Soccer 101

Harry Kane's long and winding journey to the Ballon d'Or

With Harry Kane landing the Ballon d'Or this week, we take a look back at his lengthy career. From the Arsenal academy to a series of loan moves to his breakthrough at Sp

How did PSG make the leap from good club to legendary team?

With PSG once again the odds-on favorites to win the Champions League (for the third straight time), we take a look back at how the club got to their present position. Fr

How Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea changed soccer forever

This week, we take a look back at the footballing landscape in Britain before and after Roman Abramovich acquired Chelsea. What was the ownership model generally like pri

How did Jurgen Klopp turn Liverpool into a superpower again?

On the 11th anniversary of Jurgen Klopp's appointment as Liverpool manager, Graham and Taylor take a look back at the situation he inherited, the work he put into immedia

A history of American wonderkids

In honor of the many many youngsters getting minutes for the USMNT this international window, we take a look back at the history of wonderkids/wunderkinds in American men

Messi and Argentina's Twenty-Year Story

With Messi's final Argentina farewell looming, Graham and Taylor take a look back at his time with the national team: from a red card on his debut to somehow still lookin

Why isn't the national team of India better at football?

On this week's episode, we're diving into football in India: it's the world's most populous country, but why can't it qualify for a World Cup? We get into the history of

How has Como built such a successful club?

With young talent, a manager full of potential, wealth that would make Scrooge McDuck look like a pauper, and an idyllic location, Como has become one of the biggest stor

How did the Premier League become the dominant league in the world?

This week, we dive into the dominance of the Premier League: when did it take the top spot in terms of global popularity and league strength? What factors allowed it to b

What happened to Paul Pogba?

Paul Pogba went from teenage wonderkid to World Cup winner to a doping ban that nearly ended everything. And now, out at Monaco but battling fresh injury setbacks, his ca

Ted Lasso returns! What are the origins of the show, how did it become so beloved, and what comes next?

Graham and Taylor are together again on the 101 feed to discuss the return of Ted Lasso! How did the show go from NBC ad to beloved series? What role has it played in hel

Three Flags, One Badge: The Story of Bosnian Football

The Premier League of Bosnia was born in 2000 out of the wreckage of a brutal civil war, and served as a deliberate attempt to unite three separate ethnic football cultur

The 21st-century talent pipeline: domestic football in Ecuador

This week, we head back to South America to do a little World Cup previewing... and this week, it's Ecuador! How have they risen to such prominence so quickly? Where does

Bohemia, Communism and Petr Cech: Football in Czechia

We spend some time in the country that has been several other countries in its footballing history: Czechia. From uncommon German roots to the impact of The Iron Curtain

Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns: soccer in South Africa

This week, we're spending some time in a nation with a complicated soccer history that mirrors its own complicated history: South Africa! From apartheid pitches to match

Artificial Intelligence and Soccer: problems solved vs problems created

This week, we spend some time on a topic that seems absurd but is actually already widespread: Artificial Intelligence in modern soccer. What are its present applications

From the Ottoman Empire to Osimhen: football in Turkiye

Disclaimer - This is Taylor. I edited this episode. I talk A LOT. Even by my standards. But it's the first time I've gotten to talk about Turkiye in detail in a very long

Xhaka, Shaqiri and 128 years of footballing history: soccer in Switzerland

We're traveling to a land that tends to fly under-the-radar when it comes to the hype machine, but has been quietly influential in world soccer since the mid-19th century

A tale of two clubs... 81% of the time: domestic football in Uruguay

This week, we're talking about THE dark horse candidate at every World Cup since 2010... it's Uruguay. The four-time world champion has one of the oldest leagues in South

What are the best World Cup balls, mascots and anthems?

In an effort to not only be depressing when discussing the World Cup, Graham and Taylor take a look at the lighter side of the tournament, and weigh in on the best balls,