Football's Greatest: Could It Be Magic?

This week's guest on Football's Greatest was a world class player in his prime. It's Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Germany legend Michael Ballack. He and Jeff sit down to discuss the best German players to have played in the Premier League: Was Mesut Ozil misunderstood? Why was Jurgen Klinsmann made for English football? And which former Manchester City star was sometimes difficult to manage? He also gives his view on whether Jurgen Klopp will become Germany head coach one day, reveals what made footballers want to play for Jose Mourinho and what he thinks is holding back the current Chelsea side. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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

This week Jeff is in the presence of the man known as ‘Le God’ - Matthew Le Tissier - as they discuss the best set pieces takers ever on Football’s Greatest. Who won a free-kick competition between Le Tiss, Glenn Hoddle and David Beckham? Which current Premier League star does he claim bends it better than Becks? And who else has impressed him: De Bruyne or Bruno Fernandes? Trent Alexander-Arnold or Cristiano Ronaldo? Matt reveals his favourite free-kick, which moment from an England match is his greatest regret, why he was so good at penalties and why he’s surprised Gareth Southgate never took up his offer to help the England squad improve their spot-kicks. He also answers why he continues to court controversy with his views on social media and how he felt to miss the 1998 World Cup after being left out by Hoddle. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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

If you had to pick your Top 5 Premier League foreign imports, who would make your list? That’s the question Jeff Stelling asks former Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Portsmouth favourite Paul Merson in this week’s episode of Football's Greatest. Which Champions League winner did Merse originally think was a waste of money? Who was so good that they looked like an adult playing against children? And which legend on his list is he grateful to for getting him off the front pages of the newspapers? Bergkamp, Ronaldo, Salah and De Bruyne are just some of the names that crop up, but do they make the final five? Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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

Jeff Stelling is joined by his good pal Paul Merson to chat about football's greatest mavericks. Merse will know a thing or two about that having been a mercurial talent himself for Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and England. Which of these legends did he think was better in their prime: Ian Wright or Alan Shearer? Which Arsenal legend would go looking for the opposition in the players' lounge after Premier League matches? Who would nobody go near in England training because they were just too good? They also discuss Harry Redknapp's unusual tactics to get Merse to join Portsmouth, why a night out caused him to receive the biggest rollicking of his career and whether a player from the Championship will make an England World Cup squad ever again like he did in 1998. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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

This week on Football's Greatest, Jeff Stelling sits down with Brighton’s James Milner again, this time to discuss the top 5 games from his football career. What was going through his mind during Liverpool’s epic 4-0 Champions League win over Barcelona? Which manager left him out of vital Premier League matches because of superstition? And how did he feel to be subbed off after just 25 minutes at the World Cup? He also talks about why the senior England squad is on another level, how members of his local cricket club protected him when he broke into the Leeds team at 16 and which of his team-mates used to trick him into making a cuppa. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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

Welcome to Football's Greatest with Jeff Stelling, a new weekly podcast where the legendary host sits down with a soccer icon to discuss those who have made a difference in the beautiful game. This week's guest is Brighton midfielder James Milner: three-times Premier League winner, a Champions League winner and holder of 61 England caps. He's worked with some of the best managers in the business and in this episode he gives us insights into how they led, motivated and coached players. Why would Jurgen Klopp lose his rag at the start of his reign at Anfield? Who once made his players continue training even with a tornado incoming? And how did he feel when his own manager said, "You'll never win anything with a team of James Milners"? James also reveals what drew him to Brighton, what it's like playing under Roberto De Zerbi and what he'd do about VAR. Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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

Welcome to Football's Greatest with Jeff Stelling, a new weekly podcast where the legendary host sits down with a soccer icon to discuss those who have made a difference in the beautiful game. For our first guest there was only ever one choice: a reunion with Jeff's old pal Chris Kamara to discuss football’s greatest partnerships.  What really happened when Kammy missed THAT Premier League red card at Portsmouth on Soccer Saturday? Why was their trip to the 2002 World Cup so memorable? And how did they almost meet their demise recently in Sri Lanka?  The guys also discuss Kammy coming to terms with his apraxia and they chat about some of Kammy’s favourite partnerships and how Brian Clough was almost Uncle Brian to Kammy… Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Follow Football's Greatest: 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