Episodios

  • Reflections on Heroes & Humans debut season

    Reflections on Heroes & Humans debut season
    Aug 1 2024
    Over the past 20 weeks, Mehreen and Simon have covered the stories of the so-called ‘heroes’ of football, as well as the game’s undercover (and not so undercover) ‘villains’. As the duo take a week off to end their debut season, they reflect on their favourite episodes so far, muse on what they’ve learned, and provide behind-the-scenes insights into the podcast. Heroes and Humans will return on Thursday 8th August for an Olympics special. If you have any Olympics- and general football-related questions you’d like answered by Mehreen and Simon, contact us on Instagram, TikTok and X. Find us under the handle @HeroesAndHumans. Thank you for listening. Remember to recommend the podcast to your friends and family (or even your enemies) and make sure to leave a review! Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    5 m
  • Thomas Tuchel: dark wellness fanatic, dark horse for England's next manager

    Thomas Tuchel: dark wellness fanatic, dark horse for England's next manager
    Jul 25 2024
    Tipped as one of the longshots for England manager, Thomas Tuchel is the polarising German football coach known for his brilliance, fanaticism, and sometimes cruelty. Simon and Mehreen cover the fascinating and complex world of Tuchel, whose career is defined by never-ending cycles of success and self-destruction. They chronicle his rollercoaster career – from early days in Germany under the shadow of Jürgen Klopp, to rises and falls at Paris St Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich. Discover how the enigmatic Tuchel’s unconventional training methods, tactical innovation towards coaching, and workaholic lifestyle lead him to become such a dividing and impressive figure of today’s football. Time stamps: 00:30 - Introduction to Thomas Tuchel 01:03 - His unique lifestyle and beliefs 01:41 - The cycle: Success and self-destruction 02:04 - Potential candidacy for the England national team 03:21 - Early career and influences 05:33 - Playing career and transition to coaching 07:24 - Influence of Ralf Rangnick 09:09 - Innovative coaching methods and rise at Mainz ​​23:23 - Sabbatical and learning from other sports 30:14 - Terrorist attack on Dortmund's team bus 32.20 - Strained relationship with Dortmund's management 33:56 - Move to Paris Saint-Germain 34:50 - Approach to managing star players at Paris Saint Germain 36:24 - Champions League final and abrupt departure from Paris Saint Germain 38:42 - Arrival at Chelsea and immediate impact 43:26 - Winning the Champions League with Chelsea 50:26 - Personal challenges and departure from Chelsea 53:36 - Brief tenure at Bayern Munich 55:40 - Speculation on becoming England manager Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    1 h y 8 m
  • Emma Hayes: The Londoner taking the US women's team to the Olympics

    Emma Hayes: The Londoner taking the US women's team to the Olympics
    Jul 18 2024
    Emma Hayes, one of the most influential figures in women's football, is embarking on a new chapter in her illustrious career. After 12 transformative years as the manager of Chelsea Women, Hayes is set to take on the role of head coach for the United States Women's National Team (USWNT). This episode explores Hayes' remarkable journey, her impact on the sport, and the legacy she leaves behind at Chelsea. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Emma Hayes and her career transition 02:30 - Hayes' early life and journey into football management 05:15 - Building Chelsea Women from the ground up 09:45 - Hayes' coaching philosophy and leadership style 14:30 - Pioneering approaches to women's health in football 18:20 - Major achievements and trophies at Chelsea 22:10 - Personal challenges and growth as a leader 26:35 - Hayes' impact on the professionalisation of women's football 30:50 - The move to USWNT and future aspirations 34:15 - Legacy at Chelsea and in women's football Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    1 h y 1 m
  • Answering Your Questions About Euro 2024

    Answering Your Questions About Euro 2024
    Jul 12 2024
    In this special episode before the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England, Mehreen Khan and Simon Kuper answer your questions about the heroes and humans featured in the tournament. They discuss the performances of key players, why France and England have been so boring, and the perennial issues of politics, race and multiculturalism that have been a constant over the last month. Will Gareth Southgate’s controversial tenure be extended ? And why has Jude Bellingham evolved from golden boy to internet meme? How did the Netherlands go from Johan Cruyff to Wout Weghorst? And Simon refuses to self-sabotage by predicting who will win Sunday's final, but they do argue about Spain and England. Don't forget to get in touch to add your thoughts on the heroes and humans of Euro 2024 via social media @heroesandhumans. Timestamps: 00:22 Special episode ahead of Euro 2024 final between Spain and England 00:45 Simon's experiences in Germany and reflections on the Dutch team 03:18 Talking about the final, Spain, and England 05:29 Question about Didier Deschamps staying on as French national team manager 06:24 Discussion about Gareth Southgate's future with England 13:39 Comparison of Spain and England's team compositions for the final 16:15 Political activism in football: French players' stance against the far-right 21:21 Analysis of Jude Bellingham's public perception and "villain arc" 28:28 Analysis of Euro 2024 compared to past tournaments 34:13 Question about the impact of urban planning on footballing styles 38:28 Discussion on playing styles in Euro 2024 including the Dutch shift to long-ball tactics 41:21 Predictions and analysis for the Spain vs England final 44:25 Final question about explaining Johan Cruyff to children at Taylor Swift concerts Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    48 m
  • The New Faces of Spanish Football: Lamine Yamal & Nico Williams

    The New Faces of Spanish Football: Lamine Yamal & Nico Williams
    Jul 11 2024
    In this special pre-Euro 2024 final episode, Mehreen and Simon delve into the stories of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, the two young stars who have lit up the tournament and represent a new, diverse Spain. They discuss the remarkable journeys of these players, their backgrounds, and the societal and cultural implications of their success. From Yamal's record-breaking goal to Williams' impactful presence on the field, this episode is about football and so much more. Timestamps: 00:00:29 - Introduction to Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams 00:02:23 - Background on Lamine Yamal's early life and football journey 00:12:00 - Nico Williams' incredible family story and his rise in football 00:20:02 - Discussion on the significance of Yamal and Williams in modern Spain 00:26:35 - Analysis of their playing styles and contributions to the Spanish team 00:31:58 - Historical context and comparisons with past Spanish teams 00:35:03 - Issues of race and identity in Spanish football and society 00:45:07 - The future prospects of Yamal and Williams 00:50:29 - Closing thoughts and reflections on Spain's new era in football Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    50 m
  • Johan Cruyff & Holland 1974 - The most exciting team never to win the World Cup

    Johan Cruyff & Holland 1974 - The most exciting team never to win the World Cup
    Jul 4 2024
    Fifty years ago this week, Johan Cruyff took one of the most exciting teams in football history to the 1974 World Cup final. But his Holland lost to West Germany, largely because of what has gone down in Dutch history as “The Swimming Pool Affair” – a German tabloid’s front-page scoop that cost Cruyff great anguish and many hours in a phone booth calling his furious wife. We tell the story of Dutch “total football”, of the rock-star team that lived it large both on the field and off it, of the manager who was simultaneously coaching FC Barcelona, and of Johan Cruyff himself: the man who invented modern football, and fought with everybody, including with his biggest fan, Simon. Timestamps: 00:00:29 - Introduction to the story of the 1974 Dutch national team and Johan Cruyff 00:02:23 - Explanation of the Dutch team's revolutionary playing style 00:03:19 - Background on the development of "total football" in Amsterdam 00:08:18 - Discussion of Cruyff's upbringing and early career with Ajax 00:10:05 - Cruyff's childhood and the impact of his father's death 00:11:30 - Introduction of Rinus Michels as Ajax manager 00:14:01 - Development of Ajax's new playing style under Michels and Cruyff 00:15:29 - Description of the dynamic between Cruyff and Michels 00:19:07 - Lead-up to the 1974 World Cup and the Dutch team's preparations 00:24:36 - Context of the 1974 World Cup in West Germany 00:27:02 - Description of the Dutch team's behaviour during the World Cup 00:28:17 - Cruyff's unconventional decisions in team selection 00:30:31 - Discussion of the Dutch team's appearance and iconic orange jerseys 00:33:03 - Description of the Dutch team's revolutionary playing style in action 00:36:07 - The "swimming pool affair" and its impact on Cruyff before the final 00:43:03 - The World Cup final against West Germany 00:45:55 - Aftermath of the final and Dutch reaction to finishing second 00:47:20 - Legacy of the 1974 Dutch team and Cruyff's impact on football 00:49:28 - Simon's experience interviewing Cruyff years later and subsequent fallout Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    53 m
  • Risking their lives for football: Afghanistan's women's national team

    Risking their lives for football: Afghanistan's women's national team
    Jun 27 2024
    The Afghan women’s national team doesn’t exist – not according to FIFA, anyway. The Taliban banned women's football when they took control of Afghanistan in 2021, forcing the team to flee the country for fear of their lives. But FIFA now refuses to recognise the team in exile, allowing the Taliban to continue their gender apartheid. Today, the team is fighting for FIFA recognition and their place in football. Living in exile and risking their lives to play football, the Afghan women's players are determined to return to the international game. Mehreen and Simon talk to Khalida Popal, the woman who defied the country's misogynistic norms to set up the national team. She became the first female captain, coach, and executive in Afghanistan's history. This is a story of a team’s courage and comradery in the face of death threats and sexual assaults. To support the Afghan women's team in their fight for recognition, you can sign this petition and follow Khalida Popal on LinkedIn: https://www.change.org/p/fifacom-standwithafghanwomen-recognise-afghanistan-women-s-national-football-team-in-exile-follow-alivekicking23 https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalida-popal-64a29176?originalSubdomain=dk Timestamps: 00:00:02 - Introduction to the episode about Afghanistan's women's football team 00:03:47 - Khalida Popal joins to discuss founding the team 00:03:55 - Growing up in Afghanistan before the Taliban 00:05:09 - Early exposure to football in Afghanistan 00:06:09 - Returning to Afghanistan after 2001 and facing resistance to women playing football 00:08:56 - Setting up a girls' football team at school despite challenges 00:12:51 - Men discover and threaten the girls playing football 00:14:57 - Story of a teammate forced to stop playing by her family 00:18:06 - Establishing the Afghan women's national team 00:21:07 - Negotiating with the Afghan Football Federation for recognition 00:25:16 - Difficulties of managing the national team and facing abuse 00:30:10 - Fleeing Afghanistan due to death threats 00:33:56 - Evacuating players as Taliban returned to power in 2021 00:41:29 - Current players describe obstacles they faced playing in Afghanistan 00:43:01 - Players' experiences when Taliban took over in 2021 00:45:04 - Campaign for FIFA to recognise the exiled Afghan women's team 00:48:03 - FIFA's lack of response to requests for recognition Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    50 m
  • Messi & Argentina: A Love Story (of sorts)

    Messi & Argentina: A Love Story (of sorts)
    Jun 20 2024
    It's bizarre how long it took Argentinians to learn to love Leo Messi. His exile from his declining homeland always made him suspect. The comparison with Maradona hung over him from the start. And why was he hardly ever as good for Argentina as he was for Barcelona? We tell the story of the world's best player's complex relationship with his own country, and how it finally had a happy end. Timestamps: 00:00:02 - Introduction 00:01:18 - Messi's fraught relationship with Argentina 00:06:24 - Messi as the embodiment of the Pibe archetype 00:11:36 - Messi's early international career and struggles with Argentina 00:18:52 - 2014 World Cup and Argentina's attempt at a "Messi strategy" 00:24:06 - 2014 World Cup disappointment and Messi's frustrations 00:29:19 - Psychoanalysis of Messi's perceived lack of Argentinian-ness 00:36:58 - Messi finally wins Copa America in 2021 00:39:35 - 2022 World Cup in Qatar and initial struggles 00:40:24 - Argentina's resurgence and Messi's leadership 00:42:15 - Winning the 2022 World Cup as a team 00:44:26 - Messi's place in Argentinian history compared to Maradona 00:46:10 - Speculation on Messi's life without football 00:48:02 - Would the hosts want to hang out with Messi? Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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    49 m