Football Ramble

That's a wrap on the group stages for the Club World Cup! Sadly, we're saying goodbye to the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns and River Plate, who oh so nearly gave us a proper brawl against Inter. Shame.

Marcus, Luke, Vish and Andy (fresh back from LA!) discuss that and just how f**cked Juventus players Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah are after slagging off Italian food. Plus, in the time it's taken you to read this, Cristiano Ronaldo...

Today, we're bringing you a special episode from Andy's European rabble over at On The Continent!

He's joined by Dotun and French football expert Jonathan Johnson to explore Lyon's relegation (provisionally) to Ligue 2. How on earth did such an illustrious club get to breaking point, and who is to blame for their demise?

Plus, as Atlético Madrid crash out of the Club World Cup, is time finally up for Diego Simeone? And Benfic...

The really terrible tournament that we're enjoying and hate but also love goes on. And Gordon Bennett, Auckland City got a point against Boca bloody Juniors!

Marcus, Jim and Pete celebrate a huge result for trainee school teachers everywhere. We also examine Atletico Madrid's promise of a supporter's club in space and Pete suggests building a Ramble Club in the dirtiest part of the solar system.

Plus, some lovely whispers abo...

A tournament straight from the mind of Gianni Infantino is (predictably) a bit of a mess – but is the Club World Cup a totally lost cause, or is there a version of it that might actually work?

Pete tells Marcus and Luke why the whole thing reminds him of the bizarre new Sprite and tea combo. Plus, what are the player and club pairings we wish had happened? Come join us to find out!

Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It'l...

The Brazilian sides cannot be stopped at this Club World Cup thing. Flamengo dispatched Chelsea (while Nicolas Jackson dispatched himself) and who knows what a completely commando Alex Barboza will do next?

Marcus, Luke, Jim and Pete analyse the weekend's action and sadly wave goodbye to Ulsan Ultra 4k and those brave boys from Auckland City. If only Pete could get his hands on some kind of commemorative plate to remember them b...

That's right! Luke's Game has been restored to its former glory for the summer of 2025.The rules are simple: can you name more clubs a footballer has played for than your opponent?

This week Luke is up against Marcus, with Pete officially appointed by PUGMOL as referee. Who's got that fire in their belly and their head frozen solid? Let's find out!

Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It'll help us learn more about the con...

These long summer days. They’re just made for throwing a ball in the backyard with, say, I don’t know... Brad Friedel, aren’t they?

Marcus, Luke and Pete haven’t left the studio since Wednesday and it’s just been wall-to-wall Club World Cup throughout: Botafogo beat PSG, Al-Hilal drew with Real Madrid and targeted Trent Alexander-Arnold, and... what? Donald Trump started talking about going to war with the Juventus squad stood b...

Today's episode is a special teaser of what you can expect every week on the Football Ramble Patreon!

For just $5 a month, you'll get an extended version of every Wednesday episode of the Ramble! It's called Ramble Uncut and it's all the stuff we would be talking about if football wasn't always getting in the way. You'll also hear from fellow Patreon subscribers and receive exclusive insight into what's going on in Pete's garden...

The Club World Cup might not be quite tickling our fancy at the moment, but it has meant a new Pitbull song. It’s a remix. And it might have been made in 10 minutes. What’s not to love?

But before you stick that on, get a load of Marcus, Luke and Pete, who celebrate Sergio Ramos’ glorious header, Boca Juniors' incredible fans and Fluminense’s 44-year-old keeper (guys, it’s a ‘slightly wee your trousers’ summer).

Plus, Marcus ...

With increasing scrutiny placed on the likes of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and even the United States, we wonder which countries could viably host a World Cup without any of the political or social controversies that have marred recent editions. Is that even possible?

Marcus, Jim and Vish also return to our ‘defining figures of the decade’ discourse, turning our attentions to managers this time. Plus: our favourite commentary teams, g...

Never mind freed from desire, can we be freed from... this?

The Club World Cup is underway and Marcus, Jim and Vish are here to give it the serious, sage analysis it deserves. Like, did iShowSpeed really tell Sergio Agüero how to do a crossbar challenge?

The conditions have obviously already us worried about England next summer, but the goals (and the Can Can music) were flowing for Bayern Munich against unfortunate underdogs...

Zidane and Ronaldo in the 2000s. Messi and Ronaldo in the 2010s. But who’s going to define this decade of world football? Marcus, Jim and Andy run through the contenders, from Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to future four-time Champions League winner Scott McTominay.

We also have a cracking discussion about who could succeed Harry Kane as England captain. Has Declan Rice emerged as the favourite? And does Jude Bellingham’s fiery...

18 years of this daft little podcast. All of it - every last episode - has been for this day to arrive: the fully-formed, gloriously-conceived FIFA Club World Cup!

Marcus, Andy, Jim and Pete cast their eyes over the tournament and - shockingly - Pete declares that he's excited. Chris Martin has 'fixed' him, to be fair.

Plus, el grande rato speaks Spanish and looks at a trophy at his Real Madrid unveiling, while Santi Cazorla ...

There are just 364 days until the World Cup kicks off in the Azteca Stadium. It's a good job there's nothing else overshadowing it this time...

Marcus, Jim & Vish assess the the runners and riders for the competition in one year's time, and take a look at how England are shaping up twelve months from the tournament.

Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It'll help us learn more about the content you love so we can bring...

Turns out Thomas Tuchel is the bravest boy of all. A 4-4-2 tribute act, even when it doesn’t suit this team or opposition? RULE BRITANNIA!

Seriously though, what on Earth was that? Marcus, Jim and Vish try to work out what Tuchel’s plan is after a humbling defeat to an excellent Senegal side, as several England players did themselves no favours. Plus, Crystal Palace and Lyon play out the final scene from Reservoir Dogs, there’s ...

We all remember Jesse Marsch looking a little out of his depth while guiding Leeds United towards Premier League relegation. Well, it seems you can't keep a good man down. Now manager of Canada, he's made some extraordinary suggestions about a potential poisoning of his players.

But before that, Marcus, Jim, Pete & Vish discuss Spurs' sacking of Ange Postecoglou with Thomas Frank set to replace him. Poor Alfie Whiteman's had...

Portugal have lifted the Nations League once more! Bobby Martínez's boys edged it on penalties in a fighting performance that well and truly puts them in the mix for next summer.

Marcus, Vish, Pete and Jim react to that – and England's definitely convincing not at all worrying 1-0 win over Andorra. Elsewhere, it was Slicker by name, not by nature, for Scotland in their 3-1 defeat to Iceland – but on the upside, at least they hav...

Not everyone can be a headline grabber. While the usual suspects have lapped up the plaudits, some have been quietly brilliant in the background – so how about we put them in the Ramble sun?

Marcus, Andy & Vish offer up their unsung heroes! Plus, could Chelsea emerge as the 'little horse' for the Premier League title next season? And if we could switch any result in football history, what would we pick? A bit of extra time i...

Vindication – at last – for Marcus Speller and the Nations League! Spain and France had a nine-goal punch-up last night and what can only be described as an incredibly post-season number of shots (40).

Marcus, Jim, Andy and Vish discuss the game and turn their eyes to England's meeting with Andorra tomorrow, who – incidentally – are perhaps the only team in world football who might miss out on qualifying for next summer's 6-week...