Sporting Giants

How did Sir Alex Ferguson’s working-class Glasgow upbringing shape the man and manager he would become?Kelly Cates and Jonathan Northcroft retrace Ferguson’s steps from the Govan shipyards to European glory with Aberdeen.We hear about Fergie’s admiration for trade union activist Jimmy Reid, his fledgling football days at Drumchapel Amateurs and how, after rejection at Glasgow Rangers, he combined his early managerial career with running a pub.Then former Aberdeen stars Willie Miller, Gordon Strachan, Mark McGhee and Stuart Kennedy take listeners behind the scenes of Aberdeen’s victories over Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Coming soon: The definitive Sir Alex Ferguson story, from his working class roots in Glasgow to the top of European football, told by the people who know him best.First-hand accounts from a host of former players and adversaries including Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Gordon Strachan and Sir Kenny Dalglish reveal what it was like to play for Sir Alex's all-conquering Manchester United and Aberdeen teams, while exploring the Scot's origins and where his legendary will to win came from.Presenter Kelly Cates and Ferguson expert Jonathan Northcroft explore what made him so successful and how he was able to constantly reinvent himself and his teams to remain at the very top for decades.Could there ever be another manager like Sir Alex?

With Euro 2024 and a move to Real Madrid on the horizon, the future looks bright for Mbappe.Steve and Julien are joined by Spanish football expert Sid Lowe to discuss the challenge facing Mbappe at the serial Champions League winners.Can he go on to match the achievements of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Arsene Wenger give their views.

France icon Lilian Thuram reflects on racism, football and French identity after Mbappe suffers racial abuse at Euro 2020 following his penalty miss.Lacking support from the French Football Federation, Mbappe threatens to quit the national team, forcing change before he stars at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.We hear from France team-mates Hugo Lloris and Ibrahima Konate as Mbappe emerges as a natural heir to Lionel Messi in an unforgettable final.

After winning the World Cup, Mbappe returns home to Paris a national hero and gains increasing power at Paris Saint-Germain. Club insiders detail how Mbappe became an increasing influence on and off the field as PSG’s Qatari owners set their sights on the Champions League.We hear from experts on why the Mbappe-Messi-Neymar strike force never delivered Europe’s ultimate prize.And why Mbappe’s imminent departure from PSG is such a blow to French president Emmanuel Macron.

After an outstanding first season at Paris Saint-Germain, a 19-year-old Mbappe inspires France to glory at the 2018 World Cup. Presenters Steve Crossman and Julien Laurens hear from France head coach Didier Deschamps and other eye-witnesses as Mbappe emulates Pele by becoming only the second teenager to score in the final in Moscow. Mbappe’s success sparks emotional scenes back in the Paris suburb of Bondy where his footballing journey began.

Presenters Steve Crossman and Julien Laurens explore Mbappe’s time at the legendary Clairefontaine academy and his breakthrough season at Monaco.Hear from France legend and Clairefontaine graduate Thierry Henry and some of Mbappe’s classmates at a football finishing school like no other.Find out how Monaco won the race to sign the teenage sensation and relive his title-winning debut season in the company of former team-mate Bernardo Silva.

In a new six-part podcast series, Steve Crossman and Julien Laurens chart Kylian Mbappe’s rise from the suburbs of Paris to global superstardom. We begin at AS Bondy, where Mbappe first displayed his prodigious talent and hear from former coaches and teammates about the cheeky schoolboy who, with the support of his ambitious parents, appeared destined for greatness. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger explains why Mbappe’s talents stood out at an early age, even in the Paris banlieues, one of football’s most competitive breeding grounds.

A new podcast series charting Kylian Mbappe’s rise from the suburbs of Paris to global superstardom. Presenters Steve Crossman and Julien Laurens follow the forward’s journey from AS Bondy to PSG via Monaco and the legendary Clairefontaine academy and hear from a stellar cast including Arsene Wenger, Didier Deschamps, Thierry Henry and Bernardo Silva. Revisit Mbappe’s ultimate high of winning the World Cup in 2018 and the racial abuse that followed his penalty miss as France crashed out of the Euros in 2021. We take listeners to Qatar where Mbappe rallied his team for a remarkable comeback in the World Cup final before another painful defeat on penalties to Argentina. And we’ll look ahead to his future in the iconic white shirt of Real Madrid.

In this new podcast series Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore the life and career of Pep Guardiola. Episode 4 charts his most recent chapter, overcoming a first trophyless season to create history in Manchester. Director of Football Txiki Bergistain and City insider Noel Gallagher reveal how Pep proved the doubters wrong to begin his domestic dominance before his former captain İlkay Gündoğan reveals how the players reacted to his “overthinking” in Europe. But after years of heartache in the Champions League, the team eventually climbed the summit and completed the historic treble - City’s Kyle Walker and Rodri tell the inside story. This is a BBC Sport Production for BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live.

In this new podcast series Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore the life and career of Pep Guardiola. Episode 3 uncovers his motivation behind the move to Munich and addresses the theory that his time in Germany wasn’t a success because the Champions League eluded him. Former Bayern players Manuel Neuer and Robert Lewandowski explain how Guardiola overcame numerous difficulties to dominate domestically before German football expert Rafa Honigstein reveals why his tenure unravelled so quickly. This is a BBC Sport Production for BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live.

In this new podcast series Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore the life and career of Pep Guardiola. Told from the perspective of former Barcelona players and staff, Episode 2 charts Pep’s rapid rise from rookie manager to treble winning coach in his first season in the dugout at Camp Nou. Carles Puyol and Eidur Gudjohnsen explain how their revolutionary style of football led to European glory, while board members Xavier Sala I Martin and Txiki Begiristain outline how things eventually turned sour. During an intense period of rivalries with Lionel Messi facing off against Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho at the helm of Real Madrid, a golden era at Barcelona comes to an end This is a BBC Sport Production for BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live.

In this new podcast series Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore the life and career of Pep Guardiola. Told from the perspective of former Barcelona teammates Ronald Koeman, Albert Ferrer, Jordi Cruyff and eventual Director of Football Txiki Begiristain - Episode 1 is the ultimate origin story. Journey from the streets of Santpedor to Barca’s world famous La Masia academy and Camp Nou and find out how Pep’s playing days almost ended prematurely and how the legendary Johan Cruyff shaped his footballing philosophy. This is a BBC Sport Production for BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live

Is Pep Guardiola the greatest manager of all time? Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague delve into his life and career, hearing from the players and coaches who know him best.