From 1998 to 2034: The World Cup Then and Now

The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

The World Cup is over, but we aren't done soaking in the vibes. Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar look back on the tournaments that shaped how they see football, from France 1998 and South Africa 2010 to Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.They remember the players, games and personal moments that made each tournament feel different: Ronaldo Nazário, Zidane, Casillas, Spain’s legendary midfield, Germany’s 2014 team, Brazil’s 7-1 collapse, James Rodríguez, Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat trick against Spain and the strange winter World Cup in Qatar.The conversation then turns to the tournament we just watched in North America, what it revealed about Team USA, the growth of football in the United States, MLS, pay-to-play development and why the sport still struggles to produce elite American players.Finally, we look ahead to what comes next: a possible 64-team World Cup, the future of African qualifying, why FIFA wants China and India involved, the overloaded international calendar, Saudi Arabia 2034 and which countries can realistically host a tournament this large.A wide-ranging conversation about the World Cups we remember, the one we just lived through and the future of football’s biggest event.TIMESTAMPS00:00 The day after the World Cup final00:28 Gerard remembers France 199801:26 Ronaldo, Zidane and falling in love with football02:47 Why USA 1994 felt so different03:34 What the 2026 World Cup revealed about Team USA05:47 Discovering football during South Africa 201006:34 Spain’s legendary midfield and modern comparisons07:56 How club football shapes the World Cup experience08:15 Brazil 2014 through the eyes of a Madrid fan08:42 Germany’s stacked 2014 generation09:39 Watching World Cup games at 2 a.m. in Singapore10:05 Penalty shootouts and the case for golden goal11:48 Brazil’s 7-1 collapse against Germany12:22 James Rodríguez and the stars a World Cup creates12:34 Ronaldo, Messi and arriving exhausted from club football13:21 Sami Khedira’s remarkable ACL…