In 2010, the footballing community was shouting about corruption. FIFA had just awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Something didn’t sound quite right…

In this groundbreaking episode, Simon and Mehreen cover not only the life and corruption of former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, but also paint a picture of the geopolitical changes in global football and the rising power shifts from the West to the East.

The podcast features clips from an exclusive interview with Sepp Blatter himself, who candidly reveals details of his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, meetings with Qatar and French President Nicholas Sarkozy, and FIFA officials’ roles in the Qatari corruption scandal.

This is a story of power, money, and corruption—akin to a mafia movie or Hollywood biopic. You won’t want to miss it.

Time stamps:

00:26 : Introduction

03:54 : Growing up in Switzerland

08:02 : Coca Cola gets Blatter into FIFA

13:32 : From bureaucrat to the biggest job at FIFA

19:57 : Turning a blind eye or encouraging corruption?

24:58 : Simon’s run-in with Blatter (and missing out on a spa day)

34:49 : Qatari official meets the French President

37:59 : Russia and Qatar win the World Cup bid

45:04 : Chuck Blazer blows the whistle

49:37 : A farcical election and questions of conviction

57:36 : A lonely 80s of court cases, irrelevance, and attempt to stop the Ukraine War

01:00:22 : What is Sepp Blatter’s legacy?

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By joining our official H&H Supporters Club on Patreon, you’ll unlock access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, bonus content, and special Q&A sessions with your hosts, Mehreen and Simon. Whether you're looking for deeper insights into football’s biggest personalities or just can’t wait for the next episode, we’ve got something for you.

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