Episode 3
Another Shootout? Please Shoot Me Instead
Since the 1970s, the shootout (using short-range penalty kicks) has been used to decide the winner of games in several soccer leagues. Sometimes it can be exciting. But the kicks can feel like a coin toss, especially when compared to the glory of an actual goal. If college football could come up with a better way of doing overtime, surely soccer can as well, right? Right? Soccer expert Pablo Maurer (The Guardian) joins again, and might even agree (just a little) with the critics.
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Hosts & Guests
Robert Repino, Host
Charlie Boehm, Host
Resources
- The Guardian, “The Guardian – The six oddest tie-breaking rules in World Cup history”
- FIFA Museum, “Why penalty shoot-outs were introduced”
- UCLA Magazine, “166 Minutes of Pain”
- “Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Perfect Penalty Kick”, by Ben Lyttleton
- FIFA, “The Long Walk: The History of the Penalty Shoot-Out”
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Episode 4: Has the Women’s Game Figured It Out?
Robert and Charlie consult an expert on women’s soccer, where some of the most puzzling tactics, from ref-baiting to flopping, may be less of a problem. But if that’s true, why?
Introduction
Hello and welcome to our podcast: Soccer Is Not Stupid. Robert Repino and Charlie Boehm introduce themselves, and give a preview of what’s next.
Episode 5: The Fiefdom of FIFA
Robert and Charlie rant about FIFA’s price-gouging, commercialization, and corruption at the 2026 World Cup. They offer no solutions.