Claim OwnershipSoccer 101
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All the soccer history and explainers you can handle
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This week, we're tackling all-things freekick! When did they first become a part of the game? How have they evolved over time? What is the difference between direct and indirect opportunities? Plus, ideal distances for shooting, greatest takers of all-time, and much more! WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why are there so many words for a shot? What is an overhead kick and is it different than a bicycle kick? Can a tatty-toe-bash be aesthetically pleasing? Those questions and more answered as we delve deep into the world of screaming efforts fired on target.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the Republic of Korea qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, it's time to take a deeper look at domestic soccer in the country. How does Asia's oldest professional league work? What role did decentralization play in helping (or hurting) the growth of the sport? Who are the league's most famous players and most accomplished clubs? How does the league as a whole stack up against the other top leagues and clubs in the AFC?WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're recording this one in mid-August 2025, with the prospect of European league games happening in the United States once again back in the news! What's been approved and what obstacles remain? Plus, what this could mean for future domestic games being played internationally, the impact it could have on American soccer (and interest therein), and the stupidity of that time a few people thought The 39th Game was a good idea.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In honor of the transfer window (and one protracted saga in particular), Graham and Taylor look at the process of demanding a transfer. How is a transfer request lodged? What options does a club have once they receive the request? Do they actually tend to work out, or can they be disastrous? Plus, we take a look at a few examples when forcing a transfer worked and a few times they did not. WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With Uzbekistan having qualified for their first-ever World Cup, Graham and Taylor take a lengthy look at the Uzbekistan Super League, the nation's top flight. How long has it been around, how did the collapse of the Soviet Union fuel its development, and what (slightly massive) changes has it undergone more recently? Plus, the league's top teams, former players, and the role it has played in shaping the Uzbekistan men's national team.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We take a look at the 12th man of soccer (and try to avoid getting sued by Seattle while we do). What makes for a good atmosphere? When can it feel artificial? Which clubs have the rowdiest crowds? How can teams improve the atmosphere when things start to lag? All that and much much more!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the 2025 European Championship kicking off today, we spend some time reviewing the history and evolution of the premier competition for national teams in European women's football. How has the tournament grown over time, who are some of its dominant teams and players, and what is its quality relative to other major tournaments in the women's game? Plus, an extended look at the 2025 iteration, including favorites and dark horses.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We continue to profile the domestic leagues of the countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and now that Brazil will officially be in North America in 2026, it's time to take a look at their domestic soccer landscape. When did the national league first get established and how has it evolved over time? Why were there once 90+ teams in a single league campaign? What are the strongest clubs most recently? What are the obstacles the competition has overcome and what does the future hold in store? Plus. the major question: what role has the league played in helping shape the national team?WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Who is that guy sitting next to the manager and why is he showing him stuff on an iPad?" We have answers!What is an assistant manager, and what do they do? To answer that second one, we look at the different types and some of the most notable examples in soccer history.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we delve into the exciting and not at all depressing world of... sportswashing! What is it, how long of a history does it have in soccer, how has it grown over time, and why does it seem to work so successfully in the sport we love?WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We continue to profile the domestic leagues of the countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and this week it's an automatic entrant: Canada! What is the professional league structure in the country, what are the strengths and weaknesses of its domestic top flight, and what role has it played in strengthening the Canada national team? Those questions and many more answered on this week's show!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we've got a doozy of a tale for you: it involves a racehorse, a cantankerous Knight of the Realm, and a couple of billionaires with a point to prove. Did a legal snafu lead to the Glazer takeover at Manchester United? How did that takeover happen in the first place? Does Sir Alex Ferguson deserve any blame for the purchase that has led to the downfall of The Red Devils.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Short answer: kinda, but not really.Longer answer:... you'll have to listen to the episode, but we discuss some of the most famous father-son duos in soccer history, as well as why there aren't as many father-daughter or mother-daughter duos (yet).WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we revisit a topic that we've only touched on briefly in the past: soccer pitches. We get into dimensions and the like, but (inspired by this article from The Athletic), we spend much more time discussing the history of soccer pitches and how their construction and maintenance has evolved over time. From livestock grazing to keep grass length down to moisture meters telling robots when it's time for a watering, we've come a long way!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're continuing our series profiling the domestic leagues of countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and this week we're heading to the land of marmite and rugby... to talk about soccer. It's New Zealand! What is the league structure? Which New Zealand clubs play outside the country? What does the future of the New Zealand National League hold? Those questions and many more answered on this week's show!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the news this week that MLS will not be making a move to the European calendar after the 2026 World Cup, Graham and Taylor take a look at the situation, past, present and future. Why did the league adopt its current calendar in the first place? What would be the benefits of moving to a European calendar, and what are the potential drawbacks? How much snow is too much snow? All that and more!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're continuing our series profiling the domestic leagues of countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and this week it's one that we knew... basically nothing about prior to researching: The Persian Gulf Pro League, the top domestic league in Iran. Why was the league originally formed in the early 2000s, what are its biggest clubs, what issues have kept the league from developing further, and how has the national team benefitted from its existence? All that, plus our attempt to understand historical geographic naming conventions. What more do you need?!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we're taking a look at the scourge of the modern game: fixture congestion. Is it indeed a problem exclusive to the modern era? What can teams do to ease the workload? What can happen when a player is ‘red lining’? And the most important question: are we reaching breaking point?WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With Japan officially qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, we wanted to take at domestic football in the country. In so doing, we attempt to answer questions like what is the J.League, how good is the league as a whole, how has it evolved over time, what role has it played in helping to strengthen the national team, and much much more!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Please do a World Cup prediction 
Love this podcast learn so much
Love this game
D&T are GOATs of soccer podcasts from an American (and English-ish) perspective. things can be two to things, except this, which is only one thing: the best.
Great episode, missed out on one of the best names derbies, The Derby of Eternal Rivals or the Mother of all Battles, Olympiakos vs Panathinaikos
I binged the first season and cant wait until they do more. Great first season!
Great podcast!! So excited you guys are putting these out. These episodes are great for both those getting into the game as well as for long time fans. Hard to pull that off but you guys do so flawlessly. Keep up the good work!