A World Cup semi-final played in the shadow of one of football’s biggest controversies.

It’s 1986, just four days after the chaos of Argentina vs England — the Hand of God, the Goal of the Century, and a football world still arguing the same question: genius… or cheat?

In this episode, we revisit Argentina vs Belgium, a semi-final where Diego Maradona somehow responded to all the noise by producing an even purer display of brilliance.

We break down how Belgium tried to contain him with discipline and numbers, how Argentina built their entire attacking rhythm around him, and how, for long stretches of the game, it simply didn’t seem to matter how many defenders stood in his way.

We relive the balance, the acceleration, the close control that left Belgian players trailing in his wake, and the two goals that perfectly captured why Mexico ‘86 became Maradona’s tournament.

We also explore how the fallout from the England game shaped the atmosphere around the match, how Maradona seemed to thrive on the chaos surrounding him, and why this semi-final pushed the debate to its absolute peak: was the world watching football’s greatest genius… or its greatest villain?

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

A World Cup semi-final haunted by memories that refused to fade.

Four years on from the chaos and heartbreak of Seville, France finally had their chance again. Same opponents. Same stage. Same dream of reaching a World Cup final. But hanging over everything was the shadow of 1982 — Battiston lying unconscious on the turf, Schumacher unpunished, and a French side left feeling football had robbed them.

In this episode, we revisit France vs West Germany in 1986, a semi-final charged with revenge, redemption, and the feeling that destiny had handed France one more opportunity to settle the score.

We break down how Michel Platini led a golden generation desperate to erase the scars of Seville, how West Germany once again arrived with their trademark resilience and tournament know-how, and why Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s return gave the Germans belief at exactly the right moment.

We also explore how the ghosts of 1982 shaped the atmosphere around the match, how France carried both the emotional and physical burden of expectation, and why this became one of football’s great “what if?” stories for a generation of French supporters.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

A World Cup semi-final where beauty met brutality… and football was never quite the same again.

It’s 1982, and this is a clash of styles in its purest form. France — fluid, elegant, orchestrated by Michel Platini — playing football that feels like art. West Germany — relentless, efficient, unshakeable — playing football that gets results.

In this episode, we revisit West Germany vs France, a semi-final that had everything: drama, chaos, genius… and one moment that would cast a shadow over it all.

We break down how France’s golden midfield tried to control the game with movement and imagination, how West Germany absorbed it and refused to go away, and how the match spiralled into one of the most unforgettable nights in World Cup history.

But we also confront the moment that changed everything — the collision between Patrick Battiston and Harald Schumacher. A challenge that stunned the world, sparked outrage, and forced football to reckon with questions of player safety, responsibility, and how far winning should ever go.

We explore how that incident shaped the game’s legacy, how it affected both teams in the moment, and why — even in a match filled with brilliance — it remains impossible to separate the football from what happened that night.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s most unforgettable stories.

NOTE: We had some audio issues halfway through so apologies for that!

A World Cup semi-final where a story flipped… and never flipped back.

It’s 1982, and not long ago Italy looked flat, cautious, and on the brink of an early exit. Now? They’re something else entirely — organised, ruthless, and riding a wave that feels impossible to stop.

In this episode, we revisit Italy vs Poland, a semi-final that cemented one of the great turnarounds in World Cup history.

We break down how Italy, built on control and defensive steel led by Dino Zoff, suddenly found their cutting edge through Paolo Rossi — a striker who had gone from anonymous to unstoppable in the space of a few games.

We explore how Poland, without the suspended Zbigniew Boniek, struggled to find their usual rhythm, how Italy dictated the pace from start to finish, and why this wasn’t just a win — it was the moment it became clear that this Italian side weren’t just contenders anymore… they were favourites.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

A World Cup semi-final shaped as much by who wasn’t there as by what happened on the pitch.

It’s 1978, and the Netherlands arrive once again at the business end of a World Cup — but this time, without their talisman. No Johan Cruyff, no guiding force of Total Football… and yet, somehow, they’re still here.

In this episode, we revisit Netherlands vs Italy, a semi-final where the Dutch had to prove they were more than just one man — even if that man was one of the greatest the game has ever seen.

We break down how the Netherlands adapted without Cruyff, how Italy looked to impose their control and structure, and how one extraordinary moment changed everything — Arie Haan unleashing a thunderbolt from distance that still echoes through World Cup history.

We also explore how this Dutch side evolved from the 1974 vintage, how they carried the philosophy forward without their leader, and why this match became a statement that Total Football could survive… even without its king.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

A World Cup semi-final surrounded by questions that have never really gone away.

It’s 1978, Argentina are hosting, the pressure is immense… and what unfolds against Peru is one of the most debated matches in football history.

In this episode, we revisit Argentina vs Peru — a game that should have been about Mario Kempes and Teófilo Cubillas, about a place in the World Cup final… but instead became something far more complicated.

We break down how Argentina produced a stunning performance when they needed it most, how Kempes led from the front in a game that seemed to gather momentum with every goal, and how Peru — so vibrant earlier in the tournament — simply fell away.

But we also explore the shadow hanging over it all — the allegations of political influence, the role of Argentina’s military government, and the lingering suspicion that this was more than just a football match.

We look at what can be proven, what remains speculation, and why, decades later, this semi-final still sits uneasily in World Cup history.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s most unforgettable — and sometimes uncomfortable — stories.

A World Cup semi-final played in conditions that barely resembled football.

It’s 1974, the rain is relentless, the pitch is waterlogged, and what should have been a showcase of two brilliant sides turns into a test of endurance, patience… and sheer willpower.

In this episode, we revisit West Germany vs Poland, a semi-final shaped as much by the weather as the players — and by one man in particular: Jan Tomaszewski, Poland’s unpredictable, often unorthodox goalkeeper.

We break down how the conditions neutralised Poland’s flowing attack, how West Germany adapted to the chaos, and how Franz Beckenbauer — now fully established as the game’s leading figure — helped guide his side through the storm.

We also explore how this match became one of the most unusual semi-finals in World Cup history, where tactics took a back seat to survival, and football turned into something closer to a battle against the elements.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

A World Cup semi-final where one era ended… and another took over.

It’s 1974, and Brazil arrive as defending champions, still carrying the aura of 1970 — but maybe without the same quality. But waiting for them is something entirely new: a Dutch side redefining football itself.

In this episode, we revisit Brazil vs the Netherlands, a semi-final that saw Pelé’s Brazil replaced by a new kind of revolution — Johan Cruyff’s Total Football.

We break down how the Dutch overwhelmed Brazil with movement, intelligence and relentless pressing, how Cruyff became the centre of it all, and how a team that had dazzled the world four years earlier suddenly found themselves chasing shadows.

We also explore how this wasn’t just a defeat for Brazil — it was a symbolic passing of the torch, as football moved into a new, more fluid and tactical age.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

A World Cup semi-final that completely lost its mind.

It’s 1970, the heat of Mexico, and what unfolds between West Germany and Italy is less a football match and more a full-blown endurance test — a game that would go down forever as The Match of the Century.

In this episode, we revisit Italy vs West Germany, a semi-final defined by chaos, courage, and one of the most iconic periods of extra time football has ever seen.

We break down how Franz Beckenbauer, playing on with a dislocated shoulder and his arm strapped to his body, somehow continued to drive West Germany forward, how the game exploded into life in extra time with goals flying in from everywhere, and how Gianni Rivera went from zero to hero in the space of seconds and settle this unbelievable contest.

We also explore how two very different footballing philosophies collided, how the match descended into beautiful madness, and why this wasn’t just a great game — it was one that helped define an entire era of World Cup football.

This is The Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s greatest showpieces.

Twenty years on from one of the most painful defeats football has ever seen, Brazil arrived at the 1970 World Cup still carrying the weight of 1950 — the day Uruguay silenced the Maracanã and shattered a nation’s dream.

In this episode, we revisit Brazil vs Uruguay, a semi-final that felt like more than just a game — it was a chance for redemption.

We break down how this dazzling Brazil side, led by Pelé at the height of his powers, tried to finally exorcise the ghosts of the past, how Uruguay leaned into their underdog identity once again, and why every Brazilian attack seemed to carry the memory of that infamous defeat.

We also explore how history hung over the match, how the fear of another upset lingered in the background, and how Brazil responded when faced with the one opponent who had hurt them more than any other.

This is The Semi-Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals (and the occasional semi-final) from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia and humour — into one of football’s great showpieces.