B/R Football Ranks

We saw La Liga leap into action last weekend, albeit missing a few of its biggest names, and this coming weekend sees the full cohort return in Europe's Big Five, with Germany and Italy joining the party - so we thought we'd take a look at what you can expect from them this season.  We talk title winners, Champions League spots, Europa League places and VERY IMPORTANTLY, the Europa Conference League inaugural contestants for each of Spain, Italy and Germany; as well as looking at our tips for Golden Boot winners and Breakout stars in each league.  Hot Takes see Sam singing the praises of Tariq Lamptey; Dean discussing why Tottenham are trying to sign Danny Ings (or any number nine really) and Jack waxing lyrical about the pitched battle that was this week's Le Classique. Oh, and there's a very special Melon of the Week. It's all-new Ranks!  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Premier League is back, baby! And we're back with a bumper episode to look at everything you need to know before the big kick-off. We start with Hot Takes looking at best signings, breakthrough stars and golden boot predictions, before Sam walks us through every team and where he thinks they'll finish the season.  Then it's on to Fantasy FPL for Roulette, where we discuss wing-backs, Wolves and Sheffield United; must-have Chelsea new boys and the players you simply can't go without. And because, we treat you here at Ranks, Dean gives a Melon of the Week and there's even a Nonsense Ranking. We love you, Rank Squad.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's episode No. 100 for B/R Football Ranks and we complete the ton with a 'back to basics' vintage which includes Hot Takes, Predictions and a glorious return of the Roulette wheel.  Sam gets back on the predictions train for the new season, but only after we take a look back at what he predicted last season - which, to be fair to him, included the incredible shout that 'Lyon will do an Ajax in the Champions League'. This year's predictions include shouts for Benfica, AC Milan, Manchester City, Aubameyang and Inter.  Hot Takes sees Dean talking All or Nothing and Spurs's transfer business; Sam ranting about Valencia having the single worst transfer window of all-time; and Jack giving some love to Sandro Tonali joining Milan - the team he supported as a boy.  And the Roulette wheel throws up questions on who Barcelona need to sign in their crisis period, Donny van de Beek's proposed move to Manchester United and how Leeds United will fare on their return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa.  Thanks for sticking with us through 100 Rank Squad. Here's to 100 more!  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The season is over, long live the season. With 2019/20 wrapping up this weekend after Bayern were crowned Champions of Europe for the sixth time, we took precisely ten minutes off and launched ourselves into 2020/21, which is already underway in France, Scotland and beyond. No rest for the wicked!  To get ourselves into gear, we took a look at the teams we're most excited to watch over the coming year, because of their signings, setups and systems; so that you can have the heads up on who you should be keeping an eye on. To do so, we brought in Behind the Lines co-founder and legend of Football Twitter, Mr. Zach Lowy - who went toe-to-toe with Sam in his selections, pitting two footballing heavyweights against each other.  Before that, Sam and Jack break down the UCL final and how Kingsley Coman's goal should be a wakeup for PSG letting their youth leave on the cheap and discuss Thomas Tuchel's substitutions; before flicking to the UEL where Sam touches on Diego Carlos' strange couple of games and Jack surprises everyone by picking a Sevilla moment as his 'Thing I Loved'.  It's B/R Football Ranks, and the football keeps coming.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Even writing that title felt weird. But the biggest transfer saga of the summer is underway, and it's one we never thought we'd even consider. After Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, rumours abound that Lionel Messi has finally had enough of life in Blaugrana, and fancies a new challenge.  Now, we've heard these rumours before. So we thought we'd bring in someone who had a deep insight into the workings of big transfers at Barcelona. Cue Marcelo Bechler, the man who first broke the news that Neymar was off to PSG, and who on Sunday night, wrote the first article that Messi could do the same, setting the football world ablaze. We got Marcelo on to separate fact from fiction, and work out what Messi's thoughts really are.  And then onto the club as a whole, a bloated mess from top to bottom. Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent for ESPN and Sport, joined us to talk what the next steps are to trying to steady a sinking ship, and what can be achieved ahead of the planned elections next year.  Oh and we take a deep dive into the appointment of Ronald Koeman, and how he might fare in the hot seat at the Nou Camp. Enjoy, Rank Squad.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Champions League is back, returning in a fever dream of a month which includes a World Cup-esque knockout round in both the big one and it's much beloved little brother, the Europa League. We take the bull by the horns, ranking all eight of the contenders left in the competition by how likely they are to win it.  Given that it all feels a bit like an international tournament, Sam also gives each team an international comparison to really drill home just how they play. It's a whole lot of fun.  And in Hot Takes there's room for a big discussion on Andrea Pirlo's appointment at Juventus, succeeding the unfortunate Maurizio Sarri after just one season at the helm in Turin; and of course the lowdown on Jadon Sancho's potential move to Manchester United from Dortmund where Dean explains the PR war going on between the two clubs, in the press. There's some big love for Leverkusen-Inter and United-Copenhagen (shouts out Karl-Johan Johnsson) in the Europa League as well! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's back! For a second year running, the Rankies return - the Oscars of football - to hand out trophies to those most deserving; and this year, we've gone all Continental: it's pan-European. We rank Europe's MVP, Standout Individual Performance, Signing of the Season, Kit of the Season, Breakthrough Player, Surprise Package and Melon of the Year, talking everything from Liverpool to Granada, Haaland to Joelinton and Ilicic to Danny Drinkwater. We've got it all.  There's also some big praise for Maurizio Sarri's Juventus, a breakdown of a thoroughly entertaining FA Cup Final and Jack rhymes the entire campaign. Strap in.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Cup Fever grips the Rank Squad as we look forward to the final game of the English domestic season—The Heads Up FA Cup Final, with our pals over at Deliveroo. To give you the full lowdown, we brought in two friends of the Squad to give the lowdown on each side. In the red corner, CheekySport's Joel Beya representing Arsenal, gave us his thoughts on how the Gunners' new-found confidence and workrate under Mikel Arteta would be the key to them lifting the famous old trophy. And in the blue corner, Neets of Goal Diggers Podcast and the FLWN channel told us that it'll be royal blue ribbons on the Cup, because, in her own words, "it's Arsenal". Of course, there's all the trimmings too - this is Ranks. Hot Takes see Sam suggesting penalties should only count for half a goal in Golden Boot races; Dean giving the latest on Thiago's proposed move to Liverpool and Jack waxing lyrical about David Silva; before we give you everything you need to know on the transfers and tactics of both sides in this Cup Final.  There's talk about Werner, Ziyech, Havertz, Chilwell, Rice, Pope, how Lampard fits them all in next season and where the Blues need further reinforcements. In terms of the Gunners, we discuss Thomas Partey, Luka Jovic, Willian, Ryan Fraser, Thiago Silva, and why fans should be excited by the return of William Saliba.  For your matchday munch, make sure you get on the Deliveroo app for the game, where you'll find up to 25% off with football meal deals!   See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Cup Fever grips the Rank Squad as we look forward to the final game of the English domestic season—The Heads Up FA Cup Final, with our pals over at Deliveroo. To give you the full lowdown, we brought in two friends of the Squad to give the lowdown on each side. In the red corner, CheekySport's Joel Beya representing Arsenal, gave us his thoughts on how the Gunners' new-found confidence and workrate under Mikel Arteta would be the key to them lifting the famous old trophy. And in the blue corner, Neets of Goal Diggers Podcast and the FLWN channel told us that it'll be royal blue ribbons on the Cup, because, in her own words, "it's Arsenal". Of course, there's all the trimmings too - this is Ranks. Hot Takes see Sam suggesting penalties should only count for half a goal in Golden Boot races; Dean giving the latest on Thiago's proposed move to Liverpool and Jack waxing lyrical about David Silva; before we give you everything you need to know on the transfers and tactics of both sides in this Cup Final.  There's talk about Werner, Ziyech, Havertz, Chilwell, Rice, Pope, how Lampard fits them all in next season and where the Blues need further reinforcements. In terms of the Gunners, we discuss Thomas Partey, Luka Jovic, Willian, Ryan Fraser, Thiago Silva, and why fans should be excited by the return of William Saliba.  For your matchday munch, make sure you get on the Deliveroo app for the game, where you'll find up to 25% off with football meal deals!

Real Madrid are La Liga champions, and worthy ones at that, after winning 10 games in a row after the restart to see off perennial rivals Barcelona and claim the crown. We break down how Los Blancos have recovered from the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to overcome Leo Messi's Blaugrana and reinstall themselves at the top seat of the Spanish table.  To do so, we wanted to talk to Spanish media royalty, and so we brought in Phil Kitromilides of The Spanish Football Podcast to give his views on the most important players this season for Real, and how high this ranks in the pantheon of Zinedine Zidane trophies.  To play both sides of the table, we got the view from Barcelona's perspective from Rik Sharma, one of Barcelona's most highly respected journalists, and find out just where it went wrong from a Blaugrana perspective.  B/R Football Ranks takes on El Clasico.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Dean and Jack are joined by Christian Falk, Head of Sport at German newspaper Bild and one of the most trusted transfer sources in the game to talk about the biggest deals going down in the Bundesliga and beyond this summer.  We talk Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, Kai Havertz to Chelsea, Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool, Sergino Dest to Bayern and David Alaba to Man City; alongside the latest on Lautaro Martinez, Neymar, Thomas Partey, Kalidou Koulibaly, Jorginho and of course, what's going on in the Cauldron of Galacticos, the Bernabeu of Real Madrid.  In Hot Takes we discuss the overturning of Manchester City's FFP suspension which allows them back into the Champions League next season, and lavish praise on an unlikely goalscoring hero in La Liga - Athletic Club's Raul Garcia.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

This week, Ranks met the most successful American coach in the game right now, Mr Jesse Marsch of RB Salzburg, double winner and Coach of the Year over in Austria, to talk about almost everything. There's discussions about his successes this season; why Erling Haaland can be the best No. 9 in the world; how Timo Werner, who he coached at Leipzig, will thrive at Chelsea; if Takumi Minamino is best played in Firmino's position at Liverpool; the cult of Jurgen Klopp; the next talents off the Salzburg production line; and if he'll coach the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup on home soil.  There's also Hot Takes, where we discuss Man United'd front three and how they're electric, but still need Jadon Sancho; and Barcelona's scintillating return to form on Monday night against Villarreal. Dean names one of the boys from the Lane as Melon of the Week and in a special nonsense, Sam ranks the letters of the alphabet.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

With the title all wrapped up on Merseyside and the two leading lights of English football clashing this week, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to unleash the second in our 'VERSUS' series that takes on the biggest debates in the game. Following on from facing off Messi and CR7 in every category, we took the debate to the dugout to pit Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp against each other.  We talked tactical style, variation, trophies, transfers, player development, youth, media handling, longevity and legacy to square these two modern powerhouses of the game off, and the winner is for you to decide.  There's also hot takes, including a discussion of the Pjanic/Arthur swap deal between Barcelona and Juventus; the lowdown on Achraf Hakimi's move to Inter Milan; and of course some more love for 'Mercedes' Benzema. Plus we crown TWO Melons of the Week and Sam ranks ideas he's pitched in this week's nonsense.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

On Leo Messi's 33rd birthday, it felt only right to celebrate a man who has brought football fans the world over bucketloads of joy and happiness throughout his entire career. We thought we'd give that the Ranks spin, by ranking his most breathtaking moments from years of pure genius.  With football back, we brought back the formula - Hot Takes 2.0 sees Sam talking Real Madrid and Karim Benzema's influence, Dean giving the latest on what you need to know about Sergino Dest's future destinations and Jack discussing post-match interviews—from Neal Maupay's outburst to Ben Mee's eloquence.  Then there's the return of Roulette, where we talk Cristiano and the fifth penalty conundrum, as well as which leagues we've enjoyed being back most, before Sam rounds things off with a long-awaited nonsense ranking! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Yes you read that right, it's another preview special, but this time with an added twist. We're off to Italy for the Calcio climax, the Serie A summit; rife with races for European escapades and a six-way survival scrap.  And alongside Jack is Marco Messina, of Italian Football TV - the NYC boys making big waves in the world of Calcio - who comes to give us his in-depth knowledge of what's going on in Italy as the season starts once again; before Dean joins us to talk the big transfer stories happening across the division.  Oh and there's the interviews: JC and Sam meet Justin Kluivert, Roma winger, who tells us what three-course meal he'd cook for Francesco Totti and what tunes he's playing in the dressing room. And the incredibly talented Juventus and Turkey starlet Merih Demiral gives us his first ever English-language interview about his teammates and the Juve squad.  How's that for a bonus episode? See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Premier League becomes the latest league to restart, meaning there's a whole new set of mini-rankings to look at - no title fight to speak of, but there's exceptionally exciting races for the Champions League and Europa League places, as well as a relegation battle with six teams scrapping for their lives at the bottom.  On top of that, we know you're gasping for some FPL tips to save your season, so we brought in the brilliant FPL Family, Lee and Sam, to give us their best advice for the rest of the season.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

This week B/R Football played host to a round table on racism in the game and beyond with some friends, colleagues and heroes of the Rank Squad. We wanted to give you a chance to listen to that discussion, in full, here on the podcast.  Hosted by Kate Abdo, the conversation features the USMNT and Schalke’s Weston McKennie, World Cup winning USWNT star Crystal Dunn, and former players and B/R broadcasters Tim Howard and Maurice Edu talking about the experiences they’ve had in the game and further afield. There is no place for racism, in football or beyond.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

La Liga becomes the second of Europe's big five leagues to return this week, following in the footsteps of the Bundesliga and there's plenty to be excited about in Spain: a title race, a Champions League race, a Europa League race and a relegation scrap all in the balance. We discuss all of it in a La Liga special, alongside the three players you need to watch outside of the top two, and the games we're most looking forward to—starting with the Seville Derby that kicks us off on Thursday.  There's also a chat with our friend Stu Holden, who's a part-owner of relegation-threatened Real Mallorca. He talks about what it's been like owning a club in this weird time, and how the club is looking to avoid the drop back into the Segunda.  If you want more Ranks content, make sure you're locked in as Sam and Jack commentate on Sevilla-Real Betis on Thursday night (9pm UK/4pm ET/1pm PT) on the HotMic app - sign up using the code RANKS! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Alex Inglethorpe is the Academy Manager at Liverpool and former Youth Coach at Tottenham, one of the most highly regarded youth coaches on the planet, and has helped bring through talents such as Harry Kane and Trent-Alexander Arnold among many more. He joins the Rank Squad to talk about what elite players such as these have in common, and how they rise above the rest in a field full of talent.  We talk mentality, love of the game, attitude and much more, and with the added benefit that Alex used to coach our very own Dean Jones at semi-pro level many years ago, there's a fair bit of reminiscing too.  And, of course, we talk about the horrific events that have rocked the planet this weekend and the response in football. There is no place for racism, in football or anywhere beyond.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

This Saturday should have been the 2020 Champions League Final, with thousands descending on the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, 15 years after the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005 took place on the same turf. Other circumstances mean that can't be the case, but we thought it was a good time to look back on the last 20 finals and rank them in terms of entertainment, drama and footballing quality.  Would the last visit to the Ataturk top the list? Or could it be topped by La Decima, or the Madness in Moscow, or one of the Wembley wonders? Only one way to find out... See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

So says Charlie Stillitano, perhaps the best connected man in the US soccer sphere. We were lucky enough to be joined by Charlie, Executive Chairman of Relevent Sports, the company that hosts the International Champions Cup, and host on The Football Show on SiriusXM FC. We cover everything from across the world of football, from La Liga to the Champions League, the idea of a Super League to robots in football. There's a lot to cover, but it's a ride through some of the most contentious ideas in the modern game with one of its most interesting and thoughtful characters.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Yes it was a bit strange. No it wasn't perfect. But it was a damn sight better than nothing and we loved having football back on our screens! Jack and Sam are joined by Bundesliga commentator James Thorogood to talk through the weekend's action and see what we can glean from it, not only just for Germany, but for the rest of the world too. We talk empty stadiums, the benefits of home advantage, explosive fullbacks, Achraf Hakimi's impending return to Real Madrid and Kai Havertz's next move, alongside much more.  Join us for Gladbach vs. Leverkusen on Saturday on HotMic! Keep an eye on @jackjcollins and @stighefootball on Twitter for all the details.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

USMNT and Schalke star Weston McKennie joins the Rank Squad to talk the return of the Bundesliga, the Revierderby against Dortmund the future of the USMNT, and chilling with Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams, as well as ranking all the Harry Potter films and much more! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Bundesliga is coming back this weekend, as our friend Alphonso Davies starts off by telling us and Ranks is here to tell you everything that you need to know to make sure you're on the ball and ahead of your friends when football returns to our stadiums and screens.  Who do you need to be keeping an eye on? Who is going to be a superstar? Which teams are the most fun to watch? Who should you support? And which games should you be watching? All this and more locked up in true Ranks style, as Sam and Jack are joined by Bundesliga commentator Rob Daly to talk through the league from top to bottom. Football's back, and we're more excited than ever.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

There might be a pause on football, but there's no pause on the rumours linking Europe's future stars to the elite clubs coveting them. In this episode we look at future superstar hotbed Ligue 1, talking the players you need to know before the summer window, why you need to know about them, and where they look to be headed. We talk Ibrahim Sangare, Victor Osimhen, Moussa Dembele, Houssem Aouar and Eduardo Camavinga, as well as a few more star names on their way to the top; before Sam brings back nonsense rankings - the skills he's learned in Quarantine. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Five players you need to know about who are on the verge of making the hop to some of Europe's biggest footballing institutions. via Knit

Marcus Rashford talked to Ranks' Sam Tighe about what he's been up to in quarantine, the possibility of Jadon Sancho coming to Manchester United, his dream six-a-side team and much more. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Newcastle United are in the middle of a takeover which, if completed, will see them become the richest club in England, by some distance. But you can't just wave a magic wand and create a brand new club in one go, so we thought we'd put together a blueprint-not just for Newcastle, but for any club who suddenly find themselves mega rich, and want to spend it wisely. This is what the #RankSquad came up with... See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's NFL Draft week and we wanted to get involved in the fun, so we thought we'd set up the inaugural #RanksDraft. We got an old friend of the Rank Squad, Jimmy Conrad, on the phone; and we got ourselves a draft order and picked our World XI's to face off against each other when football resumes. It's chaos, and it's all sorts of fun-and you should play with your mates too. If you do, let us know using #RanksDraft on Twitter and Instagram! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

There are great players, and then there are the greatest players ever. Loads of them have never won football's most prestigious individual award, however. We look at five of those greats who never held up that Golden Ball, look at why it never happened for them and consider when it might have done. This is B/R Football Ranks, putting football back in the right order. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

There have been 10 transfers in football history that have cost more than €100 million. You know the names. Neymar. Ronaldo. Griezmann. Hazard. Pogba. Dembele. Coutinho. Mbappe. Bale. Felix. There's discussion, disagreements and drama, as we take Sam's ranking to task over his placements. This is B/R Football Ranks, doing what we do best. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Gianni Infantino dropped us a message this morning asking us to play out what we thought would happen in this year's UCL. Not wanting to let the big boys down, we obliged, talking through every tie left, including a live draw for the quarter and semi-finals, to work out who should be crowned Champions of Europe right now. It wasn't easy. There's tough decisions to be made about the fate of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, we discuss whether Atalanta's fairytale sparkle could take them all the way, two German powerhouses stake their claim for glory, and both Manchester City and PSG's ultimate ambitions are put to the test. There's arguments, drama and decisions. This is B/R Football Ranks, Champions League edition. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Lockdown and isolation meant one thing-the chance to sit down and forensically analyse the biggest football debate of our time. The Rank Squad looked at ten categories to compare the two men who have dominated the stage at the Ballon d'Or and beyond for 12 years and counting: Aesthetics, Physicality, Skill, Finishing, Creativity, Teamwork, Penalties, Free Kicks, Adaptability and Clutch Moments. From there, it's up to you. With no football taking place, we threw Hot Takes to you, and you told us some of the most controversial football opinions that you hold dearest - and we took them on for a quick debate. Shouts out to everyone who got involved on the B/R Football Twitter channel. We talked Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sergio Ramos, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Christian Eriksen, Phil Foden, Mo Salah and more! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

These are strange times, and without football to comment on every hour of every day, what do you do as a football fan with your waking hours? Luckily, the #RankSquad are here to help, with an episode that promises to highlight the best of football books, films, documentaries, classic games, video games, and podcasts to keep you occupied during this barren spell. There's also some words of advice from some old friends of the Rank Squad - Alexis from The Cooligans, comedian Rhys James, former USMNT stars Jimmy Conrad and Mike Magee, and Connor Rodgers from our brothers at Stick to Football, on how they're staying sane with no football to speak of; whilst Jack, Dean and Sam discuss their first weekends in quarantine. The most important thing right now though is that you stay safe, Rank Squad. Sending thoughts and love to every single one of you-we're with you every step of the way. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Premier League Hall of Fame inducts its first two members later this month and ahead of that celebration, we decided to try and work out exactly who those players should be. The Rank Squad were joined by Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer at The Independent, to work through the top 10 players he would place into the Hall of Fame - the only caveats were that only their PL games counted, and that they had to have retired. It made for some interesting results... Need, Want, Love gave us a discussion of where Harry Kane's future lies should he decide to leave Tottenham this summer; who Dortmund should sign as the replacement for Jadon Sancho if he makes his long-mooted return to the Premier League; and which game you need to be watching this weekend (if it goes ahead!) There was also a return to Roulette, where we talked the favourites for a really hard-to-predict Champions League and why every team left in the competition should be absolutely licking their lips, as well as whether Billy Gilmour should retain his place in Chelsea's lineup even when their other midfielders return to fitness; before Sam ranks the worst types of people who abuse him on Twitter in this week's nonsense rankings. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Change can be a good thing, especially in the world of football. The Rank Squad were joined by Harry Brooks, football coach at Round World Royals, to talk about the professional players he coaches, and the superstars-in-waiting who could do with a change of position or system to really unlock their potential. We talk about some of the most exciting wonderkids coming through, why he thinks Liverpool selling Mo Salah might be a sensible option this summer and a host of other tactical bits. Hot Takes revolves around Sancho and Grealish possibly heading to United this summer, how Wolves could be a good bet for a Champions League spot in two separate ways, and why the opening weekend of MLS was lit! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's one of the biggest games on the planet and it takes place this weekend - El Clasico: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Castilia vs. Catalunya, at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Not only that, but it's got a title in the balance - before it kicks off, Barcelona sit two points clear of their great rivals at the summit of La Liga, but will they open up the gap under new boss Quique Setien or will Los Blancos swing things back in their favour. The Rank Squad, including Sam Tighe live and direct from Atlanta, Georgia, answer all these questions and more. Dean and Jack then talk a host of more general Clasico questions, from which goalkeeper we'd prefer, to which players from each side would best strengthen the other, to our favourite players ever from Real Madrid and Barcelona. Then, we're joined by MLS Expert Ranker Matt Doyle, of MLSSoccer.com, to talk about the MLS campaign that begins this weekend, including how Galaxy will replace Ibra, how Becks' Inter Miami will get on, and who he thinks will win the whole thing. As ever, we go back to Sam to round things off, and this week's nonsense involves all the things that he just doesn't get about the good old United States of America. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Knockout competitions are one thing, but it's league titles that show a team's supremacy best over the course of a longer period. Football writer Tom Williams joined Dean and Sam to talk through how Europe's finest teams this season would get on if they were in a 20-team, 38-game season; and who would come out on top. There's plenty of debate and disagreement as Sam places teams from across the continent from 1 to 20, and who doesn't even make the cut. It's another 10-minute special for Roulette-we talk we talk football tech, Sam's influence on actual match outcomes and how to get into football journalism; before Sam finishes things off with his nonsense rankings of which reality TV shows he'd be best and worst on. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Fantasy PL is one of our favourite things, but it provides some real pain to us all on a regular basis. The latest member of the Rank Squad is Rambo, host of the Premier League's official FPL YouTube show, 'FPL FYI', who joins us to discuss some of the worst things that can happen to you as an FPL manager. We start, as ever, with Hot Takes. We discuss Manchester City's rebuild as Dean gives us the lowdown on City's transfer targets for the summer; revisit our interview with Bayern's Alphonso Davies as Sam names him one of the most exciting full-backs in Europe right now; and give some love to the Serie A Title Race as Jack names Lazio-Inter as the game you absolutely cannot miss this weekend. We name a special Melon of the Week, and answer Roulette Questions about Neymar's birthday and the best upcoming managers in the game; before Sam ranks meat and booze combinations in an especially weird version of Nonsense Rankings. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Liverpool have taken 100 points out of the last 102 available in the Premier League. They have lost 2 games this season, one of which was whilst playing a youth team. This team, frankly, looks unstoppable. But can they be halted in their tracks by a team who they have still to play? We take a look at how teams should set up to try and best the Champions-in-waiting. We start, as ever, with Hot Takes. We discuss whether Real Madrid are potentially the most long-term prepared team in Europe, if Spurs' victory over Man City papers over some deeper issues between club and manager; as well as talking just how good Erling Haaland's start at Dortmund has been We hit a special number on Roulette which triggers a new game - how many listener questions we can answer in 10 minutes. We talk All-Star games, NBA style-penalties, new Premier League signings and half-time shows; before Dean takes over nonsense for the week to talk the best and worst jobs he's ever had. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Which clubs are in trouble as the window draws to a close? The Rank Squad take a look at some of the teams across Europe who look right now that they might have some real problems going into the second half of the season, from those desperately in need of signings, to those desperately in need of some leadership, to those desperately in need of a soul. Hot Takes includes a discussion on Josip Ilicic, the man on fire in Europe right now; where Krzysztof Piątek could end up if he leaves the red and black half of Milan this window; and a debate on if Jurgen Klopp is right to not be in attendance for Liverpool's FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury, including a Reds view from John Gibbons of the Anfield Wrap. Deano gives out another Melon, we talk the most exciting leagues in Europe and the wildest moments of the window in Roulette, and Sam talks the most difficult everyday tasks in this week's Nonsense Rankings. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's the January Transfer Window and to many that means wasted money, desperate bids, and deadline day madness - but it doesn't have to be so! Jack, Dean and Sam take a look at some of the best January transfers to go down in recent years, from those who have flipped a huge profit on sensible recruits, to the players who have gone on to be the bedrock of their teams, leading them to new heights and glories. We start with a good old game of Who Am I? Before launching into Hot Takes, where we discuss Ole's future at Manchester United and how the club are planning to go about their business in this window and the next, Riqui Puig's introduction in Setien's first Barca game and what that means for both fans and for other La Masia graduates, and some of the chaotic storylines across Europe that you might have missed - namely Theo Hernandez and Leon Bailey. Roulette contains a discussion of whether it would be better for Liverpool to go Invincible or smash the PL Points Record, who we'd vote for as our PFA Player of the Year and which club are the favourites for the title in the newly returned Bundesliga, before Sam talks football rules that he would add to spice up the season in his Nonsense Rankings. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Barcelona have themselves a new manager, Quique Setien, and he's a man well liked around these parts. Sam Tighe and Jack Collins give you the lowdown on what to expect from the new man in the Nou Camp hot seat and how he'll impose his style of play on a side who many feel have not reached their potential under Erneste Valverde. Our favourite comedian, Rhys James, joins us for his hat-trick appearance on the show, and as a Tottenham fan, we give him a therapy session on how he has coped with adjusting to life under Jose Mourinho and the absence of Mauricio Pochettino in his life. With that done, we move onto Rhys' main ranking-things he doesn't understand about the modern game, ranging from VAR decisions to how new football chants get off the ground in the terraces. As you'd expect, there's a lot of laughs. Dean rings in from Michigan with his Melon of the Week, before Sam rounds things off by ranking his favourite numbers. It's raucous. It's rough and ready. It's Ranks. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

New Year, New Predictions. With a new calendar on the go, Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take a look to the 12 months ahead to see what the big stories are going to be. We talk Gabriel Martinelli's rise to stardom, whether Leeds can return to the big time in England, Kylian Mbappe's goalscoring feats, Kalidou Koulibaly's future and who will be lifting the Champions League trophy in May. In a revamped Hot Takes, we discuss James Maddison's future amid speculation Manchester United have made an offer for him, new Juventus man Dejan Kulusevski and how he'll get on in Turin next season, and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal after their win over Bielsa's Leeds in the FA Cup. Roulette returns with a discussion of Soyuncu and Maguire, the most disrespected player in the Premier League and the worst transfers from the summer transfer window, before a certain Portuguese manager is named Melon of the Week and Sam talks New Year's Resolutions in his Nonsense Rankings. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Happy New Year Rank Squad! We're back for 2020 with a corker, a Dean Jones special ranking of the five biggest transfer storylines that you'll hear in this January Window. We discuss Christian Eriksen, Gareth Bale, Lucas Paqueta, Edinson Cavani, Wilfried Zaha and Jadon Sancho and where their respective futures may lie. Hot Takes are renamed Haaland Takes for one week only as we look at Dortmund's new signing, working out whether he's made the right move, if the price tags add up and if his arrival makes Dortmund Bundesliga title favourites. The Roulette Wheel returns, bringing us questions about if Mikel Arteta will improve Arsenal and who United should be looking at signing this month, before Dean names his melon of the decade and Sam ranks his best and worst Christmas presents. To get involved, hit us up on Twitter or Instagram, and use #BRFootballRanks See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

We're at the half-way point in the Italian season, the famous Winter Break, and it couldn't be any tighter at the top-with Maurizio Sarri's Juventus and Antonio Conte's Inter locked in a two-way tussle for the Scudetto, inseparable on 42 points. We decided it was a good time to look back at the season so far, and to do so, we brought back our Calcio expert, Bleacher Report's very own Alex McGovern, to talk all things Italian football. We discussed the ups and downs of 2019/20 so far, including the teams and players who had both impressed and disappointed us over the last few months, banged on for a bit about how much we love Cagliari, revelled in Atalanta's Champions League fairytale, and all things considered, had a very nice time. We hope you enjoy our trip to La Repubblica, and as ever, you can get involved by hitting us up on social media or using the hashtag #BRFootballRanks. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Meet David Olaoye, the 23-year-old from London who is writing his name into the history books in a way different to any other. Leaving the English lower leagues at just 17, David has travelled a career path all his own, that has taken him from Greece to Slovakia to Norway, via Argentina, where he became the first Englishmen to ever play professionally in the country. David talks us through his maddest stories, his career so far, and his hopes for the future; as well as the experiences he's had across the world. To get involved, join the Rank Squad by using the hashtag #BRFootballRanks or hitting us up on social media! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Merry Christmas Rank Squad! It's B/R Football Ranks in a festive football feast, ranking everything from our favourite Christmas songs to the best seasonal chants, and at a special time of year, we thought we'd gift you with two very special interviews from this season. First up, Slovakia international, Fiorentina and Sparta Prague defender David Hancko - real life member of the Rank Squad and listener to the podcast - dropped by to talk with us about his football influences, talking about Steven Gerrard, David Beckham and Milan Skriniar as well as what it's like to have to train on Christmas Day. Then, Sam talks to USMNT legend Steve Cherundolo - asking about his fledgling coaching career and how Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have been in spirits for him for his as a coach. It's a special week and so we'll be back soon Squad - Merry Christmas to you and yours! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Champions League round of 16 is set and it's one of the most exciting rounds we've seen in years, so we ranked it! Stu Holden, B/R's lead analyst on our Champions League show and former US international, joined the Rank Squad to discuss potential upsets, ties that most caught our eye and everything else UCL related. It's also the end of the decade, which is kind of wild, so we looked back across the last ten years and put together our XI of the decade, the players that have most impressed us with longevity and talent - the ones we'd pick to defend the planet if aliens descended and challenged us to a game of football for our very survival. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered where you should go, and where you should avoid, on a European football tour? Wonder no longer! The man who literally wrote the book on touring European football, Matt Walker, joined Jack Collins, Sam Tighe and Dean Jones to explore some of the best stories and locations he'd visited. We asked him about the best atmospheres he visited, the coolest stadiums he encountered, the biggest clubs that hosted him and the scariest things he witnessed, amongst a general tour of all things UEFA. Opening the podcast, burning questions addressed the issues that both Manchester City and Juventus were currently facing, as well as a quick discussion of Fred's recent improvement at Manchester United, before Dean handed out Melon of the Week to a certain Bayern Munich midfielder. With the Clasico coming up next week, we figured it would be a good time to theme the Roulette wheel with Spain's biggest fixture - discussing why the delays might have been a good thing for the spectator, which Real Madrid player we'd have as our phone background and if Barca are a one man team; before the Picks League returns and Sam hits nonsense rankings with a Political Party broadcast before the upcoming UK elections. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Leo Messi might have won the Ballon d'Or but the big question still remains - does Virgil van Dijk wear aftershave on the football pitch? Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) went to the Ballon d'Or to find out, and they join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to reflect on a night full of awards, including a record sixth title for King Leo. We also spoke to Yashin Award winner and Goalkeeper of the Year, Alisson Becker; and Kopa Trophy Under-21 Player of the Year winner Matthijs De Ligt to find out what they made of the night. Then, with 2019 done and dusted, it's time to throw things forward, as Sam ranks his top five contenders to lift the Ballon d'Or trophy in 2020, before a ball has been kicked. Can Messi keep his crown? Can Ronaldo bite back? Can Virgil go 0.4% further and win the thing? Is Kylian Mbappe the heir to the throne? It's all up for debate as we talk through the contenders. The Roulette wheel returns, with a special German theme this week, Dean and Sam go head-to-head on naming this week's Melon of the Week before Sam rounds things off by ranking the weirdest things about France from his 24 hours in Paris covering the Ballon d'Or. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

We went to Unai Emery's last game in charge of Arsenal to see just how bad things had got at the Emirates. It was about as bad as we expected, and this morning Emery was finally shown the exit door, leaving Arsenal legend Freddie Ljungberg in the dugout for the foreseeable future. We discuss the things he has to do to steady the ship, before talking about some managers that would be a perfect fit for Arsenal, and the players they should be looking to sign in January. It's back to the road then, as we rewind to last night and get the reaction from fans in North London about what went wrong for Emery, how they think Arsenal can move forwards, and what they want to see in their next manager. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Jose Mourinho took charge of his first home game of his Tottenham tenure on Tuesday, coming back from 0-2 down to beat Olympiacos 4-2 in the Champions League. Jack Collins and Dean Jones went out on the ground to find out how Spurs fans are feeling about their new manager, their old manager, signings, systems, the winning mentality and whether trophies are on the way - and documented a thrilling game of football whilst they were at it. Hot Takes this week is replaced by Burning Questions, where we addressed the situation with Gareth Bale at Real Madrid, how long Unai Emery has left in the Arsenal hot seat, and just what happened with 'phone-gate' at AC Milan this weekend. There's room for Melon of the Week, which has found a home in the Bundesliga; and despite being too unwell to be in full attendance, Sam wrote us out a nonsense rankings which fully lives up to its name. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Mourinho's first home game via Knit

Mourinho's first game via Knit

Jose Mourinho took charge of his first home game of his Tottenham tenure on Tuesday, coming back from 0-2 down to beat Olympiacos 4-2 in the Champions League. Jack Collins and Dean Jones went out on the ground to find out how Spurs fans are feeling about their new manager, their old manager, signings, systems, the winning mentality and whether trophies are on the way - and documented a thrilling game of football whilst they were at it. Hot Takes this week is replaced by Burning Questions, where we addressed the situation with Gareth Bale at Real Madrid, how long Unai Emery has left in the Arsenal hot seat, and just what happened with 'phone-gate' at AC Milan this weekend. There's room for Melon of the Week, which has found a home in the Bundesliga; and despite being too unwell to be in full attendance, Sam wrote us out a nonsense rankings which fully lives up to its name. via Knit

Spurs pull the trigger on Poch and replace him with Jose Mourinho, in a twist that few saw coming. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to reflect on one of the biggest news stories of the year, examining why it happened and whether Mourinho is set up to succeed or fail in his new role. Then, with the International break done and dusted, we take a look at EURO 2020, and rank the five teams who are best placed to win UEFA's showpiece event next summer. We talk Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and France; as well as discussing Spain and England's chances, and also taking a theoretical look at where Brazil, Argentina, the USA and AFCON champions Algeria would finish if they were invited as the four guest nations. The Picks League returns, and there's a new player on the table, a 'monkey in a suit', to see if he can outdo the Rank Squad, before Sam rounds things off by ranking Premier League footballers who he would love to be the President or Head of State of their respective countries. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's the big international break and so it feels like the right time to look back and assess the season so far! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at the the whole 2019/20 club season in Europe, talking through: -Best clubs domestically (06:46) -Melons of the season up to now (10:50) -Standout players (15:14) 
-Surprise packages you need to watch (19:39) 
-Best teams in the Champions League (28:57) Roulette has an international theme this week, and asks us to pick a back four with only one player from each continent allowed (35:35); who would win the World Cup if nations could only pick players that player in their domestic league (37:28) and what the most competitive position in international football is (39:22); before we go into round two of the Ranks Picks League (43:56) and Sam rounds things off by ranking the worst times he's ever lost his house keys (it gets weird) (47:11). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the Premier League and flying ahead of the visit of closest challengers Manchester City. Is this finally their year, and can they prove it this weekend (02:46)? Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins are joined by John Gibbons of The Anfield Wrap to take a deep dive on Liverpool. We discuss Liverpool's MVP's (09:11), the opponents they want to beat most (13:17), as well as three key reasons they could win (16:04) and lose (17:35) this weekend. That's not all though, because across the rest of Europe there's plenty of other showstopper games taking place as well. We head next to Germany, where we spoke to Bundesliga expert Manuel Veth to talk through this weekend's Klassiker between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, before taking a look at both their starts and who will be in the dugout for Bayern in such a big game (25:03). From there, we're off to Italy where Juventus take on AC Milan this weekend - in a clash of old vs new - and we speak to Calcio specialist Chloe Beresford to get her view on the game, before taking it back to the studio for a deep dive (34:05). There's a special theme to Roulette as well, as we take a tour of Spain. We talk about our favourite regions (40:11); which of Barcelona, Real or Atleti we would join if we were a hot prospect (43:01), and whether Atleti's system is holding back their attacking potential (44:33); there's a debut for our latest segment - the Picks league, where Dean and Sam will face off making predictions for the upcoming weekend (48:21); before Sam rounds things off by ranking London's worst tube lines, and comparing them to Premier League clubs (50:27). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of pressure on the managers at some of Europe's top clubs right now - some justified, and some less so. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at the coaches in the firing line and whether their clubs should stick or twist with Unai Emery (21:25), Mauricio Pochettino (27:39), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (32:21), Ernesto Valverde (36:17), and Zinedine Zidane (41:22). Hot Takes this week involve a discussion of whether Arsenal fans or Granit Xhaka find themselves more in the wrong after Sunday's bust up at the Emirates (03:34); thoughts on Sergino Dest's decision to pick the USMNT over the Netherlands national team (08:14); and a look at Leicester City after their demolition job on Southampton last week (12:38). Talking of Southampton, Dean hands out this week's Melon of the Week award... (17:46) Roulette asks if football was more entertaining ten years ago (45:35); whether we'd keep all or no technology in the game if it was a black and white decision (47:28) and who the best player we've ever played with was (49:14); before Sam rounds things off by ranking players who remind him of kitchen appliances, in honour of Jurgen Klopp nicknaming Fabinho as 'Dyson' (52:43). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Ballon d'Or shortlist is live and France Football have announced their 30 nominees for 2019. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and host Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by Marc Geschwind (@MarcGeschwind) to take a look at five players that should have been nominated for the list but aren't, and the five players that should drop out of the shortlist in their place (18:53). Hot Takes this week involve a chat about La Liga's proposed fixture taking place in Miami, and who it ultimately benefits (02:11), a discussion of whether Jordan Henderson's time in the Liverpool first team is coming to an end (07:40); and a deep dive into Juventus' unsung hero in midfield, Miralem Pjanic (11:42). This week's Melon of the Week is off to Madrid, to rest one the shoulders of a man at fault for their defeat to Mallorca at the weekend... (16:20) Roulette asks about our earliest football memories (41:57); which club we think will triumph in the MLS this season (44:39) and if we could swap shirts with a player, but never watch them again, who they would be (47:07); before Sam rounds things off by ranking Wayne Rooney's funniest tweets in this week's nonsense rankings (49:23). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) steps in to present this week, as Jack Collins gets a well deserved break. Current day football is throwing up scenarios that were simply unimaginable ten years ago, so Rank God Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) breaks down the duos that define the game as we know it today, while B/R Football's Joanna Kamenou (@joannakamenou) also joins the lads in the studio. In Hot Takes Dean discusses how Liverpool have never endured a Premier League season quite as bad as the one Man United are about to go through (02:38), Sam tells us why Borussia Monchengladbach are the best counter attacking team in Europe (07:48), and Jo tells the world why Romelu Lukaku needs to be considered one of the best strikers of a generation (12:20). From the Bleacher Roulette wheel this week, the Rank Squad discuss who will last longer in their job: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Zinedine Zidane (42:13), which flavour potato chips would suit superstar footballers (44:02), and which football villains they have a soft spot for (46.09). Sam rounds things off as usual with a nonsense ranking, this time on Reading's new manager Mark Bowen (48:20). You can get in touch on Twitter and Instagram by following @brfootball and using the hashtag #BRFootballRanks See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Some teams start well, and others start badly; but few start completely at odds with where they will end up. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at three teams who are over-performing in their respective leagues this season, and three teams who are well below where we expect them to finish. Hot Takes this week involve a chat about how Maurizio Sarri's Juventus are already showing signs they might become the best ever version of Sarriball after their win over Conte's Inter in the Derby d'Italia (05:20), a prediction that Chelsea will become the lifeblood of the England squad by World Cup 2020 (09:10); and a look at Manchester City's loss to Wolves at the weekend (13:54). This week's Melon of the Week is given to a striker who missed an absolute sitter when his team needed him most to score... (19:08) Roulette asks which is the best stadium food we've had (47:56); whether Barcelona should retire the No.10 shirt when Leo Messi retires (49:37) and which Premier League club the Rank Squad think each other best represent (52:08); before Sam rounds things off by ranking the best things about building a fort to watch football in, in this week's nonsense rankings (53:31). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Some teams start well, and others start badly; but few start completely at odds with where they will end up. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at three teams who are over-performing in their respective leagues this season, and three teams who are well below where we expect them to finish. Hot Takes this week involve a chat about how Maurizio Sarri's Juventus are already showing signs they might become the best ever version of Sarriball after their win over Conte's Inter in the Derby d'Italia (05:20), a prediction that Chelsea will become the lifeblood of the England squad by World Cup 2020 (09:10); and a look at Manchester City's loss to Wolves at the weekend (13:54). This week's Melon of the Week is given to a striker who missed an absolute sitter when his team needed him most to score... (19:08) Roulette asks which is the best stadium food we've had (47:56); whether Barcelona should retire the No.10 shirt when Leo Messi retires (49:37) and which Premier League club the Rank Squad think each other best represent (52:08); before Sam rounds things off by ranking the best things about building a fort to watch football in, in this week's nonsense rankings (53:31). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! via Knit

We're back on the road in Munich to talk Bayern with two men at differing ends of the scale: Club legend, World Cup winner and original raumdeuter, Thomas Muller sits down to discuss his teammates, horses, Oktoberfest and musical exploits; before Canadian wonderkid Alphonso Davies told us about moving to Germany, why all footballers love Drake so much, and the reason that he puts one side of his kit on first! To get involved, hit us up on Twitter or Instagram, or use the #BRFootballRanks. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Forwards get a lot of the praise, but it's the midfield maestros who make the beautiful game what it is. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at the players who have been running things in the middle so far this season, including Real Sociedad's Martin Odegaard (22:12), PSG's Idrissa Gana Gueye (25:12), Liverpool's Fabinho (28:10); Inter Milan's Stefano Sensi (32:02) and Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne (34:44). Hot Takes this week involve a discussion of whether Leicester are actually the third best team in the Premier League this season (01:30); some insight from Dean on Jadon Sancho's transfer situation and where we think he should end up (08:59); and a look at just why everything is going wrong at AC Milan (12:58). This week's Melon of the Week is given for a ridiculous Cruyff turn on someone's own goal line... (18:35) Roulette asks who would be in our FIFA 20 Volta three-a-side team (40:35); whose playing career we'd rather have had out of Lampard, Solskjaer and Zidane (41:45) and if we'd rather win a Puskas Award or a Super Cup (43:29); before Sam rounds things off by ranking the things he hates most about autumn in this week's nonsense rankings (45:58). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

What are the football-related things you have to achieve before you die? Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by new B/R Football presenter Aaron West (@ayyy_west) to talk about the experiences that we most want to tick off across the footballing landscape. We talk Clasicos, Superclasicos, Clasico de las Americas (any other Classics you like?!), as well as derbies across Europe, special stadiums and atmospheres like Anfield and the Westfalenstadion, living in Spain and much, much more as we hunt our way across the best this game has to offer - with some choice input from the #RankSquad across the world. Roulette asks which is the more intimidating atmosphere for an away team, Napoli's San Paolo Stadium or Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park (37:33), and what the worst pre-game rituals we've ever come across were (39:21); before we flip the script to interview Craig and Adam Malamut, the brains behind B/R Football's hit animation show 'The Champions' ahead of their Season 3 launch next week (42:59). Before we get into that though, Jack tees things up with a poem lamenting how bad the FIFA Best XI was (00:22), before Hot Takes sees Sam talk about how Barcelona are finally good on FIFA 20 (04:18); Dean urges Spurs fans to remain calm and not call for Mauricio Pochettino's head (07:11); and we break down Chelsea vs. Liverpool (09:45), before Dean gives Melon of the Week to Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde (12:42). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks!Superclásico de las Américas See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The season is in full swing and it's time to look at some of the names set to be the new Frenkie de Jong, Joao Felix or Jadon Sancho. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at the players under 20 who are set to have a breakout season in 2019/20 (19:22), including Chelsea's Reece James (20:37), Salzburg's Dominik Szoboszlai (25:09), Ajax's Sergino Dest (29:33); Stade Rennais' Eduardo Camavinga (33:52) and Barcelona's Ansu Fati (37:35). Hot Takes this week involve a deep discussion on whether Arsenal fans are overreacting and if they're going to be alright under Emery after all (04:20); some insight from Dean on Real Madrid's transfer targets next season (12:10); and a look at why Wolves are underperforming in the Premier League so far this campaign (15:02). This week's Melon of the Week is a certain Manchester City defender... (02:10) Roulette asks whether we'd rather have a cup of tea with Raheem Sterling or a cup of coffee with Christian Pulisic (49:35); and whether we'd value wages or playing time more as a professional footballer (48:13); before Sam rounds things off by ranking the most pointless things you learned at school in this week's nonsense rankings (51:08). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Rank Squad has a new No.1! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by Premier League winner and famously safe pair of hands, Mr. Asmir Begovic, to talk all things goalkeeping. We kick off with Asmir letting us know his pet peeve myths about goalkeeping - not getting credit for penalty saves (18:52), the stigma of being beaten at the near post (26:14), and having 'nothing to do' (30:27) - before moving on to ranking who he believes to be the best goalkeepers in the world right now (33:27). Roulette returns, asking which ways you'd want to be unveiled as a new signing (44:15), and whether Huddersfield Town would have survived in the Premier League if they had been allowed to field two goalkeepers last season (46:33); before Asmir ranks his favourite sports outside of football (48:12) and talks about what it was like to score as a goalkeeper (50:02). Before we get into that though, Hot Takes sees Sam furious with the continual disrespect towards Roberto Firmino, fuelled by his FIFA 20 rating (02:37); Dean discussing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future and how his job is already under threat (06:16); and Jack gets emotional about the fact that the international break doesn't get the love it deserves (09:50). Then, finally, Dean gives out the second ever Melon of the Week award (13:51). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Rank Squad has a new No.1! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by Premier League winner and famously safe pair of hands, Mr. Asmir Begovic, to talk all things goalkeeping. We kick off with Asmir letting us know his pet peeve myths about goalkeeping - not getting credit for penalty saves (18:54), the stigma of being beaten at the near post (26:16), and having 'nothing to do' (30:29) - before moving on to ranking who he believes to be the best goalkeepers in the world right now (33:29). Roulette returns, asking which ways you'd want to be unveiled as a new signing (44:17), and whether Huddersfield Town would have survived in the Premier League if they had been allowed to field two goalkeepers last season (46:35); before Asmir ranks his favourite sports outside of football (48:14) and talks about what it was like to score as a goalkeeper (50:04). Before we get into that though, Hot Takes sees Sam furious with the continual disrespect towards Roberto Firmino, fuelled by his FIFA 20 rating (02:39); Dean discussing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future and how his job is already under threat (06:18); and Jack gets emotional about the fact that the international break doesn't get the love it deserves (09:52). Then, finally, Dean gives out the second ever Melon of the Week award (13:53). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! via Knit

The transfer window has finally slammed shut in Europe, and squads across the continent are locked in, until January at least! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at what the big takeaways are from this summer's transfer chaos. We discuss a madness in Serie A (19:23), Ajax (22:22), Manchester United (25:10), PSG (31:02) and Liverpool (37:01) as we look at the big movers and shakers across the window. Before we get going, Dean hands out the inaugural Melon of the Week award (04:16). Hot Takes sees the boys talk about where the real problems lie at Real Madrid (07:17); how Sadio Mane's tantrum at the weekend was uncalled for given he's arguably the more selfish of Liverpool's strike force (11:06); and discuss the transfer of Ante Rebic to AC Milan in the deadline day deal picked by the poll. (16:08). Roulette returns, asking who is better at football: Lionel Messi after four pints, or Lee Cattermole (43:28), if it is ever acceptable to leave live games before the final whistle (45:28), and which was our favourite transfer of the window (47:38); before Sam ranks the colours of the rainbow (52:21). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The gang are back together and it's time to put the Ranks neck on the line again and take a punt at making our predictions for the upcoming season! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to make their predictions for the upcoming season. There's talk of Lyon (18:30), Arsenal (22:45), Atletico (26:50), Dortmund (31:45) and Inter Milan (35:40) as Sam takes us on a tour of Europe's top five leagues. Hot Takes sees the boys talk about Christian Eriksen and whether Mauricio Pochettino has misplayed his hand (02.30); how AC Milan reportedly switching formations after one game with Giampaolo would potentially be the most stupid thing that they could do (06.45); and discuss whether it's possible that all three of the promoted teams in the Premier League could stay up this season. (09.50) Roulette is back with a bang, asking what the matchday experiences that have stuck with us are (40:15), which footballers we would recruit if we were starting a band (46:10), and what the biggest derby in World Football is (48:25); before Sam ranks his predictions for his new kittens (51:10). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The last of the five major European leagues is set for lift-off this weekend, with Italy's Serie A finally getting to the starting blocks, and there's plenty to discuss! Jack Collins (@jackjcollins) and Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) are joined by B/R Football's very own calcio aficionado, Alex McGovern (@AlexMcGovern11) to talk all about the Italian top flight and discuss which teams are the front-runners to try and knock Juventus off their perch this year. There's analysis of Roma (16.22), Lazio (25.18), Atalanta (26.17), Napoli (32.12), Milan (20.03) and Inter (36.37), as we ponder if anyone can stop the Bianconeri (14.12) from making it nine titles in a row. Hot Takes sees Sam and Jack discussing Barcelona's tough start to the new Liga season and if they really need to sign Neymar or not (02.22); whether Philippe Coutinho's transfer to Bayern Munich makes them favourites for the Bundesliga title once again (06.01); and there's a deep dive on Chelsea's Mason Mount - can he be the light that Chelsea need in what will be a difficult season for the Blues? (09.20) Roulette, as ever, asks the big questions: Naming three games you think you could beat Cristiano Ronaldo at (43.23), what your standard half-time routine at the football is (44.14), and which song you'd choose to sing on your initiation if you were joining a new football team (45.41); before Sam ranks his three most annoying things in football in this week's nonsense rankings. (47.13) To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks - and remember to join our FPL league! Get over to fantasy.premierleague.com and use the code tzl5nt to get involved. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Spanish and German seasons get underway this weekend, with the big kickoff taking place in La Liga and the Bundesliga, and so we thought it would only be right to talk through the Ranks predictions for the European spots in each of those leagues. (Bundesliga 01.49, La Liga 17.04) And herald the return of the Rank God to do so! Sam Tighe returned from his pre-season retreat, joining the ever-present Jack Collins to talk through who would be taking the top six places in La Liga-from a tightly fought Seville derby in the Europa League spots to a title race between Real, Atleti and Barcelona. To round off our Spanish segment, we have a very special interview with La Liga ambassador and former Real Madrid, Valencia, Liverpool and Spain striker Fernando Morientes (36.57), who gives us his takes on the most exciting La Liga signing this season, who he thinks will win the league, and how his former sides will get on in this season's Champions League. And indeed in Hot Takes, Sam started us off by ranking the Bundesliga Top Six also. Will Bayern make it eight titles in a row, or is this the year that Dortmund finally topple the dynasty? There's chat too, about Manchester United's opening day thumping of Chelsea at Old Trafford (07.51), and about the debut of Spurs' record signing Tanguy Ndombele. (11.55) Roulette finds the boys discussing whether they'd rather have a season ticket at Atletico or Dortmund for this season (46.53), and what their new-season resolutions are (47.58); before Sam rounds things off by ranking his favourite types of 'Drake' in this week's nonsense. (51.15) To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks - and remember to join our FPL league! Get over to fantasy.premierleague.com and use the code tzl5nt to get involved. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Premier League season starts this weekend, and we thought it would only be right to give you a full preview before it begins! With Sam and Dean away, Jack Collins (@jjwc) was joined by two BBC Sport legends - Nick Bright (@nickbright) and Reece Parkinson (@reeceparkinson) - to rank the entire league from top to bottom, including Nick's tips for relegation (11.26) and this season's top six (24.41). Instead of Hot Takes, we discussed who the big winners and losers of the Premier League season would be in a special game of Hot or Not, before we got onto the main ranking, including discussions about Aston Villa, Norwich City, Newcastle United, Harry Maguire and Nicolas Pepe. (03.17) Roulette finds the squad picking the worst stadium in the Premier League (41.04), which footballer we'd want as our number neighbour (42.35) and our favourite players of all time (45.44); before Jack rounds things off by ranking the Premier League managers who would make the worst rappers in this week's nonsense (49.41). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks - and remember to join our FPL league! Get over to fantasy.premierleague.com and use the code tzl5nt to get involved. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The new Premier League season is just around the corner, and that means that it's time you got your FPL team in order-so we thought we'd give you a helping hand! To get involved, get over to fantasy.premierleague.com and join the Rank Squad league, using the code tzl5nt. Jack Collins (@jjwc) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) were joined by Jules Breach (@julesbreach), host of the FPL Show and Premier League presenter for BT Sport, to talk through some of the hidden gems (16.08) and must haves for this season's game (24.03), as well as hints and tips as to how to get the best from your squad. In this week's Hot Takes, we discuss whether Liverpool's lack of business in the transfer market will cost them over the upcoming season (01.33), if a La Liga game in the USA might actually be a massive success, on the back of the Madrid derby in New Jersey last week, (06.45) and examine Arsenal's acquisition of Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid on a season long loan (11.45). Roulette finds the squad picking which trophies look the nicest (41.35), which rules we'd add to the Carabao Cup to make it more exciting (43.31) and just how good we are at kickups (45.59); before Dean rounds things off by ranking the non-football things that he searches for most on YouTube in this week's nonsense! (48.07) To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

We're on the road in New York to put football back in the correct order. Here's what we got up to in a special bonus pod: -Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger, double World Champions with the USWNT, rank the teammates they're looking forward to playing against this season (4:40) and walk us through the celebrations after their famous World Cup win. (6:30) -Sam talks two undiscovered players that we've unearthed in pre-season (17:30) -We talk to the #YankSquad and play Bleacher Roulette outside the Liverpool-Dortmund game in Notre Dame (22:40) -The squad wrap up the trip and Sam ranks the three things he doesn't understand about America (32:10) See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Rank Squad is in New York City for a crossover special! We teamed up with another Bleacher Report podcast dynasty, Stick to Football, bringing in host Connor Rogers for an in depth discussion on the football x football space. Sam ranked five footballers who could have made it in the NFL if they'd trained their entire lives for it, and Connor replied with three of his own from NFL who could go back the other way. Hot Takes this week included a discussion on how a 'Best Transfers XI' from this summer would get on in each of the top five European leagues and whether it's actually a good thing for Gareth Bale to go to China at this point in his career, before Connor asked his 'Burning Question': If a newbie was going to watch football in Europe this season, which team should they support for entertainment value? Still no roulette wheel (Thanks Heathrow) so instead we played a game: The Matchup, where Connor described the traits of several NFL teams and we gave them an equivalent in European football; before Sam rounded it off as ever, with nonsense: ranking his favourite skyscrapers of the New York skyline and comparing them to Premier League Clubs. As ever, get involved with the Pod using the #BRFootballRanks hashtag and follow us on Instagram and Twitter-@brfootball. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

We're on the road in Chicago to put football back in the correct order. Here's what we got up to in a special bonus pod: -Divock Origi ranks his favourite ever moments, the funniest member of the Liverpool dressing room and we give him a new nickname (00.10) -Sam ranks his favourite experiences of the trip so far. (09.57) -We talk to the #YankSquad and play Bleacher Roulette before a Chicago Fire game in a tailgate. (14.43) -Mike Magee, MLS legend who played with David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard takes us for a traditional Chicago pizza and ranks his former teammates in Quick Ranks. (21.16) See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Rank Squad has a new member! Bastian Schweinsteiger joined Jack Collins, Dean Jones and Sam Tighe in Chicago to talk about the people that had influenced him most in his football career (17.00), where he has won the World Cup and the Champions League. Bastian also chatted about his life in Chicago (13.31), how he has moved to becoming a ball-playing centre-back in his time at the Fire and taught the squad about his homeland, by ranking the best things about Bavaria! (29.40) In this week's Hot (Fire) Takes, we discussed whether LAFC could survive in the Premier League (02.10) and the increasing standard of MLS; how Grizi and De Jong's additions at Barca could spell the phasing out of legendary Sergio Busquets in their midfield (05.58); and who was the most crucial of three searing USMNT prospects - Tim Weah, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie (08.44). The Roulette wheel got banned from our hand luggage, so it was Lucky Dip instead this week - discussing MLS style Penalty Shootouts (33.30) and who we think is the signing of the summer (35.14), before Sam ranks three things that Football could learn from Baseball in this week's special US Nonsense Rankings (40.00). As ever, get involved with the Pod using the #BRFootballRanks hashtag and follow us on Instagram and Twitter-@brfootball. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Certain players need moves, their clubs are open to selling them and the interested parties have the desire and funds to make it happen. Jack Collins (@jjwc), Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) took to the studio to rank the five transfers that make sense for everyone this summer, using a three tick system, and sorted out the world of football once again (14.47). In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at how Gabriel Jesus' role at Manchester City this season after a brilliant Copa America for City's new No. 9 (02.24), why Matthijs de Ligt might be better off waiting for a move to Liverpool instead of heading to Turin (06.17) and examine AC Milan's summer, taking a deep dive on their new manager, their signings and how it's all going to fit into place for the Rossoneri next season (10.23). Roulette finds the squad picking their best and worst kits of the upcoming season (40.44), discuss where Ajax would have finished in the Premier League last season (44.12) and think about whether they'd love to be passionately divisive or vaguely loved by all if they were footballers (45.54); before Sam rounds things off in the Nonsense section by taking a quick look at which Hogwarts teachers would be the worst managers (47.45). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

To put it bluntly, things are a bit of a mess at Stamford Bridge right now, and so we decided, with Frank Lampard's appointment as manager now a given, to look at the five biggest challenges facing him this summer, and how to fix them. Jack Collins (@jjwc), Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) were joined by Clayton Beerman of the Chelsea FanCast to shed some light on Lampard, Jody Morris, the loans, the transfer ban, and how to try and replace the gaping hole left by the departing Eden Hazard. (15.41) There's also an exclusive interview with Cleveland Cavaliers power-forward Larry Nance Jr., star in the NBA and massive Chelsea fan to boot, talking how he grew up as a football fan, what position he'd like to play and ranking his three favourite players that have played in the blue shirt. (35.46) In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at how Manchester United's signings so far have been somewhat underwhelming (02.30), why Dani Olmo's performance at the U21 European Championships should have him on the radar of some of Europe's top clubs (07.38) and examine Roma's transfer window-taking a deep dive on the Giallorossi's new manager, players and style, and thinking about what they should do next (10.48). Roulette finds the squad picking footballing partners for high-level murder investigations (44.46) and discussing the best bits of supporting their respective football clubs (46.07); before Sam rounds things off by ranking the best vegan foods and comparing them, to come full circle, to current Chelsea players (49.20). Oh, and the gang announce their upcoming US Tour. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's a mid-season special as we take the world of football to auction! Rank God Sam Tighe picks his top five most valuable players if we freed everyone of their current clubs and put them up for bidding-the catch is that you have to give every player you buy a five-year-contract, so it's about longevity and potential as well as current form and ability. As ever, Football Insider Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are here to challenge Sam's thoughts at almost every turn. In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at VAR and whether it's sucking the joy out of football, whether Harry Maguire's reported £80m switch to either Manchester United or Manchester City makes any sense at all, and where should Colombia's golden boy, James Rodriguez, go for the next stage of his career with seemingly no room for him at the Bernabeu. Bleacher Roulette takes on more of the big questions: which players from history do we think were overrated; would we rather have the career of Pedro or Thiago Alcantara; and where the weirdest places are that we've watched games of football-before Sam rounds things off by ranking which of Real Madrid's new signings will be a success, based on the kick-ups at their unveiling! To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's a mid-season special as we take the world of football to auction! Rank God Sam Tighe picks his top five most valuable players if we freed everyone of their current clubs and put them up for bidding-the catch is that you have to give every player you buy a five-year-contract, so it's about longevity and potential as well as current form and ability. As ever, Football Insider Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are here to challenge Sam's thoughts at almost every turn. In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at VAR and whether it's sucking the joy out of football, whether Harry Maguire's reported £80m switch to either Manchester United or Manchester City makes any sense at all, and where should Colombia's golden boy, James Rodriguez, go for the next stage of his career with seemingly no room for him at the Bernabeu. Bleacher Roulette takes on more of the big questions: which players from history do we think were overrated; would we rather have the career of Pedro or Thiago Alcantara; and where the weirdest places are that we've watched games of football-before Sam rounds things off by ranking which of Real Madrid's new signings will be a success, based on the kick-ups at their unveiling! To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! via Knit

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Paul Olima, former player, trainer, body double and influencer in the football world, to talk about some of the players who need a reality check on their playing careers (15.19), as well as what it's like to have Mario Balotelli in your friendship group (30.28), working with Usain Bolt (34.49) and much, much more. Hot Takes include a discussion on why Real Madrid have signed Brazilian wonderkid Rodrygo (01.35); how some players get stuck at clubs after dream moves turn out to be nightmares (05.24); and whether Portuguese sensation Joao Felix would be a good fit for Atletico Madrid, with whom he is heavily linked (09.49). Bleacher Roulette returns to talk about which of the newly promoted Premier League teams have the best chance of survival (36.21), who the most talented player in England is, now that Eden Hazard has departed for Madrid (39.17), and which players the Rank Squad could be body doubles for (41.34); before Sam rounds things off by ranking his favourite trees, and the goalkeepers that they remind him of (45.57). To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It's the big one this week as we take a look at the biggest individual prize in football, the Ballon d'Or-and who is are the contenders at this early stage! Rank God Sam Tighe picks his top 10, before Football Insider Dean Jones and host Jack Collins pick apart his arguments for who goes where. Sam's choices spark plenty of lively debate as ever, with plenty left to play for. In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at how Brazil will fare in the Copa America without star man and talisman Neymar Jr., whether Crystal Palace's Aaron Wan-Bissaka is really the right man for Manchester United and Dean makes a dramatic U-Turn on whether Frank Lampard is the right man for the Chelsea job if Maurizio Sarri leaves for Juventus. Bleacher Roulette takes on more of the big questions: is Trent Alexander-Arnold the best right back in the game right now; would we rather have the career of Jordan Henderson or Christian Eriksen; and which goalkeeper would we trust to step up to take a penalty in a shootout-before Sam rounds things off by ranking which Disney characters would make the best Real Madrid Galacticos in nonsense rankings! To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The European club season is over, but have no fear-an incredible summer of football is about to kick off, headlined by the Women's World Cup in France which begins in earnest on Friday evening. We take a look back at an incredible battle for supremacy between Liverpool and Manchester City over the course of the entire domestic campaign, and think about who had the better season overall, before turning our attentions to the summer. Jack Collins, Dean Jones and the returning Sam Tighe are joined by B/R Football's very own Joanna Kamenou to talk through five big reasons why you should be getting excited for the Women's World Cup, including some incredible players, even more incredible stories of overcoming adversity, and last but not least - some absolutely outrageous kits. In the rest of this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at new Real Madrid player and #RankSquad cult hero Luka Jovic-could he be more important to Los Blancos than potential new arrival Eden Hazard-and Adrien Rabiot's future is the discussion point thrown up by our weekly poll. Bleacher Roulette takes on more fun and games as we talk about who missed Sam the most when he was away, whether Virgil van Dijk or Leo Messi was in pole position for the Ballon d'Or, and which of us was most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse; before Sam talks his favourite Forests in Nonsense Rankings. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

It is Champions League Final week and all eyes are locked on Madrid as Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur tussle for the biggest prize in European club football, on its biggest stage. Liverpool are in search of their sixth title, after narrowly missing out last year to Real Madrid; whilst Spurs are looking for their first UCL trophy in their first UCL final. Jack Collins and Dean Jones are joined by comedian and Spurs fan Rhys James; who steps in to rank the three things that terrify him about Liverpool-before Dean levels the score by ranking the three biggest reasons that Spurs fans have to be optimistic. This week's Hot Takes are question based: Which manager is better equipped to win the trophy, and which player will be the best in the final. Jack and Dean take a detour to have a chat with B/R Football TV Analyst Stu Holden, who walks us through his favourite three games in the Champions League 2018/19 and why, before we turn to a very special Roulette wheel, all about the Champions League. The questions include chat on which players we'd want in a last minute 1-on-1 to win it, how far we'd go to win a trophy of this stature and which are our favourite UCL memories of all time-before Dean takes over nonsense to rank just how we'd build a robot to replace Sam should his absence, for whatever reason, become permanent. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

There are plenty of big clubs who have struggled this season, and who seem to be in a summer of transition in terms of transfers. We turn the studio into a soccer surgery for a week and let our expert doctors, Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins, take a diagnosis of how these teams can turn their fortunes around. We fix Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid - talking through where the holes in their squads are, the budgets they have to work with, and the players they can afford to fill them - taking a deep dive into transfer insight and tactical sense in equal measure. In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at how a 4th to 7th playoff series for the last Champions League spot could make the Premier League more exciting, if Jose Mourinho is the right man to take the vacant Juventus hot seat and whether Frank Lampard is in fact any good at management. Bleacher Roulette takes on more fun and games as we talk about whether we'd prefer the career of Dani Alves or Philipp Lahm, if we'd prefer to score a cup final winner as a first minute screamer or a last minute tap-in, and which teams are most fun to play with on FIFA and Football Manager. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

We went to Wembley for an Emirates FA Cup Final special, in tandem with BBC Sport, to take a look at the impending Final this weekend between Manchester City and Watford. We were joined by two very special guests, impressionist and comedian Al Foran, and Emirates FA Cup Final 2013 hero Ben Watson, who headed the 91st minute winner for Wigan that year in one of the greatest cup upsets of all time. We started by talking through the final in Hot Takes, and which team has exceeded expectations more this season. Al was here to preview the final as treble-chasing manager Pep Guardiola, and then Ben took over to help us rank some of the most epic finals of the last 20 years, as well as talking about what it's like in the changing room as an underdog in a game of this magnitude. Al finished things off with his take on our nonsense rankings - talking us through his favourite three impressions in the world of football. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The Premier League season is coming to an end and although the title is not yet decided, it's time to give out our inaugural awards - the Rankies. Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take stock of everything that's happened this year in the top flight of English football to award these categories: 1. MVP 2. Standout Individual Performance 3. Signing of the Season 4. Best player outside of the Top Six 5. Kit of the season 6. Breakthrough player (Rookie of the Year) 7. Surprise of the Year (Aka The Vincent Kompany Award) 8. Flop of the Year There's plenty of discussion on the big names, the less heralded names, and a haul for everyone's favourite right-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka of Crystal Palace. Come with us on a deep dive of the big questions over the course of the season. Bleacher Roulette takes on more fun and games as we talk about what we'd do if football didn't exist, which football skill we would love to have invented, and whether we'd rather be on the receiving end of a Zidane headbutt or a Suarez bite; before Sam rounds things off by ranking the best team names beginning with F. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take a deep dive into five transfers which would make perfect sense this summer, and just how plausible they are in terms of actually coming off. We talk a new striker and a centre mid for Real Madrid, a German wonderkid for Liverpool, Manchester City's long-term Fernandinho replacement and just who should win the race for the pod's favourite young baller - Joao Felix. Hot Takes include a discussion of how we'd rework the PFA Young Player of the Year, which has been broken for years; questions on whether Manchester United should replace David de Gea with Jan Oblak; and whether Leeds United and Aston Villa played out the most insane 5 minutes we'd ever seen in football this weekend. Bleacher Roulette takes on more big questions: which career we'd have rather had out of Sergio Aguero and Luis Suarez; which player we'd look for if we needed an alibi; and whose matchworn jersey we'd take if we could pick any ever; before Sam rounded things off by ranking the Game of Thrones factions on who would win a five-a-side tournament. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Rhys James, star of the UK comedy circuit and avid Tottenham Hotspur fan, to talk about some of the reasons that make supporting Spurs an absolute nightmare; with plenty of laughs and a helping hand from the 'World Cup Catfish' Kieran Trippier. Hot Takes include Dean's defence of why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the right man for the Manchester United job; Sam's Kylian Mbappe conundrum and an explanation of why his ability is so hard to place in the footballing world; and a deep dive on Shkodran Mustafi, who's taking a fair amount of stick from the Arsenal fanbase right now. In this week's Bleacher Roulette, we think about whether Pep would be a good international manager, which players would have the worst Uber ratings, and the players that we'd like to see as a President or Prime Minister; before Sam rounds things off by ranking the most overrated things in the world-and which footballer players they correlate to. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by eSports legend, presenter and Manchester United host ChuBoi to talk about the players who are pure genius in real life but whose skills do not translate onto video games, and inversely, those players who are insanely overpowered on a virtual platform. Hot Takes include a discussion on whether Lille's Nicolas Pepe is the potential steal of the summer transfer window, where Jose Mourinho should head next to rekindle his managerial career, and questions if Manchester United could stop City in the Premier League title race-and would they even want to? In this week's roulette, we talk the best and most creative football chants, whether Claudio Ranieri's recent tenures have damaged his managerial reputation, and which manager you would want to play under if you were an up-and-coming wonderkid; before Sam rounds things off by ranking the OG starter Pokemon-Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins spent some time at the Church of Calcio, ranking Serie A's best outfield players, with a little bit of help from legendary goalscorer, Azzurri and Inter Milan legend Christian Vieri, who took some time out at the ICC launch event to rank the best strikers in the league who weren't called Cristiano Ronaldo! Hot Takes include a discussion of whether Dortmund can still win the Bundesliga this year due to Bayern's run-in, if Ruben Loftus-Cheek rather than Calum Hudson-Odoi has been the missing cog in the Chelsea system under Maurizio Sarri, and how PSG would get on if they were moved to the Premier League. In Bleacher Roulette, we talk whether you'd rather win the lottery or a contract with your favourite club, should suspended managers be punished for communicating with their assistants from the stands and the best coach currently without a job; before Sam rounds things off by ranking historical figures on how good they'd be at modern football management. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by former Premier League star Marlon Harewood, and who now runs a premium lifestyle business to assist some of the world's top footballers, to talk the components that make up the standard artillery of a footballer's swag arsenal - including clothing, jewellery, watches and cars, as well as being regaled by tales of his playing days with West Ham, Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Hot Takes include a heated debate over whether Virgil Van Dijk's 2-on-1 defending has been massively overblown by the media, questioning whether Zinedine Zidane's decision to play his son for Real Madrid this weekend was the weirdest flex of the football season, and an all round discussion on who the best left-back in the world is. In a new and improved Bleacher Roulette, we talk whether we'd rather have had the career of Gigi Buffon or Iker Casillas, at what age we realised that we weren't (or were, in Marlon's case) going to make it as professional footballers, whether technique or athletic ability is superior and which one of Adrien Rabiot or Mauro Icardi have cost their respective teams more with their off-the-field issues this year; before Sam wraps things off by ranking his birthdays, in a really bizarre edition of Nonsense Rankings. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take a deep dive into the Premier League Player of the Season debate, running the rule over the players who have lit up English shores this season, and giving their rankings on who deserves Mohamed Salah's crown for 2018/19. Hot Takes include a first visit to Tottenham's new stadium and how it will affect the rest of their season, the Pep Guardiola effect which seems to be rubbing off on the English National Team, and a discussion on why certain players have such different form for club and country. Bleacher Roulette takes on more big questions: what we would have named the EURO 2020 mascot, whether we'd rather have Sergio Ramos' or Gerard Pique's career and who would have won Ballons d'Or in the Messi-Ronaldo era if the two had not been around. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Bradley Simmonds, personal trainer to some of football's most famous faces, and former teammate of Raheem Sterling in his youth career as a professional footballer with Queens Park Rangers, to talk some of the most impressive athletes in the game, as well as stories from the players he trains and his days on the pitch. Hot Takes include a discussion of the two hat-tricks scored this week by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, questions on whether Antoine Griezmann's latest documentary is one of the most ridiculous things to happen this year, and a scorching take that Arsenal fans should be counting their lucky stars they didn't make Monchi their latest Director of Football. In a new and improved Bleacher Roulette, we talk the players we'd love to add to our mates' WhatsApp groups, whether you'd rather have the football career of Francesco Totti or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and which footballer you'd hate to be stuck in a lift with; before Sam rounds things off by ranking the cheeses he'd use as a weapon in a tight spot. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Bonus is back! Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins sat down to rank the quarter-finals of the Champions League in terms of entertainment value, giving reasons as to why each match-up will be exciting and looking forward to some mouthwatering clashes. There's also a section on the Europa League, and which ties are the ones to look out for in the last 8 of the UEL too! To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The B/R Ranks Squad - Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins - take a look through the most exciting teenagers in Europe, taking some time out to weigh up those young players that are setting pulses racing across the continent and weighing up the talents of the likes of Jadon Sancho, Vinicius Junior and Kai Havertz, as well as which other young ballers have piqued our interest. Hot Takes include a discussion on Zinedine Zidane's return to the Real Madrid hot seat (will he bring Eden Hazard to the Bernabeu?!), whether AC Milan can build on a good start to 2019 to come second in Serie A, and poses the question - which is the most exciting title race: the Bundesliga or the Premier League? Bleacher Roulette takes on the big questions this week: what your dream career path would be, which footballer you'd like to see in a Hollywood biopic and which footballer you'd want to be your dad; before Sam rounds things off with this week's nonsense - his favourite methods of transport...in the Viking ages. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by former England International and double Premier League winner Joleon Lescott, who sits down with the gang to talk about the players he used to play FIFA with, including stories about Wayne Rooney and his rage quits, Daniel Sturridge's skill moves and how Shaun Wright-Phillips won't play with him any more! Hot Takes include a discussion as to whether Liverpool are blowing the title race, a lowdown on teen sensation Efrain Alvarez and the tug-of-war between the US and Mexico for his allegiance, and we answer your question: what Real Madrid need to do to compete domestically again. Bleacher Roulette returns with questions about why Arsenal have dropped off from their fast start, which footballers we'd be inviting on our bachelor parties, and what formations we'd be looking to use if we were managers. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The B/R Ranks Squad - Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins are joined by former Spain, Valencia and Barcelona midfielder Gaizka Mendieta to talk penalties and the players they'd trust in a shoot out if their life was on the line. Hot Takes include football's hottest topic - whether Kepa Arrizabalaga was completely out of line in refusing his manager's orders to be substituted in the Carabao Cup final, as well as discussions on whether Gareth Bale should leave Real Madrid after another spell on the bench; and who should be Barcelona's next No. 9 after Luis Suarez. Bleacher Roulette takes on the big questions of whether you'd rather win the Ballon d'Or or the World Cup (without playing a minute!); which game you'd use a time machine to go back and watch in real life; and whether you'd rather win one cap for the country you love or fifty caps for a country you felt no affection for. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

The B/R Ranks Squad - Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins - take a look through the players that they would hate playing against in the professional game, and a deep dive into the reasons why those opponents must be a nightmare on the pitch; before they're joined by Belgium international and Real Sociedad star Adnan Januzaj, formerly of Manchester United, to talk his toughest opponents and who he wants to win the Premier League, courtesy of Liga Zone. Hot Takes include a discussion on whether Zinedine Zidane would suit the Premier League, why Bayer Leverkusen are the most fun team to watch in Europe and the topic chosen by you - can Paqueta and Piatek fire AC Milan back to the top table of European football? Bleacher Roulette takes on the big questions of whether you'd take the Mauro Icardi route and let your other half be your agent, picking a new place to watch football for a year, and if Pochettino, Klopp and Guardiola could save the bottom teams from relegation; before Sam rounds things off by ranking breeds of dog in today's Nonsense Rankings. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Josh Denzel - sports presenter and star of Love Island, to talk about the players who would be best lighting up our television screens; and who'd be the ones who'd be best on the reality shows that everybody loves. Hot Takes include possible replacements for Aaron Ramsey at Arsenal, whether a resurgent Real Madrid need Eden Hazard when they have Vinicius Jr, and the question you picked - should Chelsea back or sack Maurizio Sarri? Bleacher Roulette returns to talk the brightest young talents in Europe, Wenger and Mourinho, penalty taking styles and which player you'd want to swap lives with, before Sam rounds things off by ranking his favourite months of the year. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by A Star Barber, the man behind the fresh trims of Paul Pogba, Eden Hazard and Benjamin Mendy (to name a few) to discuss the stars who let him shape their look, going to the World Cup with the French team, what Eden Hazard is like and how he ended up as a barber to the top players in the game. Hot Takes include Dean's predictions for the Champions League, as well as discussions on Dortmund and Betis' Quique Setien; Bleacher Roulette is back to think about long-term replacements for Fernandinho at City, the two footballers we would love to see in a boxing match, and how we'd celebrate if we scored a goal in a cup final; before Sam rounds things off by ranking his favourite world cuisines. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by A Star Barber, the man behind the fresh trims of Paul Pogba, Eden Hazard and Benjamin Mendy (to name a few) to discuss the stars who let him shape their look, going to the World Cup with the French team, what Eden Hazard is like and how he ended up as a barber to the top players in the game. Hot Takes include Dean's predictions for the Champions League, as well as discussions on Dortmund and Betis' Quique Setien; Bleacher Roulette is back to think about long-term replacements for Fernandinho at City, the two footballers we would love to see in a boxing match, and how we'd celebrate if we scored a goal in a cup final; before Sam rounds things off by ranking his favourite world cuisines. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! via Knit

As a special extra episode, Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins sat down to rate the best and worst transfers from the January 2019 transfer window. There's tactical insights from Sam about where new players will fit, and a special segment from Dean about how certain transfers fall through for different reasons. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Independent journalist and famous Twitter face Miguel Delaney to discuss the greatest games he's ever covered as a journalist, and to talk the world of football journalism, the divide between press boxes and fans and stadium atmospheres around the world. Bleacher Roulette returns, talking which footballer you'd let look after your baby, the greatest badges ever, Sane vs. Martial, and what Leo Messi will be doing at 50 years old before we round things off with Sam ranking the greatest movie villains of all time. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe and Dean Jones join host Jack Collins to take a look through the clubs who have promised much, but achieved little as we look at the teams disappointing across Europe's Top 5 Leagues in 2018/19. Who do you think should be top of the list? Hot Takes involve the Mo Salah diving question, whether Kevin-Prince Boateng is a banter signing for Barcelona, and if Hector Bellerin's injury rules Arsenal out of the race for the Top Four in the Premier League. Bleacher Roulette this week includes a discussion of the most entertaining leagues in the world, whether you'd rather build a team around Pogba or Fabinho, and the age old money vs. loyalty debate; before Sam rounds things off with his nonsense rankings - on this episode, it's ice-cream flavours! To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by former USMNT star Jimmy Conrad to pick their ultimate 5-a-side team from the current football world. Who would you pick? Bleacher Roulette returns, talking footballers on desert islands, the greatest casual football shirts of all time and what we'd do if we woke up one day as Leo Messi; before we round things off with Sam ranking the greatest sauces of all time. To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of B/R Football Ranks, Sam Tighe and Dean Jones join host Jack Collins to take a look at the moments which will define 2019 in the football world, and rank which predictions are most likely to come true. There's the first ever Bleacher Roulette, answering questions from Jose Mourinho to football's best inventions, and we round things off with Sam's definitive list of the all-time great consoles! To get involved, follow @brfootball on Twitter and Instagram, and use the hashtag #BRFootballRanks! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Bleacher Report rings in 2019 with the B/R Football Ranks podcast from the gang over at B/R Football - that's the round ball sort. To show you what we have in store, here host Jack Collins asks ranker-in-chief Sam Tighe to rank his favorite three football stadiums in the world. Make sure to subscribe to B/R Football Ranks - first full episode coming January 9th! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.