The French and Michel Platini capture the national team championship in any sport, and they did it on their home turf. The 1984 Euros are regarded as one of the best international tournaments ever. The French were outstanding hosts, the football was excellent, and the drama was at a minimum. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-melia/message ..read more

The 1980 Euros were not well remembered. The game's were low scoring and not well attended, but we find some silver linings in the clouds. The event expanded in 1980, which helps set the table for future tournaments and the growth of the event.  Both Long goes deep on cleats and the tournament ball. We also discuss the insane mascot, the best game, the golden boot winner, and who might have helped their legacy with strong performances. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-melia/message ..read more

In their latest project, Sean and Both dive into the European Championship. This episode is the first in a series looking back at past tournaments: The winners, losers, disappointments, legacies, rising stars, boots, uniforms, and more! In the first episode of this series, the guys look at the first five Euros from 1960-1976. The event was in its infancy with just four teams qualifying for the finals. The quick tournament grew over time, but these first five set the table for what would become the second biggest international soccer tournament in the world.  --- Send in a voice message ..read more

Crotone is one of only 14 teams from Southern Italy to qualify for Serie A. It took almost 100 years to do it, but in 2016, the club with a 10,000 seat stadium and a tiny budget found their way to the top league of Italian football. Crotone is a small city in the southern most region of Italy. The city is poor and trying to find a way to create jobs for its citizens. The football team might not have any big stars, but it’s full of stories and is a ray of light for its fans. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-melia/message ..read more

We finally head to Rome for a visit to Lazio! Found in 1900, the club has plenty of great stories and characters. We go way back to discuss heroes like Silvio Piola, who is the all-time leading scorer in Italian top league calcio. The 1974 Scudetto winning squad was a team of individuals that met an incredible amount of tragedy in the following years punctuated by the death of a player and the manager. Giorgio Chinaglia might be one of the most fascinating player's we have learned about during this entire project, a man that fought with everyone, including is NY Cosmos teammate, Pele!  ..read more

This week we head to Parma and learn about a club that has had a number of rebirths in its history. Most notably, the club crawled out of the depths of Serie D this decade, which is an astounding accomplishment. To be a fan of Parma is to be tortured, but they also have European glory to remember and wish for again. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-melia/message ..read more

Florence is a cultural center, not just for Italy but for the world. For all it’s importance, Florence is also a relatively small city and Fiorentina is its only soccer club. The club has experienced a few rebirths over its history. One by force of hand by a new owner in 1980 and another through bankruptcy in 2002, which led to the their crest becoming the most expensive logo in European football. Their trophy case is anything but bare, and they found the most success in the 1950s and 60s. There is no shortage of history, great characters, and cameos through the years at Fiorentina. --- Send i ..read more

Cagliari is a club based on the island of Sardinia, one of the healthiest places in all the world. The club was founded in 1920 and reached great heights in 1970 when it won it’s first and only scudetto. It remains the only club from one of the Italian islands to win Serie A. The club seems to be a siren song for many, as managers and players would leave only to return. We hope you enjoy listening to stories about Gigi Riva and the history of Cagliari Calcio. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-melia/message ..read more

Born from two Genoese clubs - Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria - Sampdoria was formed in 1946. The name, crest, uniform, and club colors depict the combination of two clubs. We dive into the history of the club, the heroes and villains, highs and lows. However, the cameos are certainly a highlight, including the son of Muammar Gaddafi who had a cup of coffee in European football. The club reached the highs of European football in the late 80s and early 90, culminating in a 1992 Champions League final appearance against Barcelona at Wembley Stadium.   --- Send in a voice message: https://p ..read more

Sassoulo is the only club in Italy that has been in every division, from Serie A to Serie D. It started as an amateur club and remained that way for the first 50 years of it’s existence. They didn’t climb out of Serie D for good until 1998. The tiny club is also one of six clubs to play in Serie A that isn’t from a provincial capitol city. In short, this club is the little engine that could. It’s a remarkable story. Join Both and me as we discuss the history of the club. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-melia/message ..read more