The Indo World Cup

Ireland's World Cup controversially finished with Vera Pauw publicly reprimanding Katie McCabe for calling for a change to be made to the team with the Ireland captain appearing to respond to Pauw with a mouth zipped emoji on social media. Ireland gained their first point of the World Cup with a 0-0 draw with Nigeria in Brisbane. With Pauw's contract coming to an end, Dave Kelly discussed the risi...

Vera Pauw could be facing into her final game as Ireland manager with a growing uncertainty about her future on the eve of Ireland's final World Cup game against Nigeria. Talks appear to have stalled between her and the FAI about a contract extension with Ireland's first-ever Women's World Cup coming to an end on Monday. Dave Kelly was at Pauw's final press conference in Brisbane before tomorrow's...

The Ireland squad are spending their last few days together in Brisbane before their World Cup group finale against Nigeria on Monday. There's uncertainty over the future of Vera Pauw and whether she will be offered a new contract by the FAI. And will any players decide to retire from international football post-World Cup? Dave Kelly discusses these topics with Sinéad Kissane on Indo World Cup Dai...

Vera Pauw's future as Ireland manager is set to come into focus as Ireland get set to sign-off on their debut World Cup. The Ireland squad play their final group stage against Nigeria in Brisbane on Monday after which they will return home. Dave Kelly talks about how discussions over a new contract for Pauw appeared to have stalled before the World Cup and whether she can take the team to the next...

Former Ireland goalkeeper Marie Hourihan believes there will be an increased expectation for Ireland to qualify for future major tournaments after their debut Women's World Cup. Ireland's 2-1 defeat to Canada yesterday means their involvement in Australia will end after Monday's final group game against Nigeria. Hourihan, who was announced earlier this week as the first full-time manager of Stoke...

Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the last 16 of the World Cup ended with a 2-1 defeat to Canada in Perth. Captain Katie McCabe scored a historic goal for Ireland after three minutes but a Megan Connolly own goal and a second half strike from Adriana Leon ensured the win for the reigning Olympic champions. Ireland play Nigeria in their final group game on Monday after which they will return home....

Louise Quinn and Heather Payne are fitness concerns for Ireland on the eve of their World Cup game against Canada tomorrow. Quinn is recovering from an ankle problem while Payne didn't train fully today with strapping on her right leg. Dave Kelly has the latest from the Ireland and Canada camps ahead of tomorrow's showdown in Perth. Join Sinéad and Dave every day for the Indo World Cup Daily and y...

Louise Quinn is set to be fit for Ireland's second game of the World Cup against Canada on Wednesday. The Ireland squad has arrived in Perth with Quinn wearing a protective boot over the weekend after a foot injury she picked up in the opening 1-0 loss to Australia. Dave Kelly has all the latest from the Ireland squad in Perth with news also of a boost for Canada with their Chelsea midfielder Jess...

Former international Marie Hourihan says Vera Pauw needs to deploy a more aggressive and brave approach for the team if Ireland are to remain in the Women's World Cup beyond the group stage. Ireland - bottom of Group B - need to get some points out of their game with Canada next Wednesday. Hourihan spoke to Sinéad Kissane on Indo World Cup Daily and is confident that, with changes, Ireland can bea...

Ireland's World Cup group has been thrown open after Nigeria held Olympic champions Canada to a 0-0 draw in Melbourne today. Aussie media have also been giving their reaction to some of Ireland captain Katie McCabe's tackles during their 1-0 defeat to Australia yesterday. Our reporter in Australia Dave Kelly goes through Ireland's group ahead of next week's game with Canada in Perth. Join Sinéad a...

Ireland began the Women's World Cup with a 1-0 loss to Australia in Sydney today. Stand-in captain Steph Catley scored a second half penalty for the co-hosts. Our reporter in Australia Dave Kelly gave his thoughts to Sinéad Kissane on Ireland's opening performance as they now face into a likely must-win group game against Canada next week. Join Sinéad and Dave every day for the Indo World Cup Dail...

"What the hell was that?!" Dan McDonnell and Aidan O'Hara thought they had the best-suited kick-off time for deadlines and podcasts. As it turned out, Dan had to go straight to the airport from the World Cup final. So much happened in this game that ended with Argentina being crowned world champions. The Enzo Fernandez tackle on Mbappe got lost somehow in the madness. The Upamecano block, whilst a...

Brian Kerr joins Aidan and Dan for The Indo World Cup's World Cup final preview. Argentina against France, Mbappe against Messi, Loris against Martinez for the Golden Glove, and the very real prospect of penalty kicks. Brian Kerr doesn't think penalties are a satisfactory way to end a tournament like this... unless of course it's his Ireland underage team winning a major international competition!...

Gary Breen joins Dan and Aidan to relive France's 2-0 semi-final win over Morocco. The former Republic of Ireland defender discusses the best way to try and live with Kylian Mbappe on a football pitch, Girezmann's brilliance and the Argentina and French World Cup final ahead. Dan dials in from Qatar where they're celebrating their two biggest stars on their books at PSG making it to Sunday's showc...

More Messi magic means that Julian Alvarez's two goals and winning of a penalty for the only other goal in a World Cup semi-final still consign him to the part of supporting actor. Lionel Messi will contest the World Cup final in what could be his final World Cup tournament after Argentina ran through Croatia but Dan McDonnell begs the question: why does everyone here want them to win so bad when...

This is a victory for Croatia's football culture. They're not some plucky underdog, like the numbers would suggest. They've been doing this consistently over a sustained period of time and it's a habit they've formed produces brilliant, effective football players. But the Argentina culture stands in their way of a World Cup final spot. The frenzy, the chaos, the passion of Argentinian players, the...

Revel in it while you can is the warning from The Indo World Cup today. England will win a major championship. Dan McDonnell was at the England-France game in Qatar on Saturday night and he's seen enough to suggest it's coming. Harry Kane's penalty blazed over the bar was enough for Didier Deschamps to cling on to their 2-1 victory over Gareth Southgate's team and dump them out at the World Cup qu...

Dion Fanning of The Currency joins Dan and Aidan today to preview England v France, the notion of rooting for the English and everpresent debate of Gareth Southgate's chops for the job. Pre-tournament favourites Brazil are gone whilst Argentina came out at the other side of their own penalty shootout but Dan McDonnell was in the stadium for that late game where the match quickly became insignifica...

Brian Kerr is back today to preview the first batch of World Cup quarter-finals as Croatia prepare for favourites Brazil and Netherlands face off with Lionel Messi and Argentina. Kerr recalls watching Pele play for Santos in Ireland and, on the topic of Cristiano Ronaldo's influence around the Portugal squad, he opens up on bringing Roy Keane back to the Republic of Ireland setup following the inf...

The world's media has been in Qatar a number of weeks now and, more and more, the reviews are coming in that this place isn't so bad after all. As broadcasters move from waterfront apartments to VIP access at football games, too many are mistaking their personal experience for the reality of the country. Dan McDonnell has been speaking with residents who have laughed at the idea that the Qatar Wor...

Aidan O'Hara and Dan McDonnell get into it: The Roy Keane Factor and The Roy Keane Vortex. What starts as a specific reaction to Roy Keane's reaction to Brazil players' celebrations during their 4-1 win over South Korea, this podcast broadens out and delves into a wider media discussion about Keane and the appetite amongst the audience for Keane content. Roy Keane, mind you, was a lot more forgive...

Maybe it's not fair on any modern footballer to use Damien Duff as an unattainable yard stick but Gary Breen goes there when assessing the finished product of this Brazil squad and Neymar Jr. England stormed through into the quarter-finals last night by swatting Senegal aside and Roy Keane was all over Jude Bellingham. Dan McDonnell was at France's win over Poland as Deschamps set up a first-time...

Shamrock Rovers and Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes joins the show today to talk about playing Senegal, their strengths and weaknesses and their realistic chances of knocking England out of the World Cup without Sadio Mane and Idrissa Gueye. Dan McDonnell reports on Argentina's victory over Australia but wonders about the amount of emotional energy they're expending. Aidan O'Hara hosts from Dublin...

Brian Kerr joins The Indo World Cup today to preview Argentina v Australia and Netherlands v USA and, as expected, it's detailed and insightful. On Friday, the tears of Luis Suarez quickly turned to the anger of a lot of Uruguay players who chased the referee off the pitch following their 2-0 win over Ghana. The victory wasn't enough to see Uruguay through their World Cup group after South Korea b...

Mark Ogden of ESPN joins the podcast to discuss Ronaldo and Portugal as dark horses. The romanticism of Messi, England and the USA hype in America. Dan McDonnell is in Qatar for the Irish Independent and few would’ve had a day as eventful. From Luis Suarez’s blockbuster press conference, unapologetically fronting up to the Ghana media baying for blood, to “Romelu Lukaku having the worst half hour...