Why We Love This Club
Why We Love This Club explores the remarkable football clubs, supporters and communities that make the world’s game special. Hosted by Chris Horwedel, each episode travels to a different corner of global soccer to tell the complete story of one unforgettable club. The show covers club history, legendary players, defining matches, stadiums, rivalries, traditions, supporter culture, famous triumphs and painful failures. From historic European champions and emerging women’s teams to supporter-owned clubs and overlooked teams across Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas, it celebrates football in all its forms.
Episodes
Sabah FK — Nine Years to the Champions League
Sabah FK, Azerbaijani football, the UEFA Champions League and one of Europe’s fastest-rising young clubs are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel traces Sabah’s remarkable rise from its founding in 2017 to becoming a league champion, domestic cup winner and the youngest club ever to reach the Champions League league or group stage. Just nine years after being creat
FC St. Pauli — Where Football Became Resistance
FC St. Pauli, German football, supporter ownership and one of the sport’s most distinctive political and cultural identities are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel traces St. Pauli’s transformation from a struggling Hamburg football club into an internationally recognized symbol of supporter culture, anti-fascism and community control. The story includes the rise
SV Robinhood — The Club Between Two Football Worlds
SV Robinhood, Surinamese football, Caribbean competition and one of CONCACAF’s most persistent clubs are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel traces Robinhood from its 1945 founding by rail-yard workers in Paramaribo to becoming Suriname’s record league champion and a club uniquely positioned between football worlds: South American by geography, Caribbean by compet
Pohang Steelers — The Club Forged in a Steel City
Pohang Steelers, South Korean football, K League history and one of Asia’s great club traditions are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel traces Pohang’s story from its 1973 creation by steel giant POSCO to becoming one of the defining institutions of Korean football. Built alongside the rise of the industrial city itself, the club evolved from a company team into
Al-Hilal SC — The Champion Without a Home
Al-Hilal SC, Sudanese football, the Omdurman derby and one of African football’s most extraordinary stories of survival are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel traces Al-Hilal from its 1930 founding under colonial rule to becoming Sudan’s most successful league club, with 31 national championships, a famous blue-and-white identity and generations of supporters cen
Tibetan National Teams: The Clubs That Carry a People
Tibet’s men’s and women’s national football teams, the Tibetan diaspora and football beyond FIFA are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel explores how Tibetan football has become a way for a dispersed community to preserve identity, create gathering places and represent itself on an international stage. Based largely in Dharamshala, India, Tibet’s teams are not FIF
Raja Club Athletic — The Club That Made Hope Loud
Raja Club Athletic, Casablanca football, African club history and one of the world’s most passionate supporter cultures are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel tells the story of Raja Casablanca, founded in 1949 in the working-class district of Derb Sultan during Morocco’s struggle against colonial rule. The club’s name means hope, and Raja grew into the “People’s
Colo-Colo Femenino — Chile Has Two Libertadores
Colo-Colo Femenino, Chilean women’s football and the Copa Libertadores Femenina are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel tells the story of the women’s side of Colo-Colo, from its launch in 2007 to becoming the dominant force in Chile. Las Albas won ten consecutive domestic championships beginning in 2010, establishing a standard few clubs in South America could ma
Tromsø IL — The Club at the Edge of the Football Map
Tromsø IL, Norwegian football, the Arctic Circle and one of Europe’s most extraordinary football environments are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel tells the story of Tromsø IL, the northern Norwegian club that turned geography, brutal weather and decades of exclusion into a defining identity. From being shut out of Norway’s national competitions to finally reac
Antigua Barracuda FC — The Team That Never Came Home
Antigua Barracuda FC, Caribbean football, USL Pro, and Antigua and Barbuda’s remarkable World Cup qualifying run are at the heart of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel tells the extraordinary story of a professional club founded in 2010 to strengthen the Antigua and Barbuda national team by giving the country’s best players regular professional competition together. Barracuda ent
Al Ahly SC — The Club of the Nation
Al Ahly SC, Egyptian football, the Cairo Derby, and Africa’s most successful club are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel explores how Al Ahly grew from a meeting place for young Egyptians in 1907 into a sporting institution with 45 Egyptian league titles and a record 12 CAF Champions League trophies. The episode traces the club’s nationalist roots, its rivalry wi
B-67 Nuuk: The Championship That Fits Inside One Week
B-67 Nuuk, Greenlandic football, Arctic travel and one of the world’s most unusual national championships are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel explores the story of Greenland’s record men’s champion, a club based in Nuuk where football operates under conditions unlike almost anywhere else in the world. With no roads connecting Greenland’s towns, domestic compet
Corinthian-Casuals FC — The Amateur Club That Gave Its Name to a Giant
Corinthian-Casuals FC, São Paulo, Corinthians Paulista, and the origins of modern football culture are at the heart of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Chris Horwedel explores the remarkable story of an English amateur club whose influence stretches far beyond its current ninth-tier home in Tolworth. The episode traces the history of Corinthian Football Club and Casuals FC, their 1939 merger,
Qarabağ FK — The Club That Carried a City Away From Home
Qarabağ FK, Ağdam, Azerbaijan, and one of football’s most extraordinary stories of exile and survival are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club.Founded in Ağdam in 1951, Qarabağ were forced from their home during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and played their final match at the old İmarət Stadium in 1993. Chris Horwedel traces how a club that lost its ground and its city continued pl
Chivas — The Club That Made a Nation Its Transfer Policy
Chivas, Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Liga MX, and the club’s famous Mexican-only player policy are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Mexico’s biggest football institutions turned a self-imposed restriction into the foundation of its identity.Founded in Guadalajara in 1906, Chivas grew from an internationally assembled team into a club that eventually committed
Clapton Community FC — The Supporters Who Built Their Own Club
Clapton Community FC, the Old Spotted Dog and supporter-owned football in East London are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, telling the story of fans who decided that preserving a football identity meant building a new club themselves.Formed in 2018 by supporters connected to historic Clapton FC, Clapton Community was created around open membership, democratic control, published
Derry City FC — The Club That Crossed a Border to Survive
Derry City FC, the League of Ireland, the Troubles and the Brandywell are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, telling the extraordinary story of a Northern Irish club that crossed a national border simply to keep playing football.Founded in 1928, Derry City became Irish League champions and European competitors before political violence and security restrictions during the Troubles
Club The Strongest — The Club That Had to Become Its Name
The Strongest, Bolivian football, La Paz, and the 1969 Viloco air disaster are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Bolivia’s oldest institutions repeatedly turned survival into identity.Founded in 1908, Club The Strongest became a defining force in La Paz football, winning early championships, helping establish the Estadio Hernando Siles and later becoming a ma
Enyimba F.C. — The Elephant That Broke Nigeria’s Curse
Enyimba FC, Nigerian football, the CAF Champions League and the rise of the People’s Elephant in Aba are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, tracing how a once-relegated state-owned club became the first Nigerian team to conquer Africa.Founded in Aba, Abia State, Enyimba spent years outside Nigeria’s traditional elite before chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu helped transform the club aro
FC Barcelona Femení — The Team That Outgrew Permission
FC Barcelona Femení, Liga F, the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the rise of women’s football in Spain are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, tracing how a team once denied Barça’s shirt became one of football’s dominant institutions.The story begins in 1970, when Immaculada Cabecerán recruited players through a magazine advertisement and a women’s side played at Camp Nou withou
Atlético Nacional — The Night a Final Became Something Bigger
Atlético Nacional, the Copa Libertadores, Medellín football, and the 2016 Chapecoense tragedy are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how Colombia’s most decorated club showed that greatness can mean more than winning trophies.Founded in 1947, Atlético Nacional grew from a regional project into the Rey de Copas, winning 18 Colombian league titles and two Copa Libertadores
Deportivo Saprissa — The Monster Costa Rica Built
Deportivo Saprissa, Costa Rican football, Liga Promerica and the Clásico Nacional with Alajuelense are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how the Purple Monster became the most decorated club in Costa Rica.Founded in 1935 as a youth project by Roberto Fernández with support from Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, Saprissa built its identity around player development long before beco
Brunei DPMM FC — The Club That Needed Three Countries to Find a League
Brunei DPMM FC, the Malaysia Super League, Singapore football and Brunei’s cross-border football story are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring a club that has needed three countries to find the right competition.Founded in 1994 and closely connected to Brunei’s royal family, DPMM quickly outgrew the domestic game. Chris traces the club’s moves from the Brunei Premier Leag
Club Atlético Atlanta — The Neighborhood Club That Refused to Disappear
Club Atlético Atlanta, Argentina’s Primera Nacional, Villa Crespo, and Buenos Aires football culture are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how a historic neighborhood institution survived bankruptcy and rebuilt itself through its members.Founded in 1904, Atlanta became deeply connected to Villa Crespo and its large Jewish immigrant community, developing an identity that
Glasgow City FC — The Independent Club That Built Scotland’s Women’s Game
Glasgow City FC, the Scottish Women’s Premier League, Rangers, Celtic and the rise of women’s football in Scotland are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how an independent women’s club became Scotland’s most successful.Founded in 1998 by Laura Montgomery and Carol Anne Stewart, Glasgow City built an elite program without the financial backing of a major men’s club. Chri
Melbourne Knights FC — The Club Australia Tried to Rename
Melbourne Knights FC, Australian soccer, Croatian identity and the National Soccer League are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how Melbourne Croatia became a national champion despite being forced to change its name.Founded by Croatian immigrants in 1953, Melbourne Knights became one of Australia’s strongest clubs, winning back-to-back NSL championships in 1995 and 199
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies — The Dynasty That Made Excellence Look Routine
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, the CAF Women’s Champions League and South African women’s football are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how Banyana Ba Style became Africa’s defining women’s club dynasty.Founded in 2009 under Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe, the team has won eight South African championships and captured the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2021 and 2
Mohun Bagan Super Giant — The Barefoot Team That Defeated an Empire
Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the Kolkata Derby, Indian football history and the 1911 IFA Shield are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Asia’s oldest clubs became a symbol of sporting and national identity.Founded in 1889, Mohun Bagan built its legend in 1911 when the largely barefoot Immortal Eleven defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment to win the IFA Shield under
Detroit City FC — Detroit City FC — The Club Its Supporters Built Twice
Detroit City FC, the USL Championship, Keyworth Stadium and supporter-driven soccer culture in Detroit are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how a grassroots amateur team became one of the most distinctive professional clubs in American soccer.Founded in 2012, Detroit City FC grew through the passion of the Northern Guard Supporters, community investment and a remarkabl
Independiente del Valle — The Academy That Became a Continental Power
Independiente del Valle, Ecuador’s LigaPro, the Copa Libertadores and one of South America’s best football academies are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how a small club from Sangolquí became a continental power.Founded in 1958 and transformed after Michel Deller and his partners took control in 2007, Independiente built its rise around elite youth development rather
SV Austria Salzburg — The Club Whose Supporters Refused to Change Color
SV Austria Salzburg, Austrian football, Red Bull Salzburg and supporter ownership are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how fans rebuilt their club after its traditional identity was transformed by a corporate takeover.Founded originally in 1933, Austria Salzburg reached the 1994 UEFA Cup final, won three Austrian league titles and competed in the Champions League befor
FC Rosengård — The Women’s Powerhouse Fighting to Survive Its Own Future
FC Rosengård, the Damallsvenskan and the changing landscape of Swedish women’s football are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Europe’s great independent women’s clubs went from near-perfection to a fight for survival.Rooted in Malmö FF Dam and later known as LdB FC Malmö, Rosengård have won a record 14 Swedish league championships while developing and attract
Club Universidad Nacional — The Team That Plays Inside a Work of Art
Club Universidad Nacional, Pumas UNAM, Liga MX and Mexico City football culture are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Mexico’s most distinctive teams grew directly from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.Founded as a professional club in 1954, Pumas UNAM have won seven Liga MX championships and three CONCACAF Champions Cups while building one of Mex
TP Mazembe — The African Club That Reached the World Final
TP Mazembe, the CAF Champions League and football in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how a team from Lubumbashi became one of Africa’s most successful and internationally significant clubs.Founded in 1939, TP Mazembe have won 20 Congolese league titles and five African championships while building a continental powerhouse under
Tokyo Verdy — The Superclub That Had to Learn How to Be Local
Tokyo Verdy, the J1 League and the history of professional football in Japan are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how Japan’s original superclub lost its dominance, spent 15 years in the second division and rebuilt itself around youth development and local identity.Founded in 1969 as Yomiuri Football Club, Verdy became the inaugural J.League champions in 1993 and defen
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista — The Team That Practiced Democracy Under a Dictatorship
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, Brazilian Série A, Corinthians Democracy and São Paulo football culture are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring one of the most politically significant and passionately supported clubs in world football.Founded in 1910 by railway workers inspired by England’s Corinthian Football Club, Corinthians grew into the “team of the people,” winning
Bury FC — The Club That Had to Buy Back Its Own Home
Bury FC, Gigg Lane and the club’s remarkable rise through English non-league football are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how supporters rebuilt one of England’s oldest football institutions after its 2019 EFL expulsion.Founded in 1885, Bury Football Club won two FA Cups, spent decades in the Football League and developed players including Colin Bell, Neville Southall
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam — The Women’s Club That Refused to Stay Home
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, the Frauen-Bundesliga and German women’s football history are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how an independent women’s club rose from East Germany to become a European powerhouse.Founded in 1971, Turbine Potsdam developed under longtime coach Bernd Schröder, surviving political restrictions in the German Democratic Republic before emerging af
FC Sheriff Tiraspol — The Champion of a Country That Does Not Exist
FC Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldovan football, Transnistria and the UEFA Champions League are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring one of the strangest and most politically complicated clubs in world football.Founded in 1997 and backed by the powerful Sheriff corporation, FC Sheriff quickly transformed Moldova’s football hierarchy, winning 20 league titles and 14 Moldovan Cups wh
Auckland City FC — The Amateurs Who Keep Reaching the World
Auckland City FC, the OFC Champions League and New Zealand football are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how an amateur, membership-run club became the most successful team in Oceania.Founded in 2004 and rooted in Auckland’s Croatian immigrant football community, Auckland City FC have won 13 OFC Champions League titles and repeatedly represented Oceania at the FIFA Clu
Angel City FC — The Club That Became Valuable Before It Became Successful
Angel City FC, the NWSL and the growth of women’s soccer in Los Angeles are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how a club became one of the most valuable women’s sports teams in the world before winning a major trophy.Founded by Natalie Portman, Kara Nortman and Julie Uhrman, with early investment from Alexis Ohanian, Angel City launched in 2022 with a star-studded owner
Athletic Club — The Rule That Defines the Club
Athletic Club, LaLiga, Bilbao and the Basque Country are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring one of world football’s most distinctive identities and the player policy that has defined the club for more than a century.Founded in 1898, Athletic Club has remained in Spain’s top flight since LaLiga began while winning 8 league championships and 25 Copa del Rey titles. Chris e
Kaizer Chiefs — The Glamour Club Born From a Mutiny
Kaizer Chiefs, the Soweto Derby and South African football history are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how one of Africa’s biggest football institutions grew from a split with Orlando Pirates into the famous Glamour Boys.Founded in 1970 by Kaizer Motaung after his success with the Atlanta Chiefs in the NASL, Kaizer Chiefs quickly became a powerhouse in South Africa. C
FC Vaduz — The Club That Plays in Switzerland for Liechtenstein
FC Vaduz, Liechtenstein football and the Swiss Super League are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring one of the strangest and most fascinating structures anywhere in European football.Founded in 1932, FC Vaduz represent Liechtenstein but compete every week in the Swiss football pyramid because their country has no domestic league. Their route into UEFA competition instead
Club Deportivo Palestino — Chile’s Palestinian Football Story
Club Deportivo Palestino, Chile’s Liga de Primera and the Palestinian community in Santiago are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring one of world football’s most distinctive stories of migration, identity and belonging.Founded by Palestinian immigrants in 1920, Palestino has won 2 Chilean league titles and 3 Copa Chile trophies while competing against giants including Colo
Bohemian FC — Dublin’s Fan-Owned Cultural Institution
Bohemian FC, the League of Ireland Premier Division and Dublin football culture are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, as Chris Horwedel explores the history, fan ownership and identity of one of Ireland’s most distinctive clubs.Founded in 1890 and still 100% member-owned, Bohemians have won 11 League of Ireland titles and 7 FAI Cups while building a fierce rivalry with Shamrock R
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