On The Continent - A European Football Podcast

Shakhtar Donetsk are a football club like no other. Displaced from their home, they still compete at the top level of European football and dominate domestically. But that's just half the story.In this special edition of On The Continent, Andy Brassell takes you inside this extraordinary club to watch Shakhtar's season unfold and follow its latest crop of Brazilian talents – Pedrinho, Alisson and Eguinaldo – as they develop under their head coach, the legendary Arda Turan.You'll hear from players, people on the ground in Ukraine, and sporting director Darijo Srna. Join us for European football's most remarkable tale.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carlo Ancelotti, Julian Nagelsmann, Ronald Koeman. These managers have proved themselves at club level, but why do they falter in international football? What are the biggest differences between coaching a national team and a club?Dotun, Andy and David Cartlidge are here to answer your World Cup questions! Which players have boosted their chances of a big move this summer? Was the 48-team format a success? Could regular club matches be split into four quarters?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's sweet victory for the European continent at this year's World Cup, with Spain taking the honours. Congratulations to them and the team Luis de la Fuente so brilliantly built. So, just how did he do it? And might they be the side to dominate international football for the next decade?David Cartlidge sits down with Dotun and Andy to discuss that. Plus, how do we reflect on the tournament as a whole? Are we pleased with the performances of our European sides at the World Cup? Are we witnessing a re-forming of the hierarchy in European football? And how do we assess FIFA's role in all of this?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our 2026 World Cup final is locked in. An incredible performance by Luis de la Fuente's Spain sets up a tantalising final against Argentina.Nicky Bandini joins Andy to break down what went right for Spain and what went very, very wrong for Didier Deschamps and France. Plus, as Lionel Scaloni's side battle past England, we debate whether they should be starting Lautaro Martínez or Julián Alvarez alongside Lionel Messi in the final.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The semi-finals of the World Cup are upon us! First up is a clash which really could be a final in itself, France vs Spain. Will Lamine Yamal take it up a gear, or will the enduring force of Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise prove that the French have more firepower than the Spanish?David Cartlidge joins Dotun and Andy to preview that ginormous fixture. Meanwhile, two of the tournament's main underachievers have already moved on to their new shiny things. Are Jorge Jesus and Jürgen Klopp the right men to improve Portugal and Germany's respective fortunes?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a week of reunions over these World Cup quarter-finals. First up, a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco. It's funny how much (and also how little) can change in four years. Plus, Borussia Dortmund's two great exports of recent times face up as Erling Haaland's Norway prepares for battle with Jude Bellingham's England.Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to dive into those two fixtures. Elsewhere, Belgium face their toughest test against Spain, while their former coach Roberto Martínez leaves Portugal. Has he really wasted two golden generations?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, would you look at that! Norway, appearing at their first World Cup since 1998, have knocked five-time world champions Brazil out of the World Cup. But... are we really in a position to call that a shock?Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to debate that and discuss the problems they may cause England in the quarter-finals. Plus, the French juggernaut keeps on moving, despite Paraguay's best efforts, and we have a proper battle of the big boys as Portugal take on Spain tonight.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Belgium were down and out... until they weren't! Romelu Lukaku was the man to kick-start the Belgian revival in Seattle. But are they doing anything more than just covering the cracks?David Cartlidge joins Dotun and Andy to dissect last night's action. Plus, Kylian Mbappé's brilliance shines through once again and we have our first major European casualties! Despair for Germany as they lose on penalties to Paraguay, but can anybody really say they're surprised? And after Ronald Koeman's Dutch exit, will we see similar from Julian Nagelsmann?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever wondered how elite clubs in Europe use the World Cup to improve things back home, you’ve come to the right place!On today’s OTC Special, Andy is joined by FC Augsburg CEO Michael Ströll and Sporting Director Benjamin Weber to discuss how they are utilising the world’s biggest tournament to benefit their club.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 72-game group stage of the 2026 World Cup has come to an end and the knockouts have begun! So, after we've seen what our European sides have to offer, how are we feeling about their chances?Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to assess the main runners and riders (all still standing... for now). Are France and Spain still our favourites? Have Germany and the Netherlands been a pleasant surprise? And can we still call Portugal a contender for the tournament?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love him or loathe him, you simply cannot ignore Cristiano Ronaldo. "I'm back" was what he exclaimed down the camera lens after his two goals against Uzbekistan, but is he *really* back?David Cartlidge and Nicky Bandini join Dotun to debate that. Plus, Switzerland top Group B with victory over Canada. Can this tournament's quiet achievers trouble the knockout rounds? And finally, Norway are much more than just Erling Haaland... but he is pretty damn brilliant. What sort of statement would victory over France be for them?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luckily for Spain, the arrival gates in the US were still open before their second game of this year's World Cup. After failing to put in a credible display against Cape Verde, they certainly righted that wrong with a convincing win against Saudi Arabia.Andy and Lars Sivertsen dial in from Dallas to tell Dotun what that comprehensive result could mean for their tournament. Plus, Belgian falter again, Germany squeeze past Ivory Coast, and Türkiye are out!Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another major tournament for Portugal, another debate on whether Cristiano Ronaldo should be starting for them. After his sub-par performance in Portugal's 1-1 World Cup draw with DR Congo, Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to once again question why Roberto Martínez is sticking with his 41-year-old captain up top.Elsewhere, France get the better of Senegal in a thrilling encounter. Could this be the Kylian Mbappé World Cup? And Norway are well underway, but not without Iraq making it tricky for them.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Cup is up and running! We were treated to an excellent selection of games over the opening weekend, but was Netherlands 2-2 Japan the pick of the bunch?David Cartlidge and Jonathan Johnson join Dotun to dissect that match. Plus, Germany dominate Curaçao (but not without a brief scare) & Türkiye start their World Cup campaign in the worst possible way with defeat to Australia.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Cup is underway, and while a record 48 countries began the tournament, only one will lift the trophy. Most people think it’s a two-horse race between France and Spain - but who will emerge victorious?Dotun and Andy are joined by Nicky Bandini to answer that, and more of your World Cup questions! Which group will be the most competitive? What unknown player will make the biggest splash? Is there any European food that America has made... better?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By now we're well used to World Cups build-ups being overshadowed by controversies in the host country, or in this case countries. Usually, those issues begin to fade from the headlines once the football starts, but is that really going to be the case this year?Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to discuss the plethora of issues affecting this year's World Cup. Meanwhile, of course, there is still a tournament to be played. How are Europe's sides shaping up ahead of kick-off at the Azteca tonight?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Didier Deschamps' titans enter this year's World Cup as the team to beat. Champions in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, Les Bleus are the favourites in North America. But can they reclaim this most coveted crown?Andy is joined by OTC regular Jonathan Johnson to dissect France's star-studded squad. Is Kylian Mbappé's influence helpful - or harmful? How do Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué fit into a stacked front line? What will be sacrificed for glory?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain made history in 2010 when Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time winner delivered their first World Cup. Sixteen years later, a new generation of La Roja head to North America - but how do they emulate the success of those that came before them?Andy is joined by Spanish football journalist Álvaro Romeo to chronicle how Luis de la Fuente transformed Spain and how their tactical unpredictability makes them a nightmare to face. Tune in as we take a closer look at one of Europe's most talked-about teams ahead of the 2026 World Cup!Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the World Cup just days away, we turn our attention to one of the unlikely stories at this summer's tournament: the return of Bosnia and Herzegovina.Andy is joined by Bosnian football writer Saša Ibrulj as they chart the team's recent history of underperforming and how they've fallen at the final qualification hurdle so many times. But, thanks in part to the excellent work of coach Sergej Barbarez, they've turned from a team of nearly-men to a group of fearless youngsters who have shown they can cut it at the top level. Join us for a fascinating overview of one of European football's unsung heroes! Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our series of nation previews ahead of the World Cup, we take a close look at the summer's popular dark horses: Norway. Back on the world stage for the first time since 1998 - and with some big players in their ranks - the Norwegians are certainly getting a lot of attention. But can this golden generation handle the pressure? Dotun and Andy are joined by the best person to ask, Lars Sivertsen!Lars discusses the importance of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, the exciting in-form players across this Norway team, and the remarkable journey of their often under-fire manager, Ståle Solbakken. And let's hope that his predictions of 'big man big man big man' up top come true...Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The start of North America's first World Cup in over 30 years is just days away, but despite the excitement reverberating around the world ahead of kick-off at the Azteca, are the three host nations really ready to host the world's game on their turf?North American football expert Jon Arnold joins Dotun and Andy to discuss how things are feeling on the ground in the US, Canada & Mexico. Plus, he gives his thoughts on how the CONCACAF nations will get on against their transatlantic neighbours.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paris Saint-Germain have done it again! It's back to back Champions League victories for Luis Enrique and his post-Mbappé project, so how long can they keep it up for?Lars Sivertsen joins Andy to dissect the game and explore the options PSG have going into the off-season. Can they resist the temptation of returning to the superstars? Will they reach further into the talent bank that is the city of Paris? And might we see these two finalists again next year?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony Gordon’s blistering rise has made him one of football’s hottest properties, but even we couldn't have predicted a move to Barcelona for a reported €80 million. Where does he fit into Hansi Flick's star-studded attack, if at all?Nicky Bandini joins Andy and Dotun for the final round of questions of this domestic season! Can Gennaro Gattuso revive Lazio? Are Bayer Leverkusen taking a risk on Filipe Luís? And how did a town of 13,000 reach Germany’s top flight?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

European football's premier competition has rarely experienced a season with quite so much drama. And as it reaches its denouement, can anybody really predict the outcome of this year's Champions League final between the French champions PSG, and England's title-winners Arsenal?Perhaps you can't, but Dotun is joined by Andy and Nicky Bandini to give you the lowdown on what you can predict. PSG's weaknesses, where Arsenal can expose them and (of course) what you should eat during the final. Before that though, disappointment for Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League. Plus, the fallout from Milan and Juventus failing to qualify for next season's Champions League.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before last week’s Europa League final, Dotun and Andy flew to Istanbul to meet former Beşiktaş manager and Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjær and record a special episode in front of a live audience!Ole told us all about his life in Istanbul, his fond memories of the city and, of course, his incredible time at Manchester United as both a player and a coach.Thank you to official UEFA Europa League partners Enterprise for hosting us in Istanbul for the game.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the 2025/26 season across Europe enters its swansong, Andy is joined by Jonathan Johnson and Lars Sivertsen to answer more of your questions!Are there parallels between Vincent Kompany and Christian Chivu after their stellar domestic seasons? Why are Marseille heading towards a financial crisis? And despite not being the bookies’ favourites, could Rayo Vallecano find a way to beat Crystal Palace in the Conference League final?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unai Emery makes it five Europa League titles as a manager. How has he done it? Dotun and Andy are in Istanbul to break it down for us.Plus, could we have asked more from Freiburg? And what does back-to-back English wins mean for the future of the competition?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Excellence. Discipline. Sacrifice. Few clubs embody these tenets like Real Madrid. Their relentless pursuit of success has made them the biggest institution in world football - but how was that identity built, and does it fit in the modern game?Andy is joined by Miguel Pereira, author of The Greatest: Real Madrid's Never Ending Story, to reveal the power, politics and mythology behind Los Blancos. From the shadow of Francisco Franco to the iconic eras shaped by Santiago Bernabéu and Florentino Pérez, they explore how the club’s obsession with star power has driven both its greatest triumphs and deepest tensions.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eight turbulent months at Real Madrid arguably told us more about the squad's shortcomings than they did Xabi Alonso's coaching credentials. So why, with Europe's elite circling one of football's most sought-after coaches, are Chelsea leading the race for his signature?Jonathan Johnson joins Andy and Dotun to answer that and more of your burning questions! What’s the fan-player dynamic like at Strasbourg? Can Real Betis properly compete in the Champions League? And what is Mauro Icardi’s legacy in Türkiye?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all know that the current state of Ligue 1 doesn't exactly provide the foundations for a title race which goes down to the wire. This year, it very nearly did though. Lens have been excellent, capitalising on the major underperformances we've seen from Marseille and Monaco, but do they stand any chance of challenging the Parisians in the years to come?Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to debate that. Plus, Florentino Pérez goes on a ridiculous rant as he prepares to appoint José Mourinho as his next Head Coach at Real Madrid, and there are some big teams circling the drain in Spain and Germany. Is any club really too big to go down?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

El Clásico once again delivered drama, but Barcelona didn't just beat Real Madrid - they dismantled them. In the first Clásico at the renovated Camp Nou, Barça showed exactly why they’ve dominated this season's La Liga by exposing just how broken Real Madrid are.Andy is joined by David Cartlidge to dissect it all: a stunning Marcus Rashford free-kick, the electric Camp Nou, and how Real Madrid's current state can be summed up by an altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kylian Mbappé’s situation at Real Madrid is deteriorating: yacht trips during games, growing isolation in the dressing room, and fans launching petitions to force him out. So what’s his next best move?Andy and Dotun are joined by Nicky Bandini for more of your questions! Should Pep Guardiola return to the continent? How high is Como’s ceiling? And is multi-club ownership really that bad?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PSG have qualified for back-to-back Champions League finals for the first time in their history. Luis Enrique is clearly doing something right in Paris, but he in the midst of creating something even more special, a dynasty perhaps?Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to discuss PSG's brilliance and Bayern Munich's shortcomings. Plus, is it time for Atlético Madrid to finally say goodbye to Diego Simeone? And how much credit does Cristian Chivu deserve for regaining the Scudetto with Inter?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Athletic Bilbao is a football club defined by its Basque-only philosophy: the club only uses players developed either in its own academy or elsewhere in the Basque Country. While managers are exempt from this rule, the club has still rarely hired outsiders - so why have they turned to Edin Terzić?David Cartlidge joins Andy and Dotun to answer some of your continental queries! Why did Roma sack Claudio Ranieri? Who will get promoted to La Liga? And after the high-scoring affair we saw on Tuesday night, do any other matches compare?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all expected PSG vs Bayern Munich to be good... but that good? Nobody could've predicted that.David Cartlidge joins Dotun and Andy to dissect what was a Champions League game for the ages... and also Atlético Madrid vs Arsenal. It was never going to live up to the standards set on Tuesday, but it was an intriguing game in its own right. Plus, José Mourinho looks set for a Real Madrid return. On a scale of ten to ten, how disastrous would that appointment be for Los Blancos?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After two years away, Barcelona have returned to Camp Nou. When finished, it will be the biggest football stadium in Europe and a much-needed financial lifeline for Barcelona.However, what does this mean for local fans? Will inflated ticket prices and the rise of tourism sanitise the experience? Andy visited the new Camp Nou to find out…Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lars Sivertsen isn't even on the show today, but after Juventus' 0-0 draw away at Milan on Sunday night, you can hear his cries of 'make Juventus fun again' reverberating across the continent. It wasn't a vintage clash between two of Italy's great heavyweights and it's not the first time we've said that this season – what's happening to the broader entertainment value across Serie A this season?Nicky Bandini joins Andy to discuss what has made Italy's top flight so underwhelming this season, and whether we can expect better in the years to come. Plus, Christian Pulisic's goalless streak, and the race for the remaining Champions League place continues.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea have pulled the trigger again, parting ways with Liam Rosenior after a mere four months at Stamford Bridge, so where should he go to rebuild his reputation? And after yet another managerial sacking, where should Chelsea be looking for a replacement?Lars Sivertsen joins Andy and Dotun to answer more of your questions! Could Bernardo Silva return to Benfica? Should we take notice of Club Brugge’s youth pipeline? And who’s going to win the Coppa Italia?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things tend to get twitchy when Real Madrid aren't competing for trophies, but the atmosphere you can sense on the Bernabéu terraces is something we haven't seen for a very long time. Their side beat Deportivo Alavés 2-1 on Tuesday, but that didn't stop their own fans booing both Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr in midweek. Something needs to change, and fast.Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to discuss the week in European football, including another slip-up for PSG. Are we really set for a title fight in France? Plus, Bayern Munich win their second Bundesliga under Vincent Kompany. A lesson in leadership and scoring lots of goals.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Real Sociedad claimed their first major trophy since 2020 by winning a thrilling Copa del Rey final against Atlético Madrid. Glory for La Real, but yet more misery for Atleti.Lars Sivertsen joins Andy to discuss how unlikely American Head Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo took his side all the way. Plus, heartbreak for Diego Simeone's men after a tough couple of weeks for the Rojiblancos. Can they really pose any threat at all to a beleaguered Arsenal in the Champions League?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After their ruthless dismantling of Bodø/Glimt, many thought that Sporting would have something to offer an out-of-form Arsenal side - but just one goal across both legs tells a different story. It was a timid performance from Rui Borges' side, but did they deliberately take it easy?Miguel Delaney joins Andy and Dotun to answer more of your burning questions! Why does Aurelio De Laurentiis want to reform football? Do we consider Julián Alvarez one of the best forwards in Europe? And why have AC Milan fallen off in Serie A?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Champions League served up yet another all-timer at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night with Bayern Munich putting Real Madrid to the sword. You know you're getting something special when those two teams play, but did anybody expect drama quite like that?Miguel Delaney joins Dotun and Andy to pull apart what the result means for both of those European giants. Plus, Atlético Madrid keep their magic run going by edging past La Liga rivals Barcelona, and Marie-Louise Eta makes history at Union Berlin - and about time too.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After some questionable performances in the previous stage of the Champions League, many doubted whether PSG could retain their European crown. But after such a dominant showing in the first leg of their quarter-final tie against Liverpool, what's stopping them from going all the way to Budapest?Dotun & Andy are joined by David Cartlidge to break it down. We also talk about Manuel Neuer's place among Europe's greatest goalkeepers, the possibility of Jadon Sancho returning to Borussia Dortmund, and Italy's next head coach (according to Antonio Conte).Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Atlético Madrid pulled off a shock victory at Camp Nou for the first time since 2006! So, how did they do it and what do they have to do in the second leg to secure their place in the final four?David Cartlidge joins Dotun & Andy to discuss that. Plus, Bayern Munich get a big win at the Bernabéu - all credit to Vincent Kompany and his side, or was the defeat a self-inflicted one for Los Blancos? And finally, a tribute to one of football’s greatest men, Mircea Lucescu, who has sadly died at the age of 80.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've all heard the term ‘Project Mbappé’. It's used to describe parents pushing their children into football from a young age, inspired by Kylian Mbappé’s father, Wilfrid. But beneath it lies a far more deliberate story - one of meticulous planning, hyper-analysis, and a career mapped out long before Mbappé had even played professional football.Andy is joined by Philippe Auclair, author of The Mbappé Project: Making a Superstar, to explore how one of the sport's biggest players was shaped from the age of six. Every decision. Every interview. Every sponsorship. All of it, carefully calculated from the very beginning.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After failing to return to training, Romelu Lukaku's future at Napoli hangs in the balance. It seems unbelievable given his relationship with Antonio Conte, but is Lukaku's absence reflective of his time in Naples?Nicky Bandini stands first in line to answer that as she joins Dotun and Andy to answer more of your questions! Could Nico Schlotterbeck be on the move? How has Ashley Cole performed at Cesena? And if you had to watch just one country’s football forever, which would it be?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yet another disastrous qualification campaign has ended with Italy failing to reach the World Cup for the third successive time. First under Gian Piero Ventura in 2017, then in 2022 with Roberto Mancini, and now in 2026 under the management of Gennaro Gattuso.Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to express her disappointment, but it's not all doom and gloom! There was euphoria for Sweden, Türkiye, and the Czech Republic as they all qualified to play in North America. And finally, back in club football, Bayern Munich's Harry Kane is out with an injury sustained while on international duty. Can they compete without their star man up top?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The news of Mohamed Salah's Liverpool exit reverberated across the football world. Some have linked him to the Saudi Pro League, others to MLS - but would staying in Europe actually be his best move? And if so, where should he go next?Nicky Bandini joins Andy and Dotun to tackle more of your questions. Were Ligue 1 right to accommodate PSG's Champions League schedule? Could Jürgen Klopp return to coaching? And what are Austria's chances at the World Cup?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Italy, we send you one simple message ahead of your World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland tonight. Please, all you have to do is not screw it up. But will it really be as straight forward as it should - emphasis on SHOULD - be for a nation that hasn't been at the world's biggest tournament since 2014?Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to share her anxiety. Plus, after La Liga's most drawn out transfer story of all time, Antoine Griezmann is finally set to leave Atlético Madrid for Orlando City in the summer! How will he be remembered at the Metropolitano? And Endrick, now at Lyon, is back in the Brazil squad. But please, let's not make the obvious Pelé comparisons... or maybe we just can't help ourselves!Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a time when De Klassieker represented the very best that Dutch football had to offer. Long gone are the days of Frenkie de Jong, Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt and of course the countless Netherlands legends who passed through Feyenoord and Ajax in the 20th century. What we're left with are two sides nowhere near the standard of title contenders.Andy is joined by Dutch journalist Kalum van Oudheusden - who was at the game - to dissect all the biggest talking points. Is time running out for Robin van Persie? What has happened to Ajax's legendary youth academy? And is Raheem Sterling living up to the lofty expectations placed on him?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.