Soccer 101

The Athletic

4.9 (803)
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CADA SEMANA

All the soccer history and explainers you can handle

1 NOV

#187 Who is Mario Balotelli, and why does he attract so much attention?

With the recent news that Mario Balotelli will be returning to Italy after signing for Genoa, we take a look back at his career so far, and ponder what it is that makes Balotelli such a captivating figure. What is it about Balotelli that is so fascinating? How good was he earlier in his career? Where did it go (most) wring in his career? Where has the forward been these past few years? All that and much more about a man who is at once hilarious, talented, and tragic.

46 min
25 OCT

#186 Who is Gianni Infantino and what does he do?

This week, we try (and instantly fail) to give an objective look at Gianni Infantino, our current FIFA President. Where did he come from? How much power does he actually have? Has he been a good President or has he been a FIFA President? All that and more!

40 min
11 OCT

#185 What is a dual national and who are some of the most notable players who have switched national teams?

Graham and Taylor answer questions like "what is a dual national in soccer" and "what are the requirements for switching" and "who are some of the most notable players to have switched national teams." Plus, Graham finally admits that Mel Gibson is only slightly less Scottish than Mr. Ruthven.

47 min
4 OCT

#184 What are some formerly great teams that experienced a dramatic decline, and what factors led to that fate?

Graham and Taylor take a look at some of the biggest and/or most successful clubs that today find themselves in less glorious environs. How did they get there? What are the different factors that can lead to a club's downfall? Are any clubs today at risk of making similar mistakes? All that and much more!

35 min
27 SEPT

#183 What is an ACL injury?

On this week's episode, it's time for pain. What happens when you tear your ACL, and how has treatment evolvedP over time? Which players recovered well, which players didn't, and why has it become such a widespread issue in women's soccer in particular?

38 min
26 SEPT

#182 What is a Number 10, and how many different types are there?

It's an episode we somehow haven't done before... Number 10s! It's the most fabled number in soccer, but what does it actually signify and how did it come to do so? How has the role evolved over time, who are some of the greatest number 10s in history, and does the role still exist in the modern soccer landscape? Spoiler alert - if you watch MLS, you already know the answer to that one.

29 min
12 SEPT

#181 An abbreviated history of US men's national team managers

Spoiler alert: I loved recording this episode! With Mauricio Pochettino now anointed as the Savior of the USMNT, Graham and Taylor take a look back at the history of the team's managers, and answer obvious questions like why were there so many Scots involved in the early stages, who are the managers of the more modern era, who is the best coach in the team's history, how will Gregg Berhalter be remembered, and much much more!

1 h y 16 min
6 SEPT

#180 What is the UEFA Nations League, and why does it exist?

Graham and Taylor tackle the sexiest of all topics: The UEFA Nations League! What is it, why does it exist, how does its format work, and is it really that confusing? The abbreviated answer to that last one is "no, but kind of yes." There's also a little Concacaf Nations League chat in there as well.

28 min

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This Pod Helped Me So Much

31 mar

kimbobo722

Graham and Taylor break down 101 football knowledge. You could look up all of these topics, but would not get the context, history and relevancy. Making the complex, simple is an art. Plus they do it with humor and zero snobbery.
So many ads before any content

6 sept

therea1wags

While I understand the need for advertising dollars, having 4 minutes of them BEFORE the episode starts is excessive.
Great idea! Perfect for both new and old fans!

23/06/2022

Ekyby314

I’m a big fan of the parent pod, The Total Soccer Show, and this ingenious spinoff is one of few on Automatic Download. The Ta-ta-Rockwell, Ryan from Rome/NC, Arizona-Joe and Glasgow Graham (who is sick today) are a force of pod chemistry to to reckoned with. It’s like your hanging out with your buddies and they’re being funny while teaching you some things about soccer you may not have known. I’ve played soccer since I was 6yr and pay attention pretty close, but I always learn a bunch from Soccer 101. Just love it, full stop. I think if someone is just getting into soccer, this is the perfect podcast. I hope the soccer community is a welcoming one to new fans and this Pod epitomizes that. Many thanks to and a big shout out to the gents for all the work they do behind the scenes to make TSS and Soccer 101 a reality!
False angst

23/09/2022

horgar

Usually interesting and informative. The Qatar episode brought out their virtue signals. To the point where they accuse Qatar of human trafficking. Shocked I was to find out that in a sport all about money, Qatar uses their money to try and not be embarrassed in a cup on home soil. Seems like they’d be much happier to have Qatar’s doors blown off so they can say “see they shouldn’t be hosting”. So tired of them lamenting countries with money spending their money to improve their situation. Also their continued injection of leftist political nonsense now makes what was once a timeless podcast when Mr Grove was involved into a childish liberal agenda screed. Way to waste a great concept.