To some, it’s the highest individual honour that a footballer can receive. To others, it’s a vanity award, a simple popularity contest. But it has an interesting history and every year seems to get more controversial. So how do you win it? Who decides it? Do players care about it? And what is the plural of Ballon d’Or?
Fans of the A-League call it the best league in the world. Whether that’s true or not, it’s a beautiful league and it’s uniquely Australian. In part two of our series on football in Australia, we’re talking about how the A-League was created, and what it is today.
Last week, Australia’s professional football league, the A-League, kicked off its 20th season! To celebrate this milestone, our next two episodes are dedicated to the national football leagues in Australia. It is a complicated story of identity, crowd trouble, fighting against forces that want to destroy football in Australia, before being reborn in the early 2000s. オーストラリアのプロサッカーリーグ、Aリーグが20周年のシーズンを迎えました！この特別な節目を祝うため、2回のエピソードに渡りオーストラリアのリーグについて特集します。アイデンティティ、観客のトラブル、サッカーを壊そうとする勢力との闘い、そして2000年代初めに...
The J.League is one of the most interesting football leagues in the world. On the pitch, amazing talent brings excitement to a competitive and unpredictable league. Off the pitch, fans add vibrant colour and endless support, creating a matchday experience that stands out among leagues and sports worldwide.
Recapping the latest World Cup Qualifying battle between Japan and Australia.
Taking a break from our usual format to answer some questions from our listeners.
Manchester City forward Bernardo Silva said only one team came to play football in their 2-2 Premier League draw with Arsenal, who were accused of employing "dark arts" at Etihad Stadium. "There was only one team that came to play football," Silva told TNT Sports Brazil. "The other came to play to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee, unfortunately. "I'm glad we always enter the pitch to try to win every match."
They are officially the worst team in international football, but San Marino finally ended a 20-year winless run earlier this month by beating Liechtenstein 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League. It was FIFA’s lowest-ranked team’s first-ever competitive win, with their only previous victory coming in a 1-0 friendly against the same opposition in 2004 — playing 140 matches between wins.
The 2024/25 Champions League kicked off this week, and it’s the first season of a brand new format. 36 teams playing in a League system, with each team playing against 8 different opponents. Is this an exciting change to the most prestigious club competition in the world, or just another case of trying to fix something that didn’t need to be fixed?
Aston Villa fans have called the club "out of touch" for charging up to £97 a ticket for home Champions League matches this season. Villa announced on Wednesday that adult tickets for their four home matches will be priced at £85, £94 and £97, with season ticket-holders getting slight discounts. The Football Supporters' Association called Villa's ticket prices "truly eye-watering". "Loyal Villa fans who've waited as long as 40 years to celebrate this momentous season are being punished and explo...
Leaving early is a bit of a red flag. Booing your own players too. Wearing a half-and-half scarf, or purchasing a half-and-half scarf: forget it. Fake merchandise. Supporting a club from a place where you do not live. Supporting more than one club. Yes, these days there are multiple ways of outing yourself as “not a true fan”. But who gets to call themselves a true football fan? スタジアムで試合が終わる前に帰るのは、ちょっとマナー違反。自分のチームの選手に対してブーイングをするのも、あまり好ましくありません。対戦相手との記念マフラーを着けたり、購入したりするのは、忘れてください。自分が住んでいない地域のクラブを...
The Olympics are the pinnacle of most sports. Every athlete—and even many non-athletes—dreams of bringing home a gold medal for their country. Even just qualifying for the Olympics is an incredible achievement. But can you say the same for football? In a calendar of World Cups, continental cups and an ever-growing list of club competitions, does football need the Olympics? Maybe more importantly, does the Olympics need football?
The 2024/25 Premier League season is upon us, so Tomo and Tommy pull out their magic 8 balls to make their predictions for the season.
Kicking off another big season with a look back on a busy summer for Tomo and Tommy.
Well, here we are again! It’s late May and another season is done. This one went by super quickly…it feels like just a few weeks ago that I was in London to see Spurs at the beginning of the season. A lot has happened and we’re here to bring you the biggest stories of the season.
“Look smart, play smart”, as the saying goes. Perhaps it is about time we coined the phrase, “Look smart, manage smart”. This season, Sean Dyche steered Everton clear of relegation danger in the Premier League. And what does Dyche credit as his secret weapon? Ditching wearing a traditional suit and tie for a club tracksuit, of course.
They bring together clubs, teammates, opponents, rivals and fans to celebrate the career of a long-serving player. But testimonial matches have been dying off in recent years. On this episode we look back on what they were, and what they are now.
Football has the power to do amazing good in the world. One example of that is charity matches. By bringing footballers and celebrities together for a simple game of football, millions and millions of dollars can be raised to help people in need. On this episode, we’re going to talk about some of those matches and the impact they have.
FA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round onwards in the 2024/25 competition. All rounds of the Emirates FA Cup will also be played on weekends, including the fifth round which has been played in midweek for the past five seasons. The changes come as part of a new six-year agreement between the Football Association and the Premier League, and criticism of the changes has been strong.
Just how important is the captain of a team? They divide up the matchday tickets for other players, lead the team out, choose which end to attack and, if you're really lucky, they may just be the difference between success and failure.
Football fans are known for being loyal and doing as much as they can to try to help their team win. But a minority of supporters think that means chanting about tragic events involving the opposition, and authorities are coming down hard with banning orders. This week we’re exploring one of football’s worst aspects: tragedy chanting.
Excited about the chance to come off the bench and change the game? Or frustrated because you’re not starting? Substitutes play a crucial role in deciding football matches, and this week we required a substitute of our own! Unfortunately, we are not able to publish the interview we conducted with a staff member at one of the world’s biggest football clubs…so we’re bringing this episode off the bench!
It’s often seen as a symbol of solidarity and mutual respect between two footballers. Shirts that hold incredible value and are often some of the most sought-after memorabilia items. But isn’t it really just swapping a smelly, sweaty shirt that will likely be packed away in a box somewhere?
Examining the impending trial of blue cards and sending players to the 'sin bin' for cynical fouls and dissent.
Another exciting J.League season is about to kick off. How close will Tomo and Tommy get with their predictions?
Looking back on a disappointing Asian Cup for Australia and Japan. Did we really enjoy it?
Some see it as a rite of passage, to be welcomed into the group. Others see it as an outdated practice, intent on welcoming people by testing, embarrassing and shaming them first. Welcome to the sometimes fun, sometimes bizarre and sometimes outright illegal world of football initiations. 新たなチームに加入するサッカー選手たちは、チームに迎え入れられるために、とある儀式を行います。時代遅れの慣習だと指摘する人もいますが、新加入選手たちはチームメートやスタッフの前で歌を披露します。それらは新加入メンバーを、試して、少し困らせ、当惑させるような形で歓迎をしています。楽しい瞬間ばかりではない、奇妙で、時に度を超えている、サッカー界におけるのイニシエーションを紹介していきます。...
Talking about some of the things happening in the world of football lately.
Just over 20 years ago, Sol Campbell made what many argue was the biggest — and most controversial — transfer in modern football. A product of the Tottenham academy, who graduated to club captain and even lifted a Cup for Spurs, left for their bitter rivals Arsenal. On a free transfer. ちょうど20年前、ソル・キャンベルは現代サッカー界最大の、そして最も物議を醸した移籍を行いました。トッテナムのアカデミー出身であるキャンベルは、トッテナムでキャプテンまで上り詰め、優勝カップを手にするのですが、フリートランスファーで宿敵アーセナルへと移籍します。
The Premier League has charged Everton and Nottingham Forest with breaching its financial rules. Both clubs have been referred to an independent commission for alleged breaches of profit and sustainability rules in their accounts for 2022-23, and risk being deducted points this season. The Premier League Profit & Sustainability Rules are complicated and confusing, but we’re going to try to shed a little bit of light on them, and the potential they have to change football completely....
