What Eddie Pope learned at 3 World Cups
From U.S. Soccer Podcast by US Soccer | Cumulus Podcast Network
February 25, 2026 · 47 min · Season 1 · Episode 37
About this episode
Eddie Pope shares insights from his experiences at three World Cups, discussing successes, failures, and memorable moments.
Eddie Pope was part of iconic 2002 World Cup team that made a run to the quarterfinals – the best men’s team showing of the modern era. But he was also a part of the 1998 team that was dumped out of the group stages without gaining a single point. So, when it comes to World Cups, Eddie Pope knows a thing or two about what has to go right for a team to find success, and the many things that can go wrong and lead to disappointment. In this episode of the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg talks to Eddie about his three World Cups: 1998, 2002, and 2006. In each chapter, Eddie discusses what went right, what didn’t quite go to plan, and his favorite memories. 2:38 – Chapter 1: France 1998 4:08 – Eddie explains that team chemistry was an issue in ‘98 9:41 – Chapter 2: Japan and South Korea 2002 13:01 – Eddie talks about how the class of ‘26 can replicate the success of this team 23:18 – Chapter 3: Germany 2006 26:01 – Eddie explains how the ‘06 team remains a “what if?” 33:18 – Eddie’s words of wisdom for the 20026 team 37:43 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts As the U.S. Men’s National Team chases greatness on the road to the world’s biggest…
People in this episode
Host: Meghan Klingenberg
Guest: Eddie Pope
Topics covered
- World Cup
- Eddie Pope
- soccer history
- team dynamics
- U.S. Men's National Team
- sports memories
Keywords
- Eddie Pope
- World Cup
- soccer
- U.S. Men's National Team
- 1998
- 2002
- 2006
- team chemistry
- sports history
Sponsors
Henkel, O’Reilly Auto Parts
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Soccer, AT&T
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