# A triple of doubles for the World Cup Galácticos: Malachy Clerkin and Gavin Cooney on Messi, Mbappé and Haaland

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/america-2026-a-world-cup-podcast-7773210/a-triple-of-doubles-for-the-world-cup-gal-cticos-malachy-clerkin-and-gavin-cooney-on-messi-mbapp-and-haaland
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/america-2026-a-world-cup-podcast-7773210/a-triple-of-doubles-for-the-world-cup-gal-cticos-malachy-clerkin-and-gavin-cooney-on-messi-mbapp-and-haaland.md
Podcast: [America 2026: A World Cup podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/america-2026-a-world-cup-podcast-7773210)
Published: 2026-06-23T13:17:32+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/irish-times-sport/episodes/a-triple-of-doubles-for-the-world-cup-galacticos-malachy-cle
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69ab015a6ffdcd8188961ba6/e/6a3a876dd80106fbdffbdfc7/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/america-2026-a-world-cup-podcast-7773210/episodes/a-triple-of-doubles-for-the-world-cup-gal-cticos-malachy-clerkin-and-gavin-cooney-on-messi-mbapp-and-haaland
Duration seconds: 3810

## Resource

Forty years to the day since Diego Maradona's unforgettable brace against England at Mexico '86, three of the defining stars of the 2026 World Cup produced doubles of their own. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland each struck twice in a remarkable night that invited comparisons with the tournament's most enduring icon. Paying tribute to Maradona in some moments, and perhaps surpassing him in others. Paul Howard is joined in studio by Malachy Clerkin and Gavin Cooney - the Messi, Mbappé and Haaland of sports podcasting - to unpack the night's action. As well as Luther Vandross, Britpop, and why Cristiano Ronaldo may prove to be the Enoch Burke of this competition. Plus, Irish Times columnist Dave Hannigan joins us from New York to explore why the United States continues to struggle to produce a footballing phenomenon in the mould of Haaland, and how the Dunning-Kruger effect can apply to the confidence of the USMNT fan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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