Messi & Argentina march on, Poland limp through, and prepare for pre-match penalties in 2026
About this episode
<p>The Athletic's Adam Leventhal, James Horncastle and Adam Crafton react to Argentina's 2-0 win over Poland on Wednesday night that saw both teams make it through to the last 16, but it wasn't without its drama as Messi had a penalty saved by Wojciech Szczęsny and Poland came perilously close to exiting the tournament on yellow cards.</p><p>If this World Cup isn't enough for you, we cast ahead to 2026 as Adam Crafton brings us news that FIFA are considering the possibility of having penalty shoot-outs pre-match in the group stages as a way of guarding against possible collusion in the expanded 48-team tournament</p><p>We also hear from the Athletic's Jay Harris who witnessed Australia's triumph over a disappointing Denmark</p><p> </p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Messi & Argentina march on, Poland limp through, and prepare for pre-match penalties in 2026 from The Athletic FC Podcast gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Clue app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- Ornstein latest: Real Madrid sign Cucurella + Diomande lights up World Cup Jun 15, 2026
- USA's statement win + can Brazil lift a sixth World Cup? Jun 13, 2026
- Will the USMNT ever produce a global superstar? Jun 12, 2026
- An Idiot's Guide to the 2026 World Cup Jun 11, 2026
- Will the World Cup rip-off pay off? Jun 10, 2026
- Who will actually win the World Cup? Jun 9, 2026
- David Ornstein's World Cup transfer watchlist Jun 8, 2026
- Emma Paton joins The Athletic FC Podcast for The World Cup Jun 7, 2026
- The World Cup's most tactically interesting teams Jun 6, 2026
- The 10 greatest World Cup moments Jun 5, 2026
- World Cup Draft: Picking our Best XIs ever... with a twist Jun 4, 2026
- What next for Arsenal? & Is Iraola better than Slot? Jun 1, 2026
- The Preview: Champions League Final May 29, 2026
- How do Palace build on Glasner's legacy? May 28, 2026
- Where next for Iraola? May 27, 2026
- Will Champions League save Slot at Liverpool? May 26, 2026
- How much will relegation cost West Ham? May 25, 2026
- The Athletic's 2025/26 season awards May 23, 2026
- Spurs or West Ham's relegation fate + England squad reaction May 22, 2026
- How Spygate cost Southampton Premier League football May 21, 2026
- How Arteta's Arsenal finally became champions May 20, 2026
- Ornstein latest: Guardiola leaving, is Maresca the answer? May 19, 2026
- How does Xabi Alonso fix Chelsea? May 18, 2026
- The Preview: Chelsea vs Man City May 15, 2026
- Are FIFA exploiting World Cup fans? May 14, 2026
- Ornstein latest: Chelsea want Alonso & Carrick done deal? May 13, 2026
- Why do Spurs keep hitting the self-destruct button? May 12, 2026
- How Real Madrid descended into violence and chaos May 11, 2026
- The Preview: West Ham vs Arsenal May 8, 2026
- Why Luis Enrique is PSG's biggest star May 7, 2026