The Commentators’ View: Women’s Euros special

Jul 1, 2025

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Ali Bruce-Ball is joined by Conor McNamara & Vicki Sparks ahead of UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. Hear from England striker Alessia Russo, catch Vicki’s Toblerone tales from Basel and will the ‘false one’ get in to the Great Glossary of Football Commentary. Plus reaction to Manchester City crashing out of the FIFA Club World Cup, and will Clash of the Commentators champion Ali Bruce-Ball be beaten?

Live show tickets: crossedwires.live/fringe WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 Emails to TCV@bbc.co.uk

00:50 Man City knocked out of FIFA Club World Cup, 03:10 Russell Fuller slips on his cliché banana skin, 07:30 Vicki Sparks joins the pod live from Switzerland, 13:40 5 Live commentaries at the Women’s Euros, 14:10 Hear from England striker Alessia Russo, 17:05 What are Wales aiming for at first major tournament? 19:20 Don’t give Vicki extra facts on matchday! 23:30 Toblerone tales from Basel, 25:15 Vicki vs Ali in Clash of the Commentators, 32:10 ‘False One’ for the Great Glossary?

BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Wed 1700 Iceland v Finland on Sports Extra 2, Wed 2000 Switzerland v Norway on 5 Live, Thu 2000 Spain v Portugal on 5 Live, Fri 1700 Denmark v Sweden on Sports Extra 3, Fri 2000 Germany v Poland on 5 Live, Sat 1700 Wales v Netherlands on 5 Live, Sat 2000 France v England on 5 Live.

Glossary so far: 2-0 is a dangerous score, After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Brace, Brandished, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Coupon buster, Cultured/Educated left foot, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Fox in the box, Free hit, Goalmouth scramble, Good touch for a big man, Head tennis, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Nutmeg, One of those, Opposite number, Park the bus, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Put their laces through it, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Seen them given, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Smash and grab, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Stramash, Sweeper keeper, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Turns like an ocean liner / aircraft carrier, Put it in the mixer, Towering header, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Where the owl sleeps, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.