Show Notes
Merry Christmas and welcome back to the Ultimate Football Heroes Podcast. Issy the shot stopper is here feeling festive, and George returns still limping slightly from his hamstring injury but determined not to miss our Christmas special.
Santa’s Football Letters
George kicks things off with something very surprising. He has somehow got hold of letters that football managers have written to Santa, from Mikel Arteta asking for the Premier League title to Serena Wiegman wanting a brand new trophy cabinet. Even Wolves’ manager Rob Edwards makes a very desperate request.
Predictions Recap
Last week we predicted Everton v Arsenal in the Premier League and Sunderland v Ipswich in the WSL Cup. Arsenal won, as expected, but the real drama came in the WSL Cup, where Sunderland came from behind to win. That means George picks up two points for the exact score and keeps his lead on the scoreboard, now 7–4.
Listener Voice Note
This week we hear from Freddy, who scored a brilliant hat trick in his match. George talks about the joy of scoring three goals, while Issy explains the pressure and pride of being in goal. Big thank you to Freddy for sending in such a brilliant message.
Two Truths and a Lie
Our festive game this week is all about footballer-turned-Strictly star Karen Carney. Did she debut for England in 2005? Did she score a huge number of goals? Did she play for Team GB at the London Olympics? One of these is a lie. After the break we reveal the truth and celebrate Karen’s incredible career.
Predictions for Next Week
Our next big fixture to predict is Chelsea v Aston Villa. George goes bold with a 3–2 thriller for Chelsea, while Issy calls a 2–2 draw with lots of action at both ends. What do you think will happen?
Email your predictions to [email protected] and see if you can beat our score system.
Thank You for Listening
Thank you for joining us for our festive football episode. Share it with friends, family, Santa and the elves. Have a wonderful Christmas, keep practising, keep playing, and keep dreaming big. We will see you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More from Ultimate Football Heroes Podcast
Can a goalkeeper hold the ball for as long as they like? Can you score straight from a throw-in? This week's quiz is True or False, and it is the quickest one yet. First, 4 results to settle in the predictions game: the Lionesses in Greece, Manchester United v Tottenham, Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, and Crystal Palace v West Ham in the Women's Super League. Issy called one of them exactly right, and after 16 matches it is level at the top: Issy 12, George 12. Then 6 true or false questions about goalkeepers, throw-ins, red cards, the very first World Cup and the colour of the ball. Shout your answers, then hear how many you got. Then the predictions: Chelsea v Tottenham in the Premier League, and Brighton v West Ham in the Women's Super League, both on Saturday 24 October. Who is your ultimate football hero? Grab an adult and send us a voice note or an email: [email protected] New episode every Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why are Arsenal called the Gunners? Why are Everton the Toffees? And who on earth are the Tricky Trees? This week's quiz is Whose Nickname? Issy and George say 6 football nicknames and you shout the team: the Gunners, the Toffees, the Magpies, the Seagulls, the Lionesses and the Tricky Trees. Then they tell you where each name comes from, from a weapons factory in 1886 to a row of toffee shops. This week's player is Désiré Doué of Paris Saint-Germain and France. He joined his first club at 5 years old, copied Neymar's tricks as a kid, and at 19 he scored 2 goals in a Champions League final. No teenager had ever done that before. The new Ultimate Football Heroes book about him is out on 22 October. Then the predictions: Nottingham Forest v Arsenal at the City Ground, and Crystal Palace v West Ham United in the Women's Super League, both on Sunday 18 October. Next week Issy and George settle 4 matches at once. Who is your ultimate football hero? Grab an adult and send us a voice note or an email: [email protected] New episode every Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
England went to Croatia and won 7-0. It is the biggest defeat Croatia have ever had: 2 goals each for Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham scored 1 and set up 3 more. Issy and George settle last week's predictions, including Manchester City Women coming from 2-1 down to beat Arsenal 4-2. The table is the closest it has been all season: George 10, Issy 9. Then 3 things from the weekend: London City Lionesses winning 6-1 at Tottenham with 2 goals from Alexia Putellas, Manchester City sitting top of both the Premier League and the Women's Super League, and England's 2-0 win in Czechia. This week's quiz is Who Do They Play For? We name 6 players and you name the club: Harry Kane, Lauren Hemp, Désiré Doué, Mary Earps, Bruno Fernandes and Alessia Russo. The Premier League is back this weekend, so the predictions are Greece v England for the Lionesses, and Manchester United v Tottenham. Coming soon in audio from Ultimate Football Heroes: Désiré Doué at the end of October and Bruno Fernandes in November. Who is your ultimate football hero? Grab an adult and send us a voice note or an email: [email protected] New episode every Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
England were 2-1 up against Spain at Wembley when Harry Kane slipped taking a penalty and hit the bar. Spain came back to win 3-2. Issy and George settle last week's predictions, then 3 things from the weekend: Arsenal Women's 20-game unbeaten run ended by Chelsea, Luka Modric scoring for Croatia at 41, and Manchester City Women making it 4 wins from 4. Plus a brand new game: Football By Numbers, where every answer is a number. How many goals were in Manchester City 5-3 Sunderland, how many World Cups have Brazil won, and what year did Stamford Bridge open? There is still no Premier League football this week, so the predictions are Croatia v England and Manchester City Women v Arsenal Women. Who is your ultimate football hero? Grab an adult and send us a voice note or an email: [email protected] New episode every Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Every club in the Women's Super League is more than 100 years old. Except one. London City Lionesses did not exist in 2018. They split away from Millwall Lionesses in 2019 with no badge, no stadium and no fans, and they are now in the top division with Alexia Putellas as captain and Mary Earps in goal. They are also the only club in the league with no men's team. Plus the football quiz flips round. Last week we said the sponsor and you named the team. This week Issy and George say the team and you name the sponsor, and one of the 6 is a trick. Issy and George also settle last week's predictions. Chelsea Women beat Birmingham 2-0, and Brighton beat Arsenal 3-0 to end a run of 7 straight wins. Then 3 things from the weekend: 8 goals at Manchester City, a hat-trick for a player who still lost, 7 second-half goals for Tottenham Women, and a 95th-minute equaliser that took Arsenal Women to 20 games unbeaten. There is no Premier League football this week, so the predictions are England v Spain at Wembley and the Merseyside derby at Anfield. Who is your ultimate football hero? Grab an adult and send us a voice note or an email: [email protected] New episode every Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices