Brian looks at the meteoric rise of Kylian Mbappé, whose goal in the 2018 World Cup final made him the first teenager since Pelé to score in soccer's biggest game. We'll discuss the contradictions of contemporary soccer, where the joy of stories like Mbappé's sits alongside high-level corruption. Also: three classic Arsenal jokes and the difficulty of dragging the creator of the universe into county court.Host: Brian PhillipsProducers: Devon Renaldo, Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins and Vikram Patel Sound Design and Original Music: Devon Renaldo Mixing and Mastering: Scott SomervilleMatch footage from FIFAAlso available in <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/346pJhMe4s0CRtFuEQyJTm?si=58f7a083491b4f90">Spanish</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2ig3kXxbAW8QfBvxMZtFQV?si=4d4ac466b81149c5">Portuguese</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

4 | Dennis Bergkamp (1998)

There’s nothing quite like a soccer goal.

As the 22nd Men's World Cup approaches in November 2022, this podcast takes a look back at the history of the World Cup, through the lens of 22 of the most iconic goals ever scored in the greatest sporting event on earth.

Listen along as The Ringer’s Brian Phillips leads you on a breathless tour of nearly a century of World Cup history—from triumphs to tragedies, and everything in between.  

This is not a soccer podcast, it’s a history book on a rocket ship to the moon. (OK, fine, it is technically also a soccer podcast.)

22 Goals is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.