredible.
She said, I'm very coachable, and that's probably the real lesson.
You don't have to know everything.
You don't need to become a tactical expert or even think you are one.
You don't need to become Pep Guardiola.
You just need to be curious enough to learn alongside your kids and share their passion.
That was beautiful, man.
Uh, you know.
ah
this was beautiful.
But you should have a few lines prepared.
I know we all do when we try to impress our kids like we're about to date him or
something.
But like so we got her ready for France and Senegal, gave her a couple historical notes,
taught her quickly about offside, sort of.
And you know, we told we told away everybody standing and screaming before the game even
starts.
And where everything else fails, just turn to your daughters and say, Look, look, girls,
they're pressing really high.
It'll work at least once, assuming they're pressing high.
we tried.
All right.
Harris, thank you for being such a good sport.
From wondering whether FIFA has ever seen such fit checking to remind us that you don't
need to know everything.
You just need to be coachable.
You officially survived.
Chasing the game, soccer one one, trademark.
And to everyone listening, if you got a friend, parent, spouse, or even grandparent who's
still trying to figure out this game, send them this episode.
Because sometimes the best way into soccer isn't through an expert or professional.
It just may be two dads.
Yeah, I mean, you know, and one is never enough.
You know, but I wanna end on this a little emotional note.
We're getting towards the end of the season.
And obviously, as I always remind you, all of our episodes are absolutely timeless, um, as
they should be.
But uh this one this one is a time capsule one, right?
Uh World Cup, it's got a stamp date, and this is a special time for us as dads and as
Americans and New Yorkers.
Yeah, I mean, does it get better than this?
The World Cup in New York, the US men's national team, which we we got to watch Friday
night, at our friend's s incredible soccer or football cantina in Greenpoint called
Socceria, which was phenomenal, followed by the New York Knicks winning
their first NBA title in fifty three years.
For me personally, and getting to experience this with my son, memories that I'll have
forever.
And LaRon sitting with you at the soccer cantina, soccer was as good as it gets.
seeing me cheer for the United States, right?
And w and one thing, because I'm uh I don't eat meat, I you know, eating six uh bowls of
guacamole, that was another uh world breaking event.
a performance by the men's national team, the US men's national team.
Was just wonder wonderful, wonderful to see.
Can't wait to see what happens next week with Australia.
Yeah, I know we'll keep uh we'll keep everybody updated.
So but Matt, I'm gonna I I don't wanna end this episode, but I gotta so uh this is Chasing
the Game, hosting the World Cup from a basement in America.
Bye bye bye.