On today’s podcast, we focus on Mexico and the Netherlands, whose victories today mean they will face off against each other in the Round of 16. Alan and Meleiza recap Holland’s win, as well as El Tri’s ecstatic victory and how the rise of CONCACAF may reflect on Europe’s dominance of the game, and give a preview of tomorrow’s matches. KPFK’s Antonio Gonzalez speaks with David Brooks of La Jornada on how Mexico’s conservative government is using the team’s glory to distract people from the dramatic and reactionary economic reforms being rammed through the legislature. Finally, we reprise Alan Minsky’s 2010 interview with David Winner, author of “Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer.”
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Another amazing day of high drama at the World Cup! Belgium squeaks by with a last-minute goal, Algeria shines with 4 goals, and USA vs Portugal keep the world on the edge of their seats til the very end. Alan Minsky speaks with Pablo Miralles on the USA vs Portugal shocker and what it means for Team USA and its fans. Alan and Meleiza review the day’s matches, look forward to tomorrow, and address the fraught question: to root or not to root for Team USA? Finally, KPFK’s Suzi Weissman has an extended conversation with Brazilian economist Pedro Paulo Zahluth Bastos.
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Another day of brilliant World Cup games! People’s Game resident Argentinian Karen Anzoategui relives the glory of St. Leo’s sublime goal that secured his canonization and victory in the 91st minute. Then, KPFK’s DJ Nnamdi revels in Nigeria’s victory over Bosnia; solace for a crisis-striken nation. Alan and Meleiza recap the day’s matches, including a glorious tie between Ghana and Germany, and look forward to tomorrow’s matches. The show closes with an all-new roundtable featuring comics Matt Kirshen, Mike Bridenstine, and Ryan Conner.
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On today’s podcast, Alan and Meleiza recap today’s games, including Costa Rica’s impressive upset of the Azzuri, and look forward to tomorrow’s matchups. KPFK’s Suzi Weissman gives us a view from the South, as she sits down for a chat with two Chileans, Arturo Cifuentes and Oscar Mendoza, as well as Brazilian economist Pedro Paulo Zahluth Bastos. Finally, we look on the funny side of this year’s World Cup with a hilarious roundtable from KPFK’s Pocho Hour of Power, hosted by Lalo Alcaraz and featuring comics Matt Kirshen, Mike Bridenstine, and Ryan Conner. Finally, we get a glimpse into LA’s Ecuadorian fan base with a report from Alan Kuey.
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Luis Suarez does his best Diego Maradona impression with two goals that drive a stake through England’s heart. Colombia continues to shine against Ivory Coast, which is more than we could say about Greece or Japan. Meleiza has an in-depth discussion with Teo Ballvé in Bogota about Colombian soccer and politics, and Alan talks with the People’s Game Uruguayan correspondent Lazar Treschan about Suarez and the revival of La Celeste.
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On today’s podcast, Alan Minsky and Meleiza Figueroa analyze Spain’s spectacular meltdown at the Maracanã in its game against Chile, making the defending champions the first team to be eliminated from the 2014 World Cup! In the first half, we discuss various aspects of the game on the field, in light of the apparent death of ‘tiki-taka,’ Spain’s signature style of play. In the second half, Meleiza takes a look at what’s been going on outside Maracanã, with Christopher Gaffney, urban geographer based in Rio de Janeiro, who’s been writing about the protests and the transformation of public space in Brazil as a result of the World Cup’s neoliberal grand slam.
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This week’s broadcast episode features highlights from the week’s podcasts, as well as commentary on today’s games. First, Alan Minsky speaks with Laurent Dubois, professor at Duke University and author of “Soccer Empires,” who shares his thoughts on why the Left should care about global football. Next, Meleiza Figueroa talks to Francisco, an activist in Brazil, and discusses the political backdrop to the 2014 tournament, and the political struggles against FIFA and the global neoliberal economic order. Next, Jonathan Kuttab tells us about the remarkable story of the Palestinian national soccer team, and the charges filed with FIFA against the Israeli Football Federation. Lastly, Alan and Meleiza discuss Spain’s catastrophic exit from the World Cup, and the tournament moving forward.
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On today’s podcast, Alan Minsky and Meleiza Figueroa recap the day’s games, especially the stunning 0-0 clásico between Mexico and Brazil, and preview tomorrow’s lineup as teams begin to face elimination. Alan also speaks to OC Weekly’s Gustavo Arellano about San Memo, aka Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, and Mexico’s performance and prospects. Fernando Romero reports on Mexico’s first match against Cameroon from Natal, Brazil; and we speak to Jonathan Kuttab about the remarkable story of the Palestinian national soccer team. Finally, Alan reports on watching the Brazil-Mexico game in the heart of Aztlan, and the Russia-South Korea match in LA’s Koreatown.
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The USA defeats their nemesis Ghana, but look less than convincing in the process. Pablo Miralles breaks down the game and reports on watching games at public screenings in the middle of the Shanghai night. Then we have an extensive conversation with Laurent Dubois, who blogs at soccer politics / the politics of football; and we close the show with a Democracy Now! report on the demonstrations from Dave Zirin in Rio.
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In this jam-packed podcast, Alan Minsky, Meleiza Figueroa, and Karen Anzoategui begin with Argentina’s debut, the protests at Maracanã Stadium, and a quick recap the day’s action and tomorrow’s games; then Meleiza speaks to a Brazilian activist in the capital city of Brasília; Alan talks with performance artist Karen Anzoategui about her one-woman show, ‘Ser!’, and about growing up a woman soccer fan in the age of Maradona; and Ian Masters speaks with Andrew Jennings, the only reporter banned from FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s press conferences.