Colin Cowherd Podcast - Colin Cowherd & Landon Donovan react to World Cup Draw: How Far Will Messi & Ronaldo Advance?

You’re looking at the USMNT’s all time leader in goals and assists, and we’ve got a World Cup to unpack. Argentina tops Group J with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan—back-to-back titles are rare, Messi’s past his peak, so how much do they still lean on him?

Scaloni has built a side that can function with or without him, so the question is usage, not dependence. With summer heat, travel, and a late-thirties Messi, they’ll need a plan to manage his minutes so he can decide games without being asked to play every one.

Group K has Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia, and possibly Jamaica; this is likely Cristiano’s last shot, the one thing missing from his résumé. Are they built for a deep run?

They just beat an excellent Spain and showed they’re more than Ronaldo, with depth, structure, and recent silverware under a clear plan from Roberto Martinez. They’re contenders, but I don’t see them winning unless they’re ruthless about saving him for the knockout rounds, even if that means he sits against Uzbekistan.

Group L brings England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama; England’s loaded but often overhyped and under crushing scrutiny—how do you see them?

They get overvalued because we watch their Premier League stars every weekend, and the tabloid pressure is relentless. The players read it, it gets in their heads, and when a game turns, it can spiral fast.

But they’ll have huge support in the U.S. and Canada, right?

Absolutely—crowds here will supercharge many teams, from Jamaica in Miami to Haiti in Atlanta, which you rarely see elsewhere. If you can, go to any match; hearing something like Scotland’s anthem with tens of thousands singing is a lifetime memory.

People ask for one must-see event, and I always say a World Cup match, men's or women's; I’m jealous of the global life you and our stars get to live. What stadium or opponent always felt special to you?

There are true temples—Azteca in Mexico City, the Maracana in Brazil, Wembley in England—but some of my favorite memories came from Caribbean qualifiers. We clinched in Barbados, then celebrated on the beach, and I remember thinking, this job is unreal.

Appreciate you doing this; I’m paid to cover American sports, but with the United States men’s team I’m a proud homer and I can’t wait to watch. Thanks, man.