The Insider's Lounge

In this episode, Devin Amoo-Mensah shares his remarkable and unconventional journey to becoming a professional soccer player — without an agent, a network, or a clear roadmap. We kick off with how Devin negotiated his first pro contract entirely on his own, before rewinding to his early years and Division 2 college career. From there, we follow his grind into the professional ranks, including an unfiltered look at life in Sweden’s 4th tier — breaking down contract terms, salaries, and the of...

In this episode of The Football Talent Show, hosts Adam Lenges and Jacek Kulig are joined by Irish football expert Bill to dive deep into the past, present, and future of football in Ireland. They explore the rise of Irish football, the true level of the League of Ireland, and how COVID and Brexit have shaped the development landscape. The conversation covers infrastructure challenges, the country’s top talent producers, and whether a new golden generation might be emerging. Later in the ep...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, host Chad McArthur sits down with Iker Nacenta to explore the current and future state of Mexican football through the lens of one of its most shocking recent events — the Club León disqualification from the FIFA Club World Cup. They start by breaking down how multi-club ownership played a role in León’s ban and what it reveals about the structural challenges within Liga MX. Iker unpacks fan reactions, Club León’s response, and the broader consequence...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, we sit down with Taito Kojima, who shares his remarkable journey to becoming Japan’s youngest licensed FIFA agent and the CEO of Mundo Rico. Taito reflects on his early soccer memories growing up in a football-driven household, guided by the influence of his father—a former professional player. By the age of 12, he was already working in the soccer industry, laying the groundwork for what would become a fast-moving and globally connected career. At j...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Jassem Osseiran breaks down Saudi Arabia’s football revolution—from its rapid transformation to the rise of the Saudi Pro League and the country’s 2034 FIFA World Cup ambitions. We start with Jassem’s personal connection to Saudi Arabia, reflecting on how the country has evolved since his childhood. He discusses the massive shifts in culture, economy, and sports, and how global investments—like PIF’s acquisitions of Newcastle United and other European...