To the Victor Goes the Umbrella
France took home the trophy, but we all know who really won the World Cup: Vladimir Putin (who somehow ended up with the only umbrella in Mo...
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Game of Our Lives
Whether you call it football or soccer, you can’t understand it without understanding the modern world — and you can’t understand the modern world without understanding its most popular spor...
Episodes
20 episodes
Three Lions and a Funeral
All right… maybe we jinxed it. But now that he’s ripped off the Band-Aid, David’s ready to take a hard look at England’s last game (and anyw...
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Havelange
England is divided, but in the midst of political upheaval at home comes a moment of destiny on the pitch. David’s a mess, Kanishk Tharoor i...
Shhhh … Don’t Jinx It
David goes to the mat for England as he dares to dream of a World Cup victory for the Three Lions; meanwhile, his guest, writer Kanishk Thar...
From Russia With Pride
Are penalty kicks any way to decide a match? David and Tony disagree — but we know how Russia feels. And as fans chant freely in stadiums fr...
What If...?
On the verge of packing their bags for home, Mexico got a reprieve when South Korea beat Germany in a stunning upset. Now the country’s fans...
Operation Double Eagle
Surprise! Despite FIFA policy, political provocations abound at the World Cup. This week we talk about rumors of Mo Salah’s impending exit f...
It’s All Fun and Games Until the Nationalists Show Up
“If football nations were rappers, Brazil would be Tupac.” Guest Musa Okwonga from the New York Times blew up on Twitter last week with his...
Iran v. Nike, Iceland Rising, and the Goal That Shook the Earth
And we’re not even a week into the World Cup. From Iceland’s unexpected draw with Argentina to Mexico’s seismic win over Germany, David & cr...
Russia’s Big Win, the NAFTA World Cup, and the Future of South American Football
It’s on! Preening pop stars, a surprise home team blowout, and a handshake seen ‘round the world. Host David Goldblatt and crew break down R...
Everything You Don't Understand About Russia: World Cup 2018
Vladimir Putin: we've seen him shirtless on horseback, wielding a hockey stick, and maneuvering for global domination. But how does Putin's...
COMING SOON: Game of Our Lives Season 2 — World Cup
Goals, tragedies, victories, politics—and, yes, songs. Host David Goldblatt is back to guide you through football's biggest tournament! Seas...
Italy: Football, Fascism, and the World Cup — with John Foot
“We have made Italy; now we have to make Italians,” Massimo d’Azeglio famously stated. Has football made Italians? And how do the country’s...
India is In the Game — with Supriya Nair
When the World Cup begins, the absence of just two countries will mean that over a third of the global population will not be represented. I...
Liverpool: Rebellion and Resilience
Liverpool is a political football city like no other. It’s also swimming in just as much money as the rest of the game. This week, Goldblatt...
After Escobar — with Juan Gabriel Vásquez
In the 1980s and 90s, Colombian football was some of the best it had ever been. The price: near-total control by the country’s drug lords. T...
Playing the Game, Wearing Hijab — with Shireen Ahmed
All Shireen Ahmed wanted to do was play — but college officials kept her off the pitch because she wanted to wear her headscarf, or hijab. T...
Mountain of Fire and Miracles — with Godwin Enakhena
One of the top teams in Nigeria is Mountain of Fire and Miracles FC, a Pentecostal club in Lagos. It’s a team that provides stability for it...
Cinema of The Pitch — with Werner Herzog
If Werner Herzog made a football movie, what would it look like? Host David Goldblatt talks football (soccer) and cinema (movies) with the c...
COMING SOON: Game of Our Lives
David Goldblatt revels in the cheeky culture of English football chants. Season 1 starts March 15, 2018.