Hey, soccer fans! The United States Men's National Team put on a historic performance against Paraguay in their openeing match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating the South American side 4-1. An own goal got the scoring started for the Yanks, but Falorin Balogun bagged a brace, and Gio Reyna pitched in, as well. The USMNT dominated all stages of the game, coming out strong, controlling the pace, and breaking down a good Paraguayan defence to score - all things critics have pointed out over the last several matches. It's a great moment for the US Men and for American soccer fans. Let's keep it going!

Nick also recaps the World Cup scoreboard and results, highlighting notable matches and results, and how it could affect the knockout rounds.

We also discuss the Chicago Fire's latest transfer targets. Polish striker Robert Lewandowski was in Chicago for a visit and meetings, and left impressed with the organization. It is now up to him to consider the Men in Red's offer - rumored to be up to $22 million a year for 2-3 years. German international Leon Goretzka has also been targed by the Fire, who are looking for more creativity out of their midfield. Could we see the two Bayern Munich stars reunite in Chicago? The Fire are also rumored to have interest in Australian international and Heart of Midlothian midfielder Cammy Devlin. I'm sure he'll be a hard target to obtain after a good perofrmance by the Aussies this World Cup.

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Hey, soccer fans! World Cup Season is here! The tournament has kicked off and we've got two matches in the books. Nick gives you his takes on Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czechia, including breaking down the stats, the goals and highlights, and the stand out performers. He also shares his favorites memories from watching past World Cups. Make sure to follow the show to keep up with all our World Cup coverage!

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Hey, soccer fans! Let's get back to some good old fashioned Major League Soccer news. And what better way to start than with coaching updates: Jim Curtin takes over Austin FC, Pep Guardiola turns down Inter Miami CF, and Phil Neville is out as the manager of the Portland Timbers. Tune in as Nick gives his thoughts on all these moves.

Nick also breaks down MLS transfer news, the Chicago Fire players called up to the US Youth National Teams, and reviews the MLS All-Star First XI. No surprise to see Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Hugo Cuypers next to Leo Messi and Son Hueng-Min, but who else rounds out the team?

Don't forget to go back and check out Nick's conversation with American soccer legend, Clint Mathis, in a prior episode.

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Hey, soccer fans! Nick is back with more World Cup and Chicago Fire content! In this episode, he notes the record 44 Major League Soccer players that will appear at the 2026 World Cup, including the three from the Chicago Fire: Chris Brady, Joel Waterman, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi. He also looks back at the other four Men in Red players who also played in a World Cup or two during their tenure with the Men in Red: Jorge Campos, Xherdan Shaqiri, DaMarcus Beasley, and Josh Wolff.

Don't forget to go back and check out Nick's conversation with American soccer legend, Clint Mathis, in a prior episode.

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Hey, soccer fans! Feed the Fire pivots to World Cup 2026 coverage, and in this episode, Nick gives us his overview of the tournament. He breaks down the countries by their FIFA rankings and odds to win their groups and the entire tournament. He gives us choice matches that could occur and gives his hopes for the United States Men's National Team (USMNT).

With the expanded field to 48 teams, this World Cup brings an added element of drama when eight third-place group teams advance to the knock-out rounds. How will the tie-breakers be applied, and which countries have the best shot at advancing as a 3rd place group finisher? Tune in to hear all the possible scenarios!

Don't forget to go back and check out Nick's conversation with American soccer legend, Clint Mathis, in a prior episode.

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Hey, soccer fans! Time to pivot to World Cup coverage and analysis! Nick starts with a breakdown of the roster as selected by head coach of the USMNT, Mauricio Pochettino. Stars like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams are no surprise, but the inclusion of Tim Ream, Cristian Roldan, and Max Arfsten have people questioning their value and role on the team. Omissions of Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo also had people raising eyebrows. Tune in to hear Nick's takes on all the news surrounding the squad.

Nick also gets into a discussion about Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady's selection to the team. There is no doubt Brady deserves the call-up, but can he compete for minutes with Matt Turner and Matt Freese? Also, we look at Brady's recent fine from Major League Soccer for embellishment, and Nick asks the difficult question if Brady is getting a bad reputation from the officials.

Don't forget to go back and check out Nick's conversation with American soccer legend, Clint Mathis, in a prior episode.

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Hey, soccer fans! Nick is back talking Chicago Fire after a short hiatus - for all good things. Tune in as he gives a survey of the Men in Red's recent three-game win streak, identifying trends in tactics and performance, discussing the players that stepped up during the run, and what needs to continue into the second half of the Major League Soccer season.

Nick also takes a deep dive into the Fire's schedule, noting the increase in difficulty. The team will have to face better MLS competition, a rigorous travel schedule, Leagues Cup, and a congested schedule. They'll have to rely on the lessons learned so far this season to maintain their spot among the top teams of the Eastern Conference.

Don't forget to go back and check out Nick's conversation with American soccer legend, Clint Mathis, in the last episode.

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Hey, soccer fans! Feed the Fire welcomes Clint Mathis to the show! He talks about his career in Major League Soccer, his time with the US Men's National Team, and how the game has changed during and since his playing days. Tune in as Nick and Clint relive some of his best moments but also explore how Clint made the transition to a career after soccer. Clint also gives us his take on the latest soccer docuseries "Soccer's American Dream" now out on VICE TV .

"One of the true personalities in American professional soccer, Clint Mathis took full advantage of the 2002 World Cup as a player and a public figure. Capitalizing on several years of hard work in Major League Soccer, he became one of the faces of the Summer of 2002 when the United States advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Clint was originally drafted by the LA Galaxy, but rose to prominence as a member of the MetroStars. There he established himself as a reliable goal scorer and showed the flair that would garner him national attention. An ACL injury limited his output in 2001, but he recovered in time to make the US World Cup squad. Mathis scored against Korea in the group stage of that World Cup. At the end of the 2002 MLS season, he had opportunities in Germany’s Bundesliga, eventually joining Hannover 96 in 2004.

Mathis won his last cap with the United States in 2005, the same year he returned to Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake. He spent time with several MLS clubs before a successful stint at Greek club Ergotelis. He returned to MLS and RSL in 2008, finishing his career in 2010 as a member of the LA Galaxy. Clint worked as an assistant coach with the Chicago Fire in 2014 and 2015." - from https://ussoccerplayers.com/player/mathis-clint

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