International Soccer Preview

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Episode 65

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Published on:

23rd Dec 2025

2025 African Cup – Mali Players – Part 2 of 2

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Here is the link to part 1:

https://youtu.be/1wT-DbJ0kYE

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/49db86cc-dd80-4a4e-a0e5-a76b857da5c3

Use the link below for a mediacast introducing Soccerphiles and the International Soccer Preview.

https://youtu.be/5dGoGw3c4mU

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/af1b585a-9609-432e-bfbc-1901376b1bff/

Our Youtube channel has organized each of the series into its own playlist. Find it here:

https://www.youtube.com/@soccerphiles/playlists

Our podcast host has all the episodes in reverse chronological order. Find it here:

https://soccerphiles.captivate.fm/

Description

This is series 31: A preview of Mali’s players for the 2025 African Cup.

This episode is part 2 of the full mediacast.

In part 1, we created a list of the candidates and their likelihood of being selected for the final squad.

We looked at several other things: club affiliations of the players; their games and formations in their last cup and over the recent period; the career biographies, especially of the main players; the recent participation of players over the last two years.

In this episode, we look at the squad selections and cover who made the squad and who didn’t. If there was a preliminary squad, we outline who was on it. We also make predictions as to who will be the starters, looking a the line-ups in their most recent games to help us.

Time Stamps

Musical Intro – 0:00

Spoken Intro – 0:31

Section 1: Team Information – 3:19

Section 2: Selection of candidates – 6:03

- Manager – 6:08

- Goalkeepers – 6:57

- Defenders – 10:37

- Defensive and Central Midfielders – 22:27

- Attacking Midfielders – 27:55

- Forwards – 34:32

Section 3: Concluding matters – 40:02

- Review of selection and predicted starter – 40:30

- Surprises in the roster – 48:42

- Injuries – 50:29

Outro – 54:17

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About the Podcast

International Soccer Preview

by Soccerphiles Canada

International Soccer Preview by Soccerphiles Canada previews upcoming tournaments and qualifications in international soccer.

We offer a thorough history of each team we preview and do a deep dive into each team's for the specific stage of the tournament we are previewing. So, for example, if we are previewing the 2023 Asian Cup finals, we do a deep dive into each team's history at the Asian Cup finals.

For tournaments, we also produce an episode for the players of each team. We hope listeners enjoy tournaments more by gaining a more intimate of the teams and players in a tournament.

We are currently on series 21. Having covered the latest regional cup in all confederations, we are now planning to preview World Cup qualifying for all regions.

About your hosts

Kevin Smyth

Kevin’s passion for soccer started in Wales where he grew up. It continued when, at age 10, he moved to Edmonton, Canada and when he lived in South Korea for 15 years. In fact, he chose South Korea in anticipation of 2002 World Cup, which he attended.

Over the decades he kept informed and engaged in the soccer world, first through a hobby of scrap-booking world cup information. This hobby migrated to the computer after 2002 and grew into a project that eventually tracked all the national teams and their players, year over year. This information has become the 'soccer files' on which the 'International Soccer Preview' podcast is based.

The idea of a podcast was ignited when searching for a podcast that covered the 2019 Asian Cup. There was none. He recognized current soccer sources were mostly Euro-centric and that other interesting regions got little coverage. It struck him that he might be the one to do it. So, after a couple of years of preparation and courage-building, the podcast, which he hosts with his equally soccerphilic nephew Conor, was born.

When he isn’t engulfed in the soccer world, Kevin is a teacher. With a BA and MA in teaching, he has taught English at the high-school and University level in both Alberta and South Korea. Kevin is married with two daughters, and he speaks Korean.

Conor Smyth

Conor has been watching and playing soccer for as long as he can remember. When Kevin began discussing the idea of a podcast, Conor jumped at the chance to be involved. He brings a passion for the game as well as a breadth of knowledge about soccer around the globe - from his local side FC Edmonton, to club football all over the world, to the major regional and international tournaments.

Conor has a degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Alberta. He also spent one of his years of university studying at Swansea University in Wales. He is married and has a young daughter.