by Immaterial
Listen to the stories behind football's biggest names, hosted by Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan. "Hosts Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan know their stuff." – The Guardian "The most interesting football podcast of the moment." – NRC, a leading Dutch daily Heroes & Humans moves beyond the traditional boundaries of sports commentary to explore the lives of football's most interesting figures. Whether episodes are about Messi, Abramovich, Cruyff, Şükür or Haaland, this is the go-to podcast for football audio-biographies. Released once weekly on Thursdays. Simon Kuper, acclaimed by Time Magazine as "one of the world's leading writers on soccer," and an awarded Financial Times columnist, brings a three-decade career of interviewing and understanding the personalities that define the world’s greatest sport. Having attended the last nine World Cups and boasting Europe's largest football library, Simon's insights are rooted in a profound depth of knowledge and passion for football. Mehreen Khan, whose day job is as the Economics Editor at The Times, believes football is a "brilliant shortcut in how to understand societies, economies, and politics". She is a football obsessive and die-hard Chelsea fan. With her ability to intertwine socio-political narratives with pop culture savvy, Mehreen stands out in the football podcasting landscape. Her presence as one of the few female voices adds a valuable dimension, broadening the conversation for listeners. Mehreen was previously the FT’s Brussels correspondent, before moving to The Times in 2022. She started her career in sports journalism at the Daily Telegraph in 2014, and wrote a football blog that touched on themes including Russia’s breakaway Muslim separatism, German multiculturalism, and the earth-shattering magnificence of Andrea Pirlo. Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news and updates: heroesandhumans.com
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
3/8/2024
Email Addresses
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January 16, 2025
Geoff Hurst shares his complex legacy as the last surviving member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team, revealing the challenges of life after football and the devastating impact of dementia on his teammates.
January 9, 2025
How did a pizza waiter from Haarlem become one of football's most influential figures? This is the story of Mino Raiola, the super-agent who transformed the football transfer market, and his successor, Rafaela Pimenta. In this episode, Simon and Mehreen explore the extraordinary career of Mino Raiola and his business partner, Rafaela Pimenta. From his early days working in his family's pizzeria to becoming the agent for stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, and Erling Haaland, this is the tale of how an outsider revolutionised football's transfer market through wit, work ethic, and an uncanny ability to see where the game was heading. This episode reveals how Raiola's pizzeria mentality of personal service shaped his approach to representing players, his complex relationship with football's establishment, and how he built the most powerful agency in modern football. Time stamps: 0:00: Introduction and background 03:40: Early life in Haarlem and the family pizzeria 08:22: Entry into football and first deals 15:44: Meeting Zlatan Ibrahimovic 21:33: Partnership with Rafaela Pimenta 27:16: Building the perfect agency 34:55: The Pogba transfer saga 42:18: Managing player careers and investments 48:37: Battles with clubs and FIFA 54:29: Legacy and influence on modern football 59:13: Rafaela Pimenta takes the reins 1:05:42: The future of football agencies 1:11:27: Final thoughts on Raiola's impact Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere. Instagram TikTok Facebook X Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
December 19, 2024
Simon and Mehreen explore the 1914 Christmas Truce, a poignant moment of football unity amidst war, revealing the human impact on World War I and its enduring legacy.
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