Episodes
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Episode #066: Host of The Freekick Pod Todd Lewis joins Jordan Florit for this special episode commemorating Jose 'El Brujo' Martinez's time at Philadelphia Union following his move to Brazilian giants Corinthians.
Todd shares:
- How Brujo was simultaneously the MLS blueprint for a #6 yet underrated
- The Union fans' love for their Venezuela National Team star
- and what Corinthians can expect from the Zuliano
In Martinez's time at Philadelphia Union, he:
- Made his national team debut at 26 and went on to win over 30 caps for Venezuela
- Was named in the MLS 2023 All-Star Team by Wayne Rooney
- And won the 2020 Supporters' Shield
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #065: Carabobo FC Opposition Analyst Javier Semeler joins Jordan Florit to open the lid on scouting and analysis in Liga FUTVE. From Carabobo's successful Apertura campaign to who to watch out for in the Clausura, Javier succinctly summarises in his second language how data and good old analysis of the eye assisted Diego Merino and his coaching staff to bring Granate's first silverware home.
Javier answers questions on:
- How he landed a job with Carabobo
- The Challenges of Analysis in Venezuela
- Remote Working & Live Analysis
- and How Carabobo prepared for a Title Challenge
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episodes manquant?
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Episode #064: Carabobo FC Sporting Director Salvatore Simeone joins Jordan Florit on The FUTVE English Podcast to discuss the project underway at Carabobo, the two-and-a-half-year progress that led up to the Apertura title, and what led him to return from Europe to take up the post in the first place.
Salvatore answers questions on:
- How to start a project from scratch in FUTVE
- Squad Building & Foreign Recruitment
- The Changing Faces of FUTVE
- and What the Future Holds for Carabobo & Himself
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #063: Renato Vilchez of The Peruvian Waltz joins Jordan Florit to jointly review Venezuela and Peru's World Cup Qualification campaigns to date following their 1-1 draw on 21st November.
Vilchez and Florit discuss:
- Venezuela's Wonderful Start & Peru's Winless Beginning
- Is time up for Peru Head Coach Reynoso?
- Copa America 2024
- And qualification hopes for the two nations
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #062: Diego Sancho joins Jordan Florit to preview Venezuela's U17 World Cup squad and Group ahead of their weekend opener against New Zealand on Sunday 12 November. Sancho graduated from Caracas' prestigious Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Journalism before beginning his career in professional football as an analyst at Caracas Futbol Club before heading agency side to Go Pro Sport Management where he works as a scout specialising in youth football. He is one of the most authoritative voices on youth football in Venezuela.
Sancho and Florit discuss:
- Venezuela's Wonderkid David Martinez
- Their global contingent playing in Colombia, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands
- Knockout hopes from a Group containing New Zealand, Mexico, and Germany
- And the youth football landscape in Venezuela
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #061: Diego Atuesta, Transfer Room's Head of Commercial in The Americas, joins Jordan Florit to provide insight into Transfer Room's new partnership with Liga FUTVE & Liga FUTVE 2 which will see the top two divisions of Venezuelan football active on the transfer portal taking football by storm.
Atuesta answers questions on:
- How the partnership came about
- Carabobo & Caracas' early experiences with the platform
- How Transfer Room can assist the globalisation of the league
- And whether Transfer Room is a facilitator or competitor to football agents
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #060: Academia Puerto Cabello captain Carlos Rivero joins host Jordan Florit to discuss not just his football career but his life outside it. From turning to philosophy and using the keto diet to improve his performances and personality, the former Caracas and Tachira centre back gives an illuminating interview.
The 30-year-old defender shares his thoughts on:
- How stoicism changed his work-life balance and improve him as a player
- His personal journey from rash teenager to measured father
- His post-playing aspirations
- And playing under Noel Sanvicente as the pair chase another title
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #059: In Jordan's favourite interview of 2023, Juan Manuel Paez opens up about football in Merida, his coaching philosophy and pedagogical approach, his uncle Richard Paez, and the realities and challenges of academy football in present day Venezuela
The Academia Emeritense coach and former Estudiantes de Merida player gives his views on:
- Today's Generation vs. The Vinotinto Boom (2001-2007)
- Life and Football in Merida
- Liga FUTVE and Where It Is At
- His Hopes for Venezuelan World Cup Qualification
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #058: Venezuela's CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers for 2026 begin next week, facing Colombia away on Thursday 07 August and hosting Paraguay in Maturin on Tuesday 12 August. Whilst La Vinotinto haven't played competitive football since the 2022 World Cup Qualifying campaign finished, plenty has happened on and off the pitch...
Venezuela have played 10 friendlies since the 2022 WCQs:
- 7 Wins • 2 Draws • 1 Loss
- 15 Scored • 6 Conceded • GD +9
- 5 Goals for Rondón
- 2 for each of Josef & Torregrossa
- 5 goals from set pieces (1 penalty)
Faced: Guatemala, Honduras, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Panama, UAE, Iceland, Saudi Arabia, Malta
Jose Nestor Pekerman even resigned in controversial circumstances, to be replaced by former assistant Bocha Batista.
Next up (2026 WCQs): Colombia (A) and Paraguay (H).
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #057: Venezuela were invited to the prestigious Toulon Tournament, now known as the Tournoi Maurice Revello, for the second consecutive year this summer. Drawn in a group with last year's champions France, Costa Rica, and Saudi Arabia, Venezuela were expecting to need to take all 3 points from the latter two if they were to qualify from Group A. However, it all ended up far tighter than expected. Jordan goes through:
The few and far between positivesThe trio of factors leading to Venezuela's exitAnd where it went wrong for La Vinotinto
Jordan singles out Pipo Vivas and Jon Aramburu for defensive praise, wonders why Tuti Andrade didn't see more game time, and scrutinises the team selections of Ricardo Valino.
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #056: Academia Puerto Cabello stormed to the top of the table early on and have been there ever since, losing just once in 14 games and setting a new record in going the first 8 unbeaten. Portuguesa sacked Martin Brignani after just 3 games and replaced him with Jesus Ortiz who has been a revelation. David Martinez has packed in an U20 and U17 Sudamericano into his year, his first Libertadores goal and assist, and is the youngest selection in a Team of the Week so far this season. This and more is discussed and dissected by regular co-hosts Jordan Florit and Dominic Bisogno in our Liga FUTVE Midseason Review!
Our Preseason Predictions vs. RealityMonagas' Dramatic Drop OffThe Crash & Burn of Continental Football
We whizz through everything as the league pauses for four weeks, the U23 National Team prepare for the Toulon Tournament, and Mario Sanchez fires into life on the transfer rumour front!
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #055: Reasat Khaton caused a few ripples in the world of Venezuelan football a year ago when he was unveiled as a new signing of then Segunda Division team Rayo Zuliano. When he made his debut as a second half substitute a couple of months later, he became the first Bangladeshi to debut professionally in South American football, but it wasn't his first time making history.
Khaton was the first Bangladeshi to debut professionally in EuropeThe former Freiburg academy player still dreams of playing for the national team
Khaton joins The FUTVE English Podcast to discuss his globetrotting career to date, his time with Rayo Zuliano, and his next ambition: to debut in Liga FUTVE.
He is the Bangladeshi Baller who wants to Volver a Venezuela!
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #054: Opta Analyst senior editor and social manager Matt Furniss joins host Jordan Florit to discuss what Opta becoming Liga FUTVE's Official Data Partner means for the league, its clubs, and transfer activity. Matt also provides insight on the deal, including the tools various parts of Liga FUTVE and its clubs will now have access to, such as:
The Pressbox Live tools for its media and marketing teams' in-game press use
ISF software, containing a live player database of over 700,000 elite global football players, to enhance their domestic and international player scouting operations
Matt and Jordan also discuss one of Opta's public use tools, its Global Power Rankings, Adalberto Penaranda and Williams Velasquez, how Opta Joe became iconic branding on social media, and why Matt thinks the partnership will increase the visibility and accessibility of Liga FUTVE's most exportable talents.
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #053: At the end of 2022, InStat prematurely ended their relationship with Liga FUTVE as a result of their acquisition by HUDL, who also own WyScout. WyScout also stopped their data and statistical coverage of Liga FUTVE, leaving the visibility of the league from a scouting perspective at a three-year low.
It has been a worrying time for clubs, scouts, and agents with the season already 12 rounds in, but as you'll hear in the podcast, Venezuelan football has come out of it better off! Stats Perform, most known for Opta, will be Liga FUTVE’s Official Data Partner for the next three years!
Jordan also talks through:
1. Recent attention for 4 Venezuelan starlets from CIES
2. How Opta's Power Rankings could be used to inform
3. Venezuelan success at the U17 South American Championships
4. And some highlights from the 2023 season so far
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #052: In 2022, FUTVE English's Kevin Vivas went travelling in Europe for the first time, taking in football games in Spain, Austria, and Denmark. Growing up in Caracas, European football was always on TV - for free - whilst Venezuelan league games were few and far between. Kevin and Jordan discuss growing up as a football fan in Venezuela and his observations on the differing football cultures in Venezuela and Europe. Including:
1. How he ended up in the VIP Area at Espanyol
2. The first game he remembers watching on TV
3. The marketing opportunities for football in Venezuela
4. And why he would've paid $60 to watch Barca - but didn't!
We also want to congratulate Kevin on his new employment with Liga FUTVE. He is now a Community Manager for their social networks, fulfilling a lifetime ambition to work in Venezuelan football.
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #051: In February, FUTVE English co-host Jordan Florit was a guest speaker at an International Football Forum in Caracas in partnership with the Sports Law Institute and RV Sports Law.
This podcast is the 20-minute extract of his speech, entitled, "How Agents Can Offer a Vital Service in Developing Markets Such as Venezuela", in which Jordan gives his four observations from working in Venezuelan football and from them opportunities for agents to support and help improve the world of FUTVE, in Venezuela and globally:
1. The opportunity to unite as agents and agencies
2. The opportunity to educate others on the strength of Venezuelan football
3. The opportunity to provide a wholesome service to players
4. And the opportunity to Internationalise FUTVE
Jordan also gives a background on how his interest began in Venezuelan football and what led him to moving from London, England, to Caracas.
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #050: Recently, TPV 1930 Head Coach Ash Civil took time out of his Finnish preseason to spend time on his professional development in...Venezuela!
The English coach, who has worked in the private and professional system at academy and senior first team level, spent eight football filled days in Caracas, observing Deportivo La Guaira Head Coach Kike Garcia and his coaching staff. He also:
Observed Caracas Futbol Club sessions from U16-U20 and the men's first teamWatched 5 teams live across 3 fixturesCoached 11 U16-U18 youth national team playersAnd got carried away with the colourful macaws ever-present overhead!Ash shares his thoughts on how preconceptions faced up to reality in Venezuela, inside and outside of football; why Tuti Andrade and Jean Polo are two exciting 17-year-olds to watch out for; and what he learned from Liga FUTVE.
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #049: Podcast Co-Host Dominic Jose Bisogno flies solo to preview the MLS 2023 season from an exclusively Venezuelan perspective. From league record breaker Josef Martinez to first team hopeful Jesus Bueno - with the Junior Morenos and Miguel Navarros in between - Dominic provides insight and predictions on the campaign ahead. Including
The defensive midfielder every MLS club wants - Jose 'Brujo' MartinezVancouver Whitecaps' new #9 - Sergio CordovaInter Miami's new poster boy - Josef MartinezAnd Dominic's expectations for them and all their countrymen in MLSThank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #048: Zulia Futbol Club fan Ricardo Aguilar joins hosts Jordan and Kevin to discuss his club's sudden and harsh disappearance from Liga FUTVE and the fans' plans for them to rise again from the Third Division. Ricardo reveals:
How, as Zulia Football Club, the team plan on returning to Liga FUTVEA membership model for the running of the clubFederation plans for a Liga FUTVE 3 in 2024And how they intend on bringing something different to Venezuelan football.Zulia Futbol Club was founded in January 2005. Just shy of 18 years later, having won two Copa Venezuelas and reached the quarterfinal of the 2019 Copa Sudamericana, the club disappeared following the recent merger with inter-state neighbours Rayo Zuliano. Rayo have taken Zulia's place in the top division, but have retained all of their own branding. The fans of Zulia Futbol Club, once home to MLS stars Jefferson Savarino and Brujo Martinez, plan on restarting the club from scratch in the Venezuelan Third Division.
Thank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. -
Episode #047: Jordan and Dominic preview the upcoming Liga FUTVE season and touch upon the U20 Sudamericano so far, inncluding:
How preseason has played out for several teamsThe future of Deportivo LaraEstudiantes, Mineros, and UCV's close encounter with deathThe highlights of the Transfer WindowAnd predictions for the season aheadThank you for listening to The FUTVE English Podcast in collaboration with World Football Index. - Montre plus
