Football In The 2000s

The 2000s weren’t a promise for African football, they were a statement . In Episode II of our African Football deep dive, we step fully into the new century and examine the defining stories that shaped Africa’s rise on the global stage. From Senegal’s unforgettable run at the 2002 World Cup , which redefined expectations overnight, to Egypt’s unprecedented AFCON dominance , building a continental...

Before the 2000s became the defining decade for African football, a series of moments forced the global game to pay attention. In this opening chapter of our African Football deep dive, we trace the catalysts that set the stage for what many consider the century of African football — from Ruud Gullit dedicating his Ballon d’Or to Nelson Mandela and placing South Africa at the heart of football’s p...

To round out the year, the we go head to head in a special Football In The 2000s quiz episode — no opinions, just pure knowledge. Across multiple rounds, they’re tested on the decade from every angle: historic ground names , missing players from classic formations , brutal career-path challenges , high-difficulty sequence and connection rounds , and a final stretch of pure stats . Some questions r...

Dive into the chaos and charm of 2000s football kits—baggy fits, pointy collars, long sleeves in August, and some of the wildest designs the sport has ever seen. We break down the decade’s best and worst shirts, the fall of Umbro and Diadora, Kappa’s skin-tight revolution, Germany’s surprise misfires, and the stories behind iconic (and infamous) releases from 2000–2009. Plus: Fulham’s random U.S....

The Miracle of Wolfsburg. In 2008/09, a factory club with no Bundesliga pedigree tore up the script and produced one of the most astonishing title runs of the 2000s. Led by the iron-fisted Felix Magath, powered by the iconic trio of Grafite, Edin Džeko and Zvjezdan Misimović , and fuelled by a fearless, fast-breaking style of football, VfL Wolfsburg shocked Germany — and Bayern Munich — to lift th...

Youth, belief, and eight straight wins: Stuttgart’s miracle year. From crisis to champions — VfB Stuttgart’s 2006-07 season is one of the Bundesliga’s great comeback stories. A rookie coach, a team of academy kids, and a title fight that went to the wire. Relive the drama, the noise, and the moment Khedira’s header crowned the unlikeliest champions of the decade. Make sure to follow us on our Inst...

In 2004, the impossible happened: Werder Bremen won it all. Under Thomas Schaaf, a squad built from bargains and belief ripped up the script, outscoring everyone and lifting both the league and cup. From Aílton’s golden-boot rampage to Johan Micoud’s artistry and a relentless team spirit, this was the season that made Germany fall in love with Bremen’s football. In this episode, we revisit the swa...

In 2002, Borussia Dortmund pulled off one of the great Bundesliga comebacks — a title run powered by Tomas Rosický’s flair, Jan Koller’s goals, and Matthias Sammer’s iron will. In this episode, we dive into how BVB rose from financial trouble to dethrone Bayern Munich, conquer Germany, and come within a whisker of a European trophy. From the roar of the Yellow Wall to the heartbreak of Rotterdam,...

Who was the greatest 'number 2' of the 2000s and who will join them on the pyramid? First though, we pay our respects to some right-sided fullbacks that the streets will never forget. Then, in the piece de resistance, we each present our pyramids and make our cases for the three tiers. Which 6 legends will be immortalized in 2000s footballing history? Will a smiling Brazilian steal the show with h...

In the early 2000s, Ajax were reborn — louder, faster, and wilder than the pristine Total Football sides that came before them. Between 2001 and 2003, a fearless new generation stormed through Amsterdam: Zlatan Ibrahimović, Rafael van der Vaart, Cristian Chivu, Steven Pienaar, and Andy van der Meyde — a group so unpredictable they became known as the “Rock ’n Roll Ajax.” In this episode, we dive i...

Before he was “Ibra,” Zlatan was just a kid from Rosengård with a stolen bike, a taekwondo kick, and a chip on his shoulder. We trace his journey from Malmö’s concrete courtyards to a record-breaking move to Ajax — with temper flare-ups, near-quits, and the famous “I don’t do auditions” moment along the way. Tune in for stories of dockyard near-misses, taekwondo flips, and the making of one of foo...

Sooner or later it had to be covered. We heard our listeners, licked some salt from our wounds and decided to go all in on the 2004-2005 Uefa Champions League final! On the 25th of May in 2005, a star-studded Milan side headed to Istanbul to take on underdogs Liverpool. The stage was set for one of the most David vs Goliath finals in decades. What we got was arguably the greatest final of all time...

Before Fabrizio and David, we spent 2000s summers perusing the papers for transfer gossip and following drawn out sagas, most of which never actually materialized. On this episode of Football In The 2000s, we dive into three of the most high-profile 'almost-transfers' that fell through at the last minute and discuss the domino effects that could have resulted. What if Kaká had agreed personal term...

What began as a standard investigation about a negligent doping program turned into one of the biggest sporting investigations in history during the summer of 2006. As the weeks went by, a steady trickle of leaked wiretaps made its way out via the press. Those implicated were a who's who of Italian football and at the center of the ring was none other than the Godfather of the game himself: Lucian...

In the summer of 2006, as Fabio Cannavaro was lifting the World Cup into the Berlin sky, all hell was breaking loose back home in Italy. Wiretaps had been released uncovering the biggest scandal in football history. Calciopoli, as it came to be known, would implicate the biggest clubs in Italy and expose a network of power and influence that has left a black mark on the Italian game to this day. I...

What is a summer without the transfer window? On this episode we reminisce on simpler times when the transfer record was broken "only" 5 times in 10 years (3:40). Learn more about the Argentine transfer king, how the Galacticos project inflated the market and how shady dealings between Italian clubs were already a thing. Then, the guys cover some iconic transfers in greater depth (21:30). There is...

Do you remember the Central European, sweatpant-wearing goalkeeper that had an emergency loan at Aston Villa? How about the Invincible who took up an internship in the Midlands? Did someone really come all the way from Japan to Bolton because he always dreamed of playing for Big Sam? And, surely, a Cannavaro brother never could have played for Inter... right? Welcome to our "I Forgot He Played The...

On this episode we travel across the Atlantic and finally visit South America! There are many massive clubs in the region but one, in particular, seems to capture the international imagination more than others. What is it that makes Boca Juniors so special (2:40)? Are they truly the 'biggest' club in Argentina? And what do we make of their history? Then, while sipping our mate and cutting into a p...

Sometimes the footballing Gods treat us to a script that not even the best Hollywood writer could think of. As the field in Korea and Japan was whittled down to the final eight, everyone thought there had been enough chaos and magic. They were in for a few final treats. On this episode we wrap up our journey to the far east by covering the final 8 matches of the most magical tournament of the deca...

And to think the drama had not even commenced after the group stages... The Round of 16 of the 2002 World Cup had it all: from the first instances of golden goal at a World Cup to continued upsets and some of the most controversial refereeing decisions ever made. In this episode we dive deep into the USMNT's greatest WC victory in recent memory (8:10) and Italy's controversial exit at the hands of...

Seoul, Korea. May 31, 2002. France - Senegal. Let the chaos commence in 3... 2... 1... gol de Boupa Diop!!!! The group stage of the 2002 World Cup had it all. In this episode we dive into the surprising and disciplined host nations, the hellish atmosphere in the port city of Busan and the magic of The Guus. There is talk of Brazilian Samba, David Beckham getting the Argentines back for 1998 and th...

The summer of 2002 saw a tournament for the ages take place in Korea and Japan. The first two nations to co-host a World Cup did so in style. In the first part of our series on the 2002 World Cup we dive into all the intrigue during the build-up to the tournament. Why did Korea and Japan, two neighbors that do not particularly like each other, end up coordinating their efforts? What was the story...

On December 2, 2007, a young Lionel Messi with shaggy hair and a gelled up Cristiano Ronaldo made a trip to Paris for the Balon D'or ceremony. Both were considered the best talents of their generation and had remarkable seasons. Neither would come home with the award that night though, because there was one player that had a season for the ages. The Messi-Ronaldo duopoly, sponsored by France Footb...

You can discuss Ancelotti's Milan, Ronaldinho's Barca, the Invincibles, Bianchi's Boca, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex all you want, but none of those sides or managers won 7 league titles in a row. In this episode we discuss the most dominant side in Europe during the 2000s: Olympique de Lyon. We journey to the capital of French gastronomy on the banks of the Rhone and at the foot of the alps to imme...

It is the 17th of May, 2006. We've made it to the steps of the Stade de France. Catalunya vs England. Yellow vs blaugrana. Wenger vs Rijkaard. Ronaldinho vs Henry. Lehmann vs... the world? Arsenal vs Barcelona, live from Saint Denis. In this episode we cover one of the most thrilling finals of the decade. This was the final that had everything. There was drama from the early stages with a highly c...