Stephen A. Smith On Messi’s Genius, Knicks Fans, Latinas & His Soccer Roots

Tyler Adams: Americans Don't Respect Soccer, World Cup Pressure & Europe's UNFAIR Politics

USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams joins Chad Ochocinco Johnson and Raheem Taylor-Parkes on The Late Run ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Tyler opens up about what a successful World Cup looks like for this generation, why some young Americans are moving to Europe too soon, and the politics of being an American player trying to earn respect abroad. He drops a powerful line: until America creates its own Messi, there's always going to be a stigma on US players. Plus: Ocho and Raheem break down the Arsenal vs PSG Champions League final, Tyler reveals who the hardest Premier League midfielders are to play against, settles the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, and explains why his USMNT goal against Mexico meant more than his Champions League quarterfinal winner. Chapters: 0:00 — Tyler's Love for the Beautiful Game 2:11 — World Cup 2026: Can the USMNT Change Everything? 7:07 — Pressure to Grow Soccer in America 10:01 — Arsenal vs PSG Champions League Final 15:52 — Tyler's Journey from Red Bull to Europe 21:54 — Stigma of Being American in European Soccer 28:47 — Hardest PL Midfielders & Messi vs Ronaldo 33:27 — Tyler's Most Important Goal New DraftKings customers, bet $5 and get $100 in bonus bets instantly. The Crown Is Yours! Sign up using http://dkng.co/thelaterun or through my promo code THELATERUN. #DKPartner GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $100 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 5/31/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

BWP Reflects on Playing With Thierry Henry & Tells Ocho MLS Was The Ghetto

Bradley Wright-Phillips pulls up to The Late Run and pulls no punches. The MLS legend and son of Arsenal icon Ian Wright sits down with Raheemovic and Ochocinco to talk about the pressure of growing up in his dad's shadow, why he believes Messi's child has no chance of being better than him, and what MLS in 2013 was really like - "the ghetto". Ocho shares the real story of his Sporting Kansas City trial during the NFL lockout, the time Mourinho let him train with Real Madrid's reserves and they ran rings around him, and why he got fined by the NFL for warming up with a soccer ball. The GOAT debate gets heated when BWP tells Ocho flat out that Messi is "not even close" to Ronaldo, the boys read hate comments, and the squad imagines what would happen if America's best athletes had grown up playing soccer. Plus: refs on power trips, Ocho's TST appearance, the BWP-Yannick Bolasie rap battle, and the McDonald's diet that fueled 13 NFL years with zero injuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Rob Gronkowski PROVES Brady IS Messi & Got HUMBLED By Barcelona Players

Rob Gronkowski joins Chad Ochocinco Johnson and Raheem Taylor-Parkes on The Late Run for a MASSIVE crossover episode. Gronk tells the story of meeting Messi in Barcelona's owner's suite, playing goalie against Barca players, and explains why Tom Brady IS the Messi of football. He also drops a scorching take: the NFL RUINED American soccer by stealing the country's best athletes — and ranks European pub culture ABOVE NFL tailgating. Plus: Gronk settles the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, Chad's McDonald's diet gets the "Play On" stamp, and the episode ends with an iconic Gronk spike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Stephen A. Smith On Messi’s Genius, Knicks Fans, Latinas & His Soccer Roots

Stephen A. Smith pulls up to The Late Run with Ocho and Raheemovic and goes everywhere. He picks Messi as the soccer GOAT, doubles down on his "Messi in MLS is LeBron in the G League" line, and tells the wild story of how a 1991 Winston-Salem Journal assignment turned him into a Wake Forest soccer beat writer for two seasons before ESPN. Then he switches sports and delivers the full Jordan-over-LeBron stat package: 6 Finals, 6 rings, 6 Finals MVPs, never a Game 7. Stephen A. weighs in on whether American athletes could compete in soccer if they had Ronaldo's training regimen, drags Knicks fans for not having "a license to be passionate," and commits to attending the 2026 World Cup with Ocho — Miami, Argentina, Colombia, Morocco, Brazil, Croatia all on the table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Sheamus: WWE Title HARDER Than World Cup, Maradona Over Messi & Starting a Riot in Manchester

Four-time WWE World Champion Sheamus joins Chad Ochocinco and Raheem Taylor-Parkes on The Late Run during WrestleMania week. A lifelong Liverpool fan from Dublin, Sheamus tells the insane story of wearing a Liverpool kit on live TV in Manchester — bottles thrown, fans swinging, and he calls it the best moment of his career. He picks Maradona as the real GOAT over Messi and Ronaldo, explains why winning a WWE title is harder than scoring a World Cup goal, reveals he'd trade his WWE Championships for Ireland to win a World Cup, reacts to Rooney slapping Wade Barrett, debates Jordan vs LeBron, and breaks down why European fan culture is on another level compared to America. Plus: Van Dijk as the greatest PL center back ("nobody will say Carragher"), Euro 88 changing Ireland forever, the Super Bowl as a corporate event, and Ocho's pitch for Sheamus to walk out to "You'll Never Walk Alone." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]