Could It Be Magic?

Former Manchester City and England defender Joleon Lescott is back with Jeff to pick the top 5 forwards he faced during his career.  Who made him realise what the level was in the Champions League? Which Champions League winner turned into Iron Man inside the box? Who is his surprise number one? Joleon also reveals how facing Wayne Rooney would leave you exhausted, why Carlos Tevez once refused to come on as a sub in Munich and who he’d pick between Harry Kane and Erling Haaland. Fernando Torres, Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez and Samuel Eto’o all get a mention too but do they make his final five? Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. You can catch our previous episode with Joleon Lescott where he recalls Manchester City’s epic Premier League title win in 2012 here: YouTube - https://youtu.be/hX6mZOBc6Ho?si=eY2IlJg8ly00g_Y9 Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000652573677 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0E2zLwg8M5WiLjKE9R3eGS?si=9d41a647eb1041a8 Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australian football legend Mark Schwarzer joins Jeff once again on the pod, this time to pick his Top 5 Australian men’s players ever. Some top names from the Premier League era are discussed including Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Tim Cahill. Which of his five does he suggest could have played for any of the top clubs in the world? Who, according to Mark, was the most talented player his country has produced? Whose move to one of England’s biggest clubs didn’t work out and why? Mark also recalls what it was like to like to be part of the squad that reached Australia’s first men’s World Cup in 32 years and picks out some of the current crop he thinks could have an impact in the years to come. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. You can catch our previous episode with Mark Schwarzer where he picked his greatest ever Premier League goalkeepers here: YouTube - https://youtu.be/p7DKmtkrreE?si=hDxAq0Kws1nPKx-P Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000648035222 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1K0cikT6iaoXTx33QLVLwB?si=c0a25c2f0aa54981 Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What makes a great leader in football? Thats’s the question Jeff is asking former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson on this week’s episode of the pod. Thommo was himself a born leader, who lifted the European Cup as captain in 1981. He talks about how Bill Shankly mapped out his entire career and the time Bob Paisley gave him his biggest rollicking, the best leaders he played with and why captaincy seems to matter more in the UK. He also reveals the player that scared him the most, how he pranked an England legend into believing he was joining Liverpool, and what he really thought about Alex Ferguson’s great Manchester United sides. Phil also talks about some of his lowest moments, including losing the captaincy at Liverpool to Graeme Souness and being overlooked to be England skipper at the 1982 World Cup, and recalls why Steve Gerrard took the armband from Sami Hyypia at Anfield and his emotional team talk before his first match as Liverpool’s caretaker manager. You can catch our previous episode with Phil Thompson, where he picked his Top 5 Liverpool players, here: YouTube - https://youtu.be/eLh7e5tZrow?si=aNp7t-cCv0tM5CpJ Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000647187436 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5dp0JDg6L2l47xrEX83bp8?si=20fa506086d5416d Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who were the top 5 British players of the 1980s? Arsenal, Celtic, Aberdeen and Scotland legend Charlie Nicholas discusses his picks with Jeff on the latest episode of the pod. Who was so good that even Diego Maradona was impressed? Which opponent used to encourage you during a game? Which defender used to pull your ears off the ball? Along the way he explains how joining Arsenal stopped him being picked for Scotland, reveals who his favourite strike partner was during his career and which current Premier League player he’d most like to play alongside. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest joining Jeff Stelling is the former Coventry, Celtic and Scotland manager Gordon Strachan. They look back on his career as a player with Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds United and he gives us plenty of stories about managerial legends like Sir Alex Ferguson, Jock Stein, Howard Wilkinson and Ron Atkinson, answering questions like: How did Fergie scare the Aberdeen players into winning? How could Jock Stein be brutal with his own players? Did Big Ron really have a sunbed at the training ground? Gordon also recalls when Fergie banned the players wives from the team bus after a Scottish Cup Final win, the time he and a team-mate dared to ask the great man for a transfer and why winning promotion with Leeds was so special. He also explains why managing Celtic or Rangers is the biggest test you can face as a manager, how he dealt with difficult characters in his Scotland squads, facing the brilliant Brazil team at the 1982 World Cup and the trip to Tenerife where he ended up in a lookalike competition…as himself. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kane, Gascoigne, Greaves, Klinsmann, Modric, Bale, Mackay, Waddle, Ardiles, Son, Lineker, Sheringham. Tottenham have had some great players down the years but who would be in your top 5? That’s the question Jeff Stelling asks Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle in this week’s episode of the pod. Which forward glided across the pitch? Who played football like it was a chess match? Which legend was partly responsible for Glenn being picked up by the club? Glenn also explains why he thinks Harry Kane finds playing in Germany easier than the Premier League and why he may not have named Alan Shearer as his club captain despite him being his England skipper.  Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket Production with BBC Studios. Listen to or watch our previous episode with Glenn Hoddle where he discussed Football's Greatest Midfielders here: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000648872418 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Dd1hfyKHSgqLKuXlXhopr?si=CPK2ucuwQgOaZZ_DKeXk7w Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Lg3okOZf9l4?si=MgzBZvwNTWoNH6Ur Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Le Tissier may not have been a great goalscorer like Alan Shearer or Harry Kane but he was a scorer of great goals. In our latest REPLAY with Jeff Stelling, Le Tiss talks through some of those that have gone down in Premier League folklore and why he was able to often produce brilliant moments. Which was the best goal from his canon? Which goals were a turning point in his football career? What’s his favourite of his strikes? He also chats about chipping Peter Schmeichel, why he was never afraid to look stupid when playing football and how he compared to another dead ball specialist: David Beckham. That leads to him recalling the day he took part in a free-kick competition in England training with Becks and then manager Glenn Hoddle. But who came out on top? Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket Production with BBC Studios. Listen to or watch the full episode of Football's Greatest Set Piece Takers with Matt Le Tissier here: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000645130118 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0oX5y0VsMI0t3Z1Iz2y6Wb?si=00476557f57b4de3 Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/V-qPu3ESR-8?si=hL0MP6XLYErwqGkX Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Joleon Lescott to discuss Manchester City’s Premier League title win in 2012, one which some believe to be the greatest ever. Big names and big characters are brought up, including Roberto Mancini, Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany and Mario Balotelli. They discuss: THAT game against QPR: the comeback, Aguero’s goal and Joey Barton’s red card The most influential player in that City squad Why many of City’s players were happy to see Mancini go the year after the title win Joleon also reveals how Balotelli’s iconic ‘Why Always Me?’ Celebration at Old Trafford came about and recalls the love-hate relationship between the forward and Mancini. He also discusses Emmanuel Adebayor’s famous celebration against Arsenal, the Premier League legend who used to try and distract him during a match and the former England manager who made him cry. He also answers this question: who would win a match between the 2012 title winners and City’s current all-conquering side? Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. 🚨 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/fgpod Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our latest Replay, former Arsenal, Aston Villa and England forward Paul Merson talks about the impact of Harry Redknapp on his career from our Greatest Mavericks episode. The two men had a memorable season together at Portsmouth in the Championship, winning the title and gaining promotion to the Premier League. This bonus episode also includes unheard material, including a brilliant story where Merse recalls the time he took an unsanctioned mid-season break in Barbados and Harry found out. He also reveals: Why Harry was such a brilliant manager to work under Harry’s hilarious assessment of his Portsmouth squad as he tried to convince Merse to join The set of fans with a fearsome reputation who gave Merse a standing ovation Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket Production with BBC Studios. Listen to or watch the full episode of Football's Greatest Mavericks with Paul Merson, where he talks about Jack Grealish, Ian Wright, Paul Gascoigne and Diego Maradona among others: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000643477759 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/032OzhhC8OVG1Th3ZqzeuM?si=0272c8ee280a4d0e YouTube - https://youtu.be/O6ZU4Zpd2V0?si=tZXHuTTxGgSuZtDI Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Germany legend Michael Ballack joins Jeff Stelling to discuss his Top 5 Bundesliga players.  Which midfielder was the best player Michael Ballack played with during his career? Who has seen off all-comers at Bayern Munich? Who has changed the way his position on the football pitch is played? As well as picking his Top 5, Ballack gives his opinion on England’s Jude Bellingham, marks out what has impressed him about Xabi Alonso’s managerial career so far and recalls how he felt when his former clubs Chelsea and Bayern Munich contested the 2012 Champions League Final. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. 🚨 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/fgpod Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Watch or listen to our previous episode with Michael Ballack where he discusses his greatest ever German players in the Premier League: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/footballs-greatest/id1721822502?i=1000645958379 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0hNWiqCWugNK1hZR6QI6OP?si=fd7c2bd82a8d4fe8 YouTube - https://youtu.be/8XYx4ajTIeE?si=5y0QJ2FveWnW-0_Q Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices