Brian tries to contain his glee as he unfolds the story of the greatest upset in World Cup history: the United States' 1-0 win over a massively favored England in 1950. We'll talk about goalkeepers who drive hearses, midfielders who wear boxing gloves on the pitch, and the Haitian accounting student who scored perhaps the most shocking goal of all time.

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

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What's the difference between "famous" and "iconic"? Brian explores the distinction in the life of French midfielder Zinedine Zidane, a player who has inspired more passion, and provoked more analysis, than anyone else in modern soccer. (And yes, we'll talk about that headbutt.)

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

If you like cartoons and penalty kick breakdowns, or maybe just want to get your kids into podcasts, you might enjoy this animated video excerpt

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Brian dives into the most elaborate mystery in all of soccer: the daring theft of the World Cup trophy in London in 1966. Who were the master thieves who pulled off the heist? Who was the unlikely detective who finally recovered the trophy? Oh, and isn't this podcast technically about soccer goals? Tune in and find out TODAY! 

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville 

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

If you like cartoons, you might enjoy this animated video excerpt of this episode

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Brian looks at the magic of the goal celebration, the most intense expression of joy in all of sports. We’ll talk about Marco Tardelli's legendary screaming run after scoring in the 1982 World Cup final. We’ll also talk about backflips, babies, dances, pile-ons, and when you’re allowed to pose like a centerfold on a soccer pitch. (Answer: when you’ve just scored a World Cup goal.)

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA  

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian tells the story of Cameroonian striker Roger Milla, the oldest player ever to score in a men's World Cup. Along the way, we'll talk about dancing for joy, the text messages you never want to get on vacation, and why Africa laps the rest of the world when it comes to cool team nicknames.

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian delves into the career of Dennis Bergkamp, the enigmatic Dutch striker whose 1998 goal against Argentina is one of the most beautiful moments in the history of the men's World Cup. We'll also talk about real ghost ships, fake pig farms, and why it sometimes pays to park your car the wrong way at a British gas station. 

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian looks at the meteoric rise of Kylian Mbappé, whose goal in the 2018 World Cup final made him the first teenager since Pelé to score in soccer's biggest game. We'll discuss the contradictions of contemporary soccer, where the joy of stories like Mbappé's sits alongside high-level corruption. Also: three classic Arsenal jokes and the difficulty of dragging the creator of the universe into county court.

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian explores the legend of the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, possibly the most gifted player ever to kick a ball, and his triumphant return from injury at the 2002 World Cup. We'll also discuss the warped poetry of 1950s American tourist movies, the Rio bus system, and how to secure a hypoallergenic hotel room in Austria (spoiler alert: you can't).

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Archival audio courtesy of Global ImageWorks, LLC

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

Just for fun: here is a compilation video of Ronaldo scoring five goals against Bahia in 1993

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Brian looks back at the two legendary goals Diego Maradona scored against England in the 1986 World Cup. But that’s not all! We’ll also discuss the Falkland Islands, Humphrey Bogart, God getting a manicure, militant art teachers, Emily Dickinson, unchecked euphoria, and why soccer players can’t stop taking off their shirts. And some other stuff!

Host: Brian Phillips

Producers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel 

Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo 

Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville

Match footage from FIFA

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices