The Late Run

Two days before the biggest World Cup Final of our lifetime, Trevor Noah pulls up to The Late Run. He tells the story behind the photo of Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal nearly two decades before they meet in a World Cup Final, explains why the whole world is rooting for Spain on Sunday, and calls out England for playing scared. Then it goes deeper: street football under apartheid, why your country's style of play tells you everything about where you grew up, the 2010 vuvuzelas (and the player who blamed them), and why he still stands by "Africa won the World Cup." Plus, Ocho and Trevor debate the USMNT flameout, whether the USA would beat Belgium in a best of 7, and why Alexi Lalas is actually good for American soccer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Late Run goes LIVE for the first time ever, from House of Goal NYC in the middle of the World Cup, and Gronk pulls up a changed man. The guy who never watched a single soccer game in his life now has full World Cup fever: naming his comp (Erling Haaland, who else), breaking down how Serie A actually works, and arguing that America's best athletes playing football is exactly why the USMNT can't crack the world's top eight. Ocho and Raheem get Gronk's review of his first live World Cup match, somehow the most boring game of the tournament, his new soccer podcast with Jameis Winston, an Anthony Davis-in-goal hypothetical that got the whole crowd going, and the one GOAT answer guaranteed to make Ocho grab the mic. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Intro 01:07 — What the World Cup Taught Gronk 02:45 — Gronk's Comp: Erling Haaland 04:18 — What World Cup Games Are Really Like 07:52 — Ocho's DraftKings Props 16:20 — Gronk's Soccer Podcast & Learning Italian Football 19:20 — Is Gronk's Fandom Real? 23:27 — Why the USMNT Isn't Top 8 (Pay-to-Play) 26:52 — Anthony Davis in Goal 27:43 — Gronk Picks His GOAT SUPPORT THE SHOW: Grab your FREE House of Goal tickets here and celebrate the World Cup with us at New York’s largest soccer culture festival: http://www.goal.com/houseofgoal Start using Codex for free at http://chatgpt.com/codex New DraftKings customers, bet $5 and get $100 in bonus bets instantly. The Crown Is Yours! Sign up using <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbk9JbHBIM3ViV2Ffb2dmNkM4Y3Fvd05sMU5fZ3xBQ3Jtc0trd0daZHIySW55dDVHQVdEY0FBNGtxcDAtWEZOTWVmNExCa1NKRk9pbEY2MVA3RG5qMjBsVWdmUUZrQlJtWGRUS3dsbmE4d1V

Gregg Berhalter, a two-time World Cup player, former USMNT head coach, and current Chicago Fire manager, joins Ocho and Raheemovic on The Late Run. Gregg opens up on his tenure coaching the USMNT in Qatar, how failure can actually help American soccer, and the emotional reality of watching his own son play in the World Cup. He drops the line that sets the tone: “On any given day, we can beat any given team,” but states clearly that America isn’t a heavyweight in world soccer yet.Plus: coaching Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie through their growing pains, the insanity of Swedish fans fist-fighting in the stands at Hammarby, and why a good coach never blames his players. Plus the crew talk about the infrastructure failings that hurt Youth Soccer development in the U.S., how Mbappé got benched and watching the second half with his mom, the economics pushing MLS to play 16-year-olds, and his GOAT verdict: Messi over Ronaldo, with Maradona in the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of The Late Run, Landon Donovan—the most decorated American men's soccer player of all time—joins Ocho and Raheem. From the jump it's clear how different his road was from Chad's. While Ocho was a drafted NFL star with people lining up at his door, a 19-year-old Landon was being sent to a park to entertain 11 kids just to sell 30 tickets. Landon gets into the culture shock of moving to Bayer Leverkusen alone at 16, the 2012 sabbatical that nearly ended his career and why he became one of soccer's first mental-health voices, the Jürgen Klinsmann decision that cost him the 2014 World Cup, why he refuses to pick between Messi and Ronaldo after facing both in their prime, how David Beckham's gamble saved MLS, and the $50K pay-to-play problem he says is quietly killing American soccer. Plus the grit he thinks the current generation is missing—and why the World Cup at home could change everything. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Intro 01:23 — Where it started + how US soccer fandom exploded 05:19 — The promo grind: 11 kids to sell 30 tickets 08:23 — Leverkusen at 16 + the Canada question 24:30 — The 2012 sabbatical or bet $5, get $200 Bonus Bets instantly (7-day expiry and stake removed from payout). 7 days = 168hrs. Rewards are non-withdrawable. Terms: dkng.co/offer. Ends 6/28/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CM Punk pulls up to The Late Run with the belt — and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion turns out to be a bigger football head than anyone expected. Ocho and Raheemovic get Punk talking Celtic loyalty (he's half Irish, and rival Drew McIntyre reps Rangers), why Celtic vs Rangers is "200 years of religious hatred," and why most Americans only wake up to soccer for the World Cup. Then it gets wild: Punk tells the story of the night in Brazil when an opponent disrespected the Brazilian national flag mid-match — and the ring got surrounded by armed men aiming straight at him. Plus, the crew debates: who's the better actor, a diving footballer or a wrestler selling in the ring? Who trash talks better, WWE or soccer players? And the big one — Punk names his soccer GOAT (hint: a flying knee KO is involved) and goes Messi over Ronaldo. Ocho shares his dream WrestleMania entrance (Free Bird, oiled-up, cigar in hand), and Punk names which footballer’s would make the best WWE Superstars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Late Run, Premier League and Champions League winner Mario Balotelli joins Ocho and Raheem. From the opening bow, it's clear these two are cut from the same cloth: two of the most unapologetic showmen their sports have ever produced, in one room. Chad doesn't call himself "Balotelli Jr." for nothing. Mario gets into why the Italy national team has fallen so far and how he'd fix it, the rough Liverpool year that left him low in England, the racism he faced in Serie A and why he calls it ignorance, the Mourinho red-card story, his Barcelona trial at 15, and what really happened on that LA Galaxy backheel. Plus his verdict on the Messi–Ronaldo debate ("Messi is not normal"), the one player he rates above him, life after football, and the launch of his new "Why Always Me?" project. Ocho and the crew also break down the USMNT's World Cup run on Oo's Props. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rey Mysterio Jr. walks into the Late Run and immediately makes it personal. The WWE Hall of Famer breaks down why the mask means everything to Mexican culture, what it'll feel like at Azteca for the World Cup opener, and how Maradona shaped his love for the beautiful game. Then it gets heavy: 14 ACL tears, the moment he almost tapped out for good, and how his son reignited his fire as they made history together.Ocho and Raheemovic push Rey on Mexico vs USA at this World Cup and the timeless Messi vs Ronaldo debate (spoiler: Rey breaks Ocho's heart). They also crown the Messi & Ronaldo of the WWE: Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. And finally, who are the better actors: Footballers or Wrestlers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor Parkes put the GOAT question to Inter Miami's Dayne St. Clair — the only man who trains next to Messi every day — and get a one-line answer that stops the tape. From NFL pressure vs. World Cup nerves to whether MLS finally gets its respect, this one lives in the crossover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maurice Edu joins Chad Ochocinco and Raheemovic to break down what success actually looks like for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Group D, the Paraguay opener at SoFi, the Belgium and Portugal wake-up calls, and whether a quarterfinal run is enough to shift soccer culture in America. Mo sets the bar at semifinal. Chad's not sure we get out of the group. Hit play and pick your side.Plus, Mo brings the receipts. He talks his 2010 World Cup run in South Africa with the USMNT and the 86th-minute Slovenia goal that got chalked off by the ref. He gets into what it meant having his mom and brother in the stands watching him wear the crest. He looks back on his MLS Rookie of the Year campaign as the #1 overall pick with Toronto FC. And he breaks down his Rangers years in the Scottish Premiership: a 93rd-minute Old Firm derby winner, three league titles, Champions League nights at Old Trafford, and a front-row seat to the club's financial collapse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams joins Chad Ochocinco Johnson and Raheem Taylor-Parkes on The Late Run ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Tyler opens up about what a successful World Cup looks like for this generation, why some young Americans are moving to Europe too soon, and the politics of being an American player trying to earn respect abroad. He drops a powerful line: until America creates its own Messi, there's always going to be a stigma on US players. Plus: Ocho and Raheem break down the Arsenal vs PSG Champions League final, Tyler reveals who the hardest Premier League midfielders are to play against, settles the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, and explains why his USMNT goal against Mexico meant more than his Champions League quarterfinal winner. Chapters: 0:00 — Tyler's Love for the Beautiful Game 2:11 — World Cup 2026: Can the USMNT Change Everything? 7:07 — Pressure to Grow Soccer in America 10:01 — Arsenal vs PSG Champions League Final 15:52 — Tyler's Journey from Red Bull to Europe 21:54 — Stigma of Being American in European Soccer 28:47 — Hardest PL Midfielders & Messi vs Ronaldo 33:27 — Tyler's Most Important Goal New DraftKings customers, bet $5 and get $100 in bonus bets instantly. The Crown Is Yours! Sign up using http://dkng.co/thelaterun or through my promo code THELATERUN. #DKPartner GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $100 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 5/31/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bradley Wright-Phillips pulls up to The Late Run and pulls no punches. The MLS legend and son of Arsenal icon Ian Wright sits down with Raheemovic and Ochocinco to talk about the pressure of growing up in his dad's shadow, why he believes Messi's child has no chance of being better than him, and what MLS in 2013 was really like - "the ghetto". Ocho shares the real story of his Sporting Kansas City trial during the NFL lockout, the time Mourinho let him train with Real Madrid's reserves and they ran rings around him, and why he got fined by the NFL for warming up with a soccer ball.The GOAT debate gets heated when BWP tells Ocho flat out that Messi is "not even close" to Ronaldo, the boys read hate comments, and the squad imagines what would happen if America's best athletes had grown up playing soccer. Plus: refs on power trips, Ocho's TST appearance, the BWP-Yannick Bolasie rap battle, and the McDonald's diet that fueled 13 NFL years with zero injuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Gronkowski joins Chad Ochocinco Johnson and Raheem Taylor-Parkes on The Late Run for a MASSIVE crossover episode. Gronk tells the story of meeting Messi in Barcelona's owner's suite, playing goalie against Barca players, and explains why Tom Brady IS the Messi of football. He also drops a scorching take: the NFL RUINED American soccer by stealing the country's best athletes — and ranks European pub culture ABOVE NFL tailgating. Plus: Gronk settles the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, Chad's McDonald's diet gets the "Play On" stamp, and the episode ends with an iconic Gronk spike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen A. Smith pulls up to The Late Run with Ocho and Raheemovic and goes everywhere. He picks Messi as the soccer GOAT, doubles down on his "Messi in MLS is LeBron in the G League" line, and tells the wild story of how a 1991 Winston-Salem Journal assignment turned him into a Wake Forest soccer beat writer for two seasons before ESPN. Then he switches sports and delivers the full Jordan-over-LeBron stat package: 6 Finals, 6 rings, 6 Finals MVPs, never a Game 7.Stephen A. weighs in on whether American athletes could compete in soccer if they had Ronaldo's training regimen, drags Knicks fans for not having "a license to be passionate," and commits to attending the 2026 World Cup with Ocho — Miami, Argentina, Colombia, Morocco, Brazil, Croatia all on the table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four-time WWE World Champion Sheamus joins Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parkes on The Late Run during WrestleMania week. A lifelong Liverpool fan from Dublin, Sheamus tells the insane story of wearing a Liverpool kit on live TV in Manchester — bottles thrown, fans swinging, and he calls it the best moment of his career. He picks Maradona as the real GOAT over Messi and Ronaldo, explains why winning a WWE title is harder than scoring a World Cup goal, reveals he'd trade his WWE Championships for Ireland to win a World Cup, reacts to Rooney slapping Wade Barrett, debates Jordan vs LeBron, and breaks down why European fan culture is on another level compared to America. Plus: Van Dijk as the greatest PL center back ("nobody will say Carragher"), Euro 88 changing Ireland forever, the Super Bowl as a corporate event, and Ocho's pitch for Sheamus to walk out to "You'll Never Walk Alone." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cam Little, kicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars and former soccer academy player, joins Ocho and Raheemovic for a full crossover episode just weeks before the 2026 World Cup on American soil. Cam settles the GOAT debate immediately - Ronaldo, no hesitation - and breaks down exactly why Messi's World Cup win doesn't change anything when you look at the longevity, the fear factor, and what Ronaldo is still doing at 40. Plus: could Ronaldo and Messi actually coexist on the same MLS team?From sneaking onto University of Oklahoma practice fields during COVID to nearly quitting after his first hit in a varsity game, Cam tells the full story of how a soccer kid ended up being one of the NFL's most dangerous kickers. He drops a confession mid-episode - no hot mic - he still enjoys soccer more than football. The episode then moves into Real Talk territory: Super Bowl game winner vs World Cup penalty kick, the Brandon Aubrey origin story your timeline hasn't told you, and the Nkunku-style balloon celebration Ocho is ready to personally fund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Late Run, Knicks guard Miles “Deuce” McBride joins Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parkes. A Cincinnati native who grew up idolizing Ocho, Deuce tells the story of getting denied an autograph by Chad as a kid. Now, twenty years later, they’re face to face. He opens up about the Knicks’ locker room soccer culture, his brother playing for Bayer Leverkusen, what would happen to New York if the Knicks win it all, picking Messi over Ronaldo, his NFL what-if, and goes head-to-head comparing soccer and basketball athletes: Brunson vs Lamine Yamal, OG vs Van Dijk, KAT vs Haaland, and more. This is the crossover episode you didn’t know you needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Vlogs pulls up and it instantly turns into story time. He breaks down what it’s really like being close to Neymar, the poker night that started it, Messi showing up to the birthday party, and Neymar’s rehab pain most people never see. “He was Crying.” Then we get into Kings League Brazil, why Jon calls it “TikTok for soccer”, and Ocho goes full unhinged pitching a “life or death” streaming era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MLS Commissioner Don Garber sits down with Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parkes for an all-time conversation about the past, present, and future of American soccer. Garber reveals how he convinced David Beckham to leave Real Madrid for MLS and the legendary clause that let Beckham negotiate team ownership. He settles the Messi vs Ronaldo GOAT debate without hesitation, breaks down how MLS went from $5M team investments to a $23 billion enterprise, and opens the door on promotion/relegation for the first time ever. Ocho reveals he racked up over $5 million in NFL fines, pitches himself as an MLS team owner, gets officially invited to the MLS All-Star Skills Competition in Charlotte, and calls out Cristiano to come to MLS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gerard Piqué sits down with Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Raheemovic for an all-time episode of The Late Run. The 4x Champions League winner and World Cup champion gives his definitive answer on Messi vs Ronaldo after playing alongside BOTH, reveals the inside story of Sir Alex Ferguson selling him for just £5M (a move that changed football history), and breaks down what's gone wrong at Manchester United.Piqué opens up about Rio Ferdinand mentoring him as a teenager, why his kids watching TikTok instead of Barcelona inspired him to create Kings League, how Neymar was the most skilled player he ever faced 1v1, and why football is losing its creativity to tactics and data. Plus, Ocho and Piqué go head-to-head comparing El Clasico pressure vs NFL pressure, debate whether the center back is becoming football's quarterback, and reveal their FIFA Ultimate Team cards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rio Ferdinand joins Chad Ochocinco and Raheemovic for one of the most loaded episodes of The Late Run yet; going deep on what Cristiano Ronaldo was REALLY like in the Man United dressing room, why being called a "hard worker" is the one thing that offends him, and how Sir Alex Ferguson's psychological genius kept players motivated even when he dropped them. Rio tells the wild story of sitting in the Leeds chairman's office for 8 hours to force his move to Manchester United, only for the police to warn him never to come back to Yorkshire. Plus, Ocho and Rio discover they BOTH secretly did ballet, settle the Messi vs Ronaldo GOAT debate, compare NFL and soccer athletes head-to-head, and Rio reacts to his infamous "Get the contract out" Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rant. Rio's coming to the US for the World Cup this summer — this is the conversation you need to hear first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two-time NWSL Champion and USWNT star Midge Purce pulls up to The Late Run and doesn't hold back. From a fiery Messi vs Ronaldo debate where Ocho tries (and fails) to flip her answer, to a raw breakdown of the NWSL's controversial High Impact Player rule and why she thinks Trinity Rodman is still underpaid, Midge brings the heat on everything wrong with women's soccer pay. But the real jaw-dropper? Midge reveals she played 30 minutes on a TORN ACL because she didn't want to miss Olympic camp. She opens up about the year-long mental battle to trust her knee again, what it means to be an athlete who's "excellent at failing," and why she thinks women are just more interesting than men. Plus: why American male athletes won't acknowledge women's players (but James Rodriguez and Thomas Mueller will), her FC26 card stats, an NWSL owner quiz, and the launch of her new podcast "Confessions of an Elite Athlete." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Ross pulls up to The Late Run and goes ALL IN on World Cup 2026, revealing he plans to streak if Haiti wins, comparing Messi's impact on Miami to nothing he's ever seen, and breaking down why soccer needs to take over the hood. The Boss also drops his Ronaldo vs. Messi take (spoiler: Dade County loyalty wins), names Biggie and Pac as hip hop's equivalent, and gets real about what it was like being famous before Instagram even existed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chad Ochocinco Johnson and Raheemovic sit down with comedy legend Bert Kreischer for a conversation that goes everywhere: soccer culture in Florida, Messi mania in Miami, the World Cup 2026 “last dance” talk, and the comedy Mount Rushmore. Bert retells *The Machine* origin story, breaks down what makes a great comedian, and somehow ends up pledging to become a real soccer fan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parks talk the Beautiful Game with the biggest names in sports and culture - COMING FEBRUARY 26 👀 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices