The Making of a Football Superpower - Part Three: A New Dawn

02/28/25 • 47 min

It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast

Welcome back to It Was What It Was. This is the story of a new dawn - where one national team took full control of their destiny, cementing a legacy that continues to shape football today.

Following their World Cup triumph (in our last part), the U.S. Women's side entered a new era of independence and power - and with it came major shifts.

Coach Tony DiCicco became a casualty of the team’s growing influence, making way for fresh leadership and a transformed vision. But tensions were surfacing behind the scenes, with a showdown between star player Brandi Chastain and new coach April Heinrichs...

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Welcome back to It Was What It Was. This is the story of a new dawn - where one national team took full control of their destiny, cementing a legacy that continues to shape football today.

Following their World Cup triumph (in our last part), the U.S. Women's side entered a new era of independence and power - and with it came major shifts.

If you’re enjoying the series, please subscribe and consider leaving a five-star review to help others find the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

The Making of a Football Superpower - Part Two: The Arrival

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast..

Approaching the end of the millennium, the U.S. women’s national team had already won a World Cup and Olympic gold, but they were still fighting for mainstream recognition. That all changed when they took centre stage at the 1999 Women’s World Cup.

With 90,000 fans packing the Rose Bowl and millions watching around the world, the final against China became a defining moment - not just for the U.S. team, but for women’s football as a whole. Brandi Chastain’s iconic penalty, the sold-out stadiums, and the sheer spectacle of the tournament proved that women’s football wasn’t just growing - it had arrived.

This is the story of how the 1999 World Cup reshaped the sport forever.

If you’re enjoying the series, please subscribe and leave a five-star review.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Guardiola: Dominance, Decline and a Post-Pep World?

Welcome back to It Was What It Was.

This week - we discuss the rise of Basque coaching. But we begin not in Bilbao or San Sebastián, but with a Catalan: Pep Guardiola.

After revolutionising football with Barcelona, dominating in Germany with Bayern, and redefining the Premier League with Manchester City, Guardiola has become the defining coach of his era.

But after a turbulent season at City, questions are emerging: Is this the beginning of the end for his football? Have opponents finally caught up with his ideas? Or does he have another reinvention left?

This is the story of how Guardiola reshaped the modern game—and what comes next. Part two, on the Basque coaching revolution, will be released on Friday.

If you’re enjoying the series, please subscribe and consider leaving a five-star review to help others find the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.