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Sporting Giants

BBC Radio 5 Live
Sporting Giants
Latest episode

28 episodes

  • Sporting Giants

    Episode 3 - The Weight of the World

    19/06/2026 | 35 mins.
    While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo sweep all before them with their club sides and win countless trophies, the one accolade which eludes them both is international success.
    In episode three of this four-part series, Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore the highs and lows both players have been through with Argentina and Portugal.
    From agonising defeats to the ultimate glory in Europe, South America and the biggest prize of all for Messi at the 2022 World Cup.
    We get the inside take from former team mates including Nani on how pivotal Ronaldo was to Portugal's Euro 2016 victory, while Emi Martinez describes what meaning the World Cup meant to Messi and Argentina.
  • Sporting Giants

    Episode 2 - The Clasico Era

    12/06/2026 | 33 mins.
    As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rise to become the best players in the world, their rivalry takes another step closer as Ronaldo joins Real Madrid to go head to head with Messi and Barcelona.
    In episode two of this four-part series, Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague discuss how the Real Madrid and Barcelona years shape the Messi and Ronaldo rivalry on and off the pitch as they battle for team and individual awards.
    Hear from the likes of former team-mates such as Javier Mascherano and Henrik Larsson as they describe the impact Messi had on Barcelona while ex Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement reveals how the mentality of Ronaldo sets him apart.
  • Sporting Giants

    Episode 1 - Nature v Nurture

    05/06/2026 | 33 mins.
    The first episode of this four-part series explores what made Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stand out as they began their journeys to becoming footballing icons.
    Steve Crossman is joined by Guillem Balague, who is author of 'Cristiano Ronaldo: The Biography' and the biography 'Messi'.
    From playing on the streets in Argentina and Portugal, to the bright lights of Barcelona and Manchester United, in this episode we discover how Messi and Ronaldo began to make their mark as a new footballing rivalry was formed which would dominate the game for the next two decades.
    We hear from Messi's former academy team mate Cesc Fabregas on the development of a young superstar after making the move as a teenager from Rosario to Barcelona, while Rio Ferdinand describes his first impressions of an 18-year-old Ronaldo after he came to the world's attention at Old Trafford.
  • Sporting Giants

    Coming Soon

    03/06/2026 | 0 mins.
    Coming soon, Steve Crossman presents a new four-part series exploring how the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has redefined football over the last 20 years.
  • Sporting Giants

    Episode 4: He Never Stops

    12/01/2026 | 31 mins.
    Presenters Kelly Cates and Simon Hughes explore how Mohamed Salah has redefined being a footballing superstar.
    Former Liverpool team-mates James Milner and Adam Lallana discuss Salah's impact on the club's first league title for 30 years in 2019-20, and the seismic battles of recent years with Manchester City.
    Discover what drives Salah at both club and international level, as a crucial period with Liverpool and Egypt approaches.
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About Sporting Giants
Delve deep into the lives and careers of some of the biggest names in sport and hear from those who know them best.
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