Soccer extends far beyond the pitch. Throughout the 2026 men’s World Cup, Pitch and Power: How Soccer Shapes Everything, a new podcast from The Globe and Mail, looks at eight moments that changed soccer and rattled the wider world. Not just tactics and trophies, but politics, culture, and the moral climate of their day. Host Eoin O’Callaghan talks to pundits, writers, players, eyewitnesses and fans about the genius, joy, and heartache of the beautiful game.
No man is an island: Roy Keane and the World Cup walkout that split a nation
When Roy Keane walked out of Ireland’s 2002 World Cup training camp on the remote island of Saipan, it wasn’t just a star player quitting a squad; it was a country fracturing in real time.
This episode of Pitch and Power traces how a fight between a generational player and a team manager became a prism through which modern Ireland negotiated its history and its future. It examines why Keane’s insistence on professionalism split public opinion along familiar lines and how that rupture amplified questions about leadership, national identity and the power of the media. In the end, Saipan endures as a cautionary tale about the costs of ambition, and how demands for higher standards can both propel a nation forward and expose the raw divisions that accompany change.
9 Jul 2026
Cash, coups and the fragile rise of African soccer
A chartered jet, $3 million in cash, and a player kissing a stack of bills on the tarmac in Brazil. Ghana’s 2014 World Cup bonus crisis wasn’t an isolated fiasco; it was a flashpoint in a larger story about how empire, economics and harmful stereotypes have shaped the arc of African soccer on the world stage. This episode traces the history of African nations at World Cups, from Zaire’s traumatic 1974 campaign under Joseph Mobutu to Cameroon’s joyous shock in 1990 and Ghana’s heartbreak in 2010.
We examine how colonial structures and authoritarian politics warped soccer federations, why compensation battles recur, and how racist tropes still overshadow commentary. Above all, we ask why, despite a deep pool of elite talent, African national teams have so often fallen short at World Cups—and how governance, infrastructure, pay disputes and perception continue to tilt the field against them.
2 Jul 2026
England’s new order: How Italia ‘90 captured the hearts of a country in upheaval
In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher’s England was a country under strain, marked by industrial decline, social unrest and sharp political divides. In that climate, English soccer became a national problem rather than a point of pride. Stadiums crumbled, hooliganism spread and tragedy struck at the Bradford, Heysel, and Hillsborough stadiums. The game felt like a relic: toxic, unsafe, unloved. Then, in the summer of 1990, something shifted.
This episode traces how the 1990 World Cup helped detoxify English soccer and reframe national identity. We look at how an improbable World Cup run became a cultural moment that opened the door to Britpop on the radio, "Cool Britannia" in the headlines and the Premier League era that followed. This is the story of a sport crawling out of the wreckage and a country finding a new way to love its national team.
25 Jun 2026
The ticker tape junta: How an Argentine dictatorship weaponized the 1978 World Cup
In 1978, Argentina staged a World Cup beneath the shadow of a military dictatorship. Just beyond the cameras and ticker tape, the regime was disappearing thousands of dissenters, and the spectacle of the tournament was engineered to launder power: a triumphant nation on TV, a silenced nation offscreen. On this episode of Pitch and Power, we unpack how the 1978 World Cup became the junta’s stage. We hear from reporters, academics and witnesses about a victory tainted by terror, how regimes weaponize joy and pageantry, and the uneasy afterlife of glory when a country must reckon with trauma.
18 Jun 2026
The French revolution: Les Bleus and the battle over French identity
In the summer of 1998, the French national team became a symbol of a diverse, confident nation—only for that dream to curdle twelve years later with the public shame of the Knysna mutiny in South Africa. Few teams have carried more complicated meaning: triumph sparked celebrations of a more expansive French identity, while failure unleashed arguments about loyalty, national character, and who gets to be called ‘French.’
On this episode of Pitch and Power, we explore why this team became a lightning rod for social debates in France, how far‑right voices and mainstream media shaped the story, and what the journey from 1998 to the Knysna mutiny reveals about race, belonging, and power. We hear from reporters who were there, examine the narratives that turned heroes into scapegoats, and unpack how a squad once hailed as the Republic’s emblem of progression came to be portrayed as a national embarrassment.
11 Jun 2026
The man who died standing: Roberto Baggio, Italian agony and the psychology of the penalty kick
In the heat of USA ’94, Roberto Baggio carried the nation of Italy on his shoulders— and then saw it all slip away from twelve yards. This episode explores one of soccer’s most spellbinding talents and the penalty kick that turned his decorated legacy into a lingering question mark. But this isn’t only about one miss. Host Eoin O’Callaghan and guests John Foot, Ben Lyttleton and Kevin Kilbane explore the strange hold penalty kicks have, and why that ritual reveals so much about pressure, identity, and the human condition.
4 Jun 2026
Oh no, Canada: How the 1986 World Cup explains the Canadian psyche
It’s been forty years since a ragtag Canadian team made its unlikely World Cup debut. On this episode of Pitch and Power, host Eoin O’Callaghan and guests Jay Baruchel and 1986 team member Colin Miller unpack the public indifference and skepticism that greeted Canada’s soccer pioneers, who briefly stood on the world stage before vanishing from public memory. How have self-doubt, underfunding, and a series of inexplicable choices shaped Canada’s relationship with soccer? And can recent successes and the upcoming co-hosted World Cup break the cycle?
28 May 2026
Beautiful losers: Johan Cruyff, Total Football and the 1974 World Cup
In the summer of 1974, a bright-orange revolution swept the soccer pitch and the world. The first episode of Pitch and Power: How Soccer Shapes Everything tells the story of Dutch star Johan Cruyff and the Netherlands’ Total Football movement—the dazzling skill, sex appeal and cultural swagger that defined it—and the heartbreak of a World Cup final that turned genius into myth.
More than 50 years on, we explore why this team still captivates the soccer world, whether their idealism was doomed in a colder era, and how their brief reign reshaped the game—and a nation—forever.
21 May 2026
Coming soon: Pitch and Power
Behind every World Cup is a larger story — about national identity and the historical moment in which the games unfold. Eoin O’Callaghan hosts Pitch and Power: How Soccer Shapes Everything, a Globe and Mail series that rewinds the World Cup to eight moments when the game crossed into politics, culture, and the public consciousness. These are stories about ambition, rivalry, grief, and triumph. About the highest highs and the lowest lows.
The first episode of Pitch and Power: How Soccer Shapes Everything arrives on May 28, 2026, from The Globe and Mail. Follow us now wherever you get your podcasts
18 Dec 2022
Greatest final ever? Messi finally wins a World Cup despite legendary performance from Mbappé
Argentina are world champions after one of the most thrilling games in World Cup history, which saw them beat France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. In our final episode, we’re looking at the rollercoaster victory and reflect on Qatar 2022 as a whole. Plus, we look ahead to the World Cup in 2026 and the next four years of Canadian soccer.
15 Dec 2022
Mbappé vs. Messi: What to expect from a France-Argentina World Cup final
With Argentina knocking out Croatia 3-0 and France beating Morocco 2-0, the two heavyweight teams are set to faceoff on Dec 18. for the World Cup final. The stakes are high: France is going for its second World Cup win in a row, while Argentina’s Lionel Messi is vying to finally win a World Cup, and in what will be his last tournament. John and Sonja break down how each team and their star players are looking and who they think will win it all. Plus. Sonja speaks with David Miller, the former Toronto mayor and soccer advocate, about Canada’s journey to becoming a soccer nation and what the 2026 World Cup could mean for this country. And John and Sonja discuss the problem with referees.
11 Dec 2022
Morocco and Croatia upsets and a look ahead to the semi-finals
How quickly things change at a World Cup. A few days ago, hosts John and Sonja were talking about how the tournament was unfolding rather conventionally. Now, Croatia has knocked out Brazil and Morocco beat Portugal to advance to the semi-finals. We delve into the dramatic upsets of the quarter-finals and look ahead to what to expect from the upcoming semi-finals. Plus, Sonja speaks to Shireen Ahmed, a senior contributor for CBC sports, about her recent time in Qatar, lessons from this World Cup and the growth of women’s soccer both in Canada and internationally. And a tribute to Grant Wahl, an American sports journalist who died suddenly in Qatar.
7 Dec 2022
The problem with penalty shootouts, Ronaldo vs. Messi, and what to expect in the quarter-finals
Since 1990, four out of the eight winners of the World Cup have won a penalty shootout on their road to victory at the tournament. And as we’ve seen, in this World Cup, it has the ability to make or break a team’s progression. Spain has now been eliminated from four World Cups after penalty shootouts - its most recent against Morocco this tournament. In this episode, we’re talking about how much penalty taking matters as a skill on the road to a World Cup championship. Plus, we hear from Roger Bennett, one of the hosts of the popular Men In Blazers soccer podcast, about what might be Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup, the 100 greatest players ever and his admiration for Canadian soccer. And John and Sonja look ahead to what we can expect in the quarter-finals.
1 Dec 2022
What the group stage results from this World Cup say about the state of international soccer
As the World Cup group stage wraps, 16 teams move on and 16 are heading home, including Canada. John and Sonja break down Canada’s 2-1 loss to Morocco in their final game of the tournament and the future of our National Men’s program ahead of the next World Cup, which Canada co-hosts in 2026. Plus, John speaks to soccer journalist Eoin O’Callaghan about how various teams - from Brazil to England - are faring at this tournament and what it means about the state of international soccer.
28 Nov 2022
Breaking down Canada’s 4-1 loss to Croatia, plus what it’s like on the ground in Qatar
Despite an early goal by Alphonso Davies, Canada lost to Croatia by 4-1, making them the second team to be eliminated from the World Cup. In this episode, Sonja Missio and John Doyle break down the devastating loss and what went wrong, as well as how their final match against Morocco could decide the outcome for the rest of the group. Plus, Sonja speaks to The Globe’s sports columnist Cathal Kelly, who is on the ground in Qatar, about what that experience has been like. And of course, we delve into other key results from the group stage.
24 Nov 2022
Canada’s 1-0 loss to Belgium, a missed penalty and the glory of shock upsets
The FIFA World Cup tournament officially kicked off earlier this week and hosts John Doyle and Sonja Missio have lots to talk about this episode, starting with Canada’s bitter 1-0 loss to Belgium and Alphonso Davies’ missed penalty shot. Former Canadian national team star Diana Matheson joins us to break down Canada’s performance in their first game and what their strategy might be going forward. Plus, John and Sonja delve into other results from the first round of the group stage - including favourite moments and current controversies. And later in the episode, John speaks to Simon Kuper, the bestselling author of the book Soccernomics, about this World Cup and how data hasn't really revolutionized the sport.
14 Nov 2022
The World Cup kicks off Sunday. Here’s what you need to know
The FIFA World Cup tournament kicks off in just under a week with Team Canada playing its first match on November 23. Think of this episode as a primer for everything you need to know before the tournament starts, whether you’re a casual fan or live for the game. Plus, John Doyle speaks to Camila Gonzalez, TLN host and the producer of the compelling new documentary Heart of Goal: The Rise of Canadian Soccer, about Canada’s road to the World Cup. Finally, Sonja and John debate Canada’s prospects heading into their first World Cup in 36 years and preview their first match against Belgium.
27 Oct 2022
Coming soon: Ahead Of The Game
It’s been 36 years since Canada played in a men’s World Cup tournament. This November, they’re back on soccer’s biggest stage: The FIFA World Cup tournament. What did it take to get to this point? Who made it happen? And what are they up against? Introducing Ahead Of The Game, a brand new sports podcast from The Globe and Mail, which follows Canada’s journey into the World Cup in Qatar and the tournament as a whole. Join hosts John Doyle, Globe and Mail columnist and soccer writer, and soccer journalist Sonja Missio throughout the tournament as they speak to former players, experts on and off the field, fans and fanatics, to cover every angle of Qatar 2022; from great goals and must-see matches to bitter failure and brilliant triumphs.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.6 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
17 ratings
Contact Ahead Of The Game
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
