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PODCAST

The FootPol Podcast

Francesco Belcastro and Guy Burton

The podcast that brings together football and politics. We"ll be exploring the relationship between the two, both inside and outside the game.The podcast covers "Big Politics" like politicians, clubs, international and national federations and other organised groups and how they use or abuse the game to "Small, Everyday Politics" in the form of community-level clubs, fan associations and the way that football reflects the political challenges of our day to day lives.The FootPol Podcast is brought to

sports soccer

All Episodes

49:35

No Foreign Game. Politics and Football in Ireland ft....

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/10/28

How did football get to the island of Ireland? And is it a 'foreign' game? In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco are joined by historian James Quinn to dive into the intriguing journey of football on the island of Ireland. Together, they explore whether football is truly a "foreign" game and how it has woven itself into the cultural and political landscape of both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Along the way, James also touches upon Irish football's connection with Scotla...

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52:56

Can fan culture become more inclusive? The case of...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/10/21

Co-hosts Guy and Francesco dive into the world of away fandom, focusing on the experiences of female and LGBTQ+ supporters. Joining them is Penny Miles, a researcher from Bath University, who has been studying the challenges faced by marginalised fans following national football team in Wales (with a bit of Chile!).Together, they explore the current state of away fandom and the obstacles that these groups encounter. Penny shares her insights on the unique issues female and LGBTQ+ fans face, f...

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56:18

Football and Politics in Switzerland ft. Christian...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/10/14

In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco explore the fascinating history of Swiss football with Zurich University's Professor Christian Koller, a Swiss scholar and expert on the subject. Switzerland’s rich linguistic and ethnic diversity, combined with its historic commitment to neutrality, has shaped the nation's football culture in unique ways. Professor Koller delves into the roots of football in Switzerland, the influence of the workers' movement in the 1920s and 1930s, and how both ol...

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44:45

When FIFA Went Global ft. Luiz Guilherme Burlamaqui

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/10/07

FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, is the sport institution that controls and regulates the world's most popular game. But how did it become the mega-organisation we know today? In this week's episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco dive deep into the history of FIFA as global football's governing body with historian Luiz Guilherme Burlamaqui and his book, "The Making of a Global FIFA." They explore whether the election of former president Joao Havelange in 1974 was pivo...

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35:26

The origins of the beautiful game ft. Chris Lee

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/09/30

How did football - a game played by upper class gentlemen in Britain - become the world's most popular sport? How did it shift to becoming a game of the workers and the masses? And what social and political impact did the success of the game have? Co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to friend of the pod, Chris Lee, and host of his own podcast and football-related blog, Outside Write. Chris, who wrote the book Origin Stories: The Pioneers Who Took Football to the World, explains how the game...

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45:36

Why do football clubs collapse? ft. Football...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/09/23

Exciting news this week as Football Heritage podcast host Rory Bryce joins Guy and Francesco to discuss the decline and disappearance of football clubs. With several years of experience hosting the Forgotten Football Clubs podcast, Rory shares valuable insights on identifying when a club is in trouble and strategies for recovery. Rory also sheds light on his involvement in establishing the open-air football museum, Football Square Mile, in Glasgow. Stay tuned for this insightful conversa...

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34:40

FootPol Returns! Season Two Opener

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/09/16

Welcome back to the second season of the FootPol Podcast! This week, we dive into the latest political news in Football World. FIFA's recent non-decision on suspending Israel for its actions in Gaza and Argentine players facing backlash for racist chants are in the spotlight. Stay tuned as we discuss FIFA's plans to engage skeptical audiences for the expanded Club World Cup. Additionally, we address the controversy surrounding the interim England manager's choice not to sing the British anthe...

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28:13

Insta-FootPol. Political Fallout! Euros, Copa America...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/07/18

We're back (briefly) from our summer break! Co-hosts Guy and Francesco break down the politics that's making the headlines in the wake of Spain's and Argentina's respective Euro and Copa America wins. They look at what's happened following Rodri's claim that "Gibraltar is Spanish" and the Spanish political right's response to seeing a multiracial team lift the trophy. They also examine the response by Argentina's political leaders to Argentine player Enzo Fernandez's racist and transphobic ch...

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48:22

Can Football Ever Come Home? Nostalgia, melancholia...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/07/15

How are nostalgia and melancholia connected to football? And are they 'political'? In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Sheffield Hallam University's Jack Black about the meaning of the popular English football song, "It's Coming Home" and how melancholy and nostalgia are part and parcel of football culture in England and beyond. That sets up a wider discussion about nostalgia in football and its connection to politics, especially those on the far right.A version of Jack's book...

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53:36

Tales of South American football ft. Jorge Knijnik

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/07/08

Football plays a central role in many Latin American countries. In this episode, co-hosts Francesco and Guy talk with Jorge Knijnik, Associate Professor at Western Sydney University about his new book, Tales of South American Football: Passion, Revolution and Glory. Jorge provides examples of how the beautiful game is entwined with the continent's politics and society. They include the actions of players like Brazil's Afonsinho and Reinaldo who promoted labour and political rights durin...

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47:00

Football and the British Election ft. Co-Host...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/07/01

What does the general election in the UK mean for football? In this episode, one of the FootPol Podcast's favourite guests, Dr Christina Philippou returns to co-host a discussion on the subject with Mike Baker, director of advocacy at Fair Game. Christina and Mike explain the importance of the election for the future of football in the UK, from the Premier League to grassroots and women's football. The election effectively paused plans for an independent regulator that looked close to being i...

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32:11

The Politics of Maradona Part 1: Diego as a Global...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/06/24

No other football player has been as popular and yet also divisive as Diego Armando Maradona. Few footballers can claim to have achieved the status of political icon like the Argentinian superstar. In the first of two episodes dedicated to the politics of Maradona, co-hosts Francesco and Guy speak to Mariano Paz, lecturer at the University of Limerick and a scholar who has researched different aspects of the politics of Diego Maradona. Mariano explains how Maradona's iconic nature...

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40:19

The Politics of Maradona Part 2: Diego and the City...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/06/24

Diego Maradona, arguably the greatest talent ever to grace a football pitch, played for several clubs as well as the Argentinian national team. His image, however, is closely tied to the city of Naples and its football club. In the second of this week's double episodes on the politics of Diego Maradona, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Italian sociologist and Napoli fan, Luca Bifulco. Luca explains how Maradona operated in and around the divisions and contradictions present in Italy d...

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47:29

What's Coming Up in 2024's 'Summer of Sport'? ft....

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/06/17

We're about to enter what has been dubbed the 'Summer of Sport' given the number of high-profile events taking place, from the Euros to the Olympics and the Copa America. Football will therefore be at the forefront of many people's minds and to explore this, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Nicola Sbetti, historian of sport at the University of Bologna in Italy about what this could mean politically. Nicola explains what the main political themes will be at these tournaments, as well as pro...

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46:06

Ukraine's football under the Russian shadow ft. Olga...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/06/10

Ukraine is a country with a long and rich football tradition. Yet football, like all aspects of life, have been deeply affected by the Russian aggression against the country. In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Olga Ruzhelnyk, a Ukrainian researcher at the Institut des sciences sociales du politique in Paris. Olga explains how football is an important aspect of the recent history of the country, from they way football clubs and ultra groups have been political actors to ...

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40:33

'More than a club, a whole people'. Deportivo...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/06/03

Football clubs often represents different identities: local, political, ethnic and sectarian. Deportivo Palestino, a football club in Chile, is distinct in the way its representation of Palestinian identity. In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to Siri Schwabe, associate professor of Anthropology at University of Copenhagen, and Jose Nabzo, press and media officer at Deportivo Palestino and life-long club supporter. Siri explains the origin of the club and reflects on her experie...

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35:46

How is climate change affecting football? ft. Leslie...

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/05/27

The impact of climate change on football has frequently been in the news in recent years. The relationship between the beautiful game and the environment is however complex and multi-faceted as explained by today's guest, Dr Leslie Mabon. Leslie, a lecturer in environmental systems at the Open University, explains to co-hosts Guy and Francesco how the impact of climate change on football is more pervasive than it is often discussed, but also highlights how the football world and fans in...

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41:19

Israel's War on Gaza and Palestinian Football

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/05/20

Amidst the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza, football might seem a secondary and even irrelevant aspect. Yet football offers a ghastly testimony of the destruction caused by the Israeli attack on Gaza, as well as the dynamics of occupation of Palestinian territory by the Israeli state. In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to journalist Karim Zidan and academic Kat Pijetlovic. Karim explains the impact of Israel’s occupation on the Palestinians’ ability to play football, as we...

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33:02

Match fit. Mental health and football ft. Johnnie Lowery

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/05/13

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 ...

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35:35

Unsafe bet? The politics of gambling in football ft....

The FootPol Podcast ·

2024/05/06

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 wel...

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93 results

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