World Football

Sparta Prague's Costa Nhamoinesu describes the racist incidents in Czech football in reaction to the Black Lives Matters movement. The former Australia international Alicia Ferguson reacts to the announcement that Australia and New Zealand will host the 2023 women's World Cup. And the owner of Mexican club Santos Laguna, Alejandro Irarragorri, tells us how Covid-19 has affected his club and his country.

(Picture: Paul Pogba of Manchester United takes a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Sunday will be the 50th anniversary of the World Cup final of 1970 when Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in Mexico City's Azteca stadium to win their third World Cup in 12 years. But this wasn't any old World Cup-winning team. It's a team that's become encircled by an almost mystical aura, and carries the seemingly eternal tag of the greatest team in the history of football. We'll hear memories from Pele and the late Carlos Alberto, and find out how that team influenced a man who, many years later, would coach a Brazil team to another World title. To discuss why Brazil 1970 is so revered, Mani Djazmi, Pat Nevin and Alicia Ferguson are joined by two experts - Ricardo Setyon, who’s been to nine World Cups, often working with the Brazil teams; and Andrew Downie, who’s a veteran foreign correspondent including nearly 30 years in Latin America, much of them in Brazil, and is the author of a soon-to-be-published book about the 1970 World Cup called ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’. Pat also goes behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium to tell us what it’s really like to commentate on a Premier League game behind closed doors during the coronavirus pandemic.

Picture: Pele celebrates Brazil's victory in the 1970 World Cup final. (Getty Images)

French World Cup winner and vocal anti-racism campaigner Christian Karembeu discusses the continuing fallout from the killing of George Floyd in the United States and how football should tackle racism moving forward. Valencia midfielder Francis Coquelin tells us about life in lockdown ahead of the return of La Liga. And Parma defender Matteo Darmian gives us the inside track on his former Manchester United bosses Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Picture: Christian Karembeu talks during Day 2 of Soccerex Europe Convention (Getty Images)

USA internationals Jess McDonald and Bill Hamid discuss what it means to be African-American, as protests sweep across the world following the death of George Floyd. Plus, the Ferencvaros player, Tokmac Nguen, tells us why he decided to show his solidarity after scoring a goal in the Hungarian league.

(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

The owner of Brescia, Massimo Cellino, joins us to discuss plans to restart the season. He also gives his views on the future of the club's mercurial striker Mario Balotelli.

(Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Wolfsburg's Swiss international, Kevin Mbabu, talks about the return of the German Bundesliga. And we also hear from the former Celtic and Nigeria player Efe Ambrose.

(Photo by TOBIAS HASE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Mark Clattenburg discusses the implications of Covid-19 for referees and looks back on his career highlights. Australian international Adam Taggart talks about the return of football in South Korea. And Dynamo Dresden's Alexander Jeremejeff tells us about his club's set back, after two team mates tested positive for the Coronavirus.

(Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

In this bonus podcast, the FC Midtjylland and Finland midfielder Tim Sparv discusses life in lockdown, qualifying for Euro 2020, his love of books, climate change, Qatar's human rights and playing with Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale.

(Photo by MARKKU ULANDER/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)

Union Berlin's Neven Subotić discusses the imminent return of football in Germany. The Finland captain Tim Sparv talks about his frustration over the delay to Euro 2020. And 50 years on, we remember Feyenoord's 1970 European Cup triumph.

(Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)

USA international Carli Lloyd reflects on her career and talks about the impact of Covid-19. Australia's Adam Taggart discusses the return of football in South Korea. We also hear form Arsenal's Dutch striker Vivanne Miedema.

(Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)