Total Soccer Show cover art
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Total Soccer Show

Hosted by Total Soccer

A daily American soccer podcast that blends tactical analysis with the silly, pun-filled roundtable banter of its rotating hosts.

The brief

This is a daily soccer news and analysis show built around the chemistry of its four main hosts. Episodes are roundtable discussions, often recorded live, reacting to the latest matches with a mix of tactical breakdowns (sometimes using a whiteboard) and inside jokes. The tone feels like sitting down with extremely knowledgeable friends who love the game's intricacies as much as they enjoy making fun of each other.

The daily cadence during major tournaments is a key differentiator, providing immediate, in-depth reactions. Its signature is the blend of serious, diagram-worthy tactical analysis with goofy, pun-filled rhyming intros and constant, friendly host banter.
— What makes it distinctive
§1 · The host

Who hosts this show

Started in 2009 on a public radio station in Richmond, Virginia, the Total Soccer Show has grown into one of the most popular American soccer podcasts. Co-founded by Taylor Rockwell and the late Daryl Grove, the show focuses on in-depth analysis of the USMNT, Premier League, Champions League, and MLS. Now featuring a core rotation of hosts including Rockwell, Ryan Bailey, Joe Lowery, and Graham Ruthven, it combines serious tactical discussion with lighthearted humor and camaraderie.

AI-extracted bio · help us verify· Source: gemini-video-grounded

Credentials & credits

  • Taylor Rockwell (Co-founder)
  • Graham Ruthven (Freelance writer for The Guardian, Forbes, The New York Times)
  • Joe Lowery (Writer for The Athletic, ESPN; Analyst for Phoenix Rising FC)
  • Ryan Bailey (Writer, broadcaster, and video producer)

Other ventures

  • Backheeled.com (Joe Lowery, Founder/Editor)
  • The Soccer Dispatch newsletter (Graham Ruthven)
  • Soccer 101 podcast (Joe Lowery & Graham Ruthven, Co-hosts)
§2 · Classification

What kind of podcast

Niches
§3 · Cadence & catalog

When new episodes drop

Publishing rate
Daily
Not shown by Apple / Spotify
Total episodes
845
Last episode
6 days ago
Jun 25, 2026
Status
Active
§3b · Editor's picks

Notable episodes

AI-extracted picks + commentary · help us verify
  1. 01
    Our reaction to the USA's World Cup loss to Turkey

    A representative example of their post-game analysis for a key USMNT match, blending tactical discussion with on-the-ground color.

  2. 02
    Were Uruguay the World Cup's biggest flop?

    Highlights the show's focus on analytical narratives that span a tournament, assessing a team's overall performance.

  3. 03
    Did Tuchel get his England set-up wrong?

    Showcases the hosts' willingness to question and critique the tactical decisions of top-level managers.

§4 · Signature

What you'll be asked on this show

How Total Soccer interviews

Total Soccer Show is not an interview-based podcast. It operates as a roundtable discussion where the hosts analyze recent games and soccer news among themselves. Questions are posed conversationally between the co-hosts to drive the discussion, rather than in a structured Q&A format with a guest.

The show is a multi-host roundtable discussion, not an interview format. The four main hosts—Taylor Rockwell, Ryan Bailey, Joe Lowery, and Graham Ruthven—appear in rotating combinations. Episodes often begin with a rhyming, pun-laden poem summarizing recent games, followed by a free-flowing conversation that is analytical yet informal and often humorous.

Signature segments

  • · Opening with a rhyming poem summarizing the day's games.
  • · Referring to the live stream audience as the 'Stream Squadron'.
  • · Using a whiteboard for tactical diagrams.
  • · Banter between hosts about their national team allegiances.
  • · Extended 'Bye' at the end of the show.

Topics covered repeatedly

World Cup AnalysisUSMNTPremier LeagueChampions LeagueMLSTactical AnalysisPlayer PerformancesTeam Previews & RecapsSoccer CultureTournament Formats
§5 · Guests

Who gets booked here

AI-extracted guest list + profile · help us verify
Typical guest

The show is centered on its main hosts and does not typically feature outside guests; the provided evidence consists entirely of roundtable discussions between the core team.

§6 · Channels & links

Where to find this show

§7 · Stats

Audience & reach

YouTube · first-party
Subscribers
4.9K
4,860
Avg views / video
2.6K
Trailing window
Total views
958K
958,346
Videos published
845
Sponsor readEstimated

The show is primarily listener-supported through its Patreon page, which offers bonus content and access to a Discord community. This is consistently promoted in episodes.

AI-extracted sponsor read · help us verify

Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.

§8 · Contact

Pitch Total Soccer

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Verified contact
Host / booking email
i•••@•••.com

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§9b · FAQ

People also ask

AI-extracted researched answers · help us verify
Who are the main hosts of the Total Soccer Show?
The primary hosts are Taylor Rockwell, Ryan Bailey, Joe Lowery, and Graham Ruthven, who appear in various combinations.
What is the format of the show?
It's a roundtable discussion podcast. The hosts analyze and debate recent soccer matches and news in a conversational, often humorous, format.
Is this show only about the US National Team?
No. While the USMNT is a major focus, the show also provides extensive coverage of the Premier League, Champions League, MLS, and major international tournaments.
Is Total Soccer Show still running?
Yes, it is an active podcast that publishes episodes on a daily basis, especially during major tournaments.
How can I support the show?
The show is primarily listener-supported via their Patreon, which gives access to bonus podcasts and a Discord community.
Who was Daryl Grove?
Daryl Grove was the co-founder and original co-host of the Total Soccer Show, alongside Taylor Rockwell. He passed away in 2020 and is remembered as a beloved and influential voice in the American soccer community.
Last updatedJun 29, 2026Not yet host-verified
Research depthDeep dossierHigh confidence · Jun 29, 2026 · gemini-2.5-pro

Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.

§9c · Methodology

Sources & how this page was built

This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence

  1. [01]About — Total Soccer Showtotalsoccershow.com
  2. [02]Graham Ruthven's Profile | Muck Rackmuckrack.com
  3. [03]Joseph Lowery - Backheeledbackheeled.com
  4. [04]Joseph Lowery | The Guardiantheguardian.com
  5. [05]From Local Newspapers to Global Publications: Graham Ruthven's Journeycision.co.uk
  6. [06]Influential soccer podcaster Daryl Grove passes away after cancer battle | MLSSoccer.commlssoccer.com
  7. [07]Daryl Grove, 'Total Soccer Show' Podcaster, Dies of Colon Cancer - TheWrapthewrap.com
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