It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast

In part two of our Total Football series, Jonathan and Rob explore the ideas behind football’s great tactical revolution.From the structuralist architecture and social change of 1960s Amsterdam to Johan Cruyff’s place within a collective system, they trace how a new way of thinking shaped the Dutch game.But it's not all Ajax. Focus shifts to Rotterdam and Feyenoord: Ernst Happel’s 4-3-3, their landmark 1970 European Cup win, and the overlooked tactical breakthrough that helped pave the way for Ajax and Cruyff.Want to listen to the whole Total Football series now? Sign up to our Patreon for full access.

In the first episode of a new four-part series, Jonathan and Rob examine the origins of Total Football - and why it is far more than simply slick passing or players swapping positions.They explore the overlooked influence of English coach Vic Buckingham at Ajax, the role of Rinus Michels in shaping the philosophy, and the tactical shift from individual battles to coordinated systems.There's why Dutch football’s late professionalisation made it a laboratory for new ideas; how advances in fitness made pressing possible; and why similar thinking was developing simultaneously in Soviet football under Valeriy Lobanovskyi.This is the story of the conditions that made Total Football possible - before Johan Cruyff became its greatest expression.Rob and Jonathan will be back next week for part two. Sign up to our Patreon to get early-access to every episode right now.

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by special guest Jordi Cruyff for the first episode in a new series on Total Football: its origins, its legacy, and one of its key architects, Johan Cruyff.Who better than Jordi to reflect on his father's footballing influences and legacy? Beginning with his upbringing in Amsterdam, the hardship that shaped his ambition, and the profound influence of Rinus Michels on his development, Jordi also shares personal insight into Johan’s personality: stubborn, curious, challenging and, of course, never afraid to go against the grain.The conversation explores Cruyff’s football philosophy in detail - his attacking mindset, positional ideas, emphasis on angles and intelligence, and refusal to compromise on style. Jordi also retells the story of being named Jordi in Franco-era Spain, a moment that captured his father’s defiant spirit and deep connection with Catalonia.Rob, Jonathan and Jordi look at Johan’s transformational impact on Barcelona, the 1992 European Cup, his influence on Pep Guardiola, and how Cruyff’s ideas continue to shape elite football - from La Masia to the modern Premier League.Rob and Jonathan will be back next week for a dive into the origins of Total Football itself; the first in a new four-part series. Sign up to our Patreon to get early-access to every episode.

In World Cup final week, we just had to ask Jonathan and Rob to decide on the best World Cup finals of all time - and they certainly delivered.From Uruguay in 1930 to Qatar in 2022, there's no better way to whet your appetite for Sunday evening than by taking a trip down memory lane with the guys.From the drama of that very first final in 1930, to the political tension and selection intrigue of Hungary’s defeat to Italy in 1938, they trace how the World Cup final quickly became a stage for far more than just football.Along the way they revisit the heartbreak of the 1950 Maracanazo, the tactical and cultural significance of West Germany’s win over the Netherlands in 1974, and the extraordinary scale of the 1954 Miracle of Bern, when Hungary’s great side were denied by West Germany. They also reflect on the modern classic of Argentina v France in 2022.Will we have another classic on our hands in 2026?00:00 Uruguay 4–2 Argentina (1930)17:45 West Germany 2–1 Netherlands (1974)30:15 Uruguay 2–1 Brazil (1950)40:55 Italy 4–2 Hungary (1938)47:50 Argentina 3–3 France (2022)54:55 West Germany 3–2 Hungary (1954)

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper pick their favourite World Cup quarterfinals while previewing the upcoming last-eight: Portugal’s 5–3 comeback against North Korea at Goodison Park in 1966, highlighting Eusébio’s peak display, disputed refereeing, and the enduring Middlesbrough bond with the North Korean team; Germany–Argentina in 2006 as a pivotal step in Klinsmann’s cultural and tactical reset with Löw, Lehmann’s sock note in the shootout, and debate over Pekerman’s substitutions; and Argentina–Netherlands in 2022, remembered amid Grant Wahl’s death, for Messi’s pass, a record 18 yellows, a late Weghorst equaliser from a worked free kick, and a combustible shootout and aftermath. Wilson also covers Italy–Spain in 1934 as Mussolini’s World Cup’s key test and Draper adds Italy–Brazil 1982 and France–Brazil 1986 as defining classics.00:00 Quarterfinal Classics Setup00:47 Portugal vs North Korea 196603:40 Goodison Shock and Comeback08:32 Eusebio Takes Over10:10 Legacy and Middlesbrough Bond16:19 Germany vs Argentina 200617:20 Klinsmann Revolution Explained23:27 Match Drama and Lehmann Note26:11 Argentina vs Netherlands 202230:33 Battle of Lusail Chaos34:48 Penalties And Tragedy36:04 Mussolini World Cup Clash41:41 Replay And Brutality42:58 England Debate Sunderland Joke44:43 Rossi Sinks Brazil 198249:50 Romance Dies Guardiola Inspired51:57 France Brazil 1986 Classic57:43 Shootout Controversy Carlos Story01:00:31 Legacy And Wrap Up

Throughout the World Cup Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are recording weekly live Q&As, exclusively for our Patreon subscribers. This week, all eyes were on England's win over DR Congo, sparking a debate on their reliance on Harry Kane. A worry, or a strength? There's a look at Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay, a debate on what's happened to Germany, and so much more in this week's World Cup mailbag. Want in? Then all you need to do is head over to www.patreon.com/ItWas and sign up for £4.99 a month. That'll get you access to Rob and Jonathan's live Q&As and a whole host of bonus content, including:The World Cup Collection - dissecting every tournament since 1930.Retro Magazine Collection - flicking through the archives of classic football culture.Lots of bonus, one-off IWWIW specials.Plus, you'll become part of our growing IWWIW community on Patreon.Sign up today to hear the full episode - and we'll see you on Patreon. Thanks for listening! 

To listen to the full four-part series instantly, subscribe to our Patreon where listeners can enjoy ad-free listening, our World Cup Wednesdays, bonus editions and live Q&A episodes.Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson conclude their four-part series on England’s 1966 World Cup win, picking up from the semi-final against Portugal and Eusébio, where Alf Ramsey sticks with Geoff Hurst over the media-favoured Jimmy Greaves and England’s wingless 4-1-3-2 thrives, with Bobby Charlton scoring twice and Jack Charlton’s handball leading to a late penalty. They then set up the final against West Germany, including Ramsey’s instruction for Charlton to sit deeper and nullify Franz Beckenbauer, before revisiting a disjointed 4–2 match shaped by England’s direct play, West Germany’s controversial equaliser, Hurst’s debated goal off the bar, and his hat-trick. The episode also explores Ramsey’s vindication, England’s fitness and planning, and the broader cultural context of Swinging London, post-imperial Britain, and the night of celebrations after victory.00:00 Doubting Ramsey00:23 Series Setup01:04 Semifinal Stakes02:07 Bobby Charlton Anxiety05:13 Greaves Or Hurst07:12 Wingless Wonders Win08:57 Charlton Double11:44 Penalty Scare12:50 Charlton Family Duty14:53 1966 Life Off Pitch17:47 Cinema And Trauma20:13 Final Plan Mark Beckenbauer22:20 Final Rewatch Context24:03 Targeting Tilkowski25:07 Final Goals Breakdown26:26 German Equaliser Debate28:13 Ramsey Team Talk Myth29:26 Ramsey Mind Games30:08 Fitness Wins Extra Time30:34 Was It Over The Line32:52 Pitch Invaders Fourth Goal33:48 Hurst Becomes Immortal35:01 Planning Versus Flair36:52 Ramsey Vindicated40:19 War Memory And Germany43:05 Swinging London Soundtrack45:19 Post Imperial Cool Britannia50:48 Football Enters Mainstream54:07 Night Of Celebration57:05 Legacy And Farewell

To listen to the full four-part series instantly, subscribe to our Patreon where listeners can enjoy ad-free listening, our World Cup Wednesdays, bonus editions and live Q&A episodes.Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson continue their series on how England won the 1966 World Cup by focusing on the quarter-final against Argentina, presented as the tournament’s key and most controversial test. They explain Alf Ramsey’s tactical preparation, including hiding his 4-1-3-2 “wingless” system and replacing the injured Jimmy Greaves with the more aerially suited Geoff Hurst. The episode traces Ramsey’s lessons from England’s 1964 South American trip, where Argentina’s pragmatic defensive approach and man-marking shaped his thinking, then sets the fraught 1966 backdrop: referee paranoia, Argentina’s internal chaos and recent coup, and a Wembley training dispute caused by greyhound racing. They dissect Antonio Rattín’s baffling dismissal amid language barriers and unclear bookings, the ugly atmosphere, and England’s 1–0 win through Hurst, before covering the aftermath, including Ramsey’s “animals” remark, protests, bans, fines, and Argentina’s defiant homecoming.00:00 Setting Up England Argentina01:23 Ramsey Hides Wingless Wonders03:16 Hurst Replaces Greaves05:11 Mundialito Lessons In Brazil09:47 Argentina Pragmatism And Press Reaction15:43 Referee Paranoia And FIFA Politics19:14 Argentina Chaos Before Wembley22:40 Greyhound Racing And Pre Match Tension26:32 Match Begins And Footage Limits29:37 Rattin Booking Sparks Flashpoint33:57 Booking Confusion Builds35:06 Rattin Sent Off Mystery38:40 Interpreter Myth Explained41:53 Aero Bars and Union Jack45:25 Who Was Actually Booked46:06 Press Fury and Fix Claims51:56 Ten Men Battle On56:01 England Finally Break Through57:18 Animals Comment Fallout01:03:17 Bans Fines and Aftermath

To listen to the full four-part series instantly, subscribe to our Patreon where listeners can enjoy ad-free listening, our World Cup Wednesdays, bonus editions and live Q&A episodes.Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson continue their four-part series on England’s 1966 World Cup win by tracing how Alf Ramsey’s team took shape amid low expectations and press criticism after a 3–2 Wembley loss to Austria. They discuss doubts over the 4-2-4, Bobby Charlton’s role, and growing concerns about Jimmy Greaves’ form, before key friendlies reveal Ramsey’s “wingless wonders” approach: a 4-1-3-2/4-3-3 hybrid showcased in Spain and then unveiled dramatically in Poland with the surprise inclusion of Martin Peters. At the World Cup, Ramsey initially reverts to wingers, drawing 0–0 with Uruguay, then beating Mexico 2–0 via a standout Bobby Charlton strike and France 2–0 with Roger Hunt’s goals. Two shadows emerge: Nobby Stiles’ violent conduct against France and Greaves’ shin injury that rules him out of the quarterfinal, opening the door for Geoff Hurst.00:00 England Written Off01:48 Austria Defeat Fallout04:17 Ramsey Rethinks Tactics07:47 Greaves Under Scrutiny10:24 Spain Reveals Wingless Plan15:08 Poland Test and Peters Shock20:43 Hiding the System22:21 World Cup Opener Uruguay25:49 Uruguay Stalemate Fallout26:49 Meet J L Manning28:58 Tactics Jargon Backlash32:24 Mexico Magic Moment33:15 Charlton Screamer Breakdown36:18 France Win And Rotation39:04 Stiles Controversy And FA Row42:36 Greaves Injury Hurst Opportunity44:50 Greaves Debate Luxury Player50:05 Next Episode And Patreon Plug