How did London City and owner Michele Kang sign Barcelona and women's soccer legend Alexia Putellas?

Hosts Jillian Sakovits and Meg Linehan go behind the scenes to explain how the former Barcelona midfielder and two-time Ballon d’Or winner ended up in England's Women's Super League despite strong interest from several clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. Then, Putellas sits down with The Athletic’s Laia Cervelló Herrero for an exclusive interview about her momentous decision.

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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan

GUESTS: Alexia Putellas, interviewed by Laia Cervelló Herrero

PRODUCER: Karan Lodha

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Referenced on the show:

How Michele Kang convinced two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas to join London City

Alexia Putellas’ London City Lionesses transfer moves the dial for the club and the WSL

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

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

Four women are leading four different NWSL teams this season. But are the league and its clubs doing enough to empower women to obtain those positions?

Hosts Jillian Sakovits and Meg Linehan talk to Seattle Reign’s Laura Harvey, Bay FC’s Emma Coates and San Diego Wave’s Becki Tweed to discuss the hiring trends in the NWSL and whether the issues are unique to the United States. The guests also share their perspective on the women who have mentored and supported them and propose improvements to increase the share of female coaches.

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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan

GUESTS: Laura Harvey, Emma Coates, Becki Tweed

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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

The first weekend of the second half of the 2026 NWSL season is in the books. But in classic NWSL fashion, just as we were sitting down to welcome back league play after a 5-week break, there was a major transfer: 2025 Midfielder of the Year and MVP nominee Manaka Matsukubo moved from the North Carolina Courage to Chelsea in the English Women’s Super League.

On this episode of Full Time Review, Jillian Sakovits and Meg Linehan are joined by Chief Soccer Officer for the Courage, Ceri Bowley, to go inside Matsukubo’s move. Bowley candidly talks about how close Matsukubo was to staying in North Carolina and why new arrival, 18-year-old England international Erica Meg Parkinson, is a testament to the team’s transfer strategy and ethos.

PLUS: Meg talks about her moment of the opening weekend and what the implications could be for the U.S. women’s national team in the wake of the U.S. president getting involved with FIFA to aid the suspension of the red card for U.S. men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun at their home men’s World Cup this summer.

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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan

GUESTS: Ceri Bowley

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

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Referenced on the show:

Chelsea sign Manaka Matsukubo from North Carolina Courage on five-year deal

Trump’s call to Infantino and plot to ‘free’ Balogun that sparked a huge World Cup controversy

FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s ban damages the integrity of this World Cup

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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