Julien Laurens, Mina Rzouki and Guillem Balague join Maz Farookhi to discuss the latest from the continent.

With Italy only reaching the play-offs, Gennaro Gattuso’s comments about World Cup qualification needing a ‘system change’ lead to a debate about the fundamental purpose of the World Cup.

PSG are, incredibly, in court against two of their former players, with one being Kylian Mbappe! How and why?

Plus, there’s lots of returns to dissect… Paul Pogba to playing football, as well as Barcelona AND Lionel Messi to Camp Nou!

Danish football journalist Toke Theilade joins the show to reflect on a disastrous week for Denmark as the full panel react to the play-off draw.

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5 Live/ BBC Sounds commentaries this week:

Saturday 22nd November

Sunday 23rd November

Lyle Taylor and Tommy Smith join Aaron Paul to discuss the week's EFL headlines.

They dissect the latest managerial situation at Middlesbrough, with Kim Hellberg expected to be the new man in the dugout. Tommy also talks about his new role at Middlesbrough, as the loans manager, following his retirement from the club earlier this year.

Philippe Clement is in at Norwich, so the panel discuss the direction of the club and whether that appointment is a coup or a gamble, plus how hopeful the Canaries can now be this season.

In League One, with just six points separating the top 12, who is best placed to break free of the pack at the top of the table? And who makes the EFL Ultimate XI, or is it time for a rival team?

Finally, with over 100 National League fixtures kicking off three minutes late over the international break, will the 3UP initiative lead to an extra promotion spot to the football league?

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Former Scotland international Pat Nevin and ex-Scotland captain Rachel Corsie join Steve Crossman and commentator Eilidh Barbour from Hampden as Scotland secure a first World Cup spot for 28 years. 

The team react to an epic night of football in Glasgow that finished 4-2 and had it all:  6 goals, a red card, a penalty, a stoppage time winner and a final-kick-of-the-game goal. 

Hear from Steve Clarke, the first Scotland manager to get the national team to three consecutive major tournaments, as well as from captain Andy Robertson and goalscorers Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean. There's also an interview with midfielder John McGinn. 

Elsewhere, Wales thrashed North Macedonia 7-1 to earn themselves a home advantage in next year's World Cup play-off semi-final. Craig Bellamy tells us he had an eye on the Scotland game too, though. 

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5 Live/ BBC Sounds commentaries this week:

Wednesday 19th November

Thursday 20th November

Saturday 22nd November

Sunday 23rd November

Scotland and Wales could secure World Cup spots with victory on Tuesday night - will they, and what would it mean?

Former Scottish international James McFadden joins Jonathan Northcroft, Chief Football Writer at the Sunday Times, and Eilidh Barbour to ponder what's required for Steve Clarke to lead the Tartan Army to a first World Cup for 28 years.

Scotland's task is simple: defeat Denmark at Hampden Park. Toke Theilade joins the show to give the Danish perspective, with an illness in the camp contributing to a shock draw with Belarus.

As for Wales, things are less straight-forward. Two points separating the top three sides in Group J and so all of qualification, play-offs and elimination are possible. Rob Earnshaw, who earned 59 caps in his career, helps preview their home fixture against North Macedonia.

We also hear from the player of the international break, Troy Parrott, whose 96th-minute winner over Hungary not only completed his hat-trick but secured his nation a World Cup play-off spot. Former Ireland midfielder Andy Reid explains what that drama meant to the country and the panel discuss the positive state of football in Britain and Ireland with all five nations in with a chance of World Cup spots.

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Commentaries coming up this week:

England wrapped up a perfect World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win against Albania. Victory in Tirana made it 8 wins from 8, with 22 goals scored and none conceded. Alistair Bruce-Ball is joined by former England defenders Stephen Warnock and Conor Coady for reaction to that match and to assess the key questions that lie ahead for Thomas Tuchel.

We hear from the England head coach, captain Harry Kane, and Dean Henderson.

There’s also reaction to an incredible comeback from the Republic of Ireland, they booked themselves a play-off spot for the World Cup with a 3-2 win in Hungary. The Irish Independent’s Dan McDonnell joins us to discuss Troy Parrott’s hattrick and the emotional scenes at the fulltime whistle.

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Kelly Cates is joined by Nedum Onuoha, Rory Smith and comedian Kae Kurd to discuss the changes they would make if they were designing football from scratch.

How would they tweak the rules? What punishments would they introduce? How long should a game last? How many players per team? How many points for a win? Would they keep VAR?

John Murray, Ali Bruce-Ball & Conor McNamara talk football, travel & language after Cristiano Ronaldo sees red as Republic of Ireland beat Portugal, and England beat Serbia. What about the ‘mind-altering’ shoes some of the England players are wearing? There’s a European theme to Clash of the Commentators. And suggestions always welcome for our Great Glossary of Football Commentary and unintended pub names from football commentary - WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 & emails to [email protected]

00:40 Conor fresh from Ireland-Portugal

5 Live / BBC Sounds Premier League commentaries:

Glossary so far (in alphabetical order):

DIVISION ONE

DIVISION TWO

UNSORTED

Thomas Tuchel's England make it 10 competitive clean sheets in a row against Serbia as their 100% record in World Cup 2026 qualifiers continues thanks to goals from Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka. Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, former England defender Phil Jones and Senior Football Reporter Ian Dennis join Steve Crossman to discuss England's 2-0 win over Serbia. They reflect on the match, and whether England's good form is due to the quality of opposition - do they need to be targeting tougher friendlies in the build up to next summer's tournament? They talk about the selection dilemmas awaiting Thomas Tuchel - who will make up the forward line, and who will start at left back? Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly talks about his first England start with the World Cup on the horizon. Plus, hear from goal scorer Bukayo Saka on his goal and his recent good form. Plus hear from England manager Thomas Tuchel - the panel discuss whether he could remain in charge after next summer, regardless of the result.

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5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries:

Jobi McAnuff, Lyle Taylor & Phil Brown debate Rob Edwards’ move to Wolves. Was he right to leave Middlesbrough? Managerial vacancies up for grabs at Boro, Southampton, Swansea and Norwich. And will Jamie Cureton make our 72+ Ultimate All-Time EFL XI? Send your suggestions to us on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.

00:45 Lyle scores a worldie in the National League

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Destination New Jersey continues, and on this episode of the pod the focus is on the Americas. Kelly Cates is joined by Rory Smith as they get a real flavour of how the tournament is building around the globe.

Destination New Jersey regular and CBS Sports Latin American journalist Nico Cantor joins the pod to talk about the domination there – as there could be as many as 12 countries from South and Central America at the World Cup - that’s a quarter of the teams!

Attention turns to the Caribbean. Only four teams from the Caribbean Islands have ever competed at a men’s World Cup finals. But this time around, the American Dream is still alive for five nations in this region including Jamaica - so Jamaican news and sports journalist Karen Madden joins Kelly and Rory to talk about what it would mean to the country to qualify for the tournament, after the devastating effects of Storm Melissa.

One country aiming to be part of it for the first time in 40 years is Iraq. In this international window they face the UAE in a playoff to reach the intercontinental playoffs, which take place in Mexico in March. Hassan Balal from the Iraq Football Pod gives his analysis on the state of the national team at the moment.

Then Boston is the focus, as the city prepares to host seven games at the Foxborough Stadium.

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