Football Ramble

Yet more scenes so unbelievable that we all need to accept that this World Cup is crazy as Belgium come from two down to beat a spirited Japan, with super subs Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli. Prior to the game a hitherto successful psychic octopus was killed in Japan. Makes you think.  Alongside this there’s time to look over Neymar’s theatrics, Brazil’s stoic professionalism and we of co...

Even when this World Cup is bad it’s brilliant! We look back on two games that managed to have very little and absolutely loads going on at once as Russia and Croatia send Spain and Denmark home.  Elsewhere there’s advice for Pete’s sunburn, yoghurt themed of course, Mexico go for glory, and Antoine Griezmann seems to get mind games badly wrong. This show is sponsored by bet365 Search ‘Footba...

And so the knockout stages started as well as the group stages promised. An all-time classic from France and Argentina, and a hard-fought Uruguayan victory over Portugal set an incredibly high standard and we say keep it coming.  There’s also Pete going on about aspect ratios, more England flies, and plenty to look forward to as the tourney keeps rolling on…  This show is sponsored by be...

So, there’s no football today. It’s so weird. However, nature abhors a vacuum so we’ve got a podcast full of it anyway.  We look back over England and Belgium’s strange, somewhat empty battle for top/second spot, Japan’s self-flagellation regarding their slightly ironic qualification via fair play and bid a fond farewell to some of the characters we’ll miss from a brilliant World Cup group st...

Woo hoo! It turns out that very, very occasionally you can write off the Germans, and we at the Football Ramble are happy to embrace this opportunity mere hours before they play FIFA's third-ranked team. Hubris.  Mitro's on Newcastle United form rather than Fulham's – basically on the wrong kind of fire. Brazil showed their cupboard of pristine cogs and gears to the world, and Marcus doesn't...

The dynamic player-management duo of Lionel Messi and a bleedy Javier Mascherano saw Argentina through the group after a scare. Was it ever in doubt? Yes. Yes it was.  Alongside this there’s gushing over Croatia, scorn for France and Denmark as they provide the tournament’s first 0-0, and some odd chat about bones. Also, Luke writes off the Germans again, which is probably as close to a spoil...

We’re back to mash buttons, chat bitrates and harness the power of sexiness! Group B ended in chaotic fashion and we look back on it with fond memories. Farewell, old friend.  Glancing further around the tourney we feel for poor Mo Salah, postulate on the merits of Argentina using Lionel Messi as an impact sub in an intriguing Group D, and delight in a surprise appearance from Scatman Speller...

Eeeeeeeasay! How about that, eh? We’re still giddy from England’s 6-1 demolition of Panama, a display that was as much a party as it was a football match. No we’re not getting carried away, we’re just loving every moment. We’re on such a high we’re even talking about England and Belgium trying a different sport for their final group game, tennis also gets a mention due to an old favourite, and a l...

Germany are back and almost certainly invincible again. We knew it couldn’t last. You have to respect it though. Damn it you have to respect it. Mexico also kept their Group F party going, having harnessed the power of red meat, and Belgium revealed that Tunisia aren’t that good after all. Elsewhere Matthew Kelly is the latest figure to get an inexplicable mention, the Argentina team picks itself,...

We look back over an entertaining game full of quality and political hand gestures as the Swiss overcome the tough test of Mitro’s Serbia, Neymar’s emotional levee breaks as he opens his account for the tournament, and Nigeria show that there’s more to them than kits as they break Icelandic hearts.  Elsewhere there are predictable stepovers, borrowed celebrations and Marcus Berg: Landlord.&nb...

Marcus’ aunt is particularly giddy today after Argentina’s woeful showing against Croatia, with further dispatches from good old Slappy regarding the sweary reaction to the result over there.  There’s also a little reminder that Germany lost to Mexico, which they did when they lost to Mexico, the importance of Olivier Giroud, a history of Herve and Germany losing to Mexico.  This show is...

Sepp Blatter is here, Luis Suarez is scoring, Pepe’s had a fall… oh it’s a classic already. Mostly. Yesterday was a bit drab actually, but whatever.  It may have been a cagey day but we’re still having a lovely old time. We discuss Roy Keane’s change of nationality, Cristiano Ronaldo’s giant locker and find that you, our beloved listeners, are now fact checking your own emails, which is frank...

The first round of games is done and dusted but never fear, the second one has just begun! We delight in Russia’s strange status as both hosts and surprise package, ponder the next moves for Colombia and Poland and look ahead to Cristiano Ronaldo battling it out with Own Goal for the coveted golden boot.   Elsewhere Carlos Valderrama has been restricting views, Sepp Blatter phones ahead...

It’s on! It’s happened! England were good! 1966! Scones! Bank holidays! Still pepped up from the night before, we’ve bounced into the studio to pore over what was a thoroughly enjoyable first game from England. Despite some at times Sassi play from Tunisia they got the job done, and, frankly, we are like dogs with a number of appendages.  On top of this we look at Belgium’s controlled demolit...

Viva Mexico! The most World Cup team of all have set our hearts racing with the stand out moment of the tournament so far and we are giddier than a certain Auntie Speller!  It wasn’t just Germany who stuttered though, Brazil need to wake up too, while we also got our first glimpse of Mitro. On top of that we hear tales of invisible dragons, Nobby Solano’s generosity, and the ordeal Australian...

We’re in the studio again, even though it’s Sunday, because the World Cup doesn’t stop for anyone. We marvel over Iceland and their warrior-like performance against Argentina, with Rúrik Gíslason getting a lot of attention. From Pete. It’s very intimate. Elsewhere there’s heartbreak for Peru BUT IT’S NOT OVER YET, we try to fathom what we’ll do if England actually win this damn thing and we g...

Well! Spain and Portugal treated us to an all time great and we’re still frothing at the mouthes just thinking about it. Cristiano Ronaldo, David De Gea, Diego Costa, that Nacho goal. So many moments. This is what it’s all about.  On top of all that there’s Mystic Marcus the psychic pig, a surprisingly misfiring Luis Suarez, and an own goal that may prove to be fateful for everyone’s favourit...

Our excitement - and snack budgets - are off the scale as the World Cup finally begins. There’s discussion of Robbie Williams and his relevance, ITV and their always confusing approach to broadcasting, Russian moustaches, BOTH Ronaldos, the Peruvian presence, a man called George Resurrection, Handsome Herve and so much more. And there’s only been one game so far. This is just the best, isn’t it? T...

Harry Kane talking about England being aggressive, Russia looking to defy their critics, the “hench brutes” of Uruguay, Panama’s hats, Big Herve Renard back where he belongs, Brazil egging Phillipe Coutinho! Mitro on fire! Stickers! It’s almost here! It’s almost the World Cup!  This show is sponsored by bet365 Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here:  show@...

Good news: It's bonus Ramble time! Injuries. Every World Cup has them. Nobody likes them but they’re simply a part of the game. Sometimes their impact can define a nation’s tournament, while the panic over the loss of a key man can all be for nothing after a Lazarus-like recovery.  Here we look at the effects of injuries to David Beckham, Franco Baresi and Neymar, via the usual nonsense of ru...

We can hardly contain our excitement as the WORLD CUP is almost visible in the distance! Gareth Southgate’s heroic England dispatched Nigeria at Wembley, Germany arrogantly leave out Leroy Sane, and Peru’s reinstated hero Paolo Guerrero looks the business at a crucial time. It’s all happening.  On top of all this we hear tales of Marcus’ historic meeting with the one and only Kevin Keegan, re...

David Beckham is not short of iconic moments for England, but perhaps the most memorable and important came when he was sent off against Argentina for kicking out at Diego Simeone in the 1998 World Cup. Here we look back at the story around the incident and the incredible journey that Beckham took towards redemption.  Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here: sho...

So, club football is all but done for another season, and how. We look back at Gareth Bale’s acrobatics, Sergio Ramos’ villainy and Lorius Karius’ tragedy after one of the stranger Champions League finals.  We also look at Fulham’s promotion at the expense of Aston Villa - profoundly not the play off championees - Rotherham’s Wembley victory and the usual stuff like funk, goalkeepers with exp...

Zinedine Zidane. One of the finest players ever to grace the game went into the 2006 World Cup knowing it would be his swan song. We relive the moment he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi and shocked the world in his explosive final game… Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here: show@thefootballramble.com ***Please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes or wh...

Ooh It’s bidness time! The play-off and Champions League finals are fast approaching and we are excited! We discuss Cristiano’s biological age, Jurgen Klopp up a tree and some beardy, yet entertaining stuff about full backs. Closer to home John Terry reminds us of just quite how John Terry he is, hear of the smallest and possibly most adorable league in the world, and Pete’s latest attempts at hom...