Power And Purpose Podcast

When was the last time a player sent off at a World Cup was allowed to play the next game? 1962. And who made the call this week that changed that? In this FIFA World Cup 2026 special, William Troost-Ekong joins Leon Mann live from Doha, where Will is back in preseason with his Qatari club after a summer broadcasting for SuperSport. Maro Itoje is away. Together they tell two stories from the same...

How does a goalkeeper wake up with 50,000 Instagram followers and go to bed with nearly 14 million — and still not be able to get his mother a visa to watch him play? In this FIFA World Cup 2026 special, William Troost-Ekong joins Leon Mann live from SuperSport in Johannesburg, where Will is doing analyst work through the tournament. Maro Itoje is away. Together they use the World Cup 2026 as a le...

How do you save a football club from going out of business live on national television? In this episode, Jeff Mostyn — former Chairman of AFC Bournemouth for seventeen years and the central figure behind one of British football's most improbable turnarounds — walks Maro Itoje, William Troost-Ekong and Leon Mann through the arc from minus seventeen points in Division Two to the Premier League,...

Where's the line between being strategic and being fake? In this episode, Maro Itoje, William Troost-Ekong and Leon Mann dig into one of the least-talked-about skills in sport and business: managing up. Maro reframes it as a family skill before a workplace one. Will pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to address a Nigerian football federation — and shares a costly story about throwi...

Who was there for you before anyone else believed in you? In this episode, Maro Itoje, William Troost-Ekong and Leon Mann go back to the very beginning, to the parents, coaches and unsung heroes who carried them before success arrived. Then they pull back the curtain on what they are building off the pitch: Maro's Pearl Fund supporting children in Lagos and London through education, Will's...

What do you do when your first big moment as a leader falls completely flat? In this episode, World Cup winning cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent tells us about the captaincy speech that bombed, the moment she was told she was the first Black woman to play for England and felt dread instead of pride, and the belief that carried her from street cricket in South London to two World Cups, the ECB boardr...

What happens when three men in sport stop performing masculinity and start talking about it? In this episode, Maro Itoje, William Ekong and Leon Mann have one of the rawest conversations we have had on this podcast. They open up about fatherhood, vulnerability, the men who shaped them and the moments that forced them to rethink what strength really means. Then UN Women UK Executive Director Tabith...

What happens when you strip away the headlines and let three men talk about what really matters? In this Season 2 opener, Maro Itoje, William Ekong and Leon Mann are back together for one of the most open and honest conversations we have ever had. Will pulls back the curtain on the real business of football, from contract negotiations to choosing family over ambition. Maro reflects on reaching 100...

What does it take to lead at the highest level when the world keeps telling you that you don’t belong? In this episode, we sit down with global legal leader Sandie Okoro OBE , whose rise from a South London childhood to the top of the World Bank is a masterclass in confidence, resilience and purpose. Her story goes far beyond law and finance. It is about challenging expectations, embracing fear, l...

What does it really take to build champions—inside and outside the ring? In this episode, we sit down with legendary boxing trainer Dave Coldwell , whose journey from a violent childhood to coaching world champions is a masterclass in resilience, self-belief, and emotional intelligence. His story isn’t just about boxing—it’s about rebuilding confidence, overcoming fear, and leading with honesty. T...

What does it really take to build a football brand from nothing? For today’s episode, we sat down with Jake Hardy , the founder and CEO of Sokito, one of football’s fastest-growing sustainable boot companies. His story isn’t glamorous. It’s raw, risky, and built on sacrifice most people will never see. This conversation changed how I think about entrepreneurship, sustainability, and what success a...

Welcome back to Episode 9 of the Power & Purpose Podcast with Leon Mann, and William Troost-Ekong. In this episode, we sit down with one of the most influential leaders in British football today - PFA Chief Executive Maheta Molango - to unpack a remarkable journey that proves why talent alone will never take you to the top. Maheta talks us through his unconventional rise: from paying to play a...

Maro and Leon are joined by one of the greatest rugby players of all time on this week’s Power & Purpose Podcast – All Blacks legend Dan Carter. Dan opens up about his incredible leadership journey: from a five-year-old dreaming of the black jersey, to becoming the All Blacks’ all-time great points scorer and a double Rugby World Cup winner. We dive into how he discovered his purpose, why “pre...

Will and Leon bring you the first guest on the Power & Purpose Podcast this week, it's the PDC's Chief Executive - Matt Porter. Matt tells us all about his incredible leadership story so far, from becoming Leyton Orient's CEO at the age of 26, to leading the rise of one of the biggest sports in the world! We discuss what it's liking working under Barry and Eddie Hearn, how Dart...

Welcome back to Episode 6 of the Power & Purpose Podcast with Leon Mann and Maro Itoje! There’s no Will this week as he’s away with the Nigeria Super Eagles, but the powerful conversations continue. In this episode, we celebrate Black History Month and discuss the figures who inspire us — from Muhammad Ali and Lord Ouseley to Ian Wright. We explore what true leadership and representation mean...

Welcome back to Episode 5 of the Power & Purpose Podcast with Leon Mann, Maro Itoje and William Troost-Ekong. In this episode, the team get into how leaders deal with pressure in elite sporting environments and the effect of the media. We talk about how criticism differs in Nigeria in comparison to the UK and Leon recalls an interview with a Team GB Judo athlete at London 2012... Will gives us...

Welcome back to Episode 4 from the Power & Purpose Podcast. In this episode, Will, Maro and Leon discuss the key things you need to be a success in sport and why nothing is best done alone...We talk about footballers being seen as assets rather than people, the difference between faith and blind faith and what LeBron James' key to success was...Remember to like and hit that subscribe button an...

Welcome back to Episode 3 from the Power & Purpose Podcast. In this episode, Will, Maro and Leon discuss emotional intelligence in sport, managing these experiences and empowering younger people to be the best leaders. We talk about a secret coach who inspired one of our guests to peak performance for club and country, an England crisis meeting held ahead of the Rugby World Cup, plus Leon tell...

Welcome to the Power and Purpose Podcast - the podcast exploring leadership, influence, and impact across sport, business, politics, and culture. In Episode 2 of the Power & Purpose Podcast, Will, Maro and Leon are vulnerable and reveal all about their own stories from childhood, right up to the present day. We hear family stories, boarding school experiences and talk about the evolution of be...

Welcome to the Power and Purpose Podcast — the podcast exploring leadership, influence, and impact across sport, business, politics, and culture. In Episode 1, Nigerian Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, England & Lions star Maro Itoje, and award-winning sports consultant & journalist Leon Mann MBE share why they launched this new platform. They discuss their experiences in elite s...