Footy On The Med

Stadio Luigi Ferraris. What an arena for football. One of the best, any day of the week. But on Sunday 8 January 2023, Luigi Ferraris rocked - perhaps as never before. It was Sampdoria v Napoli. The hosts, not so good this season. Napoli, topping Serie A. A routine giant v minnow clash? No way. Not today. This was Gianluca Vialli's day. The Samp legend, taken too young a few days before the game, was honoured by those who loved him. The Sampdoria wall of noise will live on forever. Final score: Sampdoria 0, Napoli 2. Result: irrelevant. Ultimate emotion: Vialli. Football. Humanity. Life.

It's not unusual for John and Alex to watch a game of football. It's not unusual for them to watch a game in a bar. It happens every day. (Well, almost.) It's not unusual for John and Alex to talk to Young Trafford. And it's not unusual for everyone to fall in love. (What? Ed.) Yes, it happens all the time. But it's very unusual for Tom Jones to join Footy on the Med. Listen out for the greatest Welshman of all, and best singer of all time, when he turned up at La Vittoria in Menton for England 3, Wales 0.

John and Alex met at the ML Lounge for England 0 v United States 0. This fantastic bar is proving significant in Footy on the Med lore. It was where Alex first tempted John with the idea of roaming around Mediterranean football clubs for a podcast, it was where the pair were interviewed by Paul and Lewis from My Football Heroes, and it was where Alex once wrote three sentences of A Season on the Med (before opting to enjoy the wine instead). Last but not least, it was the scene of Mr Woo revelations (by Alex) and the intriguing tale of 'the name's Lloyd, Derek Lloyd' (more from John anon). This meeting was no less memorable, but more for the après match drinks courtesy of the lads from Foot Five. Cue colossal hangovers (santé, Eric, Olivier and Marco), the discovery of Pele Maguire and a brave but doomed attempt to reintroduce structural harmony to the quirkiest football podcast of them all.

And so the World Cup begins, neither with a bang nor a whimper but - on Footy on the Med, anyway - with a leprechaun. Yes, before John and Alex can settle down to enjoy England v Iran in Bar Rino in the heart of Menton they are met by an unaccountable blast of Irishness. And why not? The host nation might not be the most inclusive but Footy on the Med is. Listen out for Alex's next book, A Season in the Shed, and John's promise to give a five-star Amazon review for his current one, A Season on the Med. There are quirky facts galore and roars of approval, especially from Young Trafford, as England romp home 6-2 winners. Many thanks to Emanuela and Marco, who let the lads record in Bar Rino, and no thanks to the jellyfish, who stung Alex during his half-time swim.

It's the eve of the FIFA World Cup, and what's not to like? A feast of football awaits, accompanied only by the host country's dismal human rights record and hostility to the LGBTQ+ community. The man in charge of John and Alex (that's President Macron) says sport should not be politicised. Plenty of others disagree, and say a political world cup is nothing new. Meanwhile, to set out its stall, Qatar has apologised for forcing a Danish reporter off air. 'We thought he was gay and did not have the correct work permit,' said Qatar. 'We now realise the error of our ways'. What do John and Alex think of all this? Find out as the pair gear up to cover the World Cup, Footy-on-the-Med style, but first they had to pass a test set by the tireless Young Trafford. Yes - it's quiz time!