The Football History Boys

APOLOGIES FOR THE AUDIO! We had some problems with our software so the second half may dip in parts! Hope you enjoy the show! 🌍 1958 World Cup Explained | Pelé, Brazil & Football’s New Era The 1958 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Sweden, stands as one of the most important tournaments in football history. It marked the arrival of a teenage Pelé, Brazil’s first World Cup triumph, and a shift towards...

🌍 The Miracle of Bern | The Story of the 1954 World Cup In this episode of World Cup Rewind, we travel to Switzerland 1954 to revisit one of the most dramatic and influential tournaments in football history. Known forever as the Miracle of Bern, the 1954 FIFA World Cup delivered record-breaking goals, tactical evolution, and one of the sport’s greatest upsets. The tournament saw 45 nations enter...

🌍 Agony at the Maracanã | The Story of the 1950 World Cup In this episode of World Cup Rewind, we relive one of the most dramatic and heartbreaking moments in football history — Brazil 1950 and the infamous Maracanazo. Played twelve years after the previous tournament, the 1950 FIFA World Cup marked football’s return after World War II and delivered a shock that still echoes through the sport. Ho...

🌍 World Cup Rewind: 1938 – Football on the Brink of War In this episode of World Cup Rewind , we revisit the 1938 FIFA World Cup, hosted by France and remembered as the final tournament before football — and the world — was paused by World War II. Played in June 1938, this World Cup unfolded against a backdrop of rising political tension across Europe. We explore the qualification process, where...

🌍 World Cup Rewind: 1934 – Italy, Politics, Controversy & the First European Champions In this episode of World Cup Rewind, we take a deep dive into the 1934 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Italy, then under the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini and remembered as one of the most controversial tournaments in football history. It was the first World Cup held in Europe, the first to introduce f...

Step back in time with World Cup Rewind: 1930, the first episode in our brand-new series exploring every tournament in World Cup history. In this deep-dive podcast, we break down the very first FIFA World Cup, hosted by Uruguay, and uncover how the foundations of modern football were built. We explore why Uruguay became hosts, how the Estadio Centenario was constructed for the tournament, and the...

Netherlands 1974: The Greatest Team Never to Win the World Cup? | How Good Were They?
In this episode of How Good Were They?, we revisit the legendary Netherlands 1974 World Cup squad, a team that changed football forever through Total Football. Led by Johan Cruyff and coached by Rinus Michels, this Dutch side wowed the world with their fluid positional play, pressing, and attacking brilliance. Bu...

Bob Paisley: The Silent Genius Who Built Liverpool’s Empire | How Good Were They?
Bob Paisley is one of the greatest managers in football history — yet he’s rarely spoken about in the same breath as Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, or José Mourinho. In this episode of How Good Were They?, we dive deep into the career of the man who quietly transformed Liverpool into a European superpower.
Taking...

In this episode of How Good Were They?, we explore the legendary career of Mia Hamm, one of the greatest icons in the history of football. Hamm wasn’t just a prolific striker — she was a pioneer who changed the perception of women’s sport worldwide. From her early dominance with the North Carolina Tar Heels to her professional career with the Washington Freedom, Hamm always delivered. But it was w...

In this episode of How Good Were They?, we dive deep into the career of Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time top scorer with a staggering 260 goals. From his explosive rise at Southampton, to his title-winning heroics at Blackburn Rovers, and his legendary status at Newcastle United, Shearer’s story is one of goals, grit, and loyalty. We break down his stats, his iconic hat-tricks, and his...

In this episode of How Good Were They?, we dive into the legendary career of Sir Alex Ferguson, the most successful football manager in British history. From winning European silverware with Aberdeen to transforming Manchester United into a global powerhouse, Ferguson's reign reshaped modern football. We explore his 13 Premier League titles, 2 UEFA Champions League wins, and unforgettable moments...

In this episode of How Good Were They?, we celebrate the magic of Ronaldinho Gaúcho, the Brazilian genius who turned football into pure art. From his early rise at Grêmio and PSG to his unforgettable peak at Barcelona, Ronaldinho lit up the world with skill, flair, and joy rarely seen at the highest level.
We relive his Ballon d’Or 2005 win, his role in Brazil’s 2002 World Cup victory, and his ico...

In this episode of How Good Were They?, we take a deep dive into the legendary England 1966 World Cup-winning team — the only Three Lions squad to ever lift the World Cup. Led by Sir Alf Ramsey and captained by the iconic Bobby Moore, this side beat West Germany 4–2 in a dramatic final at Wembley, thanks to a hat-trick from Geoff Hurst and key performances from legends like Bobby Charlton and Gord...

In this episode of How Good Were They?, we dive into the remarkable and often underappreciated career of John Charles — the Welsh icon known as The Gentle Giant. From his goal-scoring brilliance at Leeds United to his legendary status at Juventus, Charles was one of the rare players to excel as both a centre-forward and a centre-half. Voted Juventus’ greatest-ever foreign player and included rever...

🎙️ How Good Were They? – Episode 4: Ferenc Puskás
In this episode, we explore the legendary career of Ferenc Puskás, the Hungarian icon whose name still defines goal-scoring greatness. From his early dominance at Budapest Honvéd to his stunning comeback with Real Madrid, Puskás racked up over 700 career goals and became one of football’s most influential figures.
We take you through his rise with...

In this episode, we explore one of football’s most beloved yet bittersweet stories — the legendary Brazil 1982 World Cup squad. Led by Telê Santana and featuring icons like Zico, Sócrates, Falcão, and Éder, this team played some of the most beautiful football the world has ever seen. But despite dazzling fans and scoring sensational goals, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Italy in on...

🎙️ How Good Were They? – Episode 2: Marco van Basten
In this episode, we dive into the dazzling yet tragically short career of Marco van Basten — the Dutch maestro whose name still echoes in football folklore. From his prolific goal-scoring spells at Ajax and AC Milan to iconic moments like that volley against the USSR in Euro ‘88 and his unforgettable hat-trick against England, we explore what ma...

🎙️ Welcome to this special episode of our podcast, where we dive deep into the legendary career of one of football’s greatest defenders — Paolo Maldini. From his debut as a teenager with AC Milan to becoming a symbol of elegance, discipline, and loyalty, Maldini defined what it means to be a world-class player. In this episode, we explore what made Maldini so special. Was it his flawless positioni...

The Football History Boys are back in 2024 and are kicking off the New Year looking back at some of football's history most significant and seismic law changes, from 1863, to the modern game and the scourge of VAR. Have a listen, and get involved in the conversation yourselves over on Twitter/X  @TFHBs !  Make sure you have a watch of some of the videos mentioned in the pod on  YouTube .We are als...

The Football History Boys are back after a hiatus and are excited to be previewing our Twitter/X '#ClubLegendsWorldCup'! We have 32 legends lined up to compete in the online tournament following the success of our stadium, rivalry, crest and kit World Cups. Have a listen for the group draw and as we preview the big names. Plus we revisit VAR and have a quiz about some of football's greatest manage...

The Football History Boys are back and are thinking about what makes football so great. Often it isn't the 90 minutes on the pitch, it is the whole day out that goes with it, or the thinking about football you do in the week. So we are trying to narrow down our 'best thing about football' and are holding a tournament to find the best over on Twitter. Do you love sticker collecting? Fantasy footbal...

The Football History Boys are joined by journalist and author @ChrisEvansWrite to discuss his new book, 'How to Win the World Cup: Secrets and Insights from International Football’s Top Managers'. Join us as we chat the difference between international and club management, the perils of qualification campaigns, the curse of attempting to retain the trophy and World Cup managerial controversies. We...

The Football History Boys are back with a special 10th birthday episode! We remember the early days of TFHB and share our top 10 moments from 2013-2022, check out Ben's choices here, and Gareth's here. We also make our predictions for the end of this season, will Liverpool make the top 4? Will Cardiff survive in the Championship? Get involved over on Twitter: @TFHBs

The Football History Boys are back for a World Cup preview podcast. Join us as we chat about our disappointment of where this World Cup will take place, reminisce of our interaction with disgraced former FIFA executive Chuck Blazer, discuss our favourite World Cup matches of all time, share our hopes for Wales at the tournament, run through our World Cup wallchart of predictions & invent a new...

TFHB are back from an 18 month hiatus to celebrate Wales' qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. We discuss our feelings about Wales' first World Cup qualification in 64 years, our favourite World Cups in our living memory, our iconic World Cup moments and take some of your views too. ... Plus we have some exciting personal news for us both! Make sure you check out our Twitter to continue...