ABC SPORT Daily

Spain has won its second men's World Cup after comprehensively outplaying Argentina. The South Americans embraced the dark arts, but all the tricks were no match for the Spanish class. Lionel Messi has possibly played his final World Cup game, but this young Spanish group is definitely just getting started. We also unpack an odd half-time show and ask Mark Schwarzer how we will remember the 2026 World Cup. 

Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend. 

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

This World Cup has been a footballing feast. The big stars have shone, the little guys have punched above their weight, the Socceroos gave us reason to dream and ultimately we will have a highly anticipated final between the top two ranked nations. So, why is there still a sense of unease? The US presidential pardon. The hydration breaks. The sense of an erosion of trust. Craig Foster joins us to talk about what we've loved and what we have not.

Featured: Craig Foster, football pundit and human rights activist.

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

It felt like a familiar story, England leading one-nil in a major semi-final before losing momentum and eventually the game. Manager Thomas Tuchel is already the focus of much blame, while Lionel Messi and Argentina showed they are never beaten. We pull apart a semi-final that crackled with animus before casting ahead to a final between Spain and Argentina.

Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend. 

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

In a tournament defined by stars, it was the collective excellence of Spain that sent them past France and into a World Cup final. Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps ends his epic tenure with bitter defeat, while captain and star Kylian Mbappe will rue a missed opportunity in his prime. How did Spain get it SO right? How did France get it SO wrong? We unpack it and cast ahead to the final. 

Featured: Niav Owens, football host, SBS Sport.

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

Messi and Mbappe are globally recognisable stars, but knowing them is hard given the private nature of these identities. Thankfully, we have two authors who have literally written the book on the two champions. Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens join us to talk about how Messi and Mbappe have shone brightest in a World Cup cluttered with brilliance and peeling back the curtain to understanding these two footballing icons. 

Featured: Julien Laurens, football journalist, ESPN. Guillem Balague, football writer. 

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

Jude Bellingham scored twice in a player-of-the-match performance that saw England past Norway and into a World Cup semifinal against Argentina. He also gave Thomas Tuchel a clip in the aftermath after his manager's criticism of the English performance. It wasn't the only talking point, with the 'spider camera' directly contributing to England's first goal. Then, Argentina scored a 3-1 extra-time win to set up a mouth-watering semi-final between two historic foes. 

Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend. 

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

A France-Spain blockbuster is loading after an injury to legendary Belgian keeper Thibault Courtois led to a chaotic late defeat for his side. Was this an end of the road moment for Belgium's golden generation? Can Spain trouble the French? We ask Mark Schwarzer. Then we head to Oslo to get a vibe check on the feel-great story of the World Cup as Norway and Erling Haaland try to row a nation past England. 

Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend. Mina Finstad Berg, football commentator, TV2 Norway.

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

In the last few months, Kylian Mbappe has been booed by his club fans, the target of racist attacks from a politician, and is the focus of global expectation, and yet he is gliding through this World Cup with a smile. He might have missed a penalty, but he also scored a screamer as he and France rolled into the semi-finals. Mark Schwarzer breaks down their campaign and then explains why he's "slightly disappointed" to see Ange Postecoglou heading to Saudi Arabia. 

Featured: Socceroos legend, Mark Schwarzer. 

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

Sometimes during a hectic World Cup, you just need to hang with some great company. Kevin Prince Boateng has been a breath of fresh air on the SBS tournament coverage and when you consider he's played in almost every top league in the world, you can understand why. He joins us to talk about the World Cup so far, the difference between playing for European and African nations (he's done both) and football's new world order. Oh, and he has some THOUGHTS on the Socceroos. 

Featured: Kevin Prince Boateng, ex-footballer, SBS football pundit.

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. 

Lionel Messi was in tears. The Argentina manager was too emotional to finish his interview. Egypt's coach and players were seething at a sense of 'injustice'. Mark Schwarzer was in the stadium and pulls apart a World Cup classic before forecasting the tournament quarterfinals.

Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend. 

To catch up on everything that’s making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,’ hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more.