In the digital age, it’s never been easier to obtain news and information relating to our favorite sports. On a global scale, football is the most popular pastime, and that’s why news channels and social media focus so much on players and teams worldwide.
Beyond instant news updates, football fans also want to discuss aspects of their clubs. Who will the team look to sign in the next transfer window? Is the manager under pressure following a poor run of results?
It’s for these reasons that football podcasts are so popular. There are thousands of options to choose from, but which are the best?
The Athletic Football Tactics Podcast
The Athletic is a respected website, providing in-depth opinions, news and football predictions throughout the season. They offer a number of different podcasts to enjoy, but one of the most popular is the Football Tactics show.
For anyone interested in tactics, this is the podcast to listen to. Contributors to The Athletic are all experts in their particular field, and listeners can expect to hear the most comprehensive analysis of team tactics across the leagues.
Ali Maxwell is the host, while Michael Cox, who has written a book on the subject, provides the in-depth information.
The Football Ramble
One of the longest, most established podcasts on any sport, The Football Ramble first hit the airwaves back in 2007. The show bases its success and longevity on the fact that it’s just ordinary people, talking about the sport they love.
Many listeners easily identify with the panel, whose passion for the game shines through. The Football Ramble is a humorous look at the sport that doesn’t take itself too seriously, so while the in-depth analysis may be missing, there is plenty of entertainment in this broadcast.
I Had Trials Once
For every footballer that makes it, there are hundreds more who are left behind. I Had Trials Once tells the stories of those who had their dreams shattered after battling through academy ranks.
The podcast is hosted by Jordan Hulme and Gaz Seddon who interview players who didn’t quite make it. Their stories provide a mix of emotions: There is heartbreak, but there’s also an entertaining look at some inside tales of footballers that the guests played with.
The Overlap
Some of the best current TV pundits appear on The Overlap, and this is the show for expert views and opinion. Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Jamie Carragher will be very familiar to football fans, and this broadcast allows them to take an even closer look at current football news and developments.
The hosts of The Overlap talk about their own experiences in the game, and there is a fascinating insight into football from those who reached the very top.
Up Front with Simon Jordan
Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan is a highly opinionated character, and his “up front” podcast is cleverly named. You may not agree with everything he says, but the show will never be dull.
Up Front with Simon Jordan touches on other sports but football is its main focus. What sets it apart from other podcasts is the fact that it’s not afraid to talk about controversial subjects, while offering opinion that is insightful and thought-provoking.
FC Bullard
Jimmy Bullard was one of football’s great characters, and it’s no surprise that he began a successful broadcasting career when his playing days were over. In FC Bullard, he reunites with Fenners, who appeared alongside him on Sky Sports’ Soccer AM show.
Jimmy and Fenners are tasked with building a football team from scratch. They have no ground, no kit and no players, and the podcast follows them on a hilarious journey. A mixture of grass roots figures, and former players help to make FC Bullard one of the best football podcasts right now.
That Peter Crouch Podcast
As a former professional footballer with 42 international caps for England, Peter Crouch has access to top players in the game. So, if you want to listen to a podcast with the best guest stars, this is it.
That Peter Crouch Podcast began in 2018, and has run for five seasons to date, so there is a large back catalogue to enjoy. Crouch is an entertaining figure, who has written books on his long and eventful career. The stories he tells, and those that he extracts from his guests, make this an unmissable podcast.
Football is such a popular sport, and many more new podcasts will appear in the near future. Whether they can capture an audience as big as the shows on this list remains to be seen, but there’s always room for more broadcasts to join in the fun.
For now, these are the best football podcasts available, and they are unmissable highlights for true followers of the game.
David Nugent