Listen to the stories behind football's biggest names, hosted by Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan.
"Hosts Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan know their stuff." – The Guar...
Who is Manchester United’s new manager Ruben Amorim?
Manchester United has seen numerous managers come and go since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. With Erik Ten Hag now put to pasture, who is the new Portuguese millennial manager taking the job?
This episode discusses the life and managerial career (so far) of Ruben Amorim. This is the story of a man who has rapidly catapulted his career through the Portuguese football leagues, and is now saying goodbye to the Iberian sun in favour of rainy Manchester.
Simon and Mehreen discuss Amorim’s managerial training and life in Portugal, the shadow of fellow Portuguese football manager José Mourinho, and his ongoing commitment to the back three. The team is joined by Portuguese expert and football pundit Raquel Vaz Pinto, who provides unique insights into Amorim.
Known for being an empathetic and genuine manager that treats football coaching like a psychologist, are millennial-players-turned-coaches football’s hottest new property? And how will a man, known for his captivating press conferences in Portuguese, cope in his second language in an English-speaking environment?
Time stamps:
0:36: Introduction and stats
3:45: Early life and footballing career
7:41: Amorim’s coaching credentials and the influence of José Mourinho
14:17: Early coaching career
17:25: It all goes wrong (then right again)
22:25: Amorim revitalises Sporting Portugal (... not Sporting Lisbon)
27:43: Captivating audiences at press conferences
32:03: A strict and serious side
36:28: On English clubs’ radars
41:51: Modern management, ft. Millennials and Gen Z
45:57: What if he wasn’t in football?
Make sure to listen to the following episodes after this one:
The rise and fall of José Mourinho
The making and reign of Alex Ferguson
Erik Ten Hag: The doomed Dutchman of Manchester United
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51:48
Eric Cantona: Art, violence, and the remaking of English football
Eric Cantona is the epitome of Rimbaud and Rambo: an artistic poet and violent, tough man. So how did this paradoxical player transform Manchester United in the 1990s? And how did this affect English football as a whole?
In this episode, Simon and Mehreen delve deep into the life and times of French footballer Eric Cantona. They track his playing career in France, how he was the missing piece of the puzzle for 90s Manchester United, and his abrupt footballing career-end at the age of 31.
This is the story of a man who was built like a boxer and thinks of himself as an artist. Famous for his kung-fu kicks, red card troubles, and propensity towards violence, this episode discusses how he also embodied a new type of footballer in the 1990s and a work-hard mentality of football as an art.
Put your collars up for this insane, violent, and often poetic tale of the man of one of Manchester United’s most integral figures.
Time stamps:
0:36: Introduction and stats
03:44: Early life in Marseille
07:29: A gifted young footballer and early playing career
11:13: Controversy and trouble in French clubs
13:40: Move to England (and a love for Rimbaud or Rambo?)
17:12 Cult hero and collar up at Leeds
22:32: Ferguson chooses Cantona for Manchester United
26:32: Strong start at Manchester United
29:53: Raising the bar at Manchester United
35:27: Simon’s Financial Times front page cover on Cantona
45:51: Community service and controversies
49:16: Karate kicking journalists
52:35: French national football team
57:47: Unexpected retirement, acting career, and politics
1:03:43: What’s Cantona up to now?
1:11:29: What if Cantona hadn’t played football?
Join the Heroes and Humans Supporters Club!
Are you a fan of Heroes and Humans and can’t wait for the next episode? Why not become part of our exclusive community and get even closer to the action?
By joining our official H&H Supporters Club on Patreon, you’ll unlock access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, bonus content, and special Q&A sessions with your hosts, Mehreen and Simon. Whether you're looking for deeper insights into football’s biggest personalities or just can’t wait for the next episode, we’ve got something for you.
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1:17:27
Megan Rapinoe: When soccer gets political
Megan Rapinoe is one of soccer’s most talented players, yet has an influence and legacy that extends far beyond the pitch. How did one American sportswoman become such a central figure in conversations about homophobia, feminism, and racism?
This episode tracks Rapinoe’s life, from growing up in a relatively poor working-class background to becoming the GOAT of women’s soccer. Mehreen and Simon examine how witnessing severe drug abuse and her family upbringing shaped her understanding of privilege and injustice.
This episode unpicks the polarising views of Megan, which are often at the centre of wider cultural wars. The episode discusses Rapinoe being the first top soccer player to come out (which was actually not too controversial), to being one of the first sportspeople to take the knee in 2016 (which was).
On one hand, Rapinoe is hated by president Donald Trump (“Woke equals failure”) and was once called the “most annoying sportsperson ever” by Piers Morgan. On the other hand, she is celebrated as a figure with a strong moral compass – standing up for injustices, unfair pay, and archaic power structures.
Is Rapinoe the new model for the next generation of sports stars? Or should politics be kept off the pitch?
Time stamps:
0:36: Introduction
4:43: A child of Trump’s America
9:45: A growing childhood interest in soccer
11:42: Recognising privilege and witnessing fentanyl addiction
17:17: College scholarship and move to Oregon
20:25: Discovering her sexuality
25:59: A poorly-paid pro, viral moments, and coming out
29:45: Intersectionality, homophobia, and equal pay
33:23: Racism and taking the knee in 2016
38:39: Trump vs. Rapinoe (with a father that votes for him)
44:27: Class action lawsuit for equal pay
47:10: Rapinoe’s legacy
Join the Heroes and Humans Supporters Club!
Are you a fan of Heroes and Humans and can’t wait for the next episode? Why not become part of our exclusive community and get even closer to the action?
By joining our official H&H Supporters Club on Patreon, you’ll unlock access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, bonus content, and special Q&A sessions with your hosts, Mehreen and Simon. Whether you're looking for deeper insights into football’s biggest personalities or just can’t wait for the next episode, we’ve got something for you.
Don’t miss out! Support us and get more from your favourite podcast.
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53:56
Cristiano Ronaldo’s battle for longevity
No footballer in history has had a career at the top for as long as Cristiano Ronaldo. Nearing his 40th birthday, when will it be time for Ronaldo to finally retire? And will he bow out gracefully—or cry?
This is the second and final episode on Cristiano Ronaldo. Simon and Mehreen track Ronaldo’s life from 2009 onwards, detailing his transition to family man, his atmospheric rise on social media, and his footballing career after Manchester United.
This episode covers Ronaldo’s rivalry with Messi, his fear of decline and irrelevancy, and his dedication to football at every stage—whether it’s the Euros or in the Saudi league. Is it because of Ronaldo that football has reached a fetishisation of high performance?
This is the finale of the highest-paid athlete on earth who rose from nothing—a person who embodies hustle culture but whose self importance is so grandiose one can’t help but mock it.
Time stamps:
0:36: Ronaldo joins Real Madrid
5:05: Rivalry with Messi
9:11: Perfect life, perfect child, perfect wife?
17:01: Global icon and social media superstar
22:41: Euro 2016
29:13: Manchester United and Juventus
34:28: Humiliation and personal tragedy
37:55: Joining the Saudi pro league
41:36: Decline in the Portuguese national team
44:11: GOAT status or pipped to the post?
49:17: The Muslim conspiracy and ongoing legacy
Join the Heroes and Humans Supporters Club!
Are you a fan of Heroes and Humans and can’t wait for the next episode? Why not become part of our exclusive community and get even closer to the action?
By joining our official H&H Supporters Club on Patreon, you’ll unlock access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, bonus content, and special Q&A sessions with your hosts, Mehreen and Simon. Whether you're looking for deeper insights into football’s biggest personalities or just can’t wait for the next episode, we’ve got something for you.
Don’t miss out! Support us and get more from your favourite podcast.
Join us today at patreon.com/heroesandhumans
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55:04
Cristiano Ronaldo: The alcoholic's son who became a workaholic
Vain, disciplined, consistent: Cristiano Ronaldo is a football legend like no other. How did this hyper-athletic, prone-to-cry Portuguese player become such a dominant force—not only in football but on the world stage?
This episode is the first of two on the legendary football player and covers Ronaldo’s early life. The episode chronicles Ronaldo’s childhood, growing up as an unwanted child in relative poverty in Madeira, and his move to the Portuguese mainland, where he became determined to work harder, better, and faster than everyone else.
Simon and Mehreen paint a picture of Ronaldo’s ascent to international fame and superstardom, giving insight into his relationship with Alex Ferguson and Ronaldo’s tendency to always be an individual rather than a team player.
This is the first part of a story of the man who takes himself so seriously he has become a meme—and how his egocentric, strict discipline and routine helped to propel him to the top.
*Trigger warning: Mentions of sexual assault allegations, marked in the timestamps*
Time stamps:
0:36: Introduction and stats
4:01: Growing up in poverty in Madeira
9:22: Arrival to the mainland and showing fierce discipline
15:13: Youth career and rising competition for fame
20:40: Arrival at Manchester United
26:36: UEFA 2004 and a teenager’s determination for greatness
30:20: Controversies and acclaim at Manchester United
39:00: Ronaldo’s first Ballon D’Or (but not the last)
46:22: Alex Ferguson’s infantilisation of Ronaldo at Manchester United
50:25: Sexual assault allegations in Las Vegas *TW: contains mentions of alleged sexual violence that some listeners may find upsetting*
56:12: Wrap up and look towards part two
Join the Heroes and Humans Supporters Club!
Are you a fan of Heroes and Humans and can’t wait for the next episode? Why not become part of our exclusive community and get even closer to the action?
By joining our official H&H Supporters Club on Patreon, you’ll unlock access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, bonus content, and special Q&A sessions with your hosts, Mehreen and Simon. Whether you're looking for deeper insights into football’s biggest personalities or just can’t wait for the next episode, we’ve got something for you.
Don’t miss out! Support us and get more from your favourite podcast.
Join us today at patreon.com/heroesandhumans
Follow @heroesandhumans everywhere.
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Visit our website for news & updates heroesandhumans.com
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Listen to the stories behind football's biggest names, hosted by Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan.
"Hosts Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan know their stuff." – The Guardian
"The most interesting football podcast of the moment." – NRC, a leading Dutch daily
Heroes & Humans moves beyond the traditional boundaries of sports commentary to explore the lives of football's most interesting figures. Whether episodes are about Messi, Abramovich, Cruyff, Şükür or Haaland, this is the go-to podcast for football audio-biographies. Released once weekly on Thursdays.
Simon Kuper, acclaimed by Time Magazine as "one of the world's leading writers on soccer," and an awarded Financial Times columnist, brings a three-decade career of interviewing and understanding the personalities that define the world’s greatest sport. Having attended the last nine World Cups and boasting Europe's largest football library, Simon's insights are rooted in a profound depth of knowledge and passion for football.
Mehreen Khan, whose day job is as the Economics Editor at The Times, believes football is a "brilliant shortcut in how to understand societies, economies, and politics". She is a football obsessive and die-hard Chelsea fan. With her ability to intertwine socio-political narratives with pop culture savvy, Mehreen stands out in the football podcasting landscape. Her presence as one of the few female voices adds a valuable dimension, broadening the conversation for listeners.
Mehreen was previously the FT’s Brussels correspondent, before moving to The Times in 2022. She started her career in sports journalism at the Daily Telegraph in 2014, and wrote a football blog that touched on themes including Russia’s breakaway Muslim separatism, German multiculturalism, and the earth-shattering magnificence of Andrea Pirlo.
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