World Football

Former World Cup winner Heather O'Reilly and former professional player Pat Nevin join Mani Djazmi to discuss FIFA - football's world governing body decision to have a 48 team men's World Cup which will have 104 matches and spread across six weeks. Guinea is a country that has never qualified for the World Cup and Mani speaks to their goalkeeper Aly Keita who is in favour of expanding the competit...

Mani Djazmi is joined by Pat Nevin and Heather O’Reilly for the latest episode of World Football. We speak to President of the Norwegian Football Federation, Lise Klaveness, about her ambitions to join UEFA and the importance of having female leaders in football. And new Major League Soccer club St Louis City have started with two wins from two in the Western Conference - their sporting director L...

Turkish football writer Bora Isyar tells us about the resumption of the Turkish Süper Lig and the reaction of Besiktas fans, who threw toys onto the pitch in protest against the government’s handling of the earthquakes’ aftermath. After the racist abuse of David Alaba for not voting for Karim Benzema in FIFA’s awards, and Pepe’s refusal to vote for Lionel Messi, we ask if players should have a say...

Haiti's Chelsea Supris celebrates reaching the World Cup for the very first time in the country's history. And as football resumes in Turkey following the devastating earthquakes, the Gambian international Lamin Jallow finds himself searching for a new club after his team withdrew from the league. Picture on website: Haiti's Roselord Borgella celebrates during their FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Pla...

Papua New Guinea captain Rayleen Bauelua looks ahead to the World Cup qualification play-offs. Picture on website: Papua New Guinea women's soccer team line up before a friendly game against the Philippines. (Photo by Luis Veniegra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Hatayspor defender Kamil Çörekçi provides an eyewitness account of the earthquake which has killed thousands in Turkey and Syria. He tells us how he and his family survived and how he is still haunted by the traumatic experience, unable to sleep. He says he’s feeling lucky, but also guilty to have survived. Picture on website: An aerial view shows destroyed buildings after a deadly earthquake that...

AC Monza captain Matteo Pessina reflects on a successful week, beating Juventus and passing an economics exam. And we speak to Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris as they prepare to become the first MLS team to play in the FIFA Club World Cup. Picture on website: AC Monza's Matteo Pessina celebrates after beating Juventus. (Claudio Benedetto/LiveMedia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Pays de Cassel player Ayrance Leganase looks back on his team's 7-nil loss to PSG in the Coupe de France. Having once been told he might need to have his left foot amputated, he got to share the pitch with Neymar and Mbappe. We also hear from Darvel's hero Jordan Kirkpatrick following their shock win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup. Picture on website: Neymar Jr has a laugh with opponent Nicolas...

Former Cameroon player Patrick Suffo and agent Paulo Teixeira discuss the issue of age fraud in football. Plus, Pat Nevin gives his views on the latest decisions made by football's law makers IFAB. Presented by Mani Djazmi. Picture on website: a supporter of Cameroon holds the national flag. (Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)

We pay tribute to the former Italy, Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea player Gianluca Vialli who sadly died last week. Plus, we meet Palestinian refugee Heba Saadia who's been selected as one of the Assistant Referees at this year's Women's World Cup. She grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus but since the Syrian civil war started, has moved around the world with her family. No Palestini...

In the second part of our interview with Roy Hodgson, he reflects on troubled times at Liverpool and England. He also talks about retirement, the role of luck in football. and the joy of ending his career by going full circle and returning to Crystal Palace. This has been re-uploaded after the original programme was replaced by a tribute to Pele.

Brazilian journalist Ricardo Setyon reflects on Pele's funeral. The former USA international Heather O'Reilly gives her view on a shocking story involving the coach of the USA men's team. And we speak to the former Kenyan international Martin Imbalambala who went blind overnight. Picture on website: Pelé jerseys on display at Vila Belmiro Stadium. (Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Ge...

Friends and former team-mates pay their respects to Pele. The former Brazil and Santos player Rildo tells us how Pele halted the Nigerian civil war, and the former New York Cosmos defender Werner Roth shares a story involving Pele, a baby shark and a bathtub. We also hear from Brazilian journalist Ricardo Setyon. Picture on website: Pele in action during World Cup 1970 in a game against Czechoslov...

The former Inter Milan, Liverpool and England coach Roy Hodgson remembers his early career. In the first of two special programmes he recalls playing in South Africa during the Apartheid era, revolutionising the game in Sweden, finding success with the Swiss national team, and getting a dream move to Italy's Serie A. Picture on website: Roy Hodgson applauds the fans after a match between Crystal P...

Argentine journalist Francisco Canepa, and delirious Argentina fans, reflect on an incredible World Cup final. We also hear from Ambet Yuson, General-Secretary of Building and Woodworkers International, who since 2016 has been working with FIFA and Qatar's Supreme Committee. He makes a heartfelt plea to football fans and players not to forget the migrant workers. Plus, fans from various countries...

Will Lionel Messi finally lift the World Cup trophy? We look ahead to France v Argentina and hear from Messi's former team-mate Pablo Zabaleta. Mani Djazmi and Pat Nevin are joined by L'Equipe journalist Loïc Tanzi and Argentinean broadcaster Francisco Cánepa ahead of the final. And, as a bonus for podcast listeners, World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas explains what it was like to get his hands on the...

Mani Djazmi is joined by Argentine journalist Marcela Mora y Araujo and Moroccan Amine El Amri to preview the World Cup semi-finals: Argentina v Croatia and Morocco v France. We hear from Moroccan fans in Doha after they knocked out Portugal and discuss whether the post-colonial relationship will give the players extra incentive against the French. We head inside the Croatia camp to get the lowdow...

We look ahead to the quarter finals of Qatar 2022 focusing on Argentina and Morocco. We also go behind the scenes at the Netherlands training camp and get an insight into Dutch winger Cody Gakpo from his former coach Luc Nilis. (Photo: Morocco supporters celebrate in the streets in Doha. Credit: Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images)

Morocco fans celebrate after their team made history by beating Spain. And we visit a specially created fan fest for migrant workers in a cricket ground on the edge of Doha.

We hear from Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima and former Swiss player Johan Djourou, plus some happy French fans after their team booked a place in the quarter-finals.

Ghana fans find comfort in defeat as Uruguay, and their arch-nemesis Luis Suarez, also go home. Meanwhile Australian fans look ahead to the Argentina match, and we hear from former Socceroo Luke Wilkshire who was in the Australia team that reached the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup.

Argentina's Pablo Zabaleta reflects on his team's performances so far and looks ahead to their round of 16 match against Australia. We also explore the troubles between Serbia and Switzerland ahead of their crucial group match. Picture on website: Argentina fans react during the FIFA World Cup match against Poland (David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Iranian fans and USA journalist Sam Stejskal look ahead to the crucial and politically charged group match between their teams. And we hear from the delighted fans of Ghana and Brazil following victories on Monday.

Ivory Coast and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba tells us his blueprint for African football. We head to the Ghana team hotel to hear from technical advisor Chris Hughton. Morocco and Costa Rica fans party in Doha, while Germany live to fight another day. And meet the Argentina fans who cycled from Cape Town to Doha in the hope of seeing Lionel Messi lift the World Cup.

Jurgen Klinsmann talks to Mani Djazmi ahead of Germany's must-win World Cup game against Spain. The former striker and World Cup winner says a second successive group stage exit would be a "disaster" and "almost unforgivable".