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BBC World Service


Original football stories and interviews from around the globe.


World Football

It’s the battle of the best in the Copa Libertadores – as teams from across South America compete in their version of the Champions League.

The past six editions have all been won by Brazilian clubs – and four of those finals have been all Brazilian affairs.

So, can anyone stop Brazil’s domination? World Football’s John Bennett is joined by BBC football reporter George Addo and Brazilian football journalist Renata Mendonca to discuss.

Image: Players of Botafogo celebrate with the trophy after winning the tournament following the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2024 Final between Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo at Estadio Más Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti on November 30, 2024 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Copa Libertadores: Can anyone stop the Brazilian domination?

Arminia Bielefeld captain Mael Corboz speaks to World Football’s Mike Williams after the German third-tier side stunned defending champions Bayer Leverkusen to reach the final of the German Cup.

Bielefeld won 2-1 to become the first team outside the top two divisions to knock four Bundesliga sides out of the German Cup in one season.

The club had already beaten Union Berlin, Freiburg and Werder Bremen before their victory over the reigning Bundesliga champions.

Image: Joel Grodowski and teammates of Arminia Bielefeld celebrate victory after the DFB Cup Semi Final between DSC Arminia Bielefeld and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Schueco Arena on April 01, 2025 in Bielefeld, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

How did the German minnows stun Bayer Leverkusen?

Imagine having to wait 50 years for your work to be officially recognised. 

That’s what happened to the women of St George Women's Soccer team, who represented Australia in the 1975 Asian Ladies Football Confederation tournament held in Hong Kong.

For years, their efforts were overlooked by the football authorities in Australia.

Now, Football Australia will recognise those players as the "First Matildas" by awarding them cap numbers ahead of Australia's game against South Korea.
World Football’s Mani Djazmi tells John Bennet the inside story.

Photo: The St George Women's Soccer team, now known as ‘the first Matildas’ at Sydney Airport on August 21, 1975. (Credit: Fairfax Media via Getty Images)

First Matildas: Recognising Australia’s 1975 Asian Cup pioneers

World Football’s Isaac Fanin finds out more about how "travel measures" introduced by US President Donald Trump led to Zambia's women's team withdrawing four United States-based players from their squad for a tournament in China.

The Football Association of Zambia announced captain and BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda, Racheal Kundananji, Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda would miss the Yongchuan International Tournament.

This comes after President Trump signed an executive order to draft a list of countries that will mean a partial or full suspension on visitors from some nations.

It is unclear if China is on the proposed list, but non-American residents have experienced increased difficulty in re-entering the country in recent months.

Sydney Mungala, communications manager at the Football Association of Zambia, tells World Football about the impact on the team’s preparations and the players and how it should be treated as a “wake up call” to other nations about the changes in the US.

Image: Gianni Infantino, president of the Federation International Football Association (FIFA), right, and US President Donald Trump, centre, during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photographer: Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

How are US travel measures impacting global football?

As Thomas Muller and Kevin De Bruyne get ready to leave their clubs at the end of the season, how will they be remembered?
 
Thomas Muller has played the most games in the history of Bayern Munich with 743, while he is third on their all-time scorer's list with 247 goals and has won two Champions Leagues and 12 Bundesliga titles among 33 trophies in total with the German giants. German football expert Constantin Eckner joins World Football's Lee James to look back at Muller's legacy.

It's also the end of an era for Kevin De Bruyne, who announced that he'll be departing when Manchester City's season concluded.

The 33 year old has won 16 trophies since joining City from Wolfsburg in 2015, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023 - scoring 106 goals in 413 appearances in all competitions for City.

So how will he be remembered? The former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel and former Tottenham and Ireland defender Stephen Kelly shared their thoughts.

Photo: Thomas Mueller of Bayern Muenchen is injured during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Eintracht Frankfurt at Allianz Arena on February 23, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Credit: Sampics/Getty Images)

Muller & De Bruyne: Leaving legends legacies

What do Australia, the US state of Wyoming and the German city of Bielefeld all have in common?

They're all locations subject to satirical conspiracy theories that claim they don't exist.

The 'Bielefeld conspiracy' remains one of the most popular Internet jokes originating in Germany, but their third-tier football team are well and truly putting them back on the map.

Arminia Bielefeld have become the first team outside the top two divisions to knock four Bundesliga sides out of the German Cup in one season on their way to a surprise appearance in the German Cup final.

World Football's Delyth Lloyd is joined by football reporter Mani Djazmi, who's been finding out more.

Photo: Supporters of Bielefeld cheer their team during the 3. Liga match between Arminia Bielefeld and Erzgebirge Aue at Schueco Arena in Bielefeld, Germany. (Credit: Getty Images for DFB)

Arminia Bielefeld: The football team putting their city on the map

Southampton set the unwanted record of being the earliest team to be relegated in Premier League history after their relegation was confirmed in April 2025.

So, what’s it like as a player to be relegated and is the gulf getting bigger between England’s top-flight and the second-tier?

Former Premier League defender and current Sierra Leona captain Steven Caulker joins World Football’s Delyth Lloyd and George Addo to discuss.

Image: Dejection for Southampton players at the final whistle after relegation was confirmed during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Southampton FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 6, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Southampton relegation: What’s it like to be relegated as a Premier League player?

PSG forward Ousmane Dembele has long had a big reputation, but is he now living up to his potential and could that lead to him winning football’s star prize?

The France international was once the second-most expensive player in history when he signed for Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 in a deal worth £135.5m, before joining Paris St-Germain in 2023 for just £43.5m.

After scoring 40 goals in 185 games for Barcelona, Dembele has gone onto become one of Europe’s most in-form forwards, scoring over 30 goals in all competitions in the 2024/25 season, including 21 goals in 26 league games to help PSG lift the Ligue 1 title.

So, what changed and could Dembele be rewarded with the Ballon d'Or? European football experts Julien Laurens and Guillem Balagué and former Cameroon defender Sebastien Bassong join World Football’s John Bennett to discuss.

Image: Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris, on March 16, 2025. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Ousmane Dembele: Ballon d'Or bound?

Players will be punished if they stand on the ball during football matches in Brazil, but what led to this controversial law change?

The decision by the Brazil Football Federation (CBF) came after Corinthians forward Memphis Depay performed the move in a game against Palmeiras which sparked a mass brawl between both teams.

The CBF has announced that players should be shown a yellow card if they stand on the ball with both feet and the opposing team awarded an indirect free-kick.

South American football expert Tim Vickery and BBC football reporter John Bennett joins World Football’s Ed Harry to discuss the law change and the reaction in Brazil.

Image: Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City standing on a ball prior tothe UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Manchester City and F.C. Copenhagen at Etihad Stadium on March 6, 2024 in Manchester, England.(Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

The Memphis Depay balancing act that’s led to a new law in Brazil

Chelsea and Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson had a difficult start to life in English football but he's performing well this season and after an injury lay-off he's recently been described in the UK media as "indispensable" to Enzo Maresca's team.

So as he returns to full fitness just in time for Chelsea's crucial end of season run-in, World Football's John Bennett, football journalist Rahman Osman and BBC Sport's senior football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella discuss his journey from the Gambia to the Premier League and whether he is now - along with Cole Palmer - the most crucial player in the Chelsea side? 

Plus, will be he be first choice next season or will Chelsea bring in a new number 9 to replace him?

Photo: Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea FC celebrates scoring a goal with Enzo Fernandez during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Chelsea FC at The King Power Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Leicester, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

Nicolas Jackson: Chelsea's indispensable striker?

In a bonus episode, John Bennett is joined by a legend of Ivory Coast football and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations winner Kolo Toure.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City defender shares his Afcon memories, including lifting the trophy in 2015.

He also assesses the current squad, and looks ahead to the final against Nigeria.

Kolo Toure: Ivory Coast winning Afcon would be “incredible”

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