The Planet Fútbol Podcast goes to two episodes a week! On Mondays, Grant and SI's Luis Miguel Echegaray will give their takes on the soccer weekend that was, and on Thursdays Grant will continue to interview the most intriguing people in fútbol. In this episode, they break down Norwich's stunning victory over Man City, whether Sadio Mané has replaced Mo Salah as Liverpool's most important attacking player, why Chelsea brought Christian Pulisic back early from the international break and then did...
Sep 16, 2019•41 min
Grant speaks to Asif Kapadia, whose terrific new documentary film, Diego Maradona, opens in New York City theaters on September 20 and on October 1 on HBO. Kapadia, who also directed the films Senna (on the legendary Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna) and the Academy Award-winning Amy (on Amy Winehouse), discusses why he chose Maradona as a subject and focused on his Napoli years, how he got connected to so much never-before-seen archival video, what it was like interviewing Maradona and the process...
Sep 12, 2019•34 min
Grant has an in-depth discussion with Ed Malyon, the managing director of The Athletic UK, about the website’s sweeping efforts to hire dozens of writers and editors and disrupt soccer coverage in the UK. Malyon, whose fiancée is American, also talks about his recent move across the Atlantic to Chicago and his fascination with American sports other than soccer. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Sep 05, 2019•23 min
Grant has a rollicking conversation with Daryl Grove and Taylor Rockwell, the hosts of the popular Total Soccer Show and Soccer 101 podcasts. They discuss how they met each other and started their podcast, their shared humor and chemistry, how they have made soccer podcasting their full-time job, their thought process behind launching Soccer 101 and organizing a podcast episode, and the remarkable support of the American soccer community following Daryl’s recent cancer diagnosis. Advertising Inq...
Aug 29, 2019•45 min
Grant has a fun conversation with Aaron West, who co-hosted Fox Sports' nightly digital show during the women's World Cup and is currently hosting the Crossroads series of Premier League "What-Ifs" on the NBC Sports YouTube channel. West tells how he got into soccer, his college playing career at Davidson and how "pivoting" modern media downsized him at not one but two jobs (as a writer at FoxSports.com and as a video content host at Copa 90). He also has helpful advice for any students who want...
Aug 22, 2019•33 min
Grant has a conversation with Crystal Dunn, the reigning World Cup champion with the US and NWSL champion with the North Carolina Courage. They talk about what she’s hoping for in the next USWNT coach, whether that might include her moving away from her unnatural left back spot, how her life has changed since winning the World Cup, this week’s ICC tournament and how she thinks the NWSL can make its post-World Cup bump sustainable. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy &...
Aug 15, 2019•18 min
Grant interviews Simon Bruty, a legendary sports action and portrait photographer who has done work for Sports Illustrated (and with Grant) for more than two decades. They go into detail about Bruty's rise as a photographer, how he approaches the details of action and portrait photography, how he got some of his favorite shots, suggestions he'd have for aspiring sports photographers, and what makes shooting soccer different from other sports. You can find Bruty's work at SimonBruty.com and on In...
Aug 08, 2019•34 min
Grant and SI's Laken Litman reconnect to discuss the main post-World Cup developments in women's soccer: USWNT coach Jill Ellis's decision to step down, U.S. Soccer's claim that it has paid the WNT more than the MNT over the past 10 years, the post-WC bump for the NWSL and Megan Rapinoe's big book deal, among other things. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Aug 01, 2019•44 min
Grant and Laken break down the U.S.'s 2-0 victory in the World Cup final against the Netherlands, completing the Americans' run to a record fourth World Cup title in the women's game. They talk about Megan Rapinoe's tournament masterclass, the rise of Rose Lavelle, the U.S.'s first back-to-back titles and the potential futures of U.S. players and coach Jill Ellis. Sports Illustrated is conducting an audience survey to better serve all of our listeners. It will only take a few minutes of your tim...
Jul 07, 2019•28 min
Grant Wahl is joined by SI staff writer Laken Litman to preview the 2019 Women's World Cup Final between the US and Netherlands. Grant and Laken discuss Megan Rapinoe's likelihood to play, the potential impact of a US win back home, and Dan Wetzel's ability to twist Grant's arm into doing this podcast. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Jul 05, 2019•25 min
Grant and Laken go deep on the U.S.'s 2-1 semifinal victory against England: The extremely well-taken goals, Alyssa Naeher's career-defining game in goal, the highs and lows of VAR, and, ultimately, a berth in a third straight World Cup final for the USWNT. Next up for a fourth star: Sweden or the Netherlands. Sports Illustrated is conducting an audience survey to better serve all of our listeners. It will only take a few minutes of your time and it really helps us improve our shows. Please take...
Jul 03, 2019•41 min
Grant and Laken break down the U.S.'s stirring 2-1 victory against France, eliminating the hosts in the World Cup quarterfinals. They discuss Megan Rapinoe's big-game performance, scoring both U.S. goals, and look ahead to the USA-England semifinal in Lyon as the Americans continue their push for a fourth World Cup title. Sports Illustrated is conducting an audience survey to better serve all of our listeners. It will only take a few minutes of your time and it really helps us improve our shows....
Jun 28, 2019•22 min
Grant and Laken discuss the U.S.'s difficult 2-1 win over Spain in the World Cup Round of 16, including the soft penalty call that decided it. They also look ahead to the monster quarterfinal showdown on Friday between the U.S. and France in Paris, and they break down Marta's emotional message after perhaps her final World Cup game with Brazil. Then Grant interviews Donald Wine of the American Outlaws supporters group about his fan experience in France and some of his favorite and hairiest trips...
Jun 24, 2019•35 min
Grant and Laken break down the U.S.'s 2-0 group finale victory over Sweden and discuss other aspects of the women's World Cup, including the spate of VAR-influenced penalty retakes, their look at the Round of 16 matchups and who they think will win the Golden Boot. Then Grant interviews Alex Curry, who's the embedded reporter with the USWNT for Fox Sports. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Jun 21, 2019•36 min
Grant and Laken discuss the U.S.’s 3-0 win over Chile, and Grant interviews former FIFA president Sepp Blatter about his legacy in women’s soccer. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Jun 17, 2019•1 hr 5 min
In the latest episode of their women's World Cup podcast, Grant and SI's Laken Litman discuss the U.S.'s 13-0 win over Thailand—which broke the record for the most lopsided game in World Cup history—and break down whether scoring that many goals (and celebrating the last ones as much as the first ones) shows sportsmanship. And now that every World Cup team has played once, they talk about their most surprising results, tournament trends they're seeing, and standout players they hadn't known of b...
Jun 12, 2019•55 min
SI’s Grant Wahl and Laken Litman look ahead to World Cup 2019, which starts Friday in France. They look at the six groups, break down the US’s chances and make predictions for Golden Ball and Boot, biggest surprises and flameouts, most entertaining teams, and the bracket itself. https://www.si.com/soccer/2019/06/03/uswnt-equal-pay-gender-fight-us-soccer-uswntpa-nflpa-wnba Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Jun 06, 2019•1 hr 6 min
With the World Cup starting on June 7, Grant sits down with USWNT starters Rose Lavelle and Abby Dahlkemper to talk about their stories and how they approach the sport. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
May 30, 2019•24 min
Grants chats with Canada’s Victor Montagliani, the CONCACAF president and a FIFA VP, about women’s soccer in CONCACAF, the men’s Gold Cup and his work as chair of the FIFA stakeholders committee—including his views on solidarity payments, possible changes to FIFA’s rule preventing transfers of minors and how FIFA approaches the regulation of promotion and relegation in the United States. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
May 23, 2019•20 min
Grant has two interviews this week. One is with Tab Ramos about his U.S. team at the upcoming Under-20 World Cup and his future as a coach. The second is with Monterrey’s Jonathan González about his team’s recent CONCACAF Champions League title and his journey with Sueño Alianza. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
May 16, 2019•20 min
This week's podcast has a special episode: It's Episode 1 of Throwback, SI's new podcast series on the untold stories of legendary sports moments. This season is on the first FIFA women's World Cup in 1991 and the fascinating U.S. team that played in it. It's an origin story on how the USWNT got started in the mid-1980s and how FIFA finally got its act together and began staging a women's world championship. Interviewees include Michelle Akers, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Carin Gabarra, Anson Dorranc...
May 09, 2019•22 min
Grant has a fun discussion with John Strong, the lead play-by-play voice of Fox Soccer, about what it’s like to reach your professional life goals in your early 30s, why he took singing lessons for work, his thoughts on MLS and this summer’s Gold Cup, and what it’s like to share the same name with a prominent adult film actor. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
May 02, 2019•37 min
Grant has a wide-ranging conversation with one of the biggest stars of U.S. soccer media, Adriana Monsalve of Univision Deportes. They talk about her recent donation of a kidney to her brother, Adrián; her thoughts on the big soccer events in 2019; her favorite career moments; the progress of that career from being the lead singer of a musical group to her current status as one of the most respected sports broadcasters in America; and her response to the ongoing turmoil in her native Venezuela. ...
Apr 25, 2019•37 min
Grant chats with longtime Seattle Sounders beat writer Matt Pentz of The Athletic about his new book, The Sound and the Glory: How the Seattle Sounders Showed Major League Soccer How to Win Over America. Pentz explains how the Sounders became the blueprint for MLS to feel truly "major league" in their city, which has been followed since then by others like Atlanta United and LAFC. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Apr 11, 2019•29 min
In a special podcast, Grant moderates a panel discussion at the International Champions Cup launch in New York City with five members of the 1994 U.S. men's World Cup team: Alexi Lalas, Tony Meola, Claudio Reyna, Tab Ramos and Cobi Jones. They discuss not just the story and the influence of that '94 USMNT team, but also their thoughts on American soccer today. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Apr 04, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Grant interviews the fascinating Gary O'Reilly, who had a 14-year pro career with Tottenham, Brighton and Crystal Palace and scored a goal for Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final against Manchester United. O'Reilly discusses his varied career and how he got into media, including as a co-host these days for the podcast "Playing With Science." Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Mar 28, 2019•48 min
Grant has a wide-ranging conversation with Peter Vermes, the manager and sporting director of Sporting Kansas City, the only MLS team to reach the semifinals of this year's CONCACAF Champions League. They talk about the special preparations that Sporting made to get ready for CCL (including hyperbaric chambers and a special dispensation from the MLS Players Union), the advantages of controlling the entire soccer side for SKC and his thoughts on the U.S. men's national team under new coach Gregg ...
Mar 21, 2019•31 min
Grant speaks with University of Michigan professor Andy Markovits about his new book “Women In American Soccer and European Football: Different Roads To Shared Glory.” Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mar 14, 2019•34 min
Grant speaks to JP Dellacamera of Fox Sports about his preparations for this summer’s women’s World Cup and to Ben Mackriell of OptaPro about what U.S. Soccer and MLS are doing these days in soccer data analytics. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mar 07, 2019•53 min
Grant sits down for a fun conversation with Julie Stewart-Binks, whom American soccer fans got to know as a terrific host and sideline reporter for Fox Sports and ESPN. She fills me in on what she’s doing now, including New York City standup comedy, and why returning to regular soccer work may be in her future as well. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Feb 28, 2019•39 min
