Fast Football and Philosophy

Fast Football and Philosophy
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Here at FFP, two UK academics combine philosophy and football. One knows Freddie Nietzsche, and the other knows Eddie Nketiah. Together, we tackle football’s biggest - and smallest - questions. We've designed this podcast to be educational — though, much like Financial Fair Play, whether it actually works is another matter entirely.

  1. Sep 25

    Season 3 Finale: Pentecostals, Prophets and Here We Go! (feat. Elle Hardy)

    For our season 3 finale we've only gone and done something pretty special: please welcome to the pod the award winning author and journalist Elle Hardy! Elle takes us through one of her latest publications, an essay on the rise of football's latest non-playing star, Fabrizio Romano and then takes us on a journey, charting the rise of the Pentacostal movement across the world and how it relates to politics and football. There's plenty of philosophy in there as well, don't you worry your rolled-down socks about it. This is easily the best episode we've done to date - good things always happen to those who wait...! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  2. Aug 25

    The World Cup of Philosophy: Semi-finals and Final

    In this week's episode, Jack and I discuss our semi-finalists and then try to work out who wins the inaugural World Cup of Philosophy. As ever we travel a circuitous route: Jack takes us through the talismanic figures of these great sides and then we promptly throw them back in the mire of World Cup misery but not before Adam discusses how he always goes 'straight for the ballbag.' Tune in to see who takes the glory. Will it be France, Greece, Austria or Italy? Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  3. Aug 13

    The World Cup of Philosophy: Quarterfinals

    In this episode, Jack and I get stuck into the last eightinternational teams left in the World Cup of Philosophy here at FFP. For the quarters, lots of teams have brought in some fresh faces too, it’s practically super sub central! Have you heard about the scientific anarchist, Paul Feyerabend? How about the best-named eco-‘philosopher’/theologian Hildegard von Bingen? Listen: if you’ve not got a scooby who the biggest smartarse in history is – Peter Abelard – where’ve you been all your life? Come and join us as we delve into their philosophies andmore. Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  4. Aug 5

    The World Cup of Philosophy: Round of 16

    In this week's enormous episode Jack and I bring you the entirety of the The World Cup of Philosophy's R16. That's right: we've done the hard yards, we've analysed the philosophy greats of 16 different nations for absolutely no reason except to annoy every single one of our international followers. We hope you can at least enjoy us being disparaging about everyone else at the same time. Pick your country to support from the following list and let us know who you're backing, and what we got right (or, more probably, what we got wrong!): Argentina (boo), Austria, Brazil, China, England, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Islam FC (most of their philosophers span various nations), Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain and the good ol' US of A. Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  5. Jul 17

    'Govern Both Heart and Mind': Brazil and Playing Like Gringos

    Michael Chandler in his epic poem to the now homeward-bound England team wrote, '... those who govern both heart and mind, leave fear and doubt far behind.' Anybody who has watched the Brazilian national team lately will plainly see the fear and doubt they have in their own capacity to win. We have the answer: it's in their religion. Jack, clearly unbiased in any way, shape or form, takes us through the growing Protestant evangelicalism that is sweeping through Brazil. Not only is this pushing many towards the political right, towards Bolsonaro, it's also pushing them further away from what's right on the pitch. There have always been outstanding individual players in Brazilian squads, but they've never seemed more fractured than now. Gone are the days of Ronaldinho and Il Fenomeno, the legendary R9. It seems clear that these Brazilians need to get back in the pub, back on the dancefloor, back to what the Institute for Hispano Studies called '[their] sacred joy'. Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  6. Jul 13

    You're Shit (and You Know You Are): Football's Twelfth Man

    In today's episode Jack and I discuss one of the most interesting and unique things to the game of football: its chants. There's a whole lot in here about the philosophy of insults - why do so many of us chant horrendous things (I've previously admitted to some anti-Huddersfield Town chants in past episodes...) to people just like us? Listen to this episode and You'll Never Walk Alone, you won't want to go home (as you'll want to drink all the beer), and you'll be on your way... on your way... From Vietnamese Hell's Angels and the Saints not being SCUM to Arthur Fery's Wimbledon heroics, we take you on a meandering path - we hope you enjoy! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  7. Jul 3

    White Wolves and Japanese Fairies: The Creation of the International Game

    We're still struggling with World Cup fever! In this episode, Jack and I discuss creation myths. There's loads of them and some of them are absolutely bonkers. It's lovely stuff. However, the birth of the beautiful game in faraway lands is sometimes even weirder. Why did the Japanese shout "oooh!" every time they kicked a ball? Why are the mighty Saints to blame for the five World Cups won by Brazil (hint, it's got nothing to do with binoculars or trees)? And why, oh why, did the Egyptians want to beat the English so badly? Okay... you can probably guess the last one. In today's episode we take you through some of the earliest accounts of football around the world - and explain why Messi should be able to beat up Ronaldo. Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

  8. Jun 29

    The Haunting of Hill...Dickinson? Derrida and the Spectre of Football's Past

    In this week's (late, I know - we're sorry) episode, Jack and I discuss the enigmatic philosopher Jacques Derrida as we hastily retreat back from any possibly pending FIFA lawsuits. Derrida, or as we like to now call him, Toto, pulls back the curtain of time to discuss how the past constantly haunts us. Football might just be the most haunted sport of all: think about Best and Beckham's number 7 (forever haunting Beckham now considering his daughter's name); think about England's singular star on their white shirt; reflect on that absolute sitter your team's star striker spooned into the corner flag... The past never really leaves us, it's always right there along with the present. Football's hard enough to predict with the past forever obscuring our vision of the present, let alone when we add in Derrida's understanding of ' the event', a totally unpredictable thing that defers its meaning (we'll only really know players by the legacy they leave behind), disturbs binaries (transcends the game - I'm looking at you Bobby Zamora), and reshapes the match (look no further than Wazza's bicycle shinner vs City). Overall, Derrida's philosophy shows us the sheer chaos of our wonderful game - which has never been more on show than it is in the States right now. The greatest show on earth! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

See All (32)

About

Here at FFP, two UK academics combine philosophy and football. One knows Freddie Nietzsche, and the other knows Eddie Nketiah. Together, we tackle football’s biggest - and smallest - questions. We've designed this podcast to be educational — though, much like Financial Fair Play, whether it actually works is another matter entirely.

Information

  • Creator
    Fast Football and Philosophy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Fast Football and Philosophy
  • Show Website
    Fast Football and Philosophy