Did Trump Conflate Election Influence and Interference? And Why the Argentina-Spain World Cup Match Up is a ‘Dream Final’

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "Did Trump Conflate Election Influence and Interference? And Why the Argentina-Spain World Cup Match Up is a ‘Dream Final’"

Podcast: Here's the Scoop
Host: Yasmin Desugin (NBC News)
Date: July 17, 2026
Episode Focus:

• President Trump's recent election claims—distinguishing between "influence" and "interference"
• An expert perspective from former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson
• Preview of the Argentina vs. Spain World Cup final, featuring play-by-play legend Andres Cantor
• The inaugural World Cup halftime show, with superstar performers and a charitable mission

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Episode Overview

This episode covers two main stories:

1. Politics: President Trump’s latest claims regarding alleged voter fraud, Chinese election meddling, and purported ‘deep state’ cover-ups—with expert analysis on the difference between foreign influence and actual election interference.
2. Sports & Culture: An inside look at the 'dream final' between Argentina and Spain in the World Cup, featuring commentary from iconic announcer Andres Cantor, along with a preview of FIFA’s first-ever World Cup halftime show.

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Segment 1: Trump’s Election Security Claims – Analysis and Fact-Check

(00:10 – 12:06)

Key Discussion Points

• Trump’s Primetime Speech:

  • Trump repeats unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud and asserts that China tried to undermine the 2020 election. China has categorically denied the accusation.
    • "[Trump] is also claiming, once again, without evidence, that China tried to undermine his 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, an accusation that China denies." (00:34, Yasmin Desugin)

• Expert Commentary – Jeh Johnson (Former DHS Secretary):

  • Distinguishing Influence vs. Interference:

    • Influence: Long-term, global norm—countries trying to sway public opinion.
    • Interference: Actual disruption of vote counting/reporting, which has not been found in recent U.S. elections.
      • "Nation states have practiced efforts at influencing public opinion elsewhere for a very long time now... Election interference, however, is a more alarming phenomenon... the president last night conflated the two, in my view." (02:07, Jeh Johnson)
      • "We saw no such activity in 2016. We know of no such activity in 2020 or 2024... our election infrastructure is as [safe] as it ever has been." (02:40, Jeh Johnson)

  • On Voter Roll Claims:

    • Trump and DHS claim nearly 278,000 non-citizens are registered to vote, threatening imprisonment for local officials who don't act.
      • Johnson explains such large numbers are usually errors or duplicates; actual cases of non-citizen voting are "very, very, very small, something like... in two or three digits." (04:20, Jeh Johnson)

  • Voter ID and “Save America Act”:

    • Poll: ¾ of Americans support government-issued photo ID for voting.
    • Johnson notes: While ID is common, proof of citizenship (e.g., birth certificate or passport) is not something most people carry.
      • "Not everybody in this country has a valid passport... the thing to emphasize... is actually encouraging people to vote." (05:42, Jeh Johnson)

  • On Deep State Accusations:

    • Trump claims some intelligence officials hid information from him.
    • Johnson argues it's implausible such information could be hidden from a determined president, especially with his own appointees in top intelligence roles.
      • "If somebody... such evidence actually existed on his watch, it would have brought it to his attention immediately. So I find that hard to believe..." (07:20, Jeh Johnson)

  • Protecting Election Infrastructure:

    • Johnson highlights Obama's move to designate elections as critical infrastructure.
    • He criticizes Trump administration for defunding the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, which was vital for election integrity protection.
      • "[Trump's] administration is all but defunded... many people have been laid off in that agency, which is dedicated to the protection of election infrastructure." (09:06, Jeh Johnson)

  • Impact of Changing Election Policies:

    • Despite federal rollbacks, U.S. elections are locally and state-run. Infrastructure is "pretty safe."
      • "Our election infrastructure is pretty safe... the 2020 election... may well have been the safest as well, certainly with the largest turnout." (10:25 & 10:54, Jeh Johnson)

  • Combating Influence and Conspiracy Theories:

    • Johnson emphasizes leaders should boost public confidence and participation rather than foster doubt.
      • "I think it's most important that our leaders continue to encourage people to participate in our democracy and not be suspicious about the systems..." (11:20, Jeh Johnson)

Memorable Quotes

• "The most sensitive secrets of our government are not kept from the Commander in Chief." (07:20, Jeh Johnson)
• "The conspiracy theories swirling around today in the American dialogue are influencing public opinion." (08:44, Jeh Johnson)

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Segment 2: World Cup Final Preview with Andres Cantor

(13:40 – 22:00)

Key Discussion Points

• Personal Rituals and Superstitions:

  • Cantor shares he wears the same suit, shirt, and unwashed socks gifted in Kansas City for every Argentina game as a lucky charm.
    • "I'm using the same suit that I've used from the first day... as a good luck charm." (15:59, Andres Cantor)
    • "No, [the socks are] not [washed]. Nothing is being washed. We say if we wash it, we're ruining the superstitions." (16:44, Andres Cantor)

• Tournament Highlights:

  • Favorite Goal: Messi's record-breaking goal vs. Austria. (17:14, Andres Cantor)
  • Favorite Young Player: Lamin, recently turned 19, though not at his best this tournament. (17:21, Andres Cantor)
  • Favorite Stadium: Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. (17:52, Andres Cantor)
  • Most Emotional Game:
    • The Argentina vs. Egypt comeback ("the game I suffered the most") and the emotionally charged match vs. England for its historical context.
      • "The Egypt game is the one I suffered the most because I really thought they were out... the England match... because of all the different connotations that that match has for Argentinian football." (18:42 & 19:00, Andres Cantor)

• On Argentina's Public Perception:

  • Cantor addresses the villainization of Argentina, blaming social media for spreading conspiracy theories about match-fixing.
    • "Social media gives unknown people platforms... Everyone has been saying that the games are rigged. You don't rig a game like they said against Egypt." (19:28, Andres Cantor)

• Finals Prediction:

  • Spain is favored, but Cantor stresses it's an even matchup—midfield control is crucial, but "Argentina has Messi."
    • "I think whoever controls the midfield will win this game... And then Argentina has Messi, who time and again is proving that he's the best player..." (20:13, Andres Cantor)

• Special Moment:

  • At Yasmin’s request, Cantor performs a subdued version of his iconic "GOOOOL!" call so as not to strain his voice before the big game.
    • "I'll do it very slowly because I really don't want to strain my voice... You can imagine the rest." (21:29, Andres Cantor)

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Segment 3: The Unprecedented World Cup Halftime Show

(24:18 – 30:06)

Key Discussion Points

• Origins & Lineup:

  • Chris Martin (Coldplay) pitched the idea of a World Cup halftime show, now expanded from 11 to 20 minutes.
    • "This is the brainchild of Chris Martin from Coldplay, and he knows how to put on a show..." (25:04, Chloe Melost)
  • Performers include Burna Boy, Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and potentially cameos from celebrities like Tom Cruise. Even “Elmo and Sesame Street” will have a presence.
    • "Justin Bieber... I hope it's a little bit more exciting than him just playing YouTube videos like he did at Coachella." (26:00, Chloe Melost)
    • "BTS is a part of this—I mean, K-pop, hello." (27:29, Chloe Melost)

• Global Citizen Partnership:

  • The halftime show supports a worldwide fundraising campaign, aiming to raise $100 million for children, with $60 million already secured.
    • "As cool as it is... they're actually trying to raise money... their goal was to raise a hundred million dollars." (26:12, Chloe Melost)

• Cultural Impact/Larger Mission:

  • The event aims to unite people of all backgrounds in a divided world.
    • "At a time when things are so polarizing and divisive, this is really a moment for people to come together from all over the world." (27:49, Chloe Melost)

• Controversy & Backlash:

  • Purists argue the halftime show could negatively impact players by extending the break, possibly affecting performance and health.
    • "There are a lot of people out there... saying that it can actually be detrimental... for the player's health." (28:28, Chloe Melost)
  • FIFA moving forward despite mixed reaction.

• Final Personal Touches:

  • Hosts joke about soaring ticket prices and “backyard World Cup viewing” with family.
    • "If you do it, we're getting a divorce. So either I'll be divorced on Monday and have been to the finals, or I'll be happily married." (29:29, Chloe Melost)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s Election Claims and Analysis: 00:10 – 12:06
• World Cup Final Preview with Andres Cantor: 13:40 – 22:00
• Halftime Show Features & Fundraising Mission: 24:18 – 30:06

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• "Nation states have practiced efforts at influencing public opinion elsewhere for a very long time now. That's not new. Election interference, however, is a more alarming phenomenon."
  —Jeh Johnson (02:07)

• "In terms of actual interference in voting, vote counting, vote reporting, voting efforts, our election infrastructure is as [safe] as it ever has been."
  —Jeh Johnson (02:41)

• "I'm using the same suit that I've used from the first day... as a good luck charm."
  —Andres Cantor (15:59)

• "Social media gives unknown people platforms... Everyone has been saying that the games are rigged. You don't rig a game like they said against Egypt."
  —Andres Cantor (19:28)

• "At a time when things are so polarizing and divisive, this is really a moment for people to come together from all over the world."
  —Chloe Melost (27:49)

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Tone and Style

• Conversational, clear, and brisk—typical of NBC News’s "news you can use" daily digest format.
• Expert commentary is direct and fact-focused, while sports coverage is personal and vibrant, reflecting both global excitement and humor.
• Entertainment content is light, lively, and forward-looking.

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In Summary

This wide-ranging episode delivered a fact-based examination of Trump’s latest election allegations, underscored the ongoing importance of distinguishing foreign influence from interference, previewed a historic World Cup final, and captured the cultural electricity of a first-ever FIFA halftime show—brimming with celebrity, charity, and controversy. The hosts and guests brought expertise, warmth, and personality to every topic, making complicated news and global events accessible and engaging for listeners.

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Transcript

[Yasmin Desugin]

Hey, everybody. And welcome to here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Desugin. So that voice, the man that you just heard, Andres Cantor, the play by play commentator for Telemundo, calling every goal at the World Cup. He is joining us today. And the halftime show, the first halftime show ever for the World Cup. There's going to be some major surprises along with some goodwill. But first, in a Thursday primetime speech, President Trump reiterated the claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. He is also claiming, once again, without evidence, that China tried to undermine his 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, an accusation that China denies. The White House then posted newly declassified, heavily redacted documents.

[Andres Cantor]

Put together, these disclosures reveal an election system so broken and so vulnerable that no one can possibly defend it.

[Yasmin Desugin]

And Trump accused what he calls members of the deep state of trying to

[Andres Cantor]

cover it up in our intelligence agency

[Jeh Johnson]

work to actively suppress and downplay information about the extent of China's sinister election meddling.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So then President Trump followed this up with a push to pass the Save America act, his election bill. So to better understand these allegations about US Election security, I want to bring in former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who served in the Obama administration. Secretary Johnson, welcome.

[Jeh Johnson]

Thanks for having me.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Really good to have you. So I want to be clear, you served, as I mentioned, in a Democratic administration for over three years. If we can put politics aside for a moment, was there anything in the claims that the president leveled yesterday evening in his address that gave you pause about election security or election integrity in this country? Pause different from what you know to be true?

[Jeh Johnson]

Now, I think there's an important distinction to be made here, which was highlighted by last night's address, between interference and influence. Nation states have practiced efforts at influencing public opinion elsewhere for a very long time now. That's not new. Election interference, however, is a more alarming phenomenon. Attempts at election interference and the president last night conflated the two, in my view. And it's important to note for Americans that in terms of actual vote counting, vote reporting, we saw no such activity in 2016. We know of no such activity in 2020 or 2024. And all Americans should be aware of that. And so our leaders need to emphasize more that in terms of actual interference in voting, vote counting, vote reporting, voting efforts, our election infrastructure is as as it ever has been. The other point to be made here, Gasmin, is that the president reported last night that the Chinese have made efforts at penetrating voter data state by state. Depending on the state, someone's party registration when they voted, how often they vote can be publicly available and they can be bought. And they can be bought for partisan political purposes? Absolutely.

[Yasmin Desugin]

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, by the way, said on Friday that Trump's allegations were, quote, unquote, entirely fabricated and constitute a malicious smear. Secretary the president also identified approximately 278,000 non U.S. citizens who are registered to vote in federal elections. DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen reiterated that claim today on Friday and also went so far as to say if local officials do not take these claims seriously and do not act on them, they could face imprisonment. What is your reaction to that?

[Jeh Johnson]

My reaction is that according to public sources, the initial number of those who supposedly voted who were not eligible to vote can be a very large number. Then you break it down state by state and you deconflict names and so forth, and the remaining cases unresolved actually end up being very small. Educated speculation here is that what happens most often is that there's an error in recording of a name or there are duplicate names. This suspicion out there that people who are not American citizens who are somehow able to vote, it ends up at the end of the day being a very, very, very small number, something like, you know, in two or three digits.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So part of this claim and part of this speech last night was to rally Congress, right, to get behind the Save America act on behalf of the President, which in part would require voters to show IDs and proof of citizenship. There was this March April NBC News Decision desk poll powered by sur ray monkey, in which three quarters of Americans actually said they support requiring voters to show government issued photo ID in order to vote. Is that a str a strong enough reason for there to be bipartisan support on behalf of the Save America Act?

[Jeh Johnson]

In many states now, some form of identification, like a driver's license is required to actually vote. People don't carry around in their wallets or their pockets Proof of U.S. citizenship. Not everybody in this country has a valid passport, for example, and a birth certificate is, you know, very often decades old. So the thing you've just touched upon something I think is very important. If I were president or a national security leader and I was the thing to emphasize when you're talking about our democracy is actually encouraging people to vote.

[Yasmin Desugin]

I want to talk about the, quote, unquote, deep state accusations the President made yesterday evening as well, because some of the documents that were provided and released over the last 24 hours were produced during the President's first term. And he accused these, quote, unquote deep state actors of suppressing election integrity and not telling him essentially what was going on. In your experience, who is it the president was potentially referring to here?

[Jeh Johnson]

You know, I heard that and it reminded me of something Barack Obama recently said. Somebody asked Barack Obama, the former president, Mr. President, are there UFOs at bases in the United States somewhere? And he said, well, if there are, somebody somehow successfully kept that from the President of the United States.

[Yasmin Desugin]

I mean, that went viral. That was a viral moment for the President.

[Chloe Melost]

Exactly.

[Jeh Johnson]

He's making the point that the most sensitive secrets of our government are not kept from the Commander in Chief. And indeed, if somebody in knowing how obsessed this president is with the 2020 election, such evidence actually existed on his watch, it would have brought it to his attention immediately. So I find that hard to believe, the release to documents or something in the number of like 270 pieces of paper. And if somehow it was kept from him, it was kept from him on his watch while his current CIA director was Director of National Intelligence. We have to point that out.

[Yasmin Desugin]

John Ratcliffe, your talking about. We know there's evidence. We've seen the evidence that suggests there is the threat of influence exists and that is long running, right?

[Jeh Johnson]

Yes.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Has the threat of interference existed and how historically have we combated that as a, as a nation?

[Jeh Johnson]

Well, again, there's a difference between influence and interference.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Right.

[Jeh Johnson]

The ability to influence public opinion in another nation is difficult to calculate. It's difficult to calculate how one thing or another has swayed or influenced public opinion. I do know that separate and apart from foreign interference, foreign influence, the conspiracy theories swirling around today in the American dialogue are influencing public opinion.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Without a doubt, that's influence. Has there been a threat of interference? Did you ever see threats of interference during the Obama administration, during your time at Homeland Security?

[Jeh Johnson]

During the Obama administration, 2016, we saw no efforts at trying to actually hack into election infrastructure. But in light of the possibility, toward the end of my time as Secretary of Homeland Security, I actually declared election infrastructure to be critical infrastructure in this nation. And one of the ironies here is that during President Trump's first term in office and now in his second term of office, up to now, they backed away from much of what we started in the Obama administration, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, which was started in 2017, the Trump administration is all but defunded and many people have been laid off in that agency, which is dedicated to the protection of election infrastructure.

[Yasmin Desugin]

In addition to that, the president also dismissed recently the remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission. As well. So when you look at those things in totality, you look at kind of the dismantling of election infrastructure, as you call it, that in part helps to protect election integrity in this country. How could these changes potentially impact the midterm elections come November?

[Jeh Johnson]

Secretary there's still work to be done in this area, without a doubt, but it's at the state level. You know, it's at the state level, the local level, that we run elections in this country, including national elections for president. For better or for worse, that's how we conduct elections in this country. There is continued work to be done. But my current assessment, based on everything I know and What I knew 10 years ago, is that our election infrastructure is pretty safe. Turns out the documented evidence is that the 2020 election was probably, while it was the most scrutinized election in history, may well have been the safest as well, certainly with the largest turnout in

[Yasmin Desugin]

the age of social media, where we are at now, and you just said it right, it is more widespread than ever. Conspiracy theories are going wild. How do you counter foreign election interference in this age?

[Jeh Johnson]

By promoting the security of our election infrastructure, by having our political leadership in this country continue to emphasize the the integrity of our democracy. And I was very disappointed to hear the current speaker of the House express doubt about the voting results in California, for example, mail in balloting. That does no good. I think it's most important that our leaders continue to encourage people to participate in our democracy and not be suspicious about the systems we have to implement our democracy.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Secretary Jeh Johnson, thank you, sir, for talking to us on this Friday afternoon. Appreciate it.

[Jeh Johnson]

Thank you.

[Yasmin Desugin]

All right, coming up, you might not know what Andres Kantor looks like, but you have definitely heard him. He's the Telemundo play by play announcer whose goal calls are infectious. After the break, we're going to get his personal highlights from the tournament and his take on whether Argentina has a chance to upset Spain to win it all and make history in the process. And if you want to be a here's a Scoop champion, do us a favor. Share this episode with a friend. We don't have any trophies. We don't have any medals. But anyone who helps more people find the show is a winner in our books. I'll see you on the other side.

[Chloe Melost]

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[Jeh Johnson]

They care about how I feel.

[Chloe Melost]

It's the staff on the app. It's the connections you make.

[Jeh Johnson]

Without good mental and physical health, you have nothing.

[Chloe Melost]

It tells me how to cook to keep myself healthy.

[Jeh Johnson]

I look at my app and I'm like, wow, I didn't know I did 7,000 steps today.

[Joy Bauer]

Start Today meets you where you are. Download the Start Today wellness app now on your Apple or Android device terms. Apply C app for details. Hey guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together with one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Matt Damon, as he leads the highly anticipated and truly epic Christopher Nolan movie the Odyssey. You can get my conversation with Matt for free wherever you download your podcasts.

[Yasmin Desugin]

This is Telemundo de Portes Luiso Martabia

[Chloe Melost]

Wondering who you should root for at

[Jeh Johnson]

FIFA World Cup 2026.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Listen to my new favorite footballista wherever you listen to podcasts. And we're back with here's the scoop from NBC News. So there was 48 teams. Now there was just two after more than 100 games. And it's the final on Sunday. They were looking at, right, Argentina, led by superstar Lionel Messi, vying to be the first repeat World cup winner since Brazil in 1962. To do that, they gotta beat out Spain who beat out France, who was in fact the favorite. And it is hard to predict what's gonna happen on Sunday. But one thing is for sure, we are going to hear this unforgettable call on Telemundo. That is the voice of the iconic Telemundo play by play announcer Andreas Cantor, who has been calling World cup games for decades. And I am incredibly honored and excited to have him in studio with us now. Welcome, Andres.

[Andres Cantor]

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

[Yasmin Desugin]

It's great to have you. It is great to have you. It is such a pleasure. We're two days away. 48 hours. You are getting that voice ready right now. You actually work with a voice coach?

[Andres Cantor]

I do.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Before these types of matches, yes. Are you ready? What have you been doing? What has the preparation looked like for you?

[Andres Cantor]

Well, supposedly I'm supposed to rest my voice.

[Yasmin Desugin]

And here you are doing a podcast

[Andres Cantor]

more than eight or nine hours a day. And here I am. But obviously very gracious for your invitation. Everything that my wonderful great friend Wendy Parr, my voice coach every four years teaches me before the World Cups I never probably do or remember because there are so many emotions in play in a match not only for Argentina but for every single match that I've called any pre game rituals I have now for the Argentina game, I have a ritual that is non related to my voice which is I'm using the same suit that I'VE used from the first day because I use.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Same suit?

[Andres Cantor]

Yeah, the same suit, the same shirt, the same socks. Somebody gifted me some socks in Kansas City, where Argentina began its run in the first match. So just as a good luck charm, you know, in Argentina we have these crazy things that we think that we can help the team win by doing this.

[Yasmin Desugin]

I think it's just in Argentina, by the way, I think a lot of people do that type of thing. Superstition.

[Andres Cantor]

Yeah, it is superstition. So I haven't, I've used, you know, our wardrobe stylist gave us. I think I got like 15 suits for the entire tournament or more. And she keeps writing me, hey, aren't you wearing the same suit for Argentina?

[Jeh Johnson]

Yeah.

[Andres Cantor]

And I have to explain why. So that will be my ritual.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Are these socks being washed in between?

[Andres Cantor]

No, they're not. Nothing is being washed. We, we say if we watch it, we. We're ruining the superstitions.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So you have a big dry cleaning bill at the end of this whole thing. I want to do a quick lightning round because this started out with teams from 48 different countries. It was the biggest field of contenders ever for this World Cup. So I want to talk through some of the highlights that we have seen so far. What was your favorite goal?

[Andres Cantor]

Only one?

[Yasmin Desugin]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was it. You got one.

[Andres Cantor]

Well, I'll stick with Messi's record breaking goal against Austria.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Favorite young player.

[Andres Cantor]

You know, lamin just turned 19 in this tournament. He hasn't, you know, performed that well. I don't think he's 100% fit.

[Yasmin Desugin]

He didn't show up the way that he should have in the season.

[Andres Cantor]

Spain, France game, which adds to Spain's greatness because they've been.

[Yasmin Desugin]

It was the veterans that came through.

[Andres Cantor]

Yeah, it's the veterans and it's a team really, that came through without their star player.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Your favorite stadium.

[Andres Cantor]

I'm going to go with my home turf, Miami. They all been really, really wonderful. But I'll stay with my 305 with Miami. Hard Rock Stadium.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Your hometown, essentially. You know, you're from Argentina. You're going to be announcing this game on Sunday. You have mentioned how emotional this entire World cup has been for you and watching your home team rise and then fall and then rise again. What has it been like for you to especially announce some of those Argentina games? And what was kind of the most exciting game for you? I would say for me it was the Argentina, Egypt game. Watching that comeback literally in the last, what was it like, five minutes of Scoring, just going back to back to back in those scores.

[Andres Cantor]

Yeah. The Egypt game is the one I suffered the most because I really thought they were out. They were down 20 with 11 minutes to go. But the England match, you said you

[Yasmin Desugin]

were thinking about the obituary for Argentina.

[Andres Cantor]

I was, yeah. I was thinking what to say, you know, when I was already loathing Egypt because they played a hell of a match. They did. And I did say at the end that they're going to be received as heroes back home. And they were, even though they lost. But my favorite match of Argentina was against England because of all the different connotations that that match has for Argentinian football.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Yeah, yeah. And kind of the political history behind it all, too. What do you make of the villainizing of Argentina throughout this?

[Andres Cantor]

Why do you think that's happening? Because social media gives unknown people platforms. They just write or speak or video themselves full of hate without really understanding the context. Everyone has been saying that the games are rigged. You don't rig a game like they said against Egypt. They got villainized saying the game was rigged. If you rig a game, you're not losing. 2:0 with 11 minutes to go because scoring three goals in that short amount of time, it's almost impossible.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Heading into Sunday. Spain is favored at this point. Will Argentina pull it out?

[Andres Cantor]

I think it's going to be a very even matchup. This is a dream final. I think many people had it when the draw came out and we saw the brackets. I had Argentina, France in the final, but obviously Spain went through France's route. I think whoever controls the midfield will win this game because both have terrific midfielders. I think the game will be won there. And then Argentina has Messi, who time and again is proving that he's the best player of all times and can win a game either with a goal or an assist. Now it's called goal involvement. So he had two assists against England, and he looks like he's ready to run out of gas. And he puts on fifth gear. And I don't know how he does it, but at 39, he's still outperforming many youngsters in this world.

[Yasmin Desugin]

It's incredible to watch. It's incredible to watch how smart of a player he is, too, and how strategic he is. Andres, will you do us the honor before I let you go, of giving us your signature call of goal here on this podcast?

[Andres Cantor]

My voice coach will say, no, you

[Yasmin Desugin]

won't do it for us.

[Andres Cantor]

No, I go. I'll do it very slowly because I really don't want to strain my voice. I've been on the road 44 days. It's been a fun ride, but I want to have my pipes ready to go on Sunday.

[Kate Snow]

I get it.

[Chloe Melost]

Go.

[Andres Cantor]

You can imagine the rest.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So just notch that up 10. And that's what you're gonna be hearing on Sunday at the finals on Telemundo. Andres Cantor. Thank you.

[Andres Cantor]

Thank you.

[Yasmin Desugin]

All right, coming up, it's gonna be hard to top bad Bunny at the super bowl halftime show, but FIFA is certainly gonna try. They have Shakira, they have bts, they have Burna Boy, and they got more surprises in store. So we're gonna tell you about all of that coming up after a very quick break. I'll see you on the other side.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

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[Kate Snow]

Hi, it's Kate Snow, NBC News anchor and host of the NBC News podcast the Drink. And this month, I'm having mojitos with comedian Eric Andre. Was I a little bit worried he might prank me? Absolutely. But he promised he'd behave. Mostly did. Here at the Drink, we are all about the journey, and Eric's journey to see success is anything but typical. We talk about his childhood, his brief run in music, and the decade he spent hustling in New York City before his hit TV show changed everything. It's a conversation peppered with humor, but also a real look at the path behind his larger than life Persona. We hope you'll join us for the drink. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

[Willie Geist]

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[Joy Bauer]

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[Yasmin Desugin]

And we are back with. Here's the scoop from NBC News. So just as important, arguably, as the game itself on Sunday is going to be the halftime show. It is the first time that FIFA is putting on a halftime show in the World Cup. It was supposed to be 11 minutes long. Now reporting is indicating it's going to be 20 minutes long with some major names. They're gonna be taking the stage. So I wanna bring in NBC News entertainment correspondent Chloe Melost, who has been following all of the details for us and is bringing it to us. Hi, Chloe.

[Chloe Melost]

Hey, there. So I actually just was messaging with the team that's putting on the halftime show. This is unlike anything that we have ever seen with the World Cup. I mean, this is unprecedented.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Well, why did they decide to have a halftime show in the first place?

[Chloe Melost]

Well, you know, gotta say, who doesn't love Chris Martin from Coldplay? So four years ago, he was actually watching the World cup in Qatar, and he actually said to himself, wouldn't it be incredible if there was a halftime show? And so then two and a half years later, he actually shared this passion with the head of FIFA. And so this is the brainchild of Chris Martin from Coldplay, and he knows how to put on a show and he has curated all of this. And there are just some incredible artists that are gonna be taking the stage this weekend.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So one of my faves, I gotta say, is Burna Boy. And I know he was obviously a part of the Shakira song, which was the World cup theme song. I know he's gonna be part of it. Madonna's gonna be part of it. Shakira obviously is gonna be part of it. Who else do we know is going to be there?

[Chloe Melost]

Well, Justin Bieber, he's going to be part of this, and that is going to be great. I mean, I hope it's a little bit more exciting than him just playing YouTube videos like he did at Coachella. I don't think that's going to fly this time. You know, the. The main part of all of this, though, as cool as it is, is that they actually are trying to raise money. And so that's what I just got off the phone with Global Citizen. It's the Global Citizen halftime show. And their goal, they said they started an for children. Their goal was to raise a hundred million dollars as of now they're at 60 million as of this Friday, so they're hoping to hit their goal by Sunday. I was at the press conference with Shakira when this was all announced a couple of weeks ago. Shakira, the queen, she is amazing. And she said, you know, as great as this is in the World cup and as much as I love football, soccer, and to get on stage and perform, this is about the children. And you saw that in her die. Die music video with the. With the children from Africa that she performed with. I mean, really at the heart of this is love and helping humanity according to global citizens. So there is a bigger mission here than just football and music.

[Yasmin Desugin]

First of all, let me just say I think that's really incredible. And they're going to have so many eyes on it, obviously, because the World cup has become a phenomenon, I feel like, especially in this country for the first time.

[Chloe Melost]

Well, also, like, just to point out, BTS is a part of this. I mean, K pop, hello.

[Yasmin Desugin]

I also heard Tom Cruise.

[Chloe Melost]

I've heard that too. I mean, Tom Cruise, I feel like we see him everywhere. On the side of mountains, side of trains.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Maybe he's gonna like, swing in because of Mission Impossible. Maybe it's like a, you know, daring.

[Chloe Melost]

There's the stage of. The metaphorical stage of the World Cup. It really just doesn't get any bigger. I mean, I was just walking around outside of Rockefeller center and just there's the FIFA fandemonium on every single street corner. This is just hitting different here in the United States. And I think at a time when things are so polarizing and divisive, this is really a moment for people to come together from all over the world. And to have artists from all different genres and countries, I think makes this really, really special. But, you know, there is backlash to the halftime show.

[Yasmin Desugin]

What's the backlash?

[Chloe Melost]

Well, the backlash is that there shouldn't be a halftime show. There are a lot of people out there that are saying that, you know, FIFA has rules that these players are really not supposed to take more than 15 minutes. That once you start adding time, that it can actually be detrimental, according to some people, for the player's health. That the longer the time is of non movement, that they are more susceptible.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Interesting.

[Chloe Melost]

Obviously, FIFA is moving forward with this anyway, but a lot of people are saying, like, this is a distraction. This is. This is about soccer, football. This is ridiculous. But on the other hand, I mean, FIFA's doing it and even Elmo and Sesame street are a part of this.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So where are you gonna be watching the World cup this weekend.

[Chloe Melost]

Okay. So as far as I know, I'm watching it in my backyard with my kids. But my husband and keeps taunting me, saying that he wants to go to the finals, that there is no other time that it's gonna be in the United States. This is a historic moment. And I'm like, have you seen the prices, Brian, of those tickets? If you do it, we're getting a divorce. So either I'll be divorced on Monday and have been to the finals or I'll be happily married.

[Yasmin Desugin]

Wait, wait.

[Chloe Melost]

In the backyard.

[Yasmin Desugin]

So you. So wait, wait, wait, wait. You're gonna divorce him but still go, yes, of course.

[Chloe Melost]

Okay.

[Yasmin Desugin]

And I'm keeping a ring. Just, just, just checking. Just checking. I also am going to be watching the World cup from my backyard and there is no indication that anybody is going to any World cup final because I too have seen the price tag. But it would be a once in a lifetime experience. Clay Melas, thank you.

[Chloe Melost]

Thanks.

[Yasmin Desugin]

That is going to do it for us. It here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasm Desugin. We'll be back on Monday with whatever the weekend may bring. And if you like what you heard, subscribe. Revocate your podcasts and you can also subscribe to our daily newsletter, the Inside Scoop. It is a deeper dive on the main stories the day that comes out every weeknight straight to your inbox. You can sign up for the Inside Scoop as part of our paid [e-mail] we'll see you Monday.

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