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Football Is Life! You know Cristo Fernández as Dani Rojas from Ted Lasso, but his soccer dream started long before AFC Richmond. He joins Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Raheem Taylor-Parkes to explain how knee injuries changed his path, how his football skills helped him land Ted Lasso and why he returned to professional soccer with El Paso Locomotive FC. Cristo shares the real story behind Dani Rojas, Jason Sudeikis's advice about the catchphrase and the fan encounter he'll never forget. Plus: chasing acting and soccer dreams, refusing to write yourself off at 30, and a Messi-or-Ronaldo answer that gets Ocho fired up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Schulz and Mark Gagnon pull up to The Late Run, and Ocho finally gets the GOAT answer he's been waiting for. Andrew says Messi is more skilled, but Cristiano is the more dominant force on the pitch, and then argues Messi "never played at the highest level" because the rest of La Liga was "guys working at Trader Joe's." Andrew also admits he lived in Barcelona during its heyday and went to zero games at Camp Nou, tells the story of politely asking Myles Garrett and Chloe Kim to move out of his seat in a World Cup final suite, and accepts Ocho's FIFA challenge after Ocho spots him four goals. Then the crew tries to find Andrew a Premier League team (Ocho is pushing Tottenham hard). They break down why American soccer players lack personality, and get into why US clubs make nothing when they develop players. Andrew's answer to what it'll take for America to love soccer: "We just gotta win." Plus: Andrew's Street Fighter role, Ocho's boxing knockdown, and which star is the Andrew Schulz of world football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Late Run, Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parkes sit down with comedian and creator Corey B to discuss how IShowSpeed and a new generation of creators are making soccer cool in America, why MLS needs more personalities like Zlatan Ibrahimović, and what American soccer still gets wrong about youth development and pay-to-play. Corey reveals what it was really like fighting two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi, while Ocho explains why he asked Floyd Mayweather for a real fighter on the Logan Paul undercard, tried to dap up the man who dropped him, and paid his NFL fines before the letters even arrived. They also debate Messi versus Ronaldo, parenting young athletes, surviving long seasons, and why personality matters when sports are also entertainment. Chapters: 0:00 — Cold Open 1:01 — Corey B on IShowSpeed and Soccer’s Growth in America 14:02 — What Soccer Can Learn From Boxing and Zlatan 22:22 — Parenting Young Athletes Without Pressure 26:08 — Staying Healthy Through a Long Season 35:00 — Messi vs. Ronaldo 37:33 — Corey B and Ocho’s Wild Boxing Stories 43:14 — Mental Warfare and Soccer’s Locker-Room Drama 48:35 — Why Ocho Paid His NFL Fines Early Start using ChatGPT Work for free at http://chatgpt.com/work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World Cup winner, Bayern legend and now MLS star Thomas Müller pulls up to The Late Run, and Ocho, who admits he went 14 years without a trophy, finally gets to live vicariously through someone who's won it all. Thomas takes us back to the countryside club where his cousins handed him a ball, why always being the youngest forced him to get creative, and the day Louis van Gaal looked down the bench and said, "you, you there - let's try this guy."Then it gets real: the 2015 Man United offer worth a reported €100M, why he was ready to follow his mentor — and why he was glad Bayern said no ("okay, you're our guy"). Ocho matches it with the two first-round picks Washington offered for him. Thomas explains why you can doubt your performances but never your base, what Jürgen Klopp has to fix in a Germany side he says has lost its mentality, and what it felt like to walk into the locker room 5-0 up on Brazil in a World Cup semi-final — before spending the last 15 minutes running away from David Luiz. And when Ocho asks the GOAT question, Thomas admits he was with Cristiano for ten years… until he looked at the bigger picture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino pulls up to The Late Run. The former Argentina international joins Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Raheemovic to break down why he committed to the U.S. through 2030, what American soccer needs to change to compete with the world's best, and why he believes young players like Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and Neil Pierre are ready for the international stage. Pochettino also looks back on the controversial penalty he gave away against England at the 2002 World Cup, explains why he prefers football without VAR, and opens up about managing some of the biggest personalities in the game, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. Plus: Ocho weighs in on Neymar's legacy, Poch explains why "one plus one plus one" doesn't always equal three in football, and of course, the GOAT debate... his answer is Messi. CHAPTERS:0:00 — Cold Open0:52 — Welcome Mauricio Pochettino2:04 — Why Poch Is Staying With the USMNT Through 20305:36 — What Is American Soccer Missing?8:48 — The Biggest Challenge With the U.S. Soccer System10:42 — Real Talk: Life After Playing15:12 — Preparing Athletes for Life After Sports16:39 — The 2002 World Cup Penalty vs. England18:45 — Poch Wants Football Without VAR21:02 — Neymar's Legacy25:30 — ChatGPT Work26:16 — 85 Always Open: Managing Messi, Neymar & Mbappé28:45 — The Next Generation of USMNT Stars30:35 — Why Some Young Stars Never Reach Their Potential32:59 — The GOAT Question34:18 — What's Next for Pochettino?36:12 — Outro Start using ChatGPT Work for free at http://chatgpt.com/work Use Code HATRICK30 for 30% off your next door dash order of $25 or more anytime an MLS player scores a hat trick this season! *Terms and Conditions do apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The future of American soccer pulls up to The Late Run. Julian Hall, the New York Red Bulls striker who signed his first pro contract at 15 and never set foot in a high school joins Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Raheemovic in front of a live crowd (with his mom in the building). He talks about recording two assists against Messi and Inter Miami, the debut at 15 where he felt like he was "about to pass out," and the decision everyone's waiting on: Poland or USA?Plus: Ocho tells the story of the trade the Bengals refused (two first-round picks on the table), and Julian breaks down why he models his game on Robert Lewandowski, and of course the GOAT debate... he picks Messi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Kam Patterson pulls up on The Late Run live and finally gets in a room with the man he's supposedly beefing with. Raheem asks what actually happened with Ocho on Club Shay Shay, Kam also explains why Kevin Hart is the blueprint for his whole career and why he stayed quiet on set to soak up game, what it felt like getting thrown on the Weekend Update desk his first week at SNL, and why he'd rather do a live sketch than take a World Cup penalty with a whole country on his back Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:23 - Kam Quit Soccer After Two Days 3:09 - The Big3 Beef With Ocho 6:37 - Should Kam Do World Cup Commentary? 8:38 - Which NFL Skills Translate to Football? 13:55 - SNL vs the Super Bowl 16:30 Kevin Hart Is the Blueprint 18:55 Messi or Ronaldo Start using ChatGPT Work for free at http://chatgpt.com/work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ocho finally sits down with his favorite player and COUSIN (at least according to the paperwork he brought) - Son Heung-Min. Sonny opens up about the call he almost ignored, “No way going to the MLS", and the years of LAFC persistence that changed his mind. He shares why the packed American stadiums still surprise him every single week. Then Son takes us back to leaving Korea for Germany at 16 years old, where he learned the language by watching SpongeBob, and the discipline that journey built in him.Son goes deep into the Spurs years: the best team he ever played on, the Amsterdam Miracle night Lucas Moura scored three goals, what the night before a Champions League final actually feels like, and Harry Kane's real secret - "it's not gifted." He remembers telling a 19-year-old Dele Alli he'd end up at Real Madrid or Barcelona, and how hard it was to watch his "little brother" go downhill. And when Ocho asks the GOAT question, Sonny gives the most honest answer the show has ever heard: his idol is Ronaldo… but Messi? "I can't disagree." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Godfrey pulls up on The Late Run and gives Raheem and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson the most honest take American soccer has heard: he never wants the USA to win a World Cup, and he's got reasons. He breaks down how Nigeria's government wasted a generation of talent while Pablo Escobar was out here funding Colombian soccer, crowns Pele over everybody, does a Kevin Garnett impression that needs to be studied, and finally gives Ocho his flowers for actually knowing ball. Plus the Karl-Anthony Towns story where Godfrey takes credit for a championship, and why soccer will never grow in America without a personality leading it. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:38 - Godfrey’s Nigerian Soccer Roots + America’s “World Champions” 6:57 - Pelé Is the GOAT 7:55 - Nigeria’s Soccer FAILURE + America’s Pay-to-Play Problem 14:34 - Why Godfrey NEVER Wants USA to Win 26:27 - How Football Started Godfrey’s Comedy Career 31:51 - Vinícius, Ronaldo & the GOAT Debate 36:10 - Why American Soccer Needs a Transcendent Star 41:14 - Ocho Explains Soccer Through the NBA Start using ChatGPT Work for free at http://chatgpt.com/work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christian "Bobo" Vieri - once the most expensive footballer on earth - pulls up to The Late Run and takes us inside the golden era of Serie A: training next to R9 and laughing out loud ("you can't stop him"), and the day he saw steel coming out of the Phenomenon's knee. He breaks down his world-record €49M transfer (about €335M in today's money), why all that money moved to the Premier League, and the four stadiums on earth where playing feels different - starting with 85,000 at San Siro: "that's where you sh*t your pants."Then it gets honest: winning the top-scorer crown while going out every single night, the 40-goal season he believes he threw away, the 2006 knee injury that cost him a World Cup - and the wife who tells him to "go to the hospital" when she catches him reliving goals he missed 25 years ago. Ocho gets striker advice for Sunday League ("the green pitch never lies"), compares his New England what-if to Vieri's, and asks the GOAT question one more time. For one beautiful second, he finally has an ally… and then Vieri takes it back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arsenal legend Sol Campbell pulls up to The Late Run and starts swinging: modern football is "too easy," the tough tackles are gone, and no striker on earth (not even prime R9) could ever say he had Sol's number. He takes us inside the Invincibles: training sessions that were "like matches," Pirès scoring 40-yarders with his instep, Henry and Bergkamp as a double act you had to out-think, and why that unbeaten record still stands 20+ years later.Then it gets personal: the REAL hate between Keane's United and Vieira's Arsenal, and the retired United players who still hold the grudge. He shares how deep club tribalism runs in England compared to America, the day Thierry Henry tried to recruit Sol to MLS, and how Ferguson beat Wenger to a young Cristiano Ronaldo. Plus, Ocho asks the GOAT question and gets his heart broken in real time. Then Sol breaks down what Tuchel got wrong in England's collapse, and he closes with the three times he made history for the culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He was named after Drogba, raised on a soccer ball, and now the phone won't stop ringing. US soccer's brightest prospect Zavier Gozo pulls up to The Late Run to talk Champions League dreams, the World Cup call-up he believes he deserved, and the credit-card sacrifices his mom made to get him through America's pay-to-play system.Plus: Ocho relives the day he trained with Real Madrid in his NFL prime and got "embarrassed" in a 30-minute Rondo, and breaks down why young U.S. players need minutes before 2030. It ends with Zavier's Ronaldo take that makes Ocho almost jump out his chair! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmy-winning sports "talker" Katie Nolan pulls up to The Late Run and answers the GOAT question before Ocho can even finish asking it. She explains why she'll "defend soccer to the death," why being flippant about the world's most popular game is a huge negative to you as a person, and how meeting the US Women's National Team in 2015 turned her into a believer.Then it goes deeper: the $35-vs-$5,000 problem locking American kids out of soccer and the 50 million people who tuned into USA–Belgium confirming exactly why casual American fans don't watch. Plus, why it's unfair that Carli Lloyd catches more heat than every other legend when critiquing USMNT, and the infamous German fan who kissed Katie live on TV at the 2014 World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Paul pulls up to The Late Run Show with Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parkes, and the 12-time All-Star came with stories nobody else can tell: the trade to the Lakers that went through and got killed within hours, the league rules that blocked him from becoming a part-owner of LAFC, and the day Wembanyama pointed at the Paris apartment where he lived alone at 15.CP3 gets into why retirement routines are harder than playing, what La Masia does that AAU can't, why super teams collapse in the locker room before they collapse on the court, his answer to KD's claim that small guards are done, the pay-to-play problem keeping soccer out of the hood, and how his TST tournament got Nani a pro contract and sent a million-dollar goal scorer to Angel City. Plus the GOAT question, and Ocho finally gets some company on his answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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