The FootPol Podcast

Mental health is a growing issue in football but suffers from being seen as a taboo subject. Co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to writer Johnnie Lowery who has published a new book, Match Fit, looking at how mental health affects footballers and fans, why it's been overlooked and what's being done to overcome it. As well as highlighting key moments that can affect players' mental health--as a young player starting out, approaching retirement or suffering a bad injury--Johnnie also points to successful efforts to break down the barriers discouraging acknowledgement and discussion around the issue, from Our Game to Talking Cherries, Beder FC and the Chris Mitchell Foundation. Match Fit is published by Pitch Publishing and is available to buy here.

Football has a gambling problem. In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to award winning investigative journalist Steve Menary about the growth of gambling in the sport, from the football clubs who take the industry's money to the ways that betting companies are encouraging people to bet. Steve also talks about the grey world in which many of these companies operate, acquiring a license in one country to enable them to operate in another country where betting is illegal as well as the authorities' willingness to turn a blind eye. The co-hosts and Steve also discuss the UK government's proposed review of gambling and whether it will make any difference at all. For those interested to learn more, some of Steve's reporting can be read in more detail at Play the Game.

Brazilian football is famous for its noisy and passionate supporters. But Brazilian football fans are not only passionate, they also have a long tradition of political activism. In this episode co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to Luisa Turbino Torres, assistant professor at Florida Atlantic University, whose research looks at fan activism, gender and society in Brazil. Luisa talks about fans' activism and particularly the role of female and LGBTQ+ supporters in Brazil, with particular reference to women's groups around Bahia, Gremio, Clube Atletico Mineiro and Santa Cruz and explains how different groups have challenged the traditional view of stadiums as male dominated spaces. She highlights the role of social media in helping organise female fans' activism and their participation in the protests against the previous Bolsonaro government.

How much does the geography and politics of a country influence the development of its football culture? In this episode co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to journalist Miguel Lourenço Pereira about football and politics in one of Europe's most fascinating countries, Portugal. Miguel is the author of several books including the recent "Bring me that horizon. A journey through the soul of Portuguese football". He explains how the history of Portuguese football is closely connected to the country's history and geography. Miguel also discusses the central role of the "big three" Portuguese clubs, the contribution of Africa and Brazil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eusebio, the experience of the Portuguese diaspora and the position of Portugal in the current global football markets.

What makes modern football political? And what is the role of football in civil society? In this episode co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to Cas Mudde, political scientist, football fan and enthusiastic groundhopper. Cas points to various developments taking place in modern football, from stadia as political arenas for both fans and the authorities around them, whether footballing or government. He notes the presence of illiberal regimes, including the growth of surveillance in and around grounds to footballing authorities' embrace of intolerant governments as well as the efforts made by fans to push back. Cas also touches on his own experience as a podcaster and the insights he has gained from speaking to different voices in the football community as well as his undergraduate "Soccer and Politics" course, which he teaches at the University of Georgia in Athens. Cas's RADIKAAL podcast episodes can be found here. Cas's Guardian op-ed that he mentions in the episode is available here.

How entwined is football and politics in Thailand? Guy and Francesco talk to Thai scholar Arjin Thongyuukong and UK journalist Matt Riley about the origins and development of the game in Thailand. Matt and Arjin discuss the rise of the national league and the presence of politicians like Thaksin Shinawatra and Newin Chidchob as football club owners. Meanwhile, Thai society has undergone dramatic change in recent decades, resulting in the emergence of a new lower-middle class enthusiastic about football and demanding greater political representation. In addition, the guests also discuss the state and development of the women's and youth games in Thailand as well as the international connections made by Thai football. Arjin Thongyookong is a doctoral student at Loughborough University in the UK and a lecturer in the Faculty of Athropology and Sociology at Thammasat University in Bangkok. Matt Riley has commented on Thai football for the Asia-wide Fox Sports Central and is the author of Thai Football Tales.

Footballers are global icons, and Mo Salah is probably the most famous Arab and Muslim one today. But does Salah's popularity affect the way that Muslims (and Arabs) are perceived? Guy and Francesco speak to Salma Mousa, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UCLA about the 'Salah effect': how hate crimes in Liverpool and anti-Muslim tweets by Liverpool fans fell after Salah joined the club. Salma also talks about her work in Iraq to measure the effectiveness and limits of football as a tool to bring together Muslim and Christian communities. Salma also gives the FootPol Podcast its first world exclusive by sharing the result of her latest study that examines players' popularity, combining data from fantasy football! Salma's co-authored article on the 'Salah effect' is available here and her study of Christian-Muslim integration in Iraq can be read here.

In this brand new bonus edition format, Guy and Francesco explore topical issues around football that have a political dimension with the help of an expert. In this episode, Alex Ireland, football writer and football kits connoisseur, talks about England's new football shirt. Nike's decision to put a multi-coloured St George's cross - the symbol on the English flag - has created a lot of discussion and led to calls to restore the traditional colours. Alex explains why this has happened, what's behind the politicians' comments and whether there have been similar outbursts both in relation to previous England shirts as well as those of other national football teams. Alex is the author of Pretty Poly: The History of the Football Shirt which is available here. Alex previously appeared on the FootPol Podcast, talking about football kits and his book in November 2023. The episode is available here.

Can football be more inclusive and embrace groups that have traditionally been left out from the game? In our latest episode, Guy and Francesco learn what some football clubs and fan groups are doing in the UK and US. They talk to Sarah Keig and JulieAnn Thomas of Fulham Lillies, a women's supporters group in southwest London that aims to raise the profile and voices of female fans at the club and help bring attention for women's participation in football more generally and at Fulham in particular. They then talk to Corentine "Coco" Claisse about his community club, New York International FC, and the efforts they've made to transcend national identities among the players and their efforts to tackle food poverty in the city. The Fulham Lillies' report on making Premier League games more inclusive for families which JulieAnn refers to in the show can be downloaded here.

Most people associate India with cricket. And yet the country has a long and rich history with football, based mainly in India's periphery rather than its Hindu heartland. Guy and Francesco talk to journalists and podcasters Siddhanth Aney and Siju Mathew about the origins of the game from the end of the nineteenth century and India's relative regional success in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite the game's subsequent decline, football gained a new lease of life from the 1990s and especially since the establishment of the Indian Super League since 2014 - although Siddhanth and Siju express mixed feelings about its structure and the lack of consultation with India's legacy clubs and organisations. They also discuss India's international prospects and the state of the women's game. Siddhanth Aney is the co-host of 420 Grams and Siju Mathew runs the Totally Indian Football Show where you can learn more about football in this fascinating country.

Co-host Francesco is joined by a guest co-host Eugenio Giovagnoli to talk to Canadian sports journalist and activist, Shireen Ahmed. Shireen has been at the forefront of the battle towards inclusivity in football, particularly in the media. She reflects on the current challenges, the achievements so far made and those that remain, along with a look at the state of the women's game across different countries and with a particular focus on Canada. As well as examining the state of Canadian women's football, Shireen emphasises the importance of bringing new voices to the conversation, and the struggles to eliminate gender-, race- and religious-based discrimination from the game.

Football is a powerful tool in fragmented societies, none more so than Colombia. In this episode, Pete Watson of Leeds University explains to co-hosts Guy and Francesco what role has football played in the formation of a national identity and as a tool of reconciliation in both Colombia and in neighbouring countries. In Colombia the beautiful game has been used by a wide range of actors, from politicians to FARC rebels. Pete also discusses the darker side of Colombian football, its historical connection with the drug cartels. Pete examines the current relative success of the Colombian women's team compared to the men and the difficulties they still face, as well as the continuing racism within football and society. Finally, he offers his thoughts on Colombia's prospects at the upcoming Copa America alongside those of the other front runners!

It is often said that football reflects the societies where we live. So what does football tell us about race and education? In this episode co-hosts Guy and Francesco learn the difficulties that young black footballers faced in their education as they tried to make it in the game from Leicester University's Paul Campbell. Paul also provides insight into the different media representations of black footballers, including in video games, as well as the particular challenges that black footballers face when they try to transition away from the game at the end of their careers. Throughout Paul highlights ways that clubs and the state can and should respond. Please note that in explaining how black and white footballers are represented, Paul points to some of the offensive ways this has been done regarding black footballers.

Football is by far the most popular sport in the world, making it "the world's game". And yet there some countries in the world that don't have a national team or are unrecognised by major organisations like FIFA. In this episode, co-hosts Francesco and Guy talk to Paul Watson about who does and who doesn't get to participate in "official" international football and why football representation is important. Paul offers deep insight as the ex-manager of the Micronesian island team Pohnpei and organiser of the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA. Paul, who is a co-host of the Sweeper Podcast, also shares his experience of owning and managing a football club in Mongolia and how football was used as a social tool there.

Have you ever thought of Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo as workers? Probably not! And yet for global stars as for lower level professional footballers and others in less glamorous leagues, football is a job with 'trade relations'. In this episode co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to labour rights advocates, Alex Culvin and Alexander Bielefeld from FIFPRO, the World Players Union organisation which brings together national trade unions of footballers from around the globe. Alex and Alexander set out the main issues facing male and female professional footballers. Alexander also highlights the emerging challenge of big data and Artificial Intelligence in the elite-level game while Alex shares her thoughts on who should be the next Liverpool manager!

The idea of a European Super League that would see top European clubs regularly compete against each other has bee in the news again in recent months, following a recent ruling at the European Court of Justice and its backers' latest proposals. But what would the Super League mean for European football, and will this project ever become reality? In this episode, Francesco and Guy talk to Anthony Macedo, a Portuguese academic based at the Lisbon School of Economics and Management and the University of Minho to put the court ruling in context, past efforts at putting a European Super League into action, who the main players and what it might look like. Anthony also explains what has stopped the a European Super League from happening in the past and why we may well see some incarnation of it at some point in the future.

Do religions and particularly Islam have a view on football? In this episode co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Valentina Fedele, Associate Professor of Sociology of Cultural and Communicational Processes at Link Campus University in Rome. Valentina explains how most religions have beliefs and norms that apply to sport generally and football in particular, noting that Islam is not especially unique in this regard. Looking at several Muslim majority countries like Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Valentina discusses how the issue of the relation between football and Islam is multi-layered, with states, religious authorities and personal beliefs all playing a role. Valentina also points to new work she's doing on unaccompanied minors in Italy, some of them from Muslim countries, and how they relate to football.

Football fans are often at the centre of media and public opinion attention: condemned as violent and anti-social or applauded for their contribution to the atmosphere in stadiums around the world. But are football fans 'political actors'? If so, what is their politics? In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to journalist James Montague, author of several books on football fans including the widely acclaimed 1312: Among the Ultras. James explains how, while the roots of modern Ultras culture can be traced in Italy, the phenomenon is truly a global one. James also explains how the culture, values and structure of organised supporters often makes them important political actors in their own rights, and how their interest in politics takes different forms around the world.

Football has been used by both politicians as well as fans to advance their own interests. How have fascist and right-wing political leaders and regimes exploited football to promote themselves? And how have fans tried to fight right wing authoritarianism through football? In this episode co-hosts Francesco and Guy talk to Chris Lee, author of The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism and host of website and podcast Outside Write. Chris discusses the relationship between the beautiful game and political ideologies before, during and after the Second World War while also looking at the space football has provided to express opposition towards right-wing regimes across Europe and South America.

West Africa is the home of exceptional footballing talent. In our latest episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Ghanian journalist Gary Al-Smith to understand why the countries in the region - Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon - produce so many good footballers and how and why many of them end up in Europe. In the episode we learn what impact this has had on the domestic game and for clubs there, contrasting West Africa's experience to other parts of the continent, particularly the Arab North and Southern Africa. Gary also talks about football governance there and the extent to which governments seek influence within the game. Finally, we get Gary's tips on who will win the African Cup of Nations, starting later this week, as well as which teams and players to look out for!