Any Given Thursday

We've got another World Cup bonus episode for you on the most important goings-on from the past couple days. First, we check in on the soaring hosts – USA and Mexico have already topped their group and advanced, and Canada are not far behind. Who looks the best out of the trio and why? Then we take a look at the fiasco that is the Türkiye national team, who bowed out of the tournament after just two matches. What went wrong for perpetual "dark horses?" How did their coach get this so wrong? Next up is the scintillating Netherlands-Sweden game, which ended in a 5-1 Dutch romp but felt much closer than that. We discuss Brian Brobbey's breakout day, Malen vs. Summerville on the right, and what Koemen got right, as well as Potter's decision to go all in and whether that could cost them heading into their final game against Japan. Finally, we do quick hits on Brazil and Germany. Brazil picked up a comfortable win over Haiti, but did they answer any of our questions about their midfield and defense? Germany, meanwhile, earned a tough come-from-behind win over a frisky Ivory Coast. What should be done about Leroy Sane? Should Undav start? Cheers to Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koemen! Chapters: 00:00 – the start 01:05 – wins for all 3 hosts 03:00 – which host looks the best? 09:05 – Turkish tragedy 16:20 – Dutch delight, Swedes go all out 21:30 – questions about Brazil 25:20 – Germans come from behind

Our Club Spotlight series is returning for a special World Cup edition! At this season's tournament, we have four nations competing at their first World Cup: Curaçao, Cabo Verde, Uzbekistan, and Jordan. As the competition progresses, we will be highlighting each footballing nation – exploring their political, geographical, and sporting histories and learning how they got here. Next up is Cabo Verde, an island nation off the coast of Western Africa, with a population of just over 500,000. We detail how the country journeyed from being completely uninhabited by humans in the 15th century to earning a point off Spain in a 21st century World Cup, including its colonial history, push to independence, and current place in world ecosystem. Then we discuss the football – how did a relative outsider qualify for the World Cup in Africa's competitive qualifying? David explains the growth of their program, their legendary coach Bubista, the international player recruitment, and the tactics that led them past African giants like Cameroon. We also reflect on how all these factors led them to their history draw against tournament favorites Spain. Cheers to Bubista!

We're back to talk the first round of games in the World Cup group stage! We start by discussing the quality and depth throughout the tournament, from South Korea to Jordan to New Zealand and Iran. Has there ever been so much quality at a World Cup? Then we give our flowers to Cabo Verde and DR Congo, who picked up historic results against Spain and Portugal, respectively. We examine how they achieved these most epic of points and enjoy Verdean keeper Vozinha's rise to global fame. We also check in on the tournament favorites, who enjoyed a mixed opening round. England were brilliant in a high-octane win over Croatia and France demonstrated the immense power of their attacking talent in a brilliant second half steamrolling of Senegal. But elsewhere, Brazil struggled to cope in the midfield against Morocco, and Spain and Portugal encountered low-blocks they couldn't solve. We delve in Portugal's issues against Congo, from Ronaldo to the sameness of many of their creative midfielders. Finally, we move onto our superlatives, decreeing the first group stage round's best and worst games, players, moments, and much more. Cheers to Bubista and Sébastien Desabre! Chapters: 0:00 – the start 3:18 – top stories (Cabo Verde, DR Congo, + parity) 16:20 – England 20:39 – France 23:50 – Brazil & Germany 27:27 – Spain & Portugal 35:50 – CONCACAF check-in 41:32 – Superlatives 58:17 – James Rodriguez Award check-in

We've got a special bonus episode for you on 3 World Cup topics we simply couldn't resist. First, we break down how the United States turned up to the tournament in such style, running circles around Paraguay in a 4-1 victory. How did Poch get the lads humming and what were the tactical moves that allowed them such freedom? We also look ahead to their second match against Australia, who shocked Turkey in their opener. What different threats will the Aussies pose? Then, we discuss the first sacking of the tournament – Sabri Lamouchi, after his Tunisian side was humiliated 5-1 to Sweden in a shocking performance. What happened to Tunisia and what comes next with new man Herve Renard swooping in as replacement? Finally, David allows Maxwell to rant about his beloved Oranje for a few minutes, bitterly complaining about their approach in the final 20 minutes against Japan, Ronald Koemen's tactical prowess, and the state of Dutch coaching. Cheers to Mauricio Pochettino!

Our Club Spotlight series is returning for a special World Cup edition! At this season's tournament, we have four nations competing at their first World Cup: Curaçao, Cabo Verde, Uzbekistan, and Jordan. As the competition progresses, we will be highlighting each footballing nation – exploring their political, geographical, and sporting histories and learning how they got here. First up is Curaçao, the smallest nation by population to ever qualify for a World Cup! Only autonomous since 2010, the island has seen many centuries of colonial transition and tumult. We discuss its complex history with Europeans – namely The Netherlands, the slave trade, the oil industry, and its long road to independence. We then break down some its rich sporting culture. Competing as The Netherlands Antilles, Curaçao actually had a previous golden era of football in the 1940s and 50s, led by the legendary goalkeeper, Ergilio Hato. Why has this period been somewhat lost to history outside of the Caribbean? Finally we move to the present day, where we learn how the federation was able to build a new era of footballing success, with help from Patrick Kluivert, Dick Advocaat, and players recruited from the mainland Netherlands. What should viewers expect from this edition of the Curaçao side? How do they set up? What are their chances in a stacked Group E? Cheers to Curaçao and The Blue Wave! Sources: https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/23878 https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/curacaos-miraculous-world-cup-2026-qualification/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnTEBdfEEIQ https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48757275/curacao-reinstate-dick-advocaat-deny-change-due-external-pressure https://www.si.com/soccer/curacao-2026-world-cup-preview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCpJ1qv7lts https://www.reddit.com/r/curacao/comments/1rudfso/historical_video_of_willemstad_cura%C3%A7ao/ https://dutchcaribbeanheritage.org/en/information/a-bridge-named-emma/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezBzl59cZgY

We're wrapping up our World Cup Preview series with an unfortunate but necessary conversation about the political and logistical state of the tournament in the United States. There's a lot of kerfuffle about the heat, American football stadiums, American soccer culture in general, and so on – but these are not reasons to host a World Cup. In fact, they're part of the reason we host them on every continent. We begin the episode having a little bit fun at the expense of Europeans and their inflexibilities. However, there are other, much more serious reasons why the U.S. should not be hosting this competition. The Iran team will be unable to stay overnight in the country, forced to fly in and out of Mexico on game days and nights. A Somali referee was not granted entry despite being appointed by FIFA and widely considered one of the best African officials. Participating players are being detained at airports. Fans' visas are being denied despite booking extended trips. ICE agents will be prowling near host sites full of fans from Latin American communities. These are simply unacceptable and unavoidable facts that are unprecedented in the history of the World Cup – even despite FIFA's corrupt history – and they will continue to plague the tournament throughout its duration. We discuss all these factors, why it should disqualify us as hosts, how it projects us to the world, FIFA's role in all this, and much, much more. It's not our usual fare, and certainly not what we enjoy talking about, but hey – you get the cards you're dealt. North America 2026, baby! Cheers!

It's a CONCACAF World Cup for the first time in 32 years, so it's only right that we take a look at the 3 host nations, as well as their confederation-mates from Central America and the Caribbean. Who has the strongest squad? Who's got the best shot to go deep? Who's most likely to crash and burn? We begin with the always-drama-filled United States and Mexico, where we compare and contrast strengths and weaknesses and debate their respective ceilings. Does the U.S. have a midfield problem? Who's scoring the goals for El Tri? How far can Mexico's Azteca advantage take them? Then we look into Jesse Marsch's unique Canada's squad, who win with continuity and high work-rate, but have been plagued by the injury bug. Can Alphonso Davies return in time to inspire a knockouts run? We also take a look at Panama's veteran group who play a classic CONCACAF style and appreciate the incredible stories of Haiti and Curaçao, who overcame great odds to be at the tournament. Cheers! Note: This was originally scheduled as the 7th preview, but was moved up a day. The final preview episode will be up tomorrow! Chapters: 3:55 - USA 18:15 - Mexico 25:05 - Canada 31:35 - Panama 36:05 - Haiti 38:55 - Curaçao

On our 5th of 7 World Cup preview episodes, we dive into some stats and storylines that are flying under-the-radar heading into the tournament. We're talking 40 year-olds, teenagers, the state of South American football, weather, rule changes, non-league footballers and more. Be sure to tune to get all the niche details that will impress your friends. And don't forget to like and subscribe and follow us on the socials! Cheers! Chapters: 04:40 - Old men & teenagers 13:00 - South American leagues 16:05 - Deschamps & France 18:45 - new rules & North American weather 27:40 - Non-leaguers

Our 7-day march to opening kick off of the World Cup continues with a deep dive into who might take home the tournaments most coveted prize – the James Rodríguez Award. This special trophy is awarded to the World Cup's most electric young player, but with a catch. First, you must be 22 or younger by the conclusion of the competition. Second, you cannot already be a global star playing for a megaclub (Yamal, Zaire-Emery, Güler). And third, you ideally don't play for one of the biggest international footballing nations (Endrick, Nico Paz). The James Rodriguez winner, much like its namesake, will capture the hearts and minds of soccer fans everywhere and will be launched into stardom. Our mission is to build a starting 11 of contenders who we deem most likely to take home this honor (in addition to a hearty bench). Will your favorite youngster make our roster? Find out on World Cup Preview 4 of 7. 3 more to go! Cheers! Chapters: 01:15 - the premise & close omissions 08:00 - Goalkeeper 10:00 - Centerbacks 14:15 - Fullbacks 16:00 - Midfielders 20:45 - Forwards 26:05 - Bench & honorable mentions 31:15 - Our picks for the James Rodríguez Award

On the third edition of our World Cup previews, we talk teams that could be headed for disappointment at this year's tournament. Can Argentina keep up with the demands of yet another deep run? Is Belgium's golden generation finally out of gas? Is Mexico good enough to carry the national burden of "el quinto partido?" Has Saudi Arabi lost their luster as a Middle Eastern footballing power? We select a nation from each from 9 tiers of World Cup contention that we developed and explain why we think they could be in for an underwhelming – or downright embarrassing – showing in North America 2026. 4 more previews to go! Cheers! Chapters: 01:50 - the tier system 3:00 - Tier 1: Argentina 05:48 - Tier 2: Germany + Brazil 07:15 - Tier 3: Croatia 8:50 - Tier 4: Belgium 10:10 - Tier 5: Uruguay 10:55 - Tier 6: Mexico 12:20 - Tier 7: Egypt 15:20 - Tier 8: Saudi Arabia 17:20 - Tier 9: what's reasonable to expect?

On our second World Cup preview episode, we're diving into the BEST OF THE REST to determine who will could be this year's Morocco. We examine the credentials of more established squads like Colombia and Switzerland, some high-flying newcomers like Norway, and some international outsiders like Japan and Austria with distinct and exciting styles of play. Finally, we take a look at some long-shot nations we think are being criminally underrated. You'll have to tune in to find out how foolish our selections are. Cheers! Chapters: 00:00 - the start 02:30 - Colomobia 04:40 - Norway 08:15 - why Belgium wasn't considered 09:20 - Japan 11:55 - Ecuador 14:20 - Austria & Switzerland 18:30 - Sweden & Turkey 21:20 - Longer shots

We're kicking off our World Cup Preview series by discussing the 7.5 teams we think can actually win the whole thing. We share why each of Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain can hoist the trophy in July, plus one mystery team who may be in with a shout. We also discuss the reasons why each nation won't go the distance, plus place them in tiers within this elite grouping. Tune in for our extensive World Cup 2026 coverage throughout the summer. Let us know if you agree with our assessments, and don't forget to like and subscribe. Cheers! Chapters: 00:00 - the start 3:43 - France 11:21 - Spain 18:11 - Argentina 25:08 - England 31:47 - Brazil 38:20 - Germany 44:05 - Portugal 48:48 - mystery team 52:58 - who's winning?

It's the final show of the 2025-26 season! We're back to wrap up the Europa and Conference League, looking at Aston Villa and Crystal Palace's paths to victory, plus sharing some of the best moments from the league phase and knockouts, and revealing our Team of the Season in both tournaments. Finally, we look at who has qualified for next year's editions, including some powerhouse Italian clubs and surprising English contenders. And don't forget to tune in to our World Cup coverage, beginning June 1. Cheers to Unai Emery, Oliver Glasner, and all the listeners out there! Timecodes: The start, Europa League in review – Europa Team of the Season – Next year's Europa participants – Conference League in review – Conference Team of the Season – Next year's Conference participants –

Crystal Palace are your 2026 Conference League champions! The Eagles hoist their very first European trophy in their very first European campaign thanks to a Mateta put-back, beating Rayo Vallecano 1-0. We talk how Palace's pace and off-ball execution were able to snuff out Rayo's build-up and attack, the general chaotic nature of the match, and why Glasner deserves so much credit for his work at the club the past year. We also eulogize Rayo's valiant run to the final and applaud both sets of supporters for an incredible atmosphere in Leipzig. This is exactly the kind of meeting the Conference League was built for! Finally, we consider next steps for each club, with both head coaches departing this summer, as well as a few key players. What does Palace need to do to take the next step in the Europa League next season? And can Rayo maintain their recent success under new management with the current condition of the club? Cheers to Oliver Glasner (and of course, el puto Rayo)!

We're back to talk Conference League final! Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano face off in what some are calling the most wholesome final of all time. We talk all about their respective journeys to the final, their very brief European journeys of the past, and what it would mean to capture a first continental trophy. We also revisit some of the more extraordinary off-the-pitch circumstances Rayo has had to overcome to be here, thanks to their diabolical owner. Finally, we give our 3 keys to victory for each side and deliberate on which tactics may be deployed to gain advantages in what is likely to be a matchup with a razor-thin margin. We may even take a brief detour on our beloved Intertoto Cup. Cheers Oliver Glasner and Iñigo Pérez!

It's official – Aston Villa is your 2026 Europa League champion! We recap how Villa triumphed over SC Freiburg for their first European trophy since 1982 (and Emery's 5th!), discussing how they dominated virtually every phase of the game, the phenomenal goals from Tielemans, Buendia, and Rogers, Emery's usual tactical mastery, Emi doing Emi things, and much more. Then we review what went wrong for Freiburg, whose magical run ended with a bitter pill, including why they missed Suzuki, Grifo and Beste's lack of involvement, and Manzambi's lively efforts. Finally, we debate what each side needs to accomplish over the summer to push on to another season of Europe (Villa in the Champions League, Freiburg in the Conference). Can Villa and Emery build on this triumph and strengthen the squad? Can Freiburg replace some of their aging veterans? Major credit to both clubs for a wonderful season, but Villa were the form team throughout the competition and rolled through the knockouts. Thoroughly deserved champions. Big cheers to Unai Emery and the Villains!

The Europa League final between Aston Villa and Freiburg is nye upon us, and we're breaking down everything you need to know before Wednesday's kickoff! We've got a fascinating matchup between two clubs with vastly different backgrounds, but clubs that actually share a lot in common on the pitch. We discuss the paths each side took to reach the summit of Europa League mountain, their respective European histories, and explain why it would mean so much for each to hoist the trophy. Then we breakdown keys to victory for each side. Can Freiburg find success on set pieces? Can Aston Villa win the midfield battle, and how will Lindelof cope in the 6? How will Freiburg cope as the heavy underdog? We also discuss each club's incredible continuity from the top down in recent years and what sort effect that may have on the match. Plus, what's at stake as they hope to win their first European silverware in 44 years (Villa) and first top-flight silverware ever (Freiburg). Spoiler: a lot! All that, some predictions, and more on the show. Cheers to Unai Emery and Julian Schuster! Timecodes: 0:00 – The start + World Cup announcement 11:31 – Freiburg's path to the final 13:56 – Villa's path to the final 24:53 – Keys to victory 38:30 – Freiburg & Villa rosters & tactics 55:53 – Predictions & cheers

The final European Thursday of the season has come and gone, and we have two pairs of finalists to show for it! We express our excitement at the spectacle, as 3 of our 4 winners qualified for their first ever major European final (and the 4th, Aston Villa, returns to one after 44 years). First we tackle the Europa League, where Villa dismantled a shoddy and somewhat short-handed Nottingham Forest. Can anyone beat Villa when they're their best? And is Emery just inevitable in this competition? We then discuss how Freiburg handled 10-men Braga, thanks in part to an early red card and the young Swiss #10 Manzambi. In the Conference League, Palace punished a vibrant but naive Shakhtar with ruthless counter-attacking and an experience Rayo Vallecano pressed the life out of the youthful Strasbourg. We explore how both Rayo and Palace controlled their respective games without the ball, each in very different ways, and look ahead to how these styles might clash in the final. Finally, we make our tentative predictions for the showdowns in Istanbul and Wrocław. Cheers to Iñigo Pérez! Timecodes: 00:50 – the start, clubs rotating players ahead of semifinals 7:28 – Aston Villa-Nottingham Forest 21:15 – Freiburg-Braga 34:47 – Quick UEL final thoughts 38:06 – Crystal Palace-Shakhtar Donetsk 50:47 – RC Strasbourg-Rayo Vallecano 01:12:13 – Quick UECL final thoughts 01:16:28 – Are we at risk of English clubs dominating the UEL & UECL?

It was a compelling day of Europa and Conference League football, with 3 of the 4 home sides taking goal-advantages in the 1st leg of the semifinals. Braga strengthened their case as the UEL's team of destiny, delighting their fans with a stoppage-time winner over Freiburg, while Forest edged past Villa 1-0 thanks to Chris Wood penalty. In the UECL, Rayo Vallecano rode a confident 2nd-half display to take a narrow lead into Strasbourg next Thursday, and Crystal Palace impressed with a brutally efficient 3-1 display over Shakhtar. We discuss how each victor earned their results, our level of concern for each loser, and what we think will be different in the 2nd legs. Plus, everyone's favorite – a contentious and bitter takedown of VAR! Hooray! Cheers Oliver Glasner!

It was another scintillating showcase of Europa and Conference League football Thursday, with more goals abounding. The headline of the night is of course Braga's wild comeback in Seville, where they shocked Real Betis with four consecutive goals to advance. How has Braga become such a resilient group? And what went wrong for Betis? Nottingham Forest squeaked through Porto thanks to a very silly red card and a deflected shot. Are they the 2024-25 Tottenham of this year's competition? Meanwhile, Aston Villa and Freiburg took care of business in impressive fashion. Are they our new favorites to meet in next month's final? Over in the Conference, we witnessed two brilliant comeback attempts, with Strasbourg overwhelming Mainz and AEK Athens falling just short to Rayo Vallecano despite Zine's career night. We also discuss Crystal Palace managing Fiorentina and Shakhtar extinguishing AZ Alkmaar. Finally, we close with some brief thoughts on each eliminated team. What does each club need to do to replicate their European journeys and to go a step further? Cheers to Carlos Vicens (and sub-cheers to Gary O'Neil)!

We're back for the 1st legs of the Europa and Conference League quarterfinals and we got a jam-packed Thursday full of goals! We tackle all the best action from both competitions, from Forest's improbable draw in Porto to Freiburg's demolition of Celta Vigo, from Fiorentina's humiliation in South London to Shakhtar's shocking late rout of AZ Alkmaar. Plus we answer all of your most pressing questions: How has Urs Fischer turns Mainz around so dramatically, and how did he out-maneuver Gary O'Neil's injury-riddled Strasbourg? What went wrong for Bologna after a promising opening against Villa, and is Jonathan Rowe an emerging star? Could Braga actually upset Betis in Sevilla, and why is Max always so mean to them? All that, a lookahead to the 2nd legs, and of course, a pitstop at David's Coefficient Corner. Cheers to Urs Fischer!

We're back to talk Europa and Conference League quarterfinals! In honor of 8 terrific ties kicking off this week, we're breaking down keys to victory for each side heading into Thursday. What does Nottingham Forest need to combat Porto's stellar defensive record and get on the scoresheet? How will Bologna manage Unai Emergy's tactical mastery of the UEL? Can Strasbourg overcome their injury crisis while taking on the suddenly-red-hot Mainz? Can Crystal Palace and Fiorentina get out of their own way as they prepare to face off? All these questions and more answered for you on this week's episode. Cheers to Brad Underwood and Sergej Barbarez!

We are BACK! A DR vacation is nice, but it's nothing compared to Europa and Conference League 2nd legs. That's right, we're here to talk all of Thursday's best action beginning with Bologna's surprise triumph in Roma in extra time and Nottingham Forest's comeback quest in Midtjylland (including some unfortunate penalties). We also have lots of praise for the UEL's Spanish offerings in Betis and Celta Vigo, who are hitting their European strides at the right time, and elevate Porto to a top tier contender after a mightily impressive dismissal of Stuttgart. Meanwhile, in the UECL, Palace fails to beat AEK Larnaca in 90 minutes for the THIRD time this season, but both they and Fiorentina do what they do (and squeak through). We discuss how on earth they manage this and what we can expect when these two very movable forces meet each other in the next round. Additionally, we have lots of praise for AZ and AEK Athens, who look like confident sleepers to make a run. We also do an impromptu title power rankings in each competition as we look ahead to the exciting Quarterfinals matchups, assessing which clubs have our confidence and what's changed in the past month. Cheers to Francesco Farioli!

The Playoff Knockout Round is behind us, and we're here to break it all down. It was a day in which favorites prevailed, though not without strife. Fiorentina did a Fiorentina and survived by the skin of their teeth, while Nottingham Forest performed a decent impression for 50 minutes. Elsewhere, Celta Vigo and Stuttgart stake their claim as major players in deciding the Europa League crown, Lille turns things around in Belgrade, Panathinaikos prevails on penalties, VAR drama, and Crystal Palace muddles through. We also take a moment to look ahead to the Round of 16 draw, featuring some stellar matchups in both divisions. All that and much more on today's show! Cheers to Claudio Giráldez!

We got our first taste of Europa and Conference League knockouts in 2026 and we're here to break down all the action. Nottingham Forest won the day with a dominant display in Istanbul in Vitor Pereira's first match in charge, re-staking their claim as a tournament favorite. Stuttgart, Celta, and Bologna also came through with big road wins to take control of their ties, and we take stock of each's chances moving forward. Meanwhile, Lille put themselves in a major hole against Red Star to cap off a disastrous run in the new year – why can't they score? Next, we turn to the Conference League, where Fiorentina put in an excellent 2nd half performance in Bialystok to boost confidence. Is this finally the start of a turnaround for the relegation-threatened Viola? We also address Crystal Palace's strife after a putrid draw in Bosnia & Herzegovina, wonder at AZ's ugly road form in the competition, and marvel at Celje's striker factory. Finally, we give an update on the Women's Europa Cup , that saw Frankfurt, Häcken, Hammarby, and Sparta qualify for the tournament's inaugural semifinals. Cheers to Igor Štimac!

An extra special day on the pod – our friend Jacob Hill returns for a new episode of our special edition series, Any Given Redraft! And we've got a doozy this time: the 2023 NBA Draft, inarguably one of the worst in league history. It's the year Anthony Bennet went number one, the year only one All Star was picked in the lottery, the year the Bucks drafted one of the greatest players of all time just after, and the year that the Podfather, Bill Simmons, went undefeated on ESPN's broadcast. We begin by breaking down how the night unfolded at Barclays Center, with David Stern going full heel and riling up the Brooklyn crowd. Naturally, we discuss Bill Simmons' big night, including his iconic reaction to Cleveland's selection of Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo's case for the number one pick, Giannis' upside, CJ McCollum's Patriot League representation, just to name a few. We also hit on the numerous lottery disappointments, from Nerlens Noel to MCW to Shabazz Muhammad. Finally, we get to our redraft, where we each draft teams of 8 players. Along the way, we marvel at Giannis' accomplishments to date, debate the selection of McCollum vs. the Stifle Tower, wonder at Oladipo's ceiling if health hadn't failed him, and slog through some abominable bench selections towards the back end. This one's for the sickos. Enjoy. Cheers to Bill Simmons and David Stern!

The Europa League league phase's final match-day as come and gone, and the knockouts are finally set! We take you through the play-by-play of how all the drama unfolded, including how Lyon and Aston Villa claimed top seeding in the knockouts, how Roma secured the final bye to the Round of 16 despite an early red card in Athens, and Brann clung to the final knockout spot thanks to Young Boys' conceding a devastatingly late equalizer in Stuttgart. Then we move on to our title power rankings. Which clubs are in the top tier of likeliest tournament winners? Who's on the outside looking in? And what underdogs could pull shocks as the rounds progress? We close with a look-ahead to the first knockout round, which features some elite matchups (looking at you Forest-Fenerbahce) and a whole bunch of tossups, and of course a healthy dollop of David's Coefficient Corner. Cheers Per-Mathias Høgmo!

The Europa League is finally back, and we're covering all of the best Match-Day 7 action! Big boys fell across the continent Thursday, including Roma and Celta Vigo besting Stuttgart and Lille, and Nottingham Forest and Real Betis putting up stinkers on the road. Elsewhere, Lyon and Villa become the first clubs to seal top 8 and qualify for the Round of 16, Celtic embarks on their second resurgence under Martin O'Neill this season, Brann and Midtjylland gift us a six-goal thriller mired in VAR decisions, and Nice FINALLY WINS A EUROPA LEAGUE MATCH! What a time. We break down the day's best action, check in on the favorites, and work through the table and Match-Day 8 fixtures – all 18 of which will have an impact on the final standings and qualification. Finally, we take a look at last week's Conference League knockout draw, including a tasty matchup between Fiorentina and Jagiellonia, and give some love to our Any Given Thursday alumni making some waves in the Champions League – Qarabag, Bodø, Pafos, and Olympiacos. Cheers Martin O'Neill!

We're back from winter holidays to talk about the wild coaching carousel January has brought us – particularly in the UK. Our main story is Chelsea, who parted with Enzo Maresca and replaced him with Strasbourg's Liam Rosenior. But was he ever really Strasbourg's? We discuss Chelsea's treatment of the proud French club as a minor league feeder team and why UEFA refuses to enforce its own rules. We also speculate on Rosenior's success at the Bridge. Can he make it longer than Maresca? Is he too corny to relate to players? Next, we address other Any Given Thursday alumni struggling for direction in Britain – Manchester United is out a manager yet again, and we spend some time admonishing their business practices, as well as Spurs' and West Ham's. Are these badly-run clubs making the Premier League less watchable? We then turn to Glasgow, where Celtic cut ties with Wilfried Nancy after a catastrophic 33 days in charge. We debate what went wrong for Nancy, where Celtic go from here, and why clubs continue to make the same mistakes in their coaching hires. Finally, we move to the continent, where we comment on floundering Mainz welcoming new manager Urs Fischer to the fold. Can he save them from the German Conference League curse and relegation? All that and a bit of transfer business from Italy and Portugal. Cheers to Ron Jans!

The Conference League league phase concluded with a bang Thursday night, and we're breaking down every game! Universitatea Craiova was the day's top story for all the wrong reasons. We discuss the series of unfortunate events that led to their heartbreaking elimination, including the Romanians blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 in Athens, a stoppage time Zrinjski Mostar equalizer, a late Sigma goal, and of course, KuPS' dramatic draw at Selhurst Park. That's right, little old KuPS took it to the South Londoners for a period in the second half to dramatically qualify for the knockouts and force Crystal Palace out of the Top 8 and thus the Round of 16 bye. We give our thoughts on how the Finns accomplished such a feat and debate how serious the setback is for Palace. Meanwhile, there was plenty of other Top 8 drama throughout the continent. Mainz and Rayo secured the bye, and a late AEK Larnaca winner launched the frisky Cypriots into the coveted final spot. Of course, we must also talk about Fiorentina, who lost yet again (this time at Lausanne). We wrap things up with a title-contender power rankings and a look ahead to the knockouts draw in January. Cheers Jarkko Wiss!

We're back to break down all the action from last Thursday's Europa & Conference League bonanza. We start in Bulgaria and Romania, where Ludogorets and FCSB played host to two extraordinarily entertaining goal fests, with the former taking down struggling Feyenoord. We also take a stop in Greece to discuss why AEK Athens is in such good form and why they have a real shot at challenging for the UECL grown. Then we move on to the BIG BOYS in both competitions, stopping along the way to marvel at Aston Villa's ability to pull out close wins, laud Vincenzo Italiano for the work he's doing at Bologna, and pile on Fiorentina, Mainz, and Nice , who are all experiencing the worst of times. Of course, we still have time to talk Lincoln Red Imps' historic second win in the league phase, plus examine Wilfried Nancy's rocky start to life at Celtic. All that, and a look ahead to what's at stake on the Conference League league phase's final day on December 18. Cheers to Marko Nikolić!

Our Club Spotlight series returns to bring you a very non-controversial topic! That's right, we're covering Hungary's own Ferencvaros, the most decorated club from the proud footballing nation — and often its most contentious. Real-life history major David Blomquist takes us back to the club's founding through its dense history to find out how it became the domestic powerhouse we know today, and also to flesh out its complicated identity and relationship with far-right nationalism. So a super light episode, basically! Let's all hope Viktor Orbán does not come after David. We also discuss the current iteration of the squad under manager Robbie Keane and why they've had such a good start to their Europa League campaign. So join us on a tour of the layered history of a famous club, whose political entanglement reflects a broader sporting reality across the globe — and yes, is also a good football team! Cheers Robbie Keane!

We're thankful this week for a full Thanksgiving slate of Europa and Conference League action that delivered some of the best games and storylines of the league phase thus far. In Europa, Ludogorets shocked Celta Vigo with a 3-2 in Bulgaria. How'd they pull one of the biggest surprises of the tournament thus far? We then break down the struggle of Feyenoord, Utrecht, and Go Ahead Eagles, who all lost amidst grueling schedules. What's going wrong for the Dutch sides? Can any of them rebound and qualify for knockouts? Are Robin van Persie and his son up to the challenge? We also touch on Roma's win over Midtjylland, Bologna's impressive run of form, and naturally, the carcass of OG Nice, who now sit rock bottom of the table. There we upsets galore in Conference League, with each of the top 4 league sides falling. Strasbourg got a signature win in their triumph over the visiting Crystal Palace, and we hone in on what made the fixture such an exciting watch and why the clubs have established themselves as clear favorites. Then, we examine Rayo Vallecano's penchant for making life hard on themselves, Mainz's mediocre play catching up with them, and the dismal existence that is Fiorentina. And, naturally, we give Hamrun Spartans some love for becoming the first Maltese club to win a UEFA group-stage match. All that, some table takeaways, more VAR vitriol, and of course, David's Coefficient Corner. Cheers to our old friend Vincenzo Italiano!

We're back to hit on a number of topics as we return to European football this week! First, we dive into UEFA's new European tournament, the Women's Europa Cup, as it reaches the quarterfinal stage of its inaugural season. We discuss how it could benefit the European women's game long term, why the qualifying process is so damn complicated, and who advanced out of the Round of 16 (hello Scandinavia!) — including some stoppage and extra time drama. Then we touch on some of the best stories from the international break, including Scotland, Haiti, and Curaçao qualifying for next summer's tournament, before finishing with a quick look ahead to Thursday's packed slate. I hope you're as grateful for Thanksgiving-day Europa and Conference League action as we are! Cheers to Maxwell (listen to the end to learn why)!

Forgive the tardiness on the release, but we're here to talk halfway point of the Europa & Conference League league phases! The Europa League gave us quests for perfection and imperfection alike. The French, Scots, and Dutch had nightmare days, losing all over the continent and missing out on precious points. We spend more time on Nice's unbelievable winless run in the tournament — with plenty of stats to back it up — then delve into Scotland's persistent struggles in European competition. What's gone wrong for Scottish football? Is there any room for optimism? Meanwhile, Germany and Spain go 3 for 3, and Midtjylland (!) won their 4th consecutive UEL game to remain tip top of the table. We share out appreciate for the Danes, their exceptional roster of players, and their young coach who may or may not get a cheers at the end of the show. Not to be outdone, the Conference League delivered 2 stoppage time winners from Rayo Vallecano and Mainz (over the hapless Fiorentina) and 2 more stoppage time equalizers. We talk through the importance of those results and marvel at the madness of Lincoln Red Imps, Drita, and KuPS all sitting in knockout place at the league phase midpoint. All that, some table takeaways, and David's Coefficient Corner on this week's show! Cheers to Mike Tullberg!

It was a vintage Thursday night across Europe, in which big-league clubs dropped like flies, and underdogs had some exceptional performances. We start out examining the big upsets, including PAOK's instant-classic thriller in Lille, Go Ahead Eagles' historic win over Villa, and AEK Larnaca pulling a shock in South London. We also debate the day's many controversial VAR moments, which favored Fenerbahce over Stuttgart and propelled Rayo Vallecano to the latest of equalizers at Häcken. Why is VAR usage so inconsistent, unpredictable, and frankly, incompetent, in these competitions — more so than any domestic league? Then in a whip-around segment, we celebrate Lincoln Red Imp's first ever major European tournament win, throw the usual shade at hapless Nice, and lament that Scottish sides occupy the bottom spot of both tables. Finally, we do some table takeaways, look ahead to the next match-day, and make some bold (or stupid) predictions. Cheers to Juanjo Bezares!

With another international window in the books, it's time to dive back into AGT Thursdays! We start with Nottingham Forest, who actually did the thing and sacked Ange Postecoglou, making his stint in charge the second-shortest in league history. We argue why this falls mostly on then shoulders of Marinakis rather than his Greek compatriot and wonder where the club goes from here. Elsewhere in the Midlands, Villa stirred up controversy when the police banned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from traveling to Birmingham for their match-day 4 clash. But is the situation misunderstood by the wider public? We also touch on the recent international window, where Cape Verde became the second-smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup and congratulate their heach coach, Bubista. We start with Nottingham Forest actually did the thing and sacked Ange Postecoglou, making his stint in charge the second-shortest in league history. We argue why this falls mostly on then shoulders of Marinakis rather than his Greek compatriot and wonder where the club goes from here. Cheers Bubista! Chapters 00:00 — Intro 02:28 — The international break 05:26 — Cape Verde's historic World Cup qualification 08:25 — Nottingham Forest sack Ange 11:17 — Rangers manager search 20:14 — Aston Villa controversy 31:15 — Viktoria Plzen gets a new owner 33:53 — FC Noah building new stadium 34:30 — MD 2 Europa League preview 39:17 — Nice is a terrible Europa League team 43:49 — MD 2 Conference League preview 47:34 — Strasbourg's historically young squad 51:10 — Fiorentina's ongoing struggles 55:23 — Cheers to Bubista

So — we weren't able to record an episode for MD 1 of the Conference League last week, but we've got the next best thing! We've picked a few UECL teams to zero in on, all of which got big wins in this early stage of the league phase, including Lech Poznan, Shakhtar Donetsk, and AEK Larnaca. But the main story is Slovenia's NK Celje, who keep defying expectations and dominating European opponents. We ask the important questions — Why are they so successful? How far can they go? And when can we visit? We also introduce you to their new starman, Franko Kovacevic, who's taking both the Slovenian and Conference Leagues by storm this season. It may well be name to remember. Finally, we bring you our new segment: The Big Boy Check In, where we do 60 second spots on each of the 5 "big league" teams (Palace, Fiorentina, Rayo, Mainz, Strasbourg). What's up with them? What direction are they going in? Who do we like to go all the way? All that and some Aberdeen on today's show! Cheers to Imanol Idiakez!

It's all happening as we hit the one-quarter mark of the Europa League league phase. Forest are hurdling towards a cliff in 6 winless games under Ange Postecoglou — are they fully in crisis? Rangers certainly are, with yet another loss added to Russell Martin's brief tenure. Elsewhere, Roma and Stuttgart are both shut out, and Celta Vigo finally get their first win of the season, and Porto remains perfect. It was a week to celebrate the teams who got big upset wins, including Midtjylland, Basel, Sturm Graz, Lille, and Go Ahead Eagles. We also discuss Nice's abominable Europa League standing, what's working for Braga, and naturally, Robin van Persie's ageless handsomeness. Cheers to Mario Kovačević!

Join us in reliving all the tremendous action of the Europa League league phase, match-day 1! We had a thriller in Betis v Forest, Villa finally eked out a win, Roma looks like the favorite, and are we sleeping on Stuttgart? Plus, Panathinaikos makes a statement, Braga takes all 3 points against pod-favorite Feyenoord, and Rangers are still utterly calamitous. We also take a brief detour down Tanner Tessman lane and discuss what a stacked USMNT midfield might group might look like come World Cup 2026. All that and much more on the pod. Cheers to mf-ing Olivier Giroud! "I don't know what counts as a dispossession if not getting tackled and losing the ball." - David Blomquist

It's a big week on Any Given Thursday because the Europa League proper is officially here! That's right, the first round of league phase games begin Wednesday, and it is one of the best slates we've ever had covering the tournament. We hit all the best matchups, including Betis v Forest, Nice v Roma, + Midtjylland v Sturm Graz on Wednesday, and Stuttgart v Celta Vigo + Aston Villa v Bologna Thursday — and predict the results. We also talk our favorite hipster showcases and discuss which big-league clubs are already trending in the wrong direction. Cheers Robin van Persie!

We're back with the Conference League league phase preview bonanza! We begin with who received the toughest draws (Aberdeen), which of the big boys could have the most trouble with the 6-game fall slate (Mainz), and who we think will coast through to a top 8 seed (Rayo). We discuss the tournament favorites in detail, including whether Palace has enough to challenge Fiorentina for the title, or whether their summer of inactivity will cost them across all competitions — plus what we think of the Marc Guehi situation. We also debate the merits of Strasbourg and AZ as actual contenders. Finally, we tackle the likely bottom dwellers, including what we can expect from the like of Hamrun Spartans, Lincoln Red Imps, and Drita, as well as some possible long-shot hopefuls for the title (looking at you AEK Athens). And of course, we couldn't go a whole Conference League pod without fanboy-ing out on Celje and Shamrock Rovers! Cheers to Mirel Rădoi!

We're back to do what we do best: PREVIEWS! That's right, it's the 2025-26 Europa League league phase preview bonanza. We open by talking about the draws, including Celtic and the Dutch sides getting very difficult paths, then move on to discussing the favorites to win the competition (Roma, Villa, Forest, Lyon) and whether we agree with the odds makers. We also tackle which teams with long shot odds are could be sleepers to go deep in the tournament. Spoiler: we're in love with Feyenoord. Finally, we give out some awards (including the Bodo/Glimt Award for biggest overachiever and the Nice Award for biggest underachiever), and pick who we think will earn the top 8 bye, and who we think the 8 worst teams will be. Cheers to Gian Piero Gasperini & Unai Emery!

We're back to discuss last Thursday's conclusion to the Europa and Conference League final qualifying round (as well as a little Champions League)! It was a week of firsts, including Hamrun Spartans becoming the first Maltese club to qualify for a European group stage. Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano also survived to earn their inaugural shot at Thursday night football. The other Conference League big boys survived by the skin of their teeth – both Mainz and Strabourg got huge bounce-back wins after disappointing 1st leg performances, and Fiorentina overcame a dreadful 78 minutes to eventually see off Polissya. Elsewhere, Poland, Greece, and Cyprus continued their excellent campaigns, while the Turks and Scots had a nightmarish week, including embarrassing Champions League defeats for both Celtic and Rangers. Cheers Giacomo Modica!

The Playoff Qualifying Round has kicked off in the Europa & Conference Leagues, and it's all to play for! The headline in the Conference League was the big boys struggling, with Scandanavian sides taking full advantage. Palace managed just a 1-0 home win vs Fredrikstad amidst a frustrating week off the pitch, Strasbourg was held scoreless in France by Brøndby, & Mainz suffered a 2-1 away defeat at the hands of Rosenborg. Elsewhere, both Irish sides got huge victories, including a shock win at Santa Clara for Conference League veterans Shamrock. Plus Virtus stayed alive, maintaining just a single goal deficit heading back to San Marino, where they hope to be the first club from their nation to qualify for a European group stage. Meanwhile in the Europa League, Utrecht continues their impressive qualifying run, Brann-AEK Larnaca and Panathinaikos-Samsunspor set themselves up for terrific 2nd legs, and Red Imps' and KuPS' magical qualifying runs come to an end – but fear not! We'll see them both in the Conference League league phase. All that plus more praise for the Cypriot, Norwegian, Polish, and the Dutch leagues, and a quick check in on Champions League qualifying! Cheers Per-Mathias Høgmo!

We're officially back for the 2025-26 Europa & Conference League campaigns, and as always, we're kicking things off with the 3rd qualifying rounds. The 1st legs were full of action, and we discuss some major upsets from old friends (Celje, Víkingur Reykjavík, AEK Larnaca), and new (Hibs, Shelbourne). Then we explore Cyrpus' remarkable European successes of late, why the Irish league is on the rise, if this is a breakout season for Scottish clubs, and speculate whether Malta is the next country to pop their cherry and qualify a team for European group stages for the very first time. We're also introduced to some clubs previously unfamiliar to us, including FC Polissya Zhytomyr, whose name we hopefully did not butchered to unreasonable degree. It feels good to be back – come hang! Cheers Joey O'Brien!

Jacob Hill is back on the pod, this time to tackle the 2012 NBA draft - and boy is this one a stinker! We start by revisiting each of the top 30 picks (plus some notable 2nd rounders), and in the process lauding its notable stars, Damian Lillard, Anthony Daivs, and Draymond Green, investigating Chad Ford's questionable takes, exploring one of the strangest NBA players of all time in Royce White, and running out of adjectives to describe just how abject the back half of the 1st Round is. In the second part of the show, we tackle our redraft and do our best to build balanced 8-man rosters despite the putrid depth available to us. Who goes first? How high should Bradley Beal go? Who's left sitting solemnly in the green room? Find out on our very special addition of Any Given Bracket! Cheers to Dion Waiters!

We were going to be off this week, but UEFA demanded that we get on Zoom and hammer out an emergency podcast after their ruling that Crystal Palace is removed from the Europa League and instead will play Conference League football in 2025-26. We talk about how we got here - including Lyon winning appeal to stay in Ligue 1 (& thus Europe) - Palace's next steps, and how Nottingham Forest factors into all this, then vent our frustrations about UEFA's decision-making process and the double standard in the penalties (or lack there of) imposed on clubs and ownership groups of different sizes. Cheers Oliver Glasner! You didn't deserve this!

It's time for the way-too-early Conference League 2025-26 preview! Except it really isn't too early - the 1st qualifying rounds start THIS WEEK if you can believe it. But we're starting off with the 5 "big league" clubs who start their journey in the playoff qualifying round (aka the final step before the League Phase): Nottingham Forest, Rayo Vallecano, Mainz, Strasbourg, and of course, the Conference League house band - Fiorentina. We take a look at what each club has to offer on and off the pitch, why we're so excited to watch them, and what order they should be ranked as tournament contenders. Then, we move on to some lesser known participants from all over the continent - and some off of it. We take pitstops in Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Faroe Islands, and the Azores, as we introduce (or reintroduce) some of our favorite stories from the upcoming qualifying rounds and debate which minnows could make a Cinderella run at the League Phase! Cheers Marc Schneider!

With the 2024-25 season in the books and Spurs crowned Europa League champions, we're back to do a way-too-early preview of next season's competition! The upcoming campaign is much anticipated by us at Any Given Thursday thanks to a treasure trove of interesting contestants. There's a group of obvious contenders, including clubs with appearances in last year's Champions League - Aston Villa, Bologna, and Stuttgart (the latter two also lifted surprise trophies in the Coppa Italia and DFB Pokal, respectively) - and those intimately familiar with Europa - Roma, Betis, Freiburg, and Lyon. And there's a delightful accoutrement of underdog participants, including those qualified via the league - Celta Vigo, Rayo Vallecano, Utrecht, Samsunspor - and those who went on charming upset runs to win their domestic cups - Crystal Palace, Go Ahead Eagles, Aberdeen, Wolfsberger, Fredrikstad, and Sigma Olomouc. On the pod, we briefly touch on each of these clubs (and more!), offering just a taste of what we can expect on their Europa League journey, plus the significances of their achievements to date. Then we look ahead to the early qualifying rounds, predict who will advance, and debate who the leading contenders are to hoist the trophy next May. And yes, we do also address the crisis at Lyon. Cheers to us!

On the pod today, we take a look back at the joyous 2024-25 Conference League season, which ended in a Chelsea triumph, but featured many raucous, riveting, and memorable moments. It was a campaign for the UNDERDOG, and we revisit many of our favorites, including the incomparable NK Celje, the delicious Djurgårdens IF, and the fearless Jagiellonia Białystok, all of whom made deep tournament runs. We laud the newbies, too – FC Noah, The New Saints (TNS), and Larne FC – for their very competitive debuts in group-stage European football, as well as Shamrock Rovers for highlighting the quickly-ascending Irish league (and their 16-year old striker). We also tackle some of the biggest disappointments, including İstanbul Başakşehir and Heart of Midlothian (Hearts), and debate whether it's fair to include Fiorentina in this category. Finally, we pay tribute to the best games and goals of the campaign, before waxing poetic about the virtues of our precious Conference League. Cheers Enzo Maresca and all favorite underdogs! Timecodes: 3:45 - Chelsea's run to the title 11:05 - Best storylines and underdogs 24:30 - Biggest disappointments and underachievers 39:00 - UECL game of the season 49:05 - UECL goal of the season 54:50 - What makes the Conference League so special?