Advertise on podcast: Why We Love This Club

Tibet’s men’s and women’s national football teams, the Tibetan diaspora and football beyond FIFA are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel explores how Tibetan football has become a way for a dispersed community to preserve identity, create gathering places and represent itself on an international stage. Based largely in Dharamshala, India, Tibet’s teams are not FIFA members and instead compete through independent tournaments and organizations such as CONIFA. The story traces the men’s representative team from the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup to the landmark 2001 match against Greenland in Copenhagen, where Lobsang Norbu scored Tibet’s first widely documented international goal. It also follows later appearances at the FIFI Wild Cup and CONIFA World Football Cup. The episode then turns to the growth of Tibetan women’s football, from early girls’ programs and Tibet Women’s Soccer to the 2022 CONIFA Women’s World Football Cup in India. Captain Jamyang Chotso’s remarkable journey and Ngawang Oetso’s historic goal highlight a program built despite limited resources, travel restrictions and few regular fixtures. More than results, Tibet’s teams are about belonging. School grounds, settlement pitches and borrowed stadiums become temporary homes where players and supporters can gather around a shared identity. Football cannot resolve exile or politics—but it can give scattered people a team to recognize and a place to say their name out loud. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raja Club Athletic, Casablanca football, African club history and one of the world’s most passionate supporter cultures are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel tells the story of Raja Casablanca, founded in 1949 in the working-class district of Derb Sultan during Morocco’s struggle against colonial rule. The club’s name means hope, and Raja grew into the “People’s Club,” known for green and white, expressive attacking football and the tradition supporters call L’école Raja. The episode traces Raja’s rise into an African powerhouse, including three continental championships, legendary players such as Abdelmajid Dolmy and the unforgettable 2013 FIFA Club World Cup run. Raja defeated Auckland City, Monterrey and Ronaldinho’s Atlético Mineiro before reaching the final against Bayern Munich. Chris also explores the extraordinary Casablanca Derby against Wydad, the Curva Sud Magana, Raja’s politically and socially expressive supporter culture and the club’s modern struggle to balance investment, stability and its identity as a mass public institution. From Derb Sultan to a world final, Raja turned hope into history—and made sure the world could hear it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colo-Colo Femenino, Chilean women’s football and the Copa Libertadores Femenina are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel tells the story of the women’s side of Colo-Colo, from its launch in 2007 to becoming the dominant force in Chile. Las Albas won ten consecutive domestic championships beginning in 2010, establishing a standard few clubs in South America could match. The centerpiece is the 2012 Copa Libertadores Femenina, when 21-year-old goalkeeper Christiane Endler helped Colo-Colo defeat Brazil’s Foz Cataratas on penalties and become the first club from outside Brazil to win the competition. That victory also made Colo-Colo one of the rare South American institutions to win the continent’s biggest club competition in both men’s and women’s football. The episode also explores Colo-Colo’s continued domestic success, the rise of rivals such as Universidad de Chile and Santiago Morning, the professionalization of women’s football in Chile and the campaign to ensure the women’s 2012 Libertadores is remembered alongside the men’s famous 1991 triumph. Chile has two Libertadores. Colo-Colo’s women won one of them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tromsø IL, Norwegian football, the Arctic Circle and one of Europe’s most extraordinary football environments are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel tells the story of Tromsø IL, the northern Norwegian club that turned geography, brutal weather and decades of exclusion into a defining identity. From being shut out of Norway’s national competitions to finally reaching the top division, Tromsø built itself into one of the country’s most distinctive football institutions. The episode revisits Tromsø’s stunning 1986 Norwegian Cup triumph, the dramatic 1996 final against fierce northern rivals Bodø/Glimt, and famous European nights including the snow-covered 3-2 victory over Chelsea in 1997 and the UEFA Cup upset of Galatasaray. Chris also explores life at Romssa Arena, the Battle of Northern Norway rivalry and the club’s decision to incorporate Northern Sámi language and culture into its stadium identity. At nearly 70 degrees north, Tromsø IL did not simply overcome its location. It made the Arctic part of what the club means. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antigua Barracuda FC, Caribbean football, USL Pro, and Antigua and Barbuda’s remarkable World Cup qualifying run are at the heart of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel tells the extraordinary story of a professional club founded in 2010 to strengthen the Antigua and Barbuda national team by giving the country’s best players regular professional competition together. Barracuda entered USL Pro in 2011, played at Antigua’s converted Sticky Wicket cricket ground and helped provide the foundation for the Benna Boys’ historic run into the semifinal round of 2014 World Cup qualifying. But the project quickly became unsustainable. Declining crowds, expensive travel and the collapse of the league’s Caribbean footprint eventually forced Barracuda to relocate to the United States for the entire 2013 season. What followed became one of football’s strangest campaigns: 26 matches, 26 defeats and zero home games. Players lived in hotels, trained wherever space was available, endured unpaid wages and traveled enormous distances just to complete the schedule. This is the story behind the infamous zero-point season—and why Antigua Barracuda FC deserves to be remembered for far more than the league table. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Al Ahly SC, Egyptian football, the Cairo Derby, and Africa’s most successful club are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel explores how Al Ahly grew from a meeting place for young Egyptians in 1907 into a sporting institution with 45 Egyptian league titles and a record 12 CAF Champions League trophies. The episode traces the club’s nationalist roots, its rivalry with Zamalek, the importance of Cairo International Stadium and the meaning behind Al Ahly’s identity as the “Club of the Nation.” The story also follows legendary figures including Mahmoud El Khatib, Mohamed Aboutrika, Manuel José and Pitso Mosimane, along with unforgettable continental triumphs in 1982, 2006 and the historic 2020 Champions League final against Zamalek. Chris also examines the rise of Ultras Ahlawy, their role in Egypt’s 2011 uprising and the devastating Port Said disaster, where 74 people were killed. From political symbolism and supporter culture to continental dominance and Al Ahly’s expanding global profile, this is the story of a club whose meaning reaches far beyond the trophies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

B-67 Nuuk, Greenlandic football, Arctic travel and one of the world’s most unusual national championships are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel explores the story of Greenland’s record men’s champion, a club based in Nuuk where football operates under conditions unlike almost anywhere else in the world. With no roads connecting Greenland’s towns, domestic competition requires flights, boats and a national championship tournament compressed into roughly one week. The episode traces B-67’s rise from its 1967 founding to 16 national titles, including a record run of five consecutive championships, while exploring its rivalry with N-48 of Ilulissat, the dramatic 2022 final featured in No Place for Football and the challenges facing amateur players balancing football with everyday life. Chris also looks at Nuuk Stadium, youth development, B-67’s partnership with FC Copenhagen, Greenland’s national football structure and the country’s unsuccessful efforts to join UEFA and CONCACAF. It is a story about geography, community and a football culture that continues to thrive despite extraordinary logistical and international barriers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corinthian-Casuals FC, São Paulo, Corinthians Paulista, and the origins of modern football culture are at the heart of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Chris Horwedel explores the remarkable story of an English amateur club whose influence stretches far beyond its current ninth-tier home in Tolworth. The episode traces the history of Corinthian Football Club and Casuals FC, their 1939 merger, their commitment to amateurism and the ideals of sportsmanship that helped define “Corinthian spirit.” The story also reaches across the Atlantic to Brazil, where Corinthian’s 1910 tour inspired the creation of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, now one of the biggest clubs in South America. That relationship later produced unforgettable reunions involving legends including Sócrates and Rivelino. Along the way, the episode covers Corinthian’s role in early England teams, historic victories over Manchester United and other giants, the impact of two World Wars, the club’s long search for a permanent home and the volunteer-built ground at King George’s Field. It is a story about influence without wealth, tradition without professional status, and how a tiny English club helped leave a permanent mark on world football. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Qarabağ FK, Ağdam, Azerbaijan, and one of football’s most extraordinary stories of exile and survival are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club. Founded in Ağdam in 1951, Qarabağ were forced from their home during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and played their final match at the old İmarət Stadium in 1993. Chris Horwedel traces how a club that lost its ground and its city continued playing, eventually becoming the dominant force in Azerbaijani football and a regular presence in European competition. The episode explores Qarabağ’s identity as the “refugee club,” the rise of longtime manager Gurban Gurbanov, domestic dominance, and landmark European nights against clubs including Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Braga and Copenhagen. It also examines the more complicated history surrounding the club’s connection to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including displacement on both sides and the responsibilities that come with turning football into a symbol of national memory. With plans underway for a rebuilt stadium in Ağdam, Qarabağ’s story remains unfinished: a club that carried the idea of home for more than three decades while waiting for the possibility of returning to it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chivas, Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Liga MX, and the club’s famous Mexican-only player policy are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Mexico’s biggest football institutions turned a self-imposed restriction into the foundation of its identity. Founded in Guadalajara in 1906, Chivas grew from an internationally assembled team into a club that eventually committed itself to using only Mexican players. Chris Horwedel traces how that decision shaped everything from recruitment and academy development to transfer prices, supporter expectations and the club’s national significance. The episode follows the rise of the legendary Campeonísimo teams, the rivalries with Atlas and Club América, major continental runs against clubs including Boca Juniors, and generations of stars such as Salvador Reyes, Omar Bravo, Oswaldo Sánchez and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández. It also explores Estadio Akron, Chivas Femenil, the influence of the Vergara family, and the continuing debate over dual nationals and what it means to qualify for the shirt. At its core, Chivas is a story about football and identity: a club that voluntarily narrowed its options and made that limitation part of what millions of supporters believe makes it special. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clapton Community FC, the Old Spotted Dog and supporter-owned football in East London are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, telling the story of fans who decided that preserving a football identity meant building a new club themselves. Formed in 2018 by supporters connected to historic Clapton FC, Clapton Community was created around open membership, democratic control, published finances and equal voting rights. Chris Horwedel traces the boycott that preceded the club’s formation, the dispute over the future of the Old Spotted Dog Ground, and the supporters’ eventual purchase and restoration of London’s oldest senior football venue. The episode also explores CCFC’s distinctive culture, from its internationally famous Spanish Civil War-inspired away shirt to its cooperative structure, community programs and commitment to keeping football affordable and accessible. Along the way, the story touches on Walter Tull, East London football history, the Charity Commission investigation into the previous ground structure and the club’s rise through the non-league pyramid. At its core, Clapton Community FC is a story about what happens when supporters stop asking who owns their club and decide to become the answer themselves. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derry City FC, the League of Ireland, the Troubles and the Brandywell are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, telling the extraordinary story of a Northern Irish club that crossed a national border simply to keep playing football. Founded in 1928, Derry City became Irish League champions and European competitors before political violence and security restrictions during the Troubles made playing at the Brandywell increasingly difficult. In 1972, after other clubs rejected Derry’s return to its own stadium, the club withdrew from senior football entirely. Chris traces the 13-year wilderness that followed, Derry’s remarkable admission into the League of Ireland in 1985, and the rapid rise that produced the historic 1988–89 domestic treble under Jim McLaughlin. The episode also explores the Northwest Derby with Finn Harps, European nights against IFK Göteborg, Gretna and Paris Saint-Germain, financial collapse and rebirth in 2009, and the lasting importance of figures including John Hume, Liam Coyle, Stephen Kenny, Ryan McBride and Mark Farren. At its heart, Derry City’s story is about home: a club that survived by crossing a border without ever abandoning the city or stadium that defined it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Strongest, Bolivian football, La Paz, and the 1969 Viloco air disaster are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Bolivia’s oldest institutions repeatedly turned survival into identity. Founded in 1908, Club The Strongest became a defining force in La Paz football, winning early championships, helping establish the Estadio Hernando Siles and later becoming a major presence in the Copa Libertadores. Chris traces the club’s connection to the Chaco War, its rivalry with Bolívar in the Clásico Paceño, and generations of important figures including Rafael Mendoza Castellón, Pablo Escobar, and Alejandro Chumacero. At the heart of the episode is the September 1969 plane crash near Viloco, which killed 17 players along with the club’s coach, staff and delegate. Chris follows the extraordinary rebuilding effort that came afterward, including support from rival clubs and Boca Juniors, the creation of the “Strongest Símbolo” team, and a rapid return to championship football. It’s a story about altitude, rivalry, memory, and a club whose name became less a boast than a responsibility: strength meant continuing after the worst day imaginable. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enyimba FC, Nigerian football, the CAF Champions League and the rise of the People’s Elephant in Aba are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, tracing how a once-relegated state-owned club became the first Nigerian team to conquer Africa. Founded in Aba, Abia State, Enyimba spent years outside Nigeria’s traditional elite before chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu helped transform the club around the turn of the century. Chris follows Enyimba’s domestic breakthrough and the teams led by Kadiri Ikhana and Okey Emordi that changed Nigerian football history. The episode revisits Enyimba’s landmark 2003 CAF Champions League victory over Ismaily, followed by the dramatic 2004 final against Étoile du Sahel, when goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba replaced Nigerian star Vincent Enyeama for the decisive penalty shootout. Chris also explores Enyimba International Stadium, the Abia derby with Abia Warriors, the Oriental Derby against Rangers International, and the challenges that come with government ownership. With nine Nigerian league championships and consecutive African titles, Enyimba proved that Nigeria’s long wait for continental supremacy could end—and then showed it was no accident. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FC Barcelona Femení, Liga F, the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the rise of women’s football in Spain are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, tracing how a team once denied Barça’s shirt became one of football’s dominant institutions. The story begins in 1970, when Immaculada Cabecerán recruited players through a magazine advertisement and a women’s side played at Camp Nou without permission to use the club’s name or colors. Chris follows the long road from those white shirts to formal incorporation into FC Barcelona in 2002 and full professionalization in 2015. The episode explores defining figures including Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Salma Paralluelo and Ewa Pajor, along with Barcelona’s transformation after the painful 2019 Champions League final against Lyon. Chris also revisits the club’s European titles, domestic dominance, record crowds of more than 91,000 at Camp Nou, and the importance of Estadi Johan Cruyff. It’s a story about access, identity and a women’s team that stopped waiting for permission and eventually helped redefine what FC Barcelona itself could be. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the show's website for an interactive map with all current teams, and suggest a club. If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.