WE'VE GOT EURO 2024 FEVER 🥵🇩🇪

HAIL GFOP!

I type with fingers burning up with Euro Fever. The 2024 Euros kick off in Germany today – with our own Copa just six days away. I have to be honest. I adore the Euros. Pound for Pound the most brutally unforgiving international tournament in the world. 24 teams will collide. The draw is wide, wide open with at least five heavyweights – France, Portugal, Spain, England and the hosts Germany – believing this year will be their year. That the tournament is taking place at a time of tension and flux across Europe only makes the stakes feel all the sharper. The war in Ukraine rages just 400 miles away from Germany’s eastern border. The prime minister of Slovakia is recovering from an assassination attempt. The German government has declared it must be ready for war by 2029. Elections in France and England are coated in fears of the rise of the far right wing. For one month, let football reign and do what it does: Create an illusion of unity, joy, and collective memory making. 

Another joy: Fans from the United States are reported to have bought 27% of all Euro 2024 tickets, more than fans from any other country 🇺🇸

ii. Men in Blazers From FC to Shining Sea Tour coming to a City near you 

Los Angeles! Brendan Hunt will join me next Wednesday night! Wednesday, June 19 at the El Rey Theatre we'll break down the summer to come with Brendan and the indomitable Herc Gomez. TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE. Join us to kick off the Summer o’ Soccer. 🍻

Kansas City – WE COMING BACK. Before the USMNT takes on Uruguay at Arrowhead, Rog and some great guests will be back at the Madrid Theater talking Copa, Euros and all things KC. TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW for this show. We trying to be 89% made up of burnt ends before this one's through. 🍻

BUT WAIT - there’s more. GFOPs in Atlanta, Charlotte, and New York: be on the lookout on our socials for details on us coming to your city. We going coast to coast this summer and want to soak in the memories with you 🍻

🦅 We asked you to give this US Men’s National Team a new nickname as we charge towards the big one on home soil. You came up with “The Gen Zeagles”. And we ran with it. Our boys are growing up together. Their future is in their own hands. Everything feels possible. Cue Eagle Screech…

Summer 2024: the summer of FC to Shining Sea. ☀️

2. To the Football

Euros opening game is a banger: Germany vs. Scotland (TODAY, 3 p.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇩🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The hosts have shaken off a sense of doom which swamped them in the aftermath of the last World Cup debacle – the consecutive second time they have failed to emerge from the group stage. With Toni Kroos back for a last hurrah, they believe they can be a Turniermannschaft – a true tournament team – who find their rhythm, form, and precision game to game on a march to victory again. Scotland are buoyed by their Tartan Army – an estimated 200,000 Scots who have descended from all points of the kilt-wearing diaspora hellbent on watching their team emerge from a group stage for the first time ever, or at least, drinking Germany’s beer supplies dry. Their team is part magical circus act, part multi-generational trauma. 

More: The German public yearn for a team they can believe in once again.

ii. Serbia v. England (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇷🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Three long years after their second placed finish last time-round, tournament “favorites(?)” England begin their Euros campaign, poised as ever between feeling victory is inevitable, and existential dread. This is a bold, fresh squad with 12 tournament virgins. All eyes will be on the midfield selection for Sunday’s opener against a menacing Serbia, with manager Gareth Southgate still in the process of meshing all the new, young talent he has selected into a cohesive 11 man starting lineup. Last Friday’s 1-0 loss against old foes Iceland showcased the weaknesses in a squad bereft of veteran players, with Southgate still without a clear partner for Declan Rice in front of the backline, and the team’s only recognized left-back Luke Shaw still questionable with injury. Barney Ronay wrote brilliantly in the Guardian that this tournament should be known as “Gareth’s glorious last stand, or alternatively Gareth’s angry and tearful defenestration.” The goal in this one: Not to lose the crucial first game of the tournament. 

One note: England’s game against Serbia on Sunday will be the only game in the entirety of the Euro 2024 Tournament where only low percentage alcohol/beer will be served, in an attempt to prevent fan trouble. (The German police might also want to do something about the cocaine and the pro-Putin politics of the Serbian ultras who are rumored to be turning up. But the low-alc beer should do it.)

📺 RIGHT AFTER THE ENGLAND MATCH Rog is going LIVE with the incredible Rebecca Lowe on our YouTube. Come join us at 5 p.m. ET to have your say, ask your questions, and discuss the first three days of the Euros. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

More: Miguel Delaney deep dive into the strengths and weaknesses of Gareth’s Last Stand squad.

🗣️Our Euro Preview is right here, telling you all you need to know: That King Rory Smith broke down each team. I honestly marvel at his ability to ad lib an analysis of Albania’s center backs. 🏆

EPISODE 1 (LISTEN | WATCH) and EPISODE 2 (LISTEN | WATCH)

iii. The Rest of This Weekend’s Euros Schedule: 📺

Hungary v. Switzerland (Saturday, 9 a.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇭🇺 🇨🇭

Spain v. Croatia (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇪🇸 🇭🇷

Italy v. Albania (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇮🇹 🇦🇱

Poland v. Netherlands (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇵🇱 🇳🇱

Slovenia v. Denmark (Sunday, 12 p.m. ET, Fox Sports) 🇸🇮 🇩🇰

iv. More Good Euros Reading:

i. World Class and yet misunderstood, Harry Kane is England’s Warhorse.

ii. Another lovely big picture preview.

iii. Incredible guide to every player at the Euros. 

🚨 THREE HOURS LEFT 🚨

We have partnered with UEFA EURO 2024 to join the official Fantasy League of the tournament. It’s quite simple, pick your players, click submit. My team is called the USMNT – and may be our best chance of that team winning anything this summer. Run, don’t walk to join the official UEFA EURO 2024 Fantasy League this summer and be sure to join the MIB league with the code Hbf2QT. Winner will receive a UEFA EURO official kit of their choosing!

3. USA! USA! USA! Our Gen Zeagles Beat Brazil 1-1 🇺🇸🇧🇷🦅

Wednesday night’s collective rebound, courtesy of a Christian Pulisic moment of wonder, and 11 strong-wristed saves from the tenacious Matt Turner, was so very needed. Our boys ended an 11-game losing streak against Brazil that dated back 26 years by playing brave, intense, unintimidated football typified by those two great friends, Joe Scally and Gio Reyna, the Abed and Troy of our USMNT, double-teaming Vini Jr. with gutsy aplomb. I broke down the entire game with my friend Daryl Dike with a ton of GFOPs live at the final whistle. The big takeaway is that when this talented young squad play pragmatic, more cautious, international-style football as opposed to aspiring to be Pep-era Barcelona, they can go toe-to-toe with anyone. All eyes now on US-Bolivia on June 23rd, when we will expect to face a cautious low-block, and will discover which USMNT is the real one – the one who buckled against Colombia, or who soared against Brazil. 

🏆 I just taped a three-part Copa America preview series, presented by Dove Men+Care featuring the mighty Herc Gomez and Canada’s new manager, Jesse Marsch. Look out for that dropping this Monday, June 17th on our pod feed. 🇨🇦

Also: I will film with Tyler Adams for Episode 2 of the Captain, presented by Allstate. Send us the questions you have for him.

Prize Picks: Best PP since Paul Pogba? 🤌

Charlie Kipp Writes: HAPPY EUROS KICKOFF DAY TO ALL! While most of you may look at the upcoming Summer of Soccer as a chance to cheer on a nation of your choice or distract yourself from the 9-5 cubical grind with some 11 a.m. Tuesday football - I am going full Scrooge McDuck with the chance to turn my soccer knowledge into cold hard cash with PrizePicks. The creative cats at PP have now rolled out Demons and Goblins for even more ways to win - with even more stat categories to choose from, Clean Sheets, anybody? But enough hypothesizing, and more picking - we kick off our Summer with a boring pick. The best kind of winner, tbh. Harry Kane MORE than 1.5 Shots on Target.

Kane needs little introduction at this point, so I’ll simply say - the 30-year-old striker has endured a career full of unjust abuse and when he got his big money move to Bayern Munich last summer, only went and performed as their best player in an otherwise forgettable season for the German giants. Kane will be one of England’s first names on the team sheet, match-in and match-out, a shirt he has largely thrived in: 43 goals in his last 47 appearances for the Three Lions should be all the evidence you need to understand that this player is the right man to be backing in the Euros. In addition to being on Penalties duty (which - YES - count as Shots on Target) Kane is averaging 3.7 shots and 1.7 shots on target in his England career, even higher if you adjust for recency. FEAR NOT - the time for “Albanian midfielder passes attempted”-type picks will come. But, as the saying goes, “You don’t have to recover from a good start.” Let’s get on the board early: Harry Kane MORE than 1.5 Shots on Target, this Sunday vs. Serbia.

If you haven’t joined PrizePicks, CLICK HERE and use code MiB for a first deposit match up to $100.

4. Manchester United and Ten Hag are STILL A THING

The Ten Hag firing that never happened. The Dutch cranium will be back next season despite the fact United courted a slew of replacements – some quite publicly – including Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Wolves’ Gary O’Neil and Gareth Southgate. Also despite the fact United finished in eighth, their lowest position in Premier League history and with a negative goal difference. The FA Cup saved him – as did a review that decided in the narrower coaching role that United are setting up within their new front office. A lot of United fans seem relieved because they do not want to go through the emotional chaos of a whole new regime. A lot of United fans wonder if the new controlling owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has merely kicked the can down the road.

More: Why United kept hold of Ten Hag.

5. The Women’s Game

Despite my visit, the KC Current are ferocious enough to deflect the Curse of Rog, remaining atop the NWSL standings on goal difference after last week’s 5-2 victory against a struggling Seattle Reign side with my friend Lo'eau Labonta uncorking another celly of wonder. A win tonight against Mal Swanson and the Chicago Red Stars could put them three points ahead of challengers Orlando Pride (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video.) At the other end of the table, it’s a battle of the league newbies, with Bay FC hosting the Utah Royals in San Jose (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, CBS Sports). Meanwhile in Southern California, Christen Press returned to practice with Angel City this week two years to the day after tearing her ACL in a match against Racing Louisville. She won’t feature in Becki Tweed’s matchday squad for Saturday’s game against Houston (9.30 p.m. ET, Ion), but a return to training after a FOURTH knee surgery is a great sign for the club after a rough start to this season.

ii. The good news: Chicago Red Stars break NWSL attendance record at Wrigley Field. The bad news: 'Unfair': Riot Fest forces Chicago Red Stars to move game. Do better Bridgeview.

iii. Sam Kerr signed a 2-year extension at Chelsea and the signs they unveiled around the stadium are elite.

6. This Week at Men in Blazers World HQ

MiB World HQ… spent a month there one week. 

🇪🇺 Want some Euros? We got some Euros. Rog and the inimitable Rory Smith broke down this tournament group by group, team by team. Will Jude Bellingham bring down the house? Will Mbappe deliver glory? Will Ronaldo be more than the most sculpted assistant manager of all-time. EPISODE 1 covers groups A, B and C (LISTEN | WATCH) and EPISODE 2 covers Groups D, E and F (LISTEN | WATCH).

⭐ Talking of Euro Mania, our team from the Early Kickoff Podcast will have boots on the ground in Germany for this tournament. If you aren’t familiar with our EKO Pod, what in the Southgate are you doing? It brings you football’s biggest headlines in 10 minutes or less. SUBSCRIBE HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE EUROS AND COPA. 

🇺🇸 How about some Copa? Well, Rog and none other than Daryl Dike went live on the heels of the USMNT’s very impressive 1 - 1 draw with Brazil Wednesday night to talk about this team as they sail off into a major tournament. Always remember, Joe Scally’s key to stopping Vini Jr.: Never let him go baseline. Watch Wednesday’s entire Do it Live! HERE and listen in Pod form HERE. 

💪 ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE PODCAST WITH KELLEY O’HARA ON THE WOMEN’S GAME WITH SAM MEWIS THIS WEEK. Kelley is so candid, so beautifully human while talking about her decision to walk away from football at the end of this season. MUST WATCH. MUST LISTEN. 

7. Not Football, and All the Better For It

i. If you thought your excel skills were impressive: Spreadsheet Superstars. 

ii. Unfortunately, you may need to bookmark this: Is This AI?

iii. Re: our decision to go for the El Rey rather than the Staples Center: The Curious Case Of The Underselling Arena Tours.

iv. ANATOMY OF A MURDER. The Atavist is always worth the wait. 

v. This is remarkable: The Fearless.

vi. “Ian Wright-Wright-WRIGHT!” Ian Wright's big second half. 

vii. The 21st- Century Movie Henchman Hall of Fame. Honestly expected more Pepe.

viii. The West Coast’s Fanciest Stolen Bikes Are Getting Trafficked by One Mastermind in Jalisco, Mexico. You may want to think twice before posting your ride on Strava...

ix. This Is Not an Escape Story, but don't let that dissuade you from clicking. 

x. It’s the Pasta Bowl’s World and We’re Just Eating in It. Blates? Powls?

xi. I love this song which helped me through the week: Made of Light by Clem Gabriel. 

xii. This Book is Immense: Caledonian Road: A Novel by Andrew O’Hagan. An opus from the gent who delivered the sweet and haunting Mayflowers. If you want a pacy read that plumbs the depths of British society, class and politics – this is it. If Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen was a finely written novel. Could not love this more.

That is it for today. Let’s revel in this Summer footballing feast together. We need its joy so badly. A spectacle in which one goal can make a player immortal. A second of muscle memory, swooping upon the ball in the box, swiveling and lashing it with the sweetest, improvised fury, can make the world scream that man’s name and unleash a million kids in schoolyards around the globe, striving to recreate the moment. That is the power of what we are watching. Let’s not take a second for granted.Go! Go! USA! 

Big Love,

Courage,

ROG