Planet Fútbol With Grant Wahl

With December winding down, it's time to do some reflecting on 2015, a year in which we were able to, at last, bring back the Planet Fútbol Podcast. We're thankful that we were able to re-launch, we're even more thankful for every single one of our listeners and we're grateful that we were able to welcome some terrific guests while we discussed all of the happenings in the soccer world on a weekly basis. Over the last eight months we assembled an interview lineup that included three World Cup winners and a host of other international stars, coaches and executives, so it's only appropriate that as we compile a best-of edition of our show, we go position by position to come up with a five-a-side team (plus a coach) we'd take to battle on the field any day of the week. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET in the app to for a $20 rebate off your first purchase. We are also sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at Fa

Abby Wambach's playing career comes to an end in New Orleans on Wednesday night, as she rides off into the retirement sunset in the U.S. women's national team's friendly vs. China. We teased a clip of her interview with SI's Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) last week, but now listen to the entire interview, in which she reflects on her career and looks ahead to what's next in her life on this week's Planet Fútbol Podcast. We also put a cap on the year for the U.S. men's and women's national teams as a 2015 of mixed results and storylines comes to a close. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET in the app to for a $20 rebate off your first purchase. We are also sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com to play a risk-free tournament for up to $10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Champions League field is down to the last 16 after the group stage ended this week, but Manchester United is not in the mix. What's plaguing the Red Devils, and how, after spending all that money in the summer, did Manchester United fail to get out of its group? SI.com's Ben Lyttleton (twitter.com/benlyt) joins this week's podcast to break down Louis van Gaal's side in addition to the slew of teams who did advance and will be part of Monday's draw. This week we also have a pair of unique and special interviews. U.S. women's national team icon Abby Wambach will have her playing career end next week in New Orleans, and she talked with SI's Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) about the end of her storied run and what might be on the horizon for her. We'll give you a taste of the conversation, to come in full next week. Wahl is also joined by Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert, who is attempting to make inroads globally with one of the world's premier leagues. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the

FIFA is back in the U.S. Department of Justice crosshairs, and MLS is on the cusp of crowning its champion. Just another week in the world of soccer. We kick off our latest podcast with the new revelations in the ongoing FIFA investigation, with U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch indicting 16 more individuals connected to bribery, racketeering, corruption and more malfeasance clouding the world's game. We're also fortunate enough to be joined by Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba, who sheds light on his first foray into MLS, his thoughts on the Columbus Crew (who eliminated his squad in the playoffs), that bizarre leg lock and Chelsea's struggles. We close with MLS Cup analysis from Grant Wahl and Brian Straus, who are on the ground in Columbus ahead of the Sunday's championship bout between the Crew and Portland Timbers. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET in the app to for a $20 rebate off your first purchase. We

It's Thanksgiving week, so naturally it's a time to reflect and give thanks, which we do with a soccer spin on the newest Planet Fútbol Podcast. Before that, though, we take a look at the MLS conference finals, where the Columbus Crew and Portland Timbers are each one result away from advancing to MLS Cup. Is there any way back from two-goal deficits for either of the two highest remaining seeds, the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas? We also have a special interview with longtime Trinidadian journalist Lasana Liburd, who spoke to Grant Wahl in Trinidad & Tobago during the USA's World Cup qualifier there about the post-Jack Warner state of affairs in the Caribbean nation. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET in the app to for a $20 rebate off your first purchase. We are also sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com for up to $200 in bonus cash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co

The MLS playoffs resume this weekend, and one of the key figures in the league's conference finals joins the latest Planet Fútbol Podcast. Portland Timbers manager Caleb Porter is this week's guest, and he delves into his growth since taking the Timbers to the Western Conference finals in his first season in 2013, that postgame scuffle with FC Dallas manager Oscar Pareja, that double-post penalty kick that could've ended Portland's season and Darlington Nagbe's emergence and potential for club and country. Speaking of Nagbe, he made his U.S. debut during the pair of World Cup qualifiers over the last week, which put a cap on the U.S. men's national team's 2015. If you had one word to describe the USMNT's year, what would it be? We pose that question to SI's Grant Wahl, Brian Straus and Avi Creditor. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET in the app to for a $20 rebate off your first purchase. We are also sponsored by FanD

This week's edition of the Planet Futbol Podcast comes to you on the eve of the U.S. kicking off its World Cup qualifying campaign vs. St. Vincent & The Grenadines at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. SI.com's Brian Straus (twitter.com/brianstraus) joins host Avi Creditor (twitter.com/avicreditor) and SI Senior Writer Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) there, giving us an idea of what the team needs to do and why St. Louis-style pizza is incredibly delicious....until it isn't. The guys also review their soccer-specific nominations for SI's Sportsman of the Year (AKA Soccerperson of the year). Kei Kamara, Claudio Bravo, and Iceland all make the cut. == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET in the app to for a $20 rebate off your first purchase. We are also sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com for up to $200 in bonus cash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the FIFA presidential election growing closer, the field of candidates is set, and the one with the name everyone is talking about (and trying to pronounce) is a guest on the Planet Fútbol Podcast. While in New York this week for the ICSS conference, South African candidate Tokyo Sexwale and the head of the FIFA reform committee, Francois Carrard, both spoke to Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) as part of our latest episode to talk about the election, potential changes to FIFA and much more. There's also plenty happening in MLS to discuss, between NYCFC firing Jason Kreis after one season and the conference semifinal second legs of the league's playoffs. We wrap up by delving into the latest happenings in the Champions League, where Fabian Johnson became the first U.S. international to score in two years, Chelsea earned a dramatic and much-needed win, Bayern Munich put Arsenal to the brink of early elimination and Real Madrid, Manchester City and Zenit Saint Petersburg are already through to the round o

In January, the New York Red Bulls were a team in turmoil. Fast forward 10 months, and they're in the driver's seat to host MLS Cup. How did it happen? Red Bulls manager Jesse Marsch joins the Planet Fútbol Podcast for an honest, thoughtful and intriguing interview with Grant Wahl about the past year prior to the Red Bulls playoff opener this weekend against rival D.C. United. Speaking of the MLS playoffs, they've been insane. The four opening-round games provided drama, theatrics, golazos and an unprecedented penalty shootout, and Wahl, Brian Straus and Avi Creditor recap all of it before looking ahead to the conference semifinals. We close with talk about Abby Wambach's career, with the iconic U.S. women's national team forward announcing she will retire at the end of the World Cup victory tour. What made her such a special player? And did she really have a physical altercation with Straus early in her career? (Yes, and it's a hilarious story) == The Planet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app,

U.S. men's soccer teams endured a rough week, with the senior squad falling to Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup and U-23s failing to qualify automatically for the Olympics. The debacles provide plenty of fodder for the new Planet Fútbol Podcast, in which SI's Avi Creditor (twitter.com/acreditor), Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) and Liviu Bird (twitter.com/liviubird) wrap up the performances and provide some perspective for a frustrating October international fixture window for American soccer. It's not all doom and gloom, though. North of the border, Toronto FC has secured its first playoff berth, and we pay tribute to the Reds (most notably the spectacular Sebastian Giovinco) and their drought coming to an end. We close with some EPL manager talk, with "The Special One," Jose Mourinho, under constant fire, while "The Normal One," Jurgen Klopp, gets set for his first match on the Liverpool sidelines. == -- ThePlanet Futbol Podcast is brought you by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at http://seatgeek

The USA and Mexico clash on Saturday night, with the winner headed to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, so it's no surprise that the new Planet Fútbol Podcast is focused almost entirely on the rivalry bout. SI's Grant Wahl and Brian Straus interview U.S. forward Jozy Altidore at U.S. camp, and the Podcast crew dissects the matchup from all angles, including Klinsmann's future (which has been called into question by Landon Donovan), who should start for the USA and what reaching the Confederations Cup means for the current batch of U.S. players and the next generation of players who may be in their position in two years' time. We also delve into the latest to emanate from FIFA, where Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been suspended, throwing narratives surrounding the February presidential election into chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Planet Fútbol Podcast welcomes another esteemed guest this week, as SI Senior Writer (and this episode's host) Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) speaks by phone with Petr Cech, the Czech goalkeeper who recently made the switch to Arsenal after 11 seasons at Chelsea. In the interview, Cech discussed what it takes to be a world-class goalkeeper, where he thinks the future of the position lies, and what his favorite song is to drum along to. The podcast then welcomes SI.com's Brian Straus to the fold with his observations from a thrilling night in Chester, Pennsylvania, where Sporting Kansas City captured its third U.S. Open Cup title with a PK shootout win over the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. Wahl and Straus also discuss why English Premier League teams are having such a tough time in the Champions League, rummage through the multitude of options the U.S. men's national team has at center back ahead of the team's crucial tilt against Mexico, and whether qualifying for the Olympics really matters

Host Avi Creditor (twitter.com/avicreditor), SI Senior Writer Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl), and SI.com's Brian Straus (twitter.com/brianstraus) welcome the first Planet Futbol guest to have won a men's World Cup this week. Bayern Munich and Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso talks to Wahl about his career, the managers he's worked under, and whether Bayern will dominate the Bundesliga once again this season. The guys also recap Robert Lewandowski's insane nine-minute goal spree against Wolfsburg, and riff on some other eye-raising developments in the world of soccer. -- The Planet Futbol Podcast is sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com for up to $200 in bonus cash. We are also sponsored by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET to for a $20 rebate off your first ticket purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Columbus Crew and Sierra Leone national forward Kei Kamara (twitter.com/keikamara) joins SI Senior Writer Grant Wahl (twitter.com/GrantWahl) and Brian Straus (twitter.com/BrianStraus) this week to talk his MLS-leading 20 goals, his experiences playing for his home country, and the differences between MLS and European leagues. The guys then switch gears and talk about the latest ridiculousness from CONCACAF: Forcing the U.S. and Mexico to name 35-man preliminary rosters a full month ahead of their showdown at the CONCACAF Cup in Los Angeles. Finally, they discuss the latest involving once of MLS' newest teams: LAFC, which officially confirmed its name and made it clear in an LA Times article that they plan to market heavily toward millennials. Is the club already failing in that regard? -- The Planet Futbol Podcast is sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com for up to $200 in bonus cash. We are also sponsored by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANE

This week, the Planet Futbol crew had the pleasure of being joined by U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, who was reduced to a back-up role in his first games back from a one-year international hiatus. He speaks to Si Senior Writer Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl) about his current U.S. status, Everton's season and his plans to play until the conclusion of the 2018 World Cup before moving on from the game. Also, SI.com's Brian Straus (twitter.com/BrianStraus) discusses how much of an indicator of future success or failure have friendlies actually been during the Jurgen Klinsmann era. We close with personal reflections and experiences of the Superclásico ahead of the latest installment of Boca Juniors vs. River Plate in Argentina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jurgen Klinsmann made a pair of declarations prior to the USA's first of two September friendlies, and they are cause for discussion on the latest Planet Fútbol Podcast Grant Wahl (twitter.com/grantwahl), Brian Straus (twitter.com/brianstraus), and your host Avi Creditor (twitter.com/acreditor). We wrap up by recapping the closing of the summer transfer window in Europe, where David de Gea somehow remains with Manchester United and Anthony Martial set the new standard for a fee paid for a teenager. What other moves stood out from the window? -- The Planet Futbol Podcast is sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com for up to $200 in bonus cash. We are also sponsored by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET to for a $20 rebate off your first ticket purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Grant Wahl (twitter.com/GrantWahl) and Brian Straus (twitter.com/BrianStraus) back in the fold, the Planet Fútbol crew dissects the UEFA Champions League draw, and ponders whether the group stage is just a mere formality for the typical giants en route to expected deep runs. The crew also ponders if Klinsmann has any surprise call-ups in mind for the #USMNT's upcoming friendlies, and whether or not MLS Rivalry Week will live up to the hype. The Planet Futbol Podcast is sponsored by FanDuel. Enter promo code PLANET at FanDuel.com for up to $200 in bonus cash. We are also sponsored by the SeatGeek app, available in app stores and at seatgeek.com. Enter code PLANET to for a $20 rebate off your first ticket purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week's episode of Planet Futbol, LA Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza joins SI.com's Avi Creditor and Brian Straus to discuss this weekend's star-studded matchup vs. NYCFC and how the Galaxy's big-name signings are fitting in. Also, NBC soccer analyst Kyle Martino offers his take on the first weeks of EPL action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For more than 60 years, Sports Illustrated has championed its brand of quality sports journalism. Today, SI announces a new partnership … one that helps us tell the stories that matter to your life, through today’s mobile channels. Sports Illustrated is now a part of the Panoply Network. Visit http://megaphone.fm to learn more about the excellent slate of podcasts, and subscribe to your favorite SI shows on iTunes or find them all at http://si.com/podcasts. Music by: Pierlo (http://upitup.com) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Grant Wahl and Brian Straus on well-deserved vacations, Planet Futbol went big with this week's guest: Women's World Cup champion and Golden Ball winner Carli Lloyd. Avi Creditor and Liviu Bird ask what's next for the World Cup champions, Olympic qualifying, and what it'll be like to play on turf (again). Also, the guys discuss the moves made by the Seattle Sounders as they attempt to top their slide in MLS, and hear from former German national team goalkeeper Jens Lehmann as he discusses the upcoming Bundesliga season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices