The Game
The Times
300 episodes
The thinking fan's football podcast.
More about the show
From previews to reviews, winners to losers, who's in and out on the transfer roundabout, tactics, stats and the dreaded VAR - join the best reporters covering the biggest sport on the planet.
Hosted by Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson, The Game brings you the latest on the Premier League and the EFL, as well as a front-row seat to international tournaments.
We know football isn't life and death. It's much more serious than that.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes page 2 of 6
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WORLD CUP DAY 31: Bellingham drags England to the Semi Final
That was tense! England beat Norway thanks to another brace from Jude Bellingham and possibly a bit of help from a spider cam. Tom clarke is joined by The Times head of Sport James Restall and Gregor Robertson for…
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WORLD CUP DAY 30: "Don't miss this chance" - The Big England preview
Four Times journalists, four assertions that England are favourites. But can Thomas Tuchel's side deliver? Tom Clarke talks to Matt Lawton and Tom Allnutt about England v Norway and also hears from Alyson Rudd - the…
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WORLD CUP DAY 29: Why England should make the final
The hype and excitement is building for England's quarter-final with Norway and our Chief Football Correspondent Jonathan Northcroft can see a route to the final for Thomas Tuchel's side. In part two he joins Tom…
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WORLD CUP DAY 28: Quarter Final Previews
We've reached the business end of the tournament. Some big names have fallen by the wayside but no really big shocks. We have six European teams, Morocco from Africa and Argentina from South America. Belgium have been…
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WORLD CUP DAY 27: Argentina win another thriller, is England their destiny?
Lionel Messi delivers again, dragging Argentina past Egypt in a thrilling game packed with great goals and yet more VAR controversy. Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson and Paul Hirst to discuss that amazing…
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WORLD CUP DAY 26: Ronaldo out and Balogun can't save USA
So, it turns out Folarin Balogun didn't make a difference anyway. USA produced a dismal - and maybe distracted - display against a brilliant Belgium side, losing 4-1 to crash out of the tournament and mean that we have…
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WORLD CUP DAY 25: England's epic win in the Azteca
What a game, what a performance, what a result! It was an England performance for the ages as they beat a passionate Mexico team in their own back yard - The Azteca. There were outstanding performances all over the…
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WORLD CUP DAY 24: England braced for Azteca and France survive a kicking
It's time, England fans. The Azteca aura and the altitude - and a decent Mexico team - await for Thomas Tuchel's side in the round of 16. Tom Clarke previews that match with Matt Lawton and Gregor Robertson to discuss…
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WORLD CUP DAY 23: England kick off farce and Cape Verde drama
What a night of drama! FIFA threatened to change England's kick off time against Mexico due to storms only for discussions to break down, Matt Lawton joins Tom to offer the latest on a bizarre and farcical situation at…
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WORLD CUP DAY 22: Ronaldo through and Spain look strong
Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup odyssey continues but he needed VAR to intervene and ensure Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in a match packed with incident and drama. Ronaldo and his team face Spain in the next round after…
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WORLD CUP DAY 21: Harry Kane rescues England
It wasn't pretty and it was mighty tense but England are through - just - thanks to a late brace from Harry Kane. A performance lacking fluidity in attack and a defense that looked porous at times leaves Thomas Tuchel…
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WORLD CUP DAY 20: Mbappe and Olise shine, can Kane and Bellingham follow?
Is there a more iconic or productive World Cup duo than Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise? Gregor Robertson joins Tom Clarke to discuss another brilliant performance by France as they swat Sweden aside to reach the Round…
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WORLD CUP DAY 19: Paraguay stun Germany
Germany have lost a World Cup penalty shootout for the first time in their history as Paraguay produced one of the stories of this tournament so far. Tom Clarke hears from Michael Grant at the ground and is joined by…
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WORLD CUP DAY 18: Round of 32 predictions and England update
From now on it's knockout football. Who goes through, who goes home? Tom, Gregor and Tony attempt to predict all of the remaining round of 32 ties...and work out who makes it to the final. Spoiler alert is isn't…
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WORLD CUP DAY 17: England win but do they need to improve?
England top their group and progress to the round of 32. It was better than Ghana, there were some reasons to be cheerful, but let's be honest...it was a bit laboured. How far can England go playing like that? Is there…
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WORLD CUP DAY 16: Cape Verde heroics, now England expects
They did it! Cape Verde are into the knockouts after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia and will face Lionel Messi and Argentina in the next round. Ian Whittell joins Tom Clarke to discuss their heroic World Cup story and…
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WORLD CUP DAY 15: Ecuador joy as Brobbey becomes unlikely hero
Ecuador stunned Germany in an eventful round of final group stage games, as they qualified for the knockout stage. Tom Clarke hears from Times journalists across America as Paul Hirst reports on Netherlands 3-1 win…
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WORLD CUP DAY 14: Scotland tortuous and why Mainoo needs minutes
They are not out, yet. That is about as good as it gets for Scotland after a 3-0 defeat against Brazil. Michael Grant and Gregor Robertson dissect another dismal display with Tom Clarke and ponder whether Steve…
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WORLD CUP DAY 13: England thwarted, Ronaldo invigorated
After brilliance in game one there was boredom in game two for England their fans as Ghana battled for a 0-0 draw. Tom Clarke is joined by Matt Lawton, Alyson Rudd and Gregor Robertson to dissect a frustrating game…
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WORLD CUP DAY 12: Greatest Golden Boot race ever?
Lionel Messi is the all-time record goalscorer at World Cups and he is leading the Golden Boot race for this tournament with five goals but Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are hot on his tail. Can Harry Kane keep…
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WORLD CUP DAY 11: Cape Verde joy and Rashford's renaissance
They've done it again! Cape Verde have shocked the world once more, getting a brilliant and deserved 2-2 draw with Uruguay and become the story of the tournament so far. Can they qualify for the knockout stages? Tom…
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WORLD CUP DAY 10: Sweden stunned and stick with Ronaldo
A stunning win for Netherlands against Sweden has turned Group F on its head. Graham Potter's side were thrashed 5-1 and Tom Allnutt was in Houston to watch it - he joins Tom Clarke to discuss that game and preview…
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WORLD CUP DAY 9: Hope for Scotland and big dreams for USA
Defeated but not downhearted. Scotland lost to Morocco but showed fight in the second half which offers hope for reaching the knockout stages. Gregor Robertson and Michael Grant join Tom Clarke to dissect Scotland's…
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WORLD CUP DAY 8: McTominay mania and who is Anthony Barry?
Cometh the hour, cometh the man? Scotland are in need of a performance from their talisman against Morocco, can Scott McTominay deliver on the World Cup stage? Tom Clarke previews that big game with Michael Grant and…
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WORLD CUP DAY 7: England and Kane deliver in style
England finally got their World Cup underway and it was worth the wait as they beat Croatia 4-2 in an entertaining game. Two goals for captain and talisman Harry Kane, one for Bellingham and Rashford and a performance…
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WORLD CUP DAY 6: Messi, Haaland and Mbappe shine - over to you, Harry
What. A. Night. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland showed their star quality with two goals each as France and Norway impressed but then along came Lionel Messi. A hat-trick for Argentina's captain as he kicked off his…
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WORLD CUP DAY 5: Cape Verde joy and waiting for Messi
Four draws and our first 0-0 but when it's Cape Verde getting a point against Spain we don't care! Tom Clarke hears from Martyn Ziegler who spies some empty seats at Saudi Arabia's 1-1 draw with Uruguay and Peter…
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WORLD CUP DAY 4: 19 goals and teasing Tuchel
A thrilling night, loads of goals and familiar names making the headlines. Germany thrashed Curacao 7-1 but maybe the newcomers don't care - Tom Allnutt was in Curacao to watch their debut with the locals as they…
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WORLD CUP DAY 3: Scotland win, just, and water breaks dictate
Blimey, that was tense! But Scotland have a World Cup win and sit top of Group C thanks to John McGinn's winner against Haiti. Which players stepped up and which need to offer more? Steve Clarke's side top the group…
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WORLD CUP DAY 2: C'mon Scotland!! USA look good
The USA started their campaign in style, scoring four against Paraguay. The stadium was full, celebs were out in force and the team looked full of energy. Suddenly USA in the next round or the round of sixteen looks a…
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WORLD CUP DAY 1: The Azteca, Team USA and a cave
The World Cup is up and running. The mighty Azteca stadium became the only stadium to host games in three different world cups. Its turf has seen Pele, Maradona and now the 2026 Mexico side. Our reporter Tom Allnutt…
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WORLD CUP 2026 - Are you ready!?
It is finally here. Tonight Mexico will play South Africa in the opening game. Will it be a tournament for the ages or a step too far for over heated and over worked players? So, a quick look at England - Bellingham…
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WORLD CUP 2026: SCOTLAND PREVIEW
Scotland could not be happier going in t the World Cup. When was the last time you heard that - 1928!? Eight goals in two games and believe it or not even some talk of their talisman John McGinn not making it into…
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WORLD CUP 2026 - LIVE PREVIEW SHOW
As part of our build up to World Cup 2026 we hosted a live event at The Times building in London. Tom Clarke hosts the event with Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat and World Cup veteran and…
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How far will England and Scotland go?
It is World Cup week! England treated their friendly against New Zealand as a training session...can we learn anything? Does Thomas Tuchel already know his line up to face Croatia or is it still in doubt? How worried…
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WORLD CUP 2026: THE CONTENDERS
If England don't win it who will? France, Spain, Portugal are all among the favourites, but only one European team has ever won in the Americas...can they change that? Lionel Messi will be at his sixth World Cup, can…
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Managers, Transfers and England update
All the latest from a busy domestic scene. Silva leaves Fulham...is he Benfica bound? Crystal Palace look set to appoint the former Lens coach Iraola to Liverpool, Ederson to Man Utd and Nottingham Forest are asking…
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WORLD CUP 2026: BIG ENGLAND PREVIEW
World Cup 2026 is nearly here! Can England win it? Has Tuchel picked the right squad, what is England's base camp like and what will be England's biggest challenge? With inside knowledge from within the England camp…
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Arsenal's big signing? Iraola to Liverpool?
Arsenal fell agonisingly short, was there anything they could have done differently or did they just come up against a generational team in PSG? What if anything could Mikel Arteta have changed, or was focusing on…
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WORLD CUP 2026: Scotland special - Craig Levein
This is a one off special from our colleagues in Scotland who join former player and national team manager Craig Levein. They look at what reaching a World Cup means to Scotland, and how the team might fare. Scotland…
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Arsenal v PSG - the key battles?
Arsenal have a chance to do the double on Saturday evening, but they have to face a PSG team which many believe are the best of their generation. Can they beat them and if so how? There are intriguing one v one…
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EFL Extra: Play-off final reactions and end of season awards
Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson wrap up the 2025/26 EFL season with a look back at the three play-off finals - and give their own end of season awards. They discuss Hull City’s hard earned victory over Middlesbrough,…
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Big season review and awards
Joining Tom Clarke are Tony Cascarino, Gary Jacob and Peter Rutzler to wrap up an astonishing Premier League season. What went wrong at West Ham and what do they need to avoid further collapse? How did Sunderland’s…
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EFL Extra: Play-off final predictions
Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke go over each of the Play Off finals - who is favourite, who is in form...who goes up, who stays down? And Gregor gets his say on Spygate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
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ENGLAND SQUAD: IMMEDIATE REACTION
Jonathan Northcroft Chief Football Correspondent for The Times and Sunday Times joins Tom Clarke for immediate to the England squad. Who is in, who is out and what do we make of it? Hosted on Acast. See…
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Villa, Arsenal and Spygate
Aston Villa added to a crazy week in English football last night, winning their first trophy in thirty years and their first european trophy in forty four years. Is it the first of many for Unai Emery at Villa? How…
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SPECIAL EPISODE: Arsenal are Champions and Pep leaves City
What a week in English football! Arsenal are Champions again after a twenty two year wait. How did they do it, what were the key moments, who were the key players or staff and will it be the start of something…
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Alonso and Carrick in; will Slot or Pep be leaving?
Xabi Alonso is in the Premier League, but not where many expected. As the Liverpool old boy joins Chelsea what can he expect and is it a huge positive for the Chelsea project? Where does the appointment leave…
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Is Carrick right for Man Utd? And Celtic v Hearts
It is the best Scottish title race in years and it got even spicier last night. Celtic were awarded a penalty for literally the last kick of the match - they scored at took it to the final day as Hearts need only a…
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Has VAR decided the title and relegation?
Was it or wasn't it? Could one decision of foul or no foul have decided the title race AND relegation? It was the biggest moment yet for VAR, was the final outcome correct...or is it more complicated than that? Will…
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