Platini Played For Kuwait

For our first episode of the new season, we thought we'd look to those who have got by with a little help from their friends. From footballing bromances to managerial partnerships, via striker partnerships and defensive duos, we explored those who agree that two heads (or two sets of feet) are better than one. Matt's Choices 1. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams 2. Nihat and Darko Kovacevic...

For this pod, Matt and Marc got all reflective about their past season in football and discussed the highlights from their football travels in 2023/24. Matt's Choices 1. San Mamés 2. Rifcom Charity Football Tournament in the Rif Mountains, Morocco 3. Antoñito's 122nd minute goal against Nàstic to get Málaga promoted Marc's Choices 1. Cob and chips at Merthyr Town FC 2. Josh Williams...

As we get into the full swing of Euro 2024, it would have been rude not to pay homage to one of international football's greatest tournaments. So for this episode, Matt and Marc each decided to choose one shirt, one game and one goal to discuss from Euro history. Matt's Choices 1. France's 1984 shirt 2. Czech Republic 3-2 Netherlands at Euro 2004 3. Hal Robson Kanu v Belgium in Euro...

There are not many things that come more exciting than the play-offs in football. So, with Marc back from watching Southampton triumph in the Championship Play-Off Final and Matt about to watch Málaga over two legs in the Primera RFEF Play-Off semis, what better time to do an episode on these madcap, all-up-for-grabs games. Matt’s Choices Manchester City’s away kit in the 1999 Division 2 Play-Off...

For our 50th episode we headed to Rotterdam to take a deep dive into the 'Club of the People' - Feyenoord. With our choices, we covered the club's successes throughout the past 50 plus years - domestic, European and even worldwide. Joining us for our half century was Matt's Guiricast co-host Chris Marquez - born in Span, but brought up in Rotterdam. He even brought along some v...

There's not much better than a cup final...except maybe a semi-final? We delved into what makes semi-finals so great and looked at some of our personal favourite semi-final games.  Matt Choices 1. England v West Germany - 1990 World Cup 2. Germany v Italy - 2006 World Cup 3. Chelsea v Barcelona - 2009 Champions League Marc's Choices 1. The 1990 FA Cup sem-finals 2. Alesandro Costacurta g...

For this episode, we discussed arguably the Premier League's greatest cult side - loved and feared in equal measures. From the days of Djorkaeff to the final throes of this great team being led by Anelka, we looked at what made this team so much fun and so well-remembered. Of course, we talked about their glorious leader too: Sam 'Big Sam' Allardyce. To herald Big Sam, we were joine...

Everyone loves a diving headers, don't they? Well, here's a whole episode dedicated to them. From Argentinian football rituals to goalkeepers saving their team with their noggin', plus much more. Matt's Choices 1. Aldo Poy's 1971 header for Rosario Central v Newell's Old Boys 2. Jamie Mackie for QPR v Manchester City in the 'AGUEEERRROOOO game' 3- Michu&apos...

We went Down Under for this episode and explored the history of the Australian national team AKA The Socceroos. We discussed the Godfather of Australian football right up to the hipster footballer who has been the face of the current squad's recent penchant for social justice, plus all the heartaches and World Cup triumphs in between. Marc's Choices 1. Johnny Warren 2. Tim Cahill's...

For many, Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning team are the greatest national team of all-time, with their fable five of Pele, Tostao, Rivelino, Gerson and Jairzinho. With his new book O Jogo Bonito!: Brazil's 1970 World Cup Samba Party coming out soon, we were joined by Gary Thacker (making his hatrick appearance on Platini Played for Kuwait) to discuss the joys that Brazil brought tto Mexico in...

Christmas is a time for family, friends, food and…the giving and receivng of video games and consoles. In that spirit, for our first podcast of the year, we looked at football in the virtual world and discussed those games, teams and players that have enchanted us in the 2D and 3D realms over the years. Matt and Marc’s Choices FIFA International Soccer Tommy Svindal Larsen on Championship Manager...

One of football's most glorious failures? They were certainly a glorious team whichever way you look at it. On this episode, we looked back on that incredible Bayer Leverkusen team that came agonisingly close to a Treble, but came away empty-handed. We were lucky to be joined by Gareth and Joe of The England B Team podcast to talk about a manager that started Leverkusen's late 90s/early...

For this episode we are going green and looking at those clubs who adorn themselves green shirts or house themselves in green stadiums. Joining us to discuss all things green-shirted was Yeovil supporter Alex Ashmore, co-host of the excellent Malaga fan podcast, Guiricast, and currently studying with Real Madrid. Alex's Choices 1. Yeovil's season in the Championship 2. Celtic 2-1 Barcelo...

Overhad kicks. Scopion kicks. Scissor kicks. We celebrated those goals that have seen players take to the air and soar and score. Matt's Choices 1. Laurent Robert v Fulham https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GxmOlqwsULc  2. Wayne Routledge v WBA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-RMV5wjaRU 3. Morten Nordstrand v FC Copenhagen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqJ6qvWk91M Marc's Choices 1. Mauro...

For this episode, we discussed the adventures of Welsh clubs in Europe. From the first clubs to venture onto the continent through to some of the most iconic wins in the history of Welsh football. Matt's Choices 1. Borough United v Sliema Wanderers 2. Barry Town v Porto 3. Swansea City v Malmo Marc's Choices 1. Bangor City v Napoli 2. Cardiff City v Real Madrid 3. Merthyr Tydfil v Atalan...

With the Netlix Beckham documentary being a streaming hit this week, we thought we’d jump on the Beckham bandwagon too and do an episode devoted to one of football’s greatest icons - on and off the pitch. We discussed some of his greatest goals and assists, as well as some of the great shirts he wore on the pitch and how we all came to learn the word ‘metarsal’ because of him. Matt’s Choices Beckh...

On this episode, we looked back at those footballers who have found a final lease life of life in their careers in the most unlikeliest of places. From a 35-year-old going on a 5 trophy haul in the space of 6 months to a French striker going on to be possibly the best striker in the history of Mexican football, these are some of football's best Indian Summers. Matt's Choices 1. Christoph...

For the first episode after our summer break, we decided to celebrate one of the great teams of the late 90s/early 00s: Valencia CF. We looked back on how Claudio Ranieri kicked things off with the 1999 Copa del Rey winning team, how Héctor Cúper then took them to two consecutive Champions League finals, before Rafa Benitez made Valencia Spanish champions twice in the space of three years, as well...

For our final episode before our summer break, we went all reflective and made this episode’s topic a simple one: we looked back out our own 20022/2023 seasons. We looked at some of our highlights and some of the more interesting things we encountered on our football travels  this season - from Kuwait in the Middle-East to Portugal in the very west of Europe, Matt’s Choices Kevin Medina at Gil Vic...

For our latest club focus, we headed to Brazil and to the big boys of Brazil - to club some consider to have the biggest fanbase in the world: CR Flamengo. We went right back to the origins and their first real superstar all the way up to their recent success; of course we went through their history via some cult heroes, cult games and some of the greatest players of all-time. Joining us to talk a...

We revisited the season where the razzmatazz of the Premier League all began (although, maybe it didn't quite have too much razzmatazz at the time).  Joining us to talk all things 1992/1993 was football writer and podcaster Rob Fletcher; a perfect guest as Rob is the author of the book 1992: The Birth of Modern Football. Rob's Choices 1. Paul Gascoigne moving to Lazio 2. The 1992/1993 Pr...

With the latest AFC Champions League recently coming to its conclusion (congratulations to Urawa Red Diamonds), this week we looked at Asia’s biggest continental club trophy - from those famous teams crowned as champions to those famous players who have been named MVPs. Plus, a lot of ‘Hey, have you seen who manages this team in Asia these days?’ chat. Matt's Choices 1. Western Sydney Wandere...

In this episode, we took a deep dive into those players who have broken the world record transfer fee. We look at those players who were going for tens of thousands in the first half of the century all the way up to the current record holder who moved for over €200 million. Matt Choices 1. Trevor Ford 2. Christian Vieri 3. Neymar Marc's Choices 1. Jackie Sewell 2. the 1992 Serie A transfer wi...

Undoubtedly, the Ajax of the early 1970s was one of the greatest club sides ever as they dominated Dutch football and, more significantly, won 3 European Cups in a row between 1971 and 1973. We took a deep dive into Michels' famed 'Total Football' team and who better to join us than Gary Thacker, who is just about to release his new book, Dutch Masters: When Ajax's Totaalvoetba...

We decided that it had been too long without us focusing solely on a topic linked to African football, so we decided to fix that and focus on - in our opinion - the coolest African national team side/era in football history: Nigeria in the 90s.  Matt's Choices 1. Nigeria v Italy in USA 1994 2. Finidi George and Nwankwo Kanu at Ajax 3. Jay Jay Okocha in the 90s Marc's Choices 1. Nigeria&a...