Patrik Arnesson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Forza Football, the Swedish football tech company behind the worlds' second biggest football app, Forza Football. On their main app they have over 5 million downloads and 3 million monthly active users, and cover over 420 leagues worldwide. They also have a newer app that serves as a tool for football clubs to monetize on their content, something which all clubs currently struggle with. Football Addicts’ mission is to democratize football and put football in the hands of the fans. Please joins us as we discuss Patrik’s journey, from a disgruntled 21-year old startup CEO servicing traditionally driven brands to creating one of the most innovative and sought-after football tech companies in the world. We touch on things such as how to democratize football, what a 93-year old Japanese sushi master can teach app developers and company founders, why company boards don’t make sense, implementing a bottom-up decision making process versus a typical hierarchical pyramid model, saying "no" to $10 billion, closing the doors on prestigious venture capital firms, drinking coffee at Gothenburg’s finest coffee shops, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Coffee & Football

Patrik Arnesson - Co-Founder and CEO, Forza Football

Born and raised in Milan, Italy, at age 15 Claudio Storelli moved to the US as an exchange student. By the age of 20 he graduated from Stanford University with honors and as an NCAA Soccer Division 1 runner-up. By 23, Claudio had graduated with honors from Columbia Law School, and joined McKinsey & Co. as a management consultant. In 2010, he joined Bloomberg LP, where he became the COO of a $1B Enterprise Technology division. To say that he is an ambitious overachiever is an understatement. Please join us as Claudio take us through his journey, from distinguished Ivy League schools to the hallways of some of New York’s most prestigious companies to running a soccer startup—that carries his name, how could it not?—in Brooklyn, NY. This is a conversation jam-packed with valuable insights, business learnings, and recommendations for those with an idea. We discuss his life and business philosophies, how he got the idea to start a business after playing games with bruised up Wall Streeters, the best cold call he ever made, rubbing shoulders with Mike Bloomberg, seeing Waney Rooney unknowingly wearing Storelli gear in the Premier League, what the navy seals taught him, and much more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Claudio Storelli - Co-Founder and Chairman, Storelli Sports

Jim Trecker is considered one of the most prominent communications and public relations professionals in US Soccer history. He has been involved as a journalist, administrator and communications maven at all levels of the game, working for the NY Cosmos during the Pelé era, the Washington Diplomats when Johan Cruyff played there, the US Soccer Federation in the 1990’s, the Japanese Federation, and the organizing committees of the 1994, 2002, 2010, and 2022 World Cups. Most recently he has been involved with the build out of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, TX. Join us as we discuss his journey from Connecticut to the top echelons of world football.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jim Trecker - Communications & Public Relations executive, ex NY Cosmos, US & Japan World Cup bids, Washington Diplomats, Soccer Hall of Fame

Originally from Abilene, Texas, Bundrant is one of the most prominent football executives hailing from the US. After graduating from West Virginia University, VA, he initiated his career with DC United of the newly started MLS with an unpaid internship. That laid the foundation for an over 20 year career at the very top of global sports business. After stints at Sportfive, one of the most recognized sports rights agencies, GMR Marketing, a sports engagement and experiential agency with clients including VISA, FIFA, and the Miller Brewing company, to name a few, he was named the Head of Commercial Partnerships at Liverpool Football Club in 2008. After a successful five seasons in North West England, he ventured further south when being named the Commercial Director & Head of International Business Development at AS Monaco - a team then purchased by the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev who was looking to take the entity to the very top of European football, by acquiring players such as Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho, Anthony Martial, Eric Abidal, among others. The glory days lasted until Monaco was caught under the rules of Financial Fair Play, which brought Bundrant back to the US and Relevant Sports, a Stephen Ross company that owns, manages, and operates all aspects of the International Champions Cup. Currently, as the CEO & Founder of Riviera Sports Marketing, Bundrant focuses on building brand value, generating commercial revenue, and growing sponsorship opportunities for an international clientele of companies, ownerships groups, and individuals involved in sports business. Please join us as Bundrant delves into his journey, from humble beginnings in the West Texas farmlands to the top echelon of world football. We discuss what it takes to make successful team investments and acquisitions, negotiation tactics, Liverpool’s Champions League glory days, striking multimillion dollar sponsorship deals, rubbing shoulders with Russian billionaires, learning French at 40, accomplishing ambitious goals, and much more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

30) Bruce Bundrant - CEO & Founder Riviera Sports Marketing, ex Liverpool FC & AS Monaco executive

As the Head of Media, Marketing, and CRM at Arsenal Football club, Micheal Leavey has the overall responsibility for the club’s commercial growth ambitions. He has been with the club for over 8 years and until recently was the General Manager of the club’s media business.Leavey was formerly CEO of 10Duke Software, an advanced social media application platform working with leading global brands and broadcasters. Prior to this he was Managing Director at Mondus, a $300 million European B2B software procurement company. He has over 12 years online experience covering all aspects of social media, online brand development and effective monetization strategies.Please joins us as Michael takes us through his journey and dives into the inner workings of the commercial side of Arsenal Football Club. We discuss the team’s global marketing strategy, the key target markets, bringing an increasingly global fan base closer to the club, the challenges that all top club’s share, the important role CRM plays, exchanging insights with rivals, taking pictures in China as well as outside the Emirates Stadium with fans who think he is Arsene Wenger (they do resemble one another), and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

29) Michael Leavey - Head of Media, Marketing & CRM, Arsenal Football Club

Nacido y criado en Barcelona, Joan Laporta es uno de los ejecutivos y presidentes de club más influyentes y reconocidos de la historia del fútbol. Aficionado del Barça de toda la vida, Laporta empezó a estar vinculado profesionalmente al club cuando lideró “Elefant Blau”, un grupo del que también formaban parte Albert Vicens, Jordi Moix, Alfons Godall y Albert Perrín, todos ellos futuros directivos del club, que promovieron una moción de censura contra el entonces presidente de la entidad, Josep Luis Nuñez, que no prosperó.Antes de las elecciones de 2003, Laporta formó su propia candidatura juntando a un grupo de jóvenes y exitosos empresarios de la ciudad. Gracias a que introdujeron un toque de modernidad, tácticas innovadoras de management, nuevas tecnologías y sobre todo, gracias al apoyo de Johann Cruyff, la candidatura triunfó. La etapa de Laporta como presidente, 2003-2010, es sin lugar a dudas la etapa más exitosa de la historia del club. Durante su presidencia, el Barça ganó 12 títulos, incluyendo 4 ligas, 2 Champions, el Mundial de Clubes y la maravillosa temporada del sextete, en la que se ganaron los 6 títulos disputados durante la temporada 2008/2009.En esta conversación, Laporta nos habla sobre su vida y trayectoria profesional, una historia que comenzó en Barcelona un 29 de junio de 1962. Tocamos temas tan variados como la vida en Barcelona durante los 60 y 70 bajo la dictadura de Franco, la transición de dictadura a la democracia en España, la influencia de su padre, el proceso que le hizo ganar las elecciones y convertirse en presidente del Barça, la idea de poner Unicef en la camiseta, sus primeros recuerdos de Messi, el apoyo de su consejero personal Johann Cruyff, La Masia, cómo se expresan el poder, el ego y la vanidad dentro de un grupo de directivos, y mucho más. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

28) Joan Laporta - expresidente, FC Barcelona (*in Spanish)

Grant Wahl is a Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated and a Correspondent on FOX Sports. He is by many considered the top American soccer journalist. He has interviewed and done numerous memorable and acclaimed pieces with some of the biggest names in world soccer, ranging from Jose Mourinho to David Beckham to Lionel Messi. Grant is also a New York Times best-selling author with The Beckham Experiment, a book launched in 2009 which chronicled David Beckham’s first few years as an MLS & LA Galaxy player. He recently announced the launch of his latest book, Masters of Modern Soccer, that will hit the shelves in Spring 2018 - it is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. Join us as we discuss his journey and go in-depth on his work at Sports Illustrated and FOX Sports, We touch on his first cover story, Who’s Your Daddy?, that put him on the map and landed him at Oprah, studying under John McPhee, the legendary Pulitzer Price winning writer, at Princeton University, interviewing superstars, his fascination with interview technique, working with Beckham and his people, traveling to away games with Boca Juniors’ hardcore fans, his admiration for Alexi Lalas and Landon Donovan, the early Freddy Adu story that added perhaps even more pressure on the young phenom, all that and much more. Follow: Twitter @GrantWahlFacebook @GrantWahlInstagram grant_wahl See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

27) Grant Wahl - Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated & Correspondent, FOX Sports

Martin Jacobson, known to many as “Coach Jake”, is the Coach of the Martin Luther King Jr., High School in Manhattan, the most successful team in New York City history and one of the top ranked programs in the country. The team consists of highly talented kids from underprivileged inner-city areas and immigrants mostly from West Africa, Caribbean, and South America. Coach Jake took charge of MLK, or “Horror High” as some tabloids called it at the time, in 1994 and started to discover talent among students who had recently arrived to the country. He is as known for his off the field work as he is for winning titles, 16 NYC championships in the past 20 something years and counting, he is relentless in his pursuit to create a better life for “his kids” - goes above and beyond to help them and do what he can to make sure they have the most necessary needs, food on the table, a place to live, immigration status in order, and general support.There have been many stories and profile pieces on Coach Jake throughout the years, from the cover of the New York Times to 60 Minutes, with the most recent, a full length documentary, “Coach Jake”, premiering at the Urbanworld Film Festival in NYC on September 21, 2017. In Part II we delve further into Jake’s personal perspectives, discussing his life’s work, the MLK program, and The Coach Jake Foundation that helps young players with everything from immigration papers to college placement. We also touch on being diagnosed with Hepatitis C, fear of death, working with Hollywood, the feature film that’s been in the works for the past 10 years, inequalities between “rich area” and “poor area” schools, the failed political system, Alex Ferguson, his obsession with winning and how it resembles the highs of drugs, and much more. To FollowThe Coach Jake Foundation http://www.thecoachjakefoundation.org/Coach Jake documentary, info & trailer https://www.coachjakedoc.com/ Facebook @CoachJakeNYCInstagram coachjakenyc See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

26) Martin "Coach Jake" Jacobson, Part II - Coach, Martin Luther King Jr., High School

Martin Jacobson, known to many as “Coach Jake”, is the Coach of the Martin Luther King Jr., High School in Manhattan, the most successful team in New York City history and one of the top ranked programs in the country. The team consists of highly talented kids from underprivileged inner-city areas and immigrants mostly from West Africa, Caribbean, and South America. Coach Jake took charge of MLK, or “Horror High” as some tabloids called it at the time, in 1994 and started to discover talent among students who had recently arrived to the country. He is as known for his off the field work as he is for winning titles, 16 NYC championships in the past 20 something years and counting, he is relentless in his pursuit to create a better life for “his kids” - goes above and beyond to help them and do what he can to make sure they have the most necessary needs, food on the table, a place to live, immigration status in order, and general support.There have been many stories and profile pieces on Coach Jake throughout the years, from the cover of the New York Times to 60 Minutes, with the most recent, a full length documentary, “Coach Jake”, premiering at the Urbanworld Film Festival in NYC on September 21, 2017.  Join us as we discuss his journey, starting from Long Beach, NY, as a second generation immigrant, to going through years of drug addiction, crime, and personal tragedies, to becoming one of the most well-respected, successful, and beloved coaches on the NYC football scene. We touch on his upbringing, being arrested for the first time at 10 years old, learning football from a Holocaust survivor, his secrets of spotting talent, immigration, hippie trips out west, selling LSD to the Ford Motor Company assembly line workers, heroin addiction, facing 20 years in prison, the moment that became his turning point, and much more.   To FollowThe Coach Jake Foundation http://www.thecoachjakefoundation.org/Coach Jake documentary, info & trailer https://www.coachjakedoc.com/ Facebook @CoachJakeNYCInstagram coachjakenyc See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

25) Martin "Coach Jake" Jacobson, Part I - Coach, Martin Luther King Jr., High School

Known as the The Rocky Balboa of Criminal Defense Law, The Devil’s Advocate, and The War Machine, Joseph “Joe” Tacopina is a New York City based criminal defense lawyer and the Owner & President of Venezia Football Club in Italy. Representing some of the most high-profile cases and clients including the NYPD, Alex Rodriguez, Jay-Z, Victoria Gotti, and Lillo Brancato, among many others, Tacopina has earned himself the reputation as one of the toughest, most fearless, and prominent attorneys in the country. In 2011, he formed part of an American consortium of investors who purchased A.S. Roma, making it the first foreign owned team in Italian football, and becoming the Vice President and Vice-Chairman of the board of directors. In 2014 he became an owner and Chairman of Bologna F.C., a position he held for a brief period before purchasing Venezia F.C. in October 2015. At the time, the team was in the 4th division and only two seasons later, after gaining consecutive promotions, the team is now in Serie B. Tacopina, a relentless work horse and optimist, is very clear about his mission, he won’t stop until the team has reached the Serie A, won the Scudetto, and become a European top club. In Part II we delve deeper into the inner workings of Venezia FC and how Tacopina envisions to build the business and the brand. We touch on the world of buying, managing, and building football teams, his obsession with the Real Madrid model, how power and vanity among high-profile executives affects organizations, the main criminal defense cases that put him on the map, juggling his law practice and running a football team while raising five kids, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

24) Joe Tacopina, Part II - Owner & President, Venezia FC & NYC Criminal Defense Attorney

Known as the The Rocky Balboa of Criminal Defense Law, The Devil’s Advocate, and The War Machine, Joseph “Joe” Tacopina is a New York City based criminal defense lawyer and the Owner & President of Venezia Football Club in Italy. Representing some of the most high-profile cases and clients including the NYPD, Alex Rodriguez, Jay-Z, Victoria Gotti, and Lillo Brancato, among many others, Tacopina has earned himself the reputation as one of the toughest, most fearless, and prominent attorneys in the country. In 2011, he formed part of an American consortium of investors who purchased A.S. Roma, making it the first foreign owned team in Italian football, and becoming the Vice President and Vice-Chairman of the board of directors. In 2014 he became an owner and Chairman of Bologna F.C., a position he held for a brief period before purchasing Venezia F.C. in October 2015. At the time, the team was in the 4th division and only two seasons later, after gaining consecutive promotions, the team is now in Serie B. Tacopina, a relentless work horse and optimist, is very clear about his mission, he won’t stop until the team has reached the Serie A, winning the Scudetto, and becoming a European top club. Join us as we discuss his journey, starting from very humble beginnings in Brownsville, Brooklyn, one of the toughest neighborhoods in the United States, to becoming one of the most notorious criminal defense attorneys in history. We touch on his upbringing, daily street fights, boxing training, working the toll booths at the Battery Tunnel and coat-check at a shady nightclub in Westport to make ends meet, investing in undervalued football assets, making Venezia FC a global brand, rubbing shoulders with the Mayor, working with Pippo Inzaghi, and much more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

23) Joe Tacopina, Part I - Owner & President, Venezia FC & NYC criminal defense attorney

As the Managing Director of the Americas, which includes South, Central, and North America, Arno Trabesinger has the overall responsibility for the club’s growth ambitions across commercial partnerships, sponsorships, marketing, the foundation, and the academies in the region. The ultimate goal is to make Barça the most recognizable brand and most global sports team in the world. Originally from a small town in Austria, Arno started his career with Weirather-Wenzel & Partner S.L, WWP, one of the most prominent marketing & sponsorship agencies in Europe with clients including Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Formula 1, Red Bull, Emirates, and Moto GP, to name a few. Arno remained with the company for 17 years, rapidly rose through the ranks, opened their Barcelona office, and became the Managing Director, before being lured by F.C. Barcelona’s current President, Josep Bartomeu, to join the club as the top leader of the Americas and opening the NYC office. Join us as we delve into his career, and dive into the inner workings of the most celebrated club in world football, F.C. Barcelona. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

22) Arno Trabesinger - Managing Director Americas, FC Barcelona

Christian Fuchs is a former Austrian National Team Captain who plays as a left back for Leicester City in the English Premier League. He started his professional career with SV Mattersburg in the Austrian Bundesliga, after playing the 2008 Euro Tournament with Austria, he joined the German club VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga, from there he moved onto Mainz 05 for a season, and Schalke 04 for five seasons, before landing at Leicester City in 2015. Join us as we discuss his journey and go in-depth on his life and career, from small-town beginnings in Austria to becoming the most unlikely of Premier League champs - Leicester City winning the Premier League is considered the biggest upset in sports history. In this second part of our conversation, we delve further into Christian’s personal perspectives, touching on things such as Leicester’s incredibly successful Champions League campaign making it all the way to the Quarter-Finals before narrowly losing to Atletico Madrid, the charismatic team Chairman & Owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who commutes by helicopter to the King Power stadium and stops by the locker room before every game to chat with the players, the decision to retire from the National Team at age 30, the role his wife plays in running his off the pitch endeavors, his relation to money and fame, and much more. Accomplishments 78 Caps, 1 goal Austria National Team, 2006-2016DFL Supercup champion in Germany with Schalke 04, 2011 Premier League champion with Leicester City, 2015-16 To FollowTwitter @FuchsOfficial, @NoFuchsGivenLtd, @FoxSoccerAcadNY Instagram fuchs_officialWebsite www.nofuchsgiven.com YouTube NoFuchsGivenFacebook @fuchslfanseite See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

21) Christian Fuchs, Part II - Leicester City FC

Christian Fuchs is a former Austrian National Team Captain who plays as a left back for Leicester City in the English Premier League. He started his professional career with SV Mattersburg in the Austrian Bundesliga, after playing the 2008 Euro Tournament with Austria, he joined the German club VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga, from there he moved onto Mainz 05 for a season, and Schalke 04 for five seasons, before landing at Leicester City in 2015. Join us as we discuss his journey and go in-depth on his life and career, from his small-town beginnings in Austria to becoming the most unlikely of Premier League champs - Leicester City winning the Premier League, with odds of 5000-1, is considered the biggest upset in sports history. We delve into his playing career from the early days when he wasn’t considered good enough for his youth team, to playing 7 years in the Bundesliga, eventually ending up in the Premier League and becoming one of its main profiles, both on and off the pitch. His family lives in NYC, which means that constant commuting between Leicester and New York is part of his everyday life, he looks forward to joining them (and perhaps the MLS?) once his contract in England is done. This profile also touches on his post-career thoughts, his entrepreneurial ambitions, the “No Fuchs Given” brand, the soccer academy that carries his name, and much more. Accomplishments 78 Caps, 1 goal Austria National Team, 2006-2016DFL Supercup champion in Germany with Schalke 04, 2011 Premier League champion with Leicester City, 2015-16 To FollowTwitter @FuchsOfficial, @NoFuchsGivenLtd, @FoxSoccerAcadNY Instagram fuchs_officialWebsite www.nofuchsgiven.com YouTube NoFuchsGivenFacebook @fuchslfanseite See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

20) Christian Fuchs, Part I - Leicester City FC

Pia Sundhage is a world-renowned coach and former professional player. Most recently she was the National Team coach for Sweden from 2012 to July 2017 who she lead to an Olympic silver medal in 2016.  Prior to that she was the US National Team coach from 2007 to 2012, winning consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012, and as a result, earning the FIFA World Coach of the Year Award in 2013.  In this second half of our conversation, we delve further into her personal perspectives, discussing things such as inequalities between the women’s and the men’s game, her thoughts relating to fame, feminism, money, the possibility of one day coaching a men’s team, declining invitations from the White House, twice…all that and much more! Accomplishments:Playing•146 Caps & 71 goals with Sweden National Team •4 times Damallsvenskan champ, top Swedish league •4 Swedish Cup titles •Euro 1984 gold•World Cup bronze, 1991•6th place in the voting for FIFA Women’s Player of the Century, 2000 Coaching•China National Team Assistant Coach, 2007•US National Team Coach, 2007-2012•Sweden National Team Coach, 2012-2017•2 Olympic golds with USA, 2008 & 2012•Olympic silver with Sweden, 2016•World Cup silver with USA, 2011•Euro 2013 bronze with Sweden•FIFA World Coach of the Year, 2012 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

19) Pia Sundhage, Part II - ex Sweden & U.S. National Team coach, FIFA World Coach of the Year 2013

The Coffee & Football podcast is a long-form conversation hosted by Sebastian Alvarado with guests including players & ex-players, club & league executives, media personalities, corporate brand directors, investigative journalists, agents, and thought leaders. Sebastian delves deep into the lives, careers, and personal perspectives of some of the most interesting and influential profiles involved in the game both on and off the pitch.

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Coffee & Football

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