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Each Friday during the World Cup, Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen will have a special treat: a podcast extra from our soccer-obsessed friends at Howler Magazine.

In this week’s episode of Howler’s World Cup podcast, Dummy, David Goldblatt, Danny Karbassiyoon, and George Quraishi discuss the opening match of the World Cup between Brazil and Croatia. They also talk about what the FIFA Congress revealed about Sepp Blatter’s political success and the protests across the country. George interviews Luke O’Brien, who is in São Paulo for Slate and Howler, and who was tear-gassed while covering the protests earlier in the day. They also get an update from Howler’s Alexander Abnos, who is embedded with the U.S. men's national team all summer as the writer for ussoccer.com. Finally, they look at a few other items from the week, including a 12-step program for soccer addicts trying to make it through the World Cup.

Here are links to some of the topics mentioned on the show:

• Brazil beat Croatia 3–1 in the World Cup opener.
• Brazil took the lead with a controversial penalty.
• Zonal Marking's Michael Cox breaks down the tactics used by both teams.
• Two of the three doves released before kickoff reportedly died before they got out of the stadium.
• David Goldblatt wrote for Al Jazeera about the FIFA Congress session and FIFA President Sepp Blatter's re-election hopes.
• The Washington Post's Matt Bonesteel writes about Sepp Blatter's bizarre aspirations for interplanetary soccer.
• Luke O’Brien wrote in Slate about how the World Cup made Brazilians hate their own national team.
• The Telegraph's Gordon Raymer gives a photo account of the São Paulo protests.
• Watch CNN reporters get injured in World Cup protests.
• Simon Evans writes for soccerly.com about forgetting tactics and enjoying the World Cup.
• Alan Black wrote a “Soccer addicts' 12 step guide to surviving the World Cup” for Fusion Soccer.
• Simon Evans wrote for Fusion Soccer about the night Croatia bought hotel rooms for its fans.
• Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl discusses the importance of Team USA's opener against Ghana.
• Howler's Mike McCall breaks down the importance of Team USA's “dreaded” midfield partnership.

Podcast production and edit by Ryan Catanese.

You can email the Howler crew at hello@howlermagazine.com