North America is hosting the greatest show on earth — and Summer '26: A Global Soccer Showdown is your front row seat. Hosted by Gary Striker, the man who bleeds football, and The Qooligan, the coolest head in the game, this is the podcast for anyone who loves the beautiful game — whether you've followed football your whole life or you're tuning in for the magic of the 2026 World Cup across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Every episode, we break down the biggest matches, dissect the moments that matter, and make the bold predictions nobody else dares to. From stunning group-stage upsets to tournament favorites lifting the trophy, we cover it all with the depth you crave and the energy you deserve.
No fluff. No filler. Just pure football.
New episodes drop throughout the tournament. Subscribe now and never miss a moment.
Brought to you by The Hooligan Sports Network.
https://hooligan-soccer.com/summer-'26/#
Semifinal Breakdown & What a Final: Spain vs. Argentina
It's Spain vs. Argentina for the World Cup — European champion against South American champion, in a final that doubles as the ultimate Finalissima. Gary Striker and The Qooligan break down how we got here, starting with Spain's semifinal masterclass: a boa-constrictor press that suffocated the supposedly unstoppable France, an inspired sweeper-keeper display from Unai Simón, an Oyarzabal penalty, and a 19-year-old, Pau Cubarsí, who The Qooligan insists should be Young Player of the Tournament. Spain have now conceded twice in seven games — defense wins championships.
Then the other semifinal, and a familiar English heartbreak. England had it won — until Tuchel shut up shop too early, Messi drifted to the wing to assist both goals, and Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez completed yet another late Argentine smash-and-grab. The guys dig into Argentina's "Undertaker" DNA (nine goals in the 80th minute or later this tournament) and, refreshingly, agree the semis were clean — no VAR controversy this time.
Looking ahead: can Spain's machine handle "Messi time" in the 85th minute, and how do you even try to stop him? Plus the France vs. England third-place playoff — a "nothing burger" that means everything to both sides, with Deschamps bowing out and Mbappé still chasing Messi for the Golden Boot.
New episodes of Summer '26 every day of the tournament at hooligan-soccer.com.
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13 Jul 2026
Semifinals & VAR: England-Argentina, France-Spain & the Wire That Wasn't Reviewed
Four teams left, and one big argument. Gary Striker and The Qooligan are straight into it, as The Qooligan — a referee himself — lays out the VAR problem hanging over the quarterfinals: an England goal that appeared to clip an overhead camera wire and was never reviewed (FIFA say it didn't), and the red card that he believes unbalanced Switzerland's fight with Argentina before it started. His argument isn't conspiracy, it's transparency: release the data, or people will assume you're hiding something.
Then the semifinals. It's England vs. Argentina — a fixture loaded with history, and the first time Lionel Messi has ever faced England — followed by France vs. Spain. The guys sketch the four contrasting characters left standing: a scrapping, streetwise Argentina; an England side being carried by a genuinely world-class Jude Bellingham; a boring-but-brilliant Spain who've conceded once and bored the pair of them senseless; and a swashbuckling France whose front four have accounted for every goal — possibly the best international side ever assembled.
Plus an off-the-cuff awards segment: goal of the tournament (Cape Verde's stunner against Argentina still leads), best young player, and why Tuchel's willingness to tear up his own system in-game gives England a puncher's chance. Predictions: France to beat Spain — and The Qooligan, reluctantly, is going England.
New episodes of Summer '26 every day of the tournament at hooligan-soccer.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9 Jul 2026
Quarterfinal Showdowns: France-Morocco, Norway-England & the Upsets Brewing
The hosts are gone, and the heavyweights are left. On the eve of the quarterfinals, Gary Striker and The Qooligan first hold a post-mortem on a chastening round of 16: the USA's flat exit to Belgium — capped by a nightmare goalkeeping error and a record US audience — as all three host nations bowed out in the same round, two fighting and one, sadly, with a whimper. Cue some honest soul-searching about American soccer.
Then to the main event: four quarterfinal showdowns. France vs. Morocco is a fiery, French-tinged derby and a rematch of last tournament's semifinal — with a lethal French attack against a spirited, physical Morocco. Spain, still yet to concede, meet a resurgent Belgium riding a super-sub Lukaku, and The Qooligan makes a genuine case for the upset. Argentina face The Qooligan's dark horses, a grinding Switzerland, with a tired Messi to manage. And the pick of the lot: Norway vs. England, the toughest to call, as Haaland's Vikings target a familiar problem area — England's makeshift right side.
Plus more refereeing controversy after Argentina's win over Egypt, the Golden Boot race, and why this weekend could serve up two upsets.
New episodes of Summer '26 every day of the tournament at hooligan-soccer.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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