OTD E0256 — 14 Jul 1989: Oscar Ruggeri is sent off against Uruguay in Copa América — six days after being sent off against Uruguay in Copa América. This episode traces the Argentina-Uruguay Río de la Plata rivalry from the South American Championship, the 1928 Olympic final and the 1930 World Cup final, Ruggeri’s hard-man career, his Boca-to-River betrayal and Superclásico fire, Argentina and Uruguay’s paths through Copa América 1989, the first red card on July 8, the second on July 14, Rubén Sosa’s goals, and why Ruggeri’s six-day double remains so strange.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0255 — 13 Jul 1930: France beat Mexico 4-1 at Estadio Pocitos in Montevideo in the first World Cup match. This episode traces Jules Rimet, FIFA’s break from Olympic amateurism, the 1928 Amsterdam Congress, Uruguay’s selection as host, the winter chaos and unfinished Centenario, why France-Mexico opened the tournament, the first lineups, referee Domingo Lombardi, Lucien Laurent’s first World Cup goal, Alex Thépot’s injury, Juan Carreño’s Mexican reply, and how Pocitos grew into 3,000 goals, 50 million spectators, and the 2030 centenary return to Montevideo.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0254 — 12 Jul 1998: France win their first World Cup, beating defending champions Brazil 3–0 at the Stade de France. This episode traces France’s long road from 1938, 1958 and Euro 84 to Aimé Jacquet’s 1998 team, Brazil’s reigning champions and Ronaldo the Phenomenon, both teams’ dramatic routes to the final, the shocking team-sheet confusion after Ronaldo’s pre-match medical episode, Zidane’s two headers, Petit’s stoppage-time goal, and how the night shaped France, Brazil and Ronaldo’s redemption in 2002.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0253 — 11 Jul 2010: Spain win their first, and still only, World Cup, beating the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time in Johannesburg. This episode traces Spain’s long national-team frustration despite La Liga’s European power, the Euro 2008 breakthrough, Del Bosque’s 2010 side, the Dutch road from Total Football to Van Marwijk’s pragmatism, Howard Webb’s card-heavy final, Robben’s missed chances, Iniesta’s 116th-minute goal, his Dani Jarque tribute, and the legacies for Spain and the Netherlands.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0252 — 10 Jul 2016 and 10 Jul 2021: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi each win their first major senior international trophy on the same date, five years apart. Portugal beat France in the Euro 2016 final after Ronaldo leaves injured, with Éder scoring in extra time. Argentina beat Brazil at the Maracanã in the 2021 Copa América final, with Ángel Di María scoring and Messi finally ending his senior international drought. This episode traces the heartbreak, the rivalry, the release, and why July 10 belongs to both giants.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0251 — 09 Jul 2006: Italy beat France 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in Berlin to win their fourth World Cup. This episode traces Italy’s Calciopoli backdrop, Lippi’s squad, France’s aging golden generation, Zidane’s last match, the Panenka penalty, Materazzi’s equalizer, Buffon’s save, Zidane’s headbutt, Trezeguet’s crossbar, Grosso’s winning penalty, and why 2006 remains Italy’s last World Cup triumph and one of football’s most unforgettable endings.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0250 — 08 Jul 1982: France and West Germany play one of the wildest World Cup matches ever: 3–3 after extra time, Battiston knocked unconscious by Schumacher, no foul given, France 3–1 up in extra time, Rummenigge and Klaus Fischer dragging Germany back, and the first penalty shootout in World Cup finals history. This episode traces the German machine, France’s Magic Square, the Laws then and now, Schumacher’s aftermath, and the long shadow of Seville.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0249 — 07 Jul 1974: West Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the World Cup Final in Munich. This episode traces the peak of European machine football between Brazil’s Pelé era and Argentina’s Maradona era, Ajax and Total Football, Bayern and the Mannschaft, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Neeskens’ penalty before Germany touched the ball, Hölzenbein’s disputed penalty, Cruyff’s half-time yellow card, Rainer Bonhof’s assist, Gerd Müller’s winner, and the long shadow of Dutch beauty and German tournament certainty.Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0248 — 06 Jul 1960: France and Yugoslavia play the first match in European Championship finals history, and the new tournament opens with chaos. This episode traces Henri Delaunay’s long campaign for a European national-team championship, the first European Nations’ Cup, France’s missing 1958 stars, Yugoslavia’s state-socialist football culture, Galić’s first EURO finals goal, France leading 4–2, Yugoslavia scoring three in five minutes, the Soviet final, France’s 1984 redemption, and Yugoslavia’s long football what-if.

Ideas: [email protected]

OTD E0247 — 05 Jul 1982: Italy beat Brazil 3–2 at Sarrià in one of the greatest World Cup matches ever played. Brazil only needed a draw, but Paolo Rossi scored a hat-trick, beginning his resurrection after Totonero and launching Italy toward the 1982 title. This episode traces Italy’s three-draw escape, Brazil’s beautiful 1982 team, the Italy–Brazil World Cup rivalry, Sócrates, Zico, Falcão, Cerezo’s mistake, Gentile on Zico, Zoff’s late save, the Tragedy of Sarrià, and why Brazil 1982 became immortal by losing.

Ideas: [email protected]