The Athletic FC Podcast

Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or on Monday night, pipping Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to the award.

But with just two players in the top 20 in the rankings, how can the Premier League claim to be the best league in the world when so many of the sport's superstars play elsewhere?

Emma Paton is joined by JJ Bull, Seb Stafford-Bloor and James Horncastle, who was at the ceremony and takes us behind the scenes of the glitz and glamour (and rain) in London.

Host: Emma Paton
Panelists: James Horncastle, JJ Bull and Seb Stafford-Bloor
Producers: Mike Stavrou, Grayson Moody
Exec Producer: Adam Jones
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Carrick's future is hanging by a thread at Man United after his side were embarrassed by Bournemouth at a mutinous Old Trafford on Sunday.

But with the club’s hierarchy in the spotlight, will sacking Carrick solve United’s problems?

Plus, how Spurs ended their Stamford Bridge curse and a south London themed edition of who's worrying Rob...

It's Emma Paton alongside England international Rob Green, Manchester United correspondent Cerys Jones and Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey

Host: Emma Paton
Panelists: Cerys Jones, Liam Twomey, Rob Green
Videographer: Lara Sinclair
Producer: Jay Beale
Exec producer: Adam Jones
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Ballon d'Or fast approaching, this week’s episode of ‘What If’, Emma is joined in the studio by The Athletic’s Tim Spiers, Dan Kilpatrick and Jack Pitt-Brooke to pick apart the unfathomable… What if Messi and Ronaldo didn’t exist?

Who scores their goals? Who’s career skyrockets? And topically, who wins their Ballons d’Or?

Plus, we discuss who we think will be just the 5th player outside of the two main men to win the Ballon d’Or since 2008.

Host: Emma Paton
Panelists: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Dan Kilpatrick, Tim Spiers
Executive Producers: Adam Jones, Max Curwen Bingley
Producer: Mike Stavrou
Videographer: Grayson Moody
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a jam packed show this week as Kate Mason is joined in the studio by tacticos Liam Tharme and Rob Green to discuss all the weekend’s goings on, including a fierce London derby as Chelsea host rivals Spurs.

Plus, we’re joined by former Brighton defender Adam Webster to get an inside look at all things football on the south coast. What’s it like to play for Roberto de Zerbi? How do you stop Erling Haaland? And, the question on everyone’s lips - how are Brighton that good?

Host: Kate Mason
Panelists: Rob Green, Liam Tharme, Adam Webster
Executive producers: Adam Jones, Max Curwen Bingley
Producer: Mike Stavrou
Videographer: Liam Warburton
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester United’s ownership is in the firing line again, with players accusing leadership of negligence and just two wins so far all season.

So with United in their latest doom cycle and growing unrest across their other clubs and investments, is Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS sports empire crumbling?

Kate Mason is joined by Matt Slater, Adam Crafton and former England international Rob Green to examine the impact of United's constant failings on the INEOS landscape.

Host: Kate Mason
Co-hosts: Matt Slater, Adam Crafton, Rob Green
Videographer: Lara Sinclair
Producer: Jay Beale
Executive Producer: Adam Jones
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.