Bend It Like Beckett

The USMNT had their first full-strength game under new coach Greg Berhalter, resulting in a 1-0 win over Ecuador. The goal came from a fluke shot, but there were some positive moments from the game as the team transitions to Berhalter's new style. Brian and Scott break that down along with discussing the other international games. Plus, will Barcelona really sell Coutinho already?

Cristiano Ronaldo guaranteed a hat trick and delivered one to defeat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League this week. Meanwhile Bayern Munich and Liverpool played an epic game in Germany. Brian and Scott break down both games and discuss the upcoming Premier League fixtures as well as the call ups for the USMNT's friendlies. (sound had issues on this episode, will be fixed next time).

Was the handball call in the Manchester United/PSG Champions League game the right call? Brian and Scott, along with most other people, think it was the wrong call, but does that mean that UEFA needs to ditch VAR altogether or does it mean that changes need to be made? They also discuss the other controversial calls from the Roma/Porto and Ajax/Real Madrid games.

A lot has happened since our last episode! Brian and Scott break down the Kepa Arrizabalaga and Maurizio Sarri drama and fallout, Manchester United's injury crisis, the Premier League action and more. Plus they talk about the product release calendar for the upcoming year. Listen to the episode for a chance to win our card giveaway. Tweet the answer to the trivia question to @BeckettMedia!

Champions League action provided plenty of excitement, with PSG defeating Manchester United 2-0 in Manchester, meanwhile Tottenham dominated Borussia Dortmund. We talk about all of the action and preview the FA Cup games this weekend. Brian is also making his first foray into the coaching world by coaching his sons U13 team, we discuss his coaching philosophies to see if he's more Pep or Big Sam.

Brian and Scott preview the knockout rounds of the Champions League, discuss the Amazon Prime documentary "Make Us Dream" about Steven Gerrard, and Scott talks about the premiere of his own soccer documentary.

Greg Lansdowne, author of Stuck On You, recently attended the London Toy Fair where he spoke to Click Distribution who is the UK distributor for both Topps and Panini. Lansdowne discusses Panini's return to the Premier League, the first time since 1993 they've had the license to make sticker albums and cards for the PL.

The great Tim Howard announces that this upcoming season with the Colorado Rapids will be his final season as a player. Brian and Scott discuss his greatness and that Belgium match that solidified his legacy. They also discuss all the happenings at Chelsea, from the manager calling out Eden Hazard to the bizarre signing of Gonzalo Higuain.

Marcelo "Loco" Bielsa put on a masterful performance in his press conference defending his coaching tactics, but does that mean he was in the right when he sent a member of his staff to spy on Derby County's training sessions? Brian and Scott debate both sides of the issue which brings to mind a similar incident with the New England Patriots in the NFL. They also discuss the demise of Giuseppe Rossi, an article in The Athletic about Mike Piazza's ownership of AC Reggiana and more.

Brian and Scott predict what the second half of the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup will hold. From Liverpool and Manchester City battling it out for the Premier League title to the Champions League knockout rounds, there's a lot of fun coming up in the soccer world.

Brian and Scott break down the Christian Pulisic transfer to Chelsea, including what it might mean for card collectors. They also discuss the festive period Premier League games. And finally they talk about the Liverpool/Manchester City clash that resulted in a 2-1 win for Man City and reignited the title race.

Jose Mourinho has finally been sacked by Manchester United and Brian misses him in the Premier League already. He and Scott discuss Mourinho's most iconic and controversial moments. They also go through the Festive Period Premier League fixtures as well as the Champions League draw. And for Hobby Talk they talk about the Topps Museum Collection announcement.

Atlanta United wins MLS Cup in only their second season in existence behind the management of future El Tri manager Tata Martino, meanwhile all four English Premier League teams in the Champions League advanced to the round of 16. Brian and Scott discuss both of those things and more on this episode of Bend It Like Beckett

Bend It Like Beckett returns after a break of a few weeks and there is plenty to discuss! Luka Modric won the Ballon d'Or over Ronaldo, Messi and others. Did he deserve it or should it have been one of the two players who have won every award since 2008? The USMNT finally hired a coach in Greg Berhalter, Brian and Scott discuss their feelings about this. They also talk about Jurgen Klopp's celebration, Fellaini's hair pull and some new soccer card products.

Wayne Rooney played his farewell game for England and he went out a winner as the Three Lions dominated the USMNT 3-0. There were not many bright spots for the US in this one. Brian and Scott talk about what they want from the new USMNT manager, what has been happening in the MLS playoffs, and the English Premier League.

Our guest this week is the National Soccer Hall of Fame's Djorn Buchholz who tells us all about the brand new HOF opening in Frisco, TX. The Hall looks to be really cool, with some cutting edge technology and never-before-seen fan experiences. We are really excited to check it out as soon as we can!

Author of the book "Stuck On You: The Rise & Fall & Rise of Panini Stickers" Greg Lansdowne joins the show to talk about sticker collecting and his book. Greg recounts how he got into the hobby and how he came to write a book on the subject. We also talk about the state of the hobby today and the news that Panini has recently secured the exclusive Premier League license for the first time since the 1990s.

The international break is mercifully at it's end, so Scott and Brian take stock of all of the happenings, including the injuries that inevitably happened. Brian also attended the US Women's Semifinal World Cup qualifier this past week and he talks about his experience. All of that and more is discussed on this week's Bend It Like Beckett. Make sure to like, subscribe, and follow us on Soundcloud and in the iTunes store!

Brian and Scott talk about the USMNT's 4-2 to Colombia. There were some good moments mixed in with some very bad ones, plus some world class goals from the Colombian side. They also discuss Usain Bolt's debut brace for the Central Coast Mariners in Australia. And finally, Panini just announced that they've signed an exclusive contract with the Premier League.

The USMNT called up some familiar names in Michael Bradley and Brad Guzan, but was that the right decision? Should they be calling up players in their 30s? Brian and Scott debate this and break down the recent Champions League games, including Lionel Messi's masterclass, CSKA Moscow's win over Real Madrid and Liverpool's loss to Napoli.