The Sweeper - A World Football Podcast3 Okt 2023

An alternative World Cup for FIFA's worst 32 nations, Mozart bashing the Red Bulls with a violin & the enclave derby in Spanish North Africa

The Sweeper crew have been going viral on social media recently. Paul Watson proposed a World Cup for the 32 worst-ranked countries in the world on Twitter – and it turns out a lot of people want to see it! Paul explains in Part 1 how it might work and who might win it, before the discussion turns to Pakistan and which countries might be the first to be eliminated from 2026 World Cup qualifying.In Part 2, fellow host Lee Wingate talks about his recent travels across Austria – first as the pitchside English-language stadium announcer mere metres away from Jürgen Klopp at the LASK-Liverpool Europa League match and then at the hotly anticipated cup clash between Red Bull Salzburg and Austria Salzburg, the team they bought in a controversial takeover 18 years ago.Finally, in Part 3, the team round up the remaining stories from across Europe. There’s an intriguing derby in Spanish North Africa as the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla go head-to-head, while a 45-year-old Slovakian keeper faces his son in the final match of his career. There’s also a word for second-tier Lithuanian cup winners Transinvest and a brilliant micro-nation-related email from a listener.RUNNING ORDER:Part 1 - The 'Worst World Cup', San Marino's chances, Zealand's simulations & a word on Pakistan (00:38)Part 2 - Travels in Austria: Life as a Europa League stadium announcer and the crunch cup tie in Salzburg (22:18)Part 3 - The enclave derby in Spanish North Africa & the Slovakian father and son in opposite goals (37:16)

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