New Ground with Allen & Jalil

By New Ground

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Episodes: 60

Description

It’s your favorite player’s favorite show.

Welcome to New Ground, where the conversations hit different.

Hosted by Allen Hopkins Jr. and Jalil Anibaba, this is where the locker room opens up. These are melanin-rich conversations about life, soccer — footy, whatever you want to call it — and the real stories that shape the game in America.

From Major League Soccer to the USMNT pipeline, from player identity to leadership, culture, pressure, and purpose — nothing’s off limits. This isn’t media-trained soundbites. It’s lived experience. It’s perspective you only get from the guys who’ve been in it.

Allen and Jalil sit down with current and former pros, coaches, creatives, and culture-shifters to unpack the moments you didn’t see on the highlight reel — the setbacks, the locker room truths, the growth behind the grind.

If you love the game beyond the scoreboard, this show is for you.

Real players. Real perspective. New Ground.


Episode Date
082: Eddie Johnson was American's first inner-city star
May 22, 2026
081: Who is your favorite player of all-time? And which American player had the best season in Europe?
May 15, 2026
080: Julian Zakrzewski Hall says his fellow New Yorkers have that “grit”
May 08, 2026
079: Everyone be scoring goals like crazy. Was the 2022 World Cup Final a sign of what we see today?
May 01, 2026
078: USMNT & MLS Legend Cobi Jones has always been larger than life
Apr 25, 2026
077: Ousseni Bouda ditched school and set up his path to the MLS
Apr 17, 2026
076: Pelé, Ronaldo, Zidane: Who is the best right-footed players of all-time?
Apr 10, 2026
075: Sounders' Antino Lopez says he'll take 3 straight clean sheets over a hat trick
Apr 03, 2026
074: Pochettino’s USMNT Roster Nearly Set for World Cup?
Mar 27, 2026
073: Congrats to the GOAT as Messi Scores His 900th Goal
Mar 20, 2026
072: Champions League Always Delivers the Drama
Mar 13, 2026
071: Arsenal Fans Hold Your Breath, All Love to the USWNT
Mar 06, 2026
070: Is LAFC the Early Frontrunner After Beating Inter Miami CF?
Feb 27, 2026
069: Racial Abuse Towards Vini Jr. is a Gianluca Prestianni Issue
Feb 20, 2026
068: Bad Bunny and Seahawks Dominate Super Bowl, Croix Bethune to KC and the NWSL Comeup
Feb 13, 2026
067: From Young Prospect to World-Class Player: The Resilience That Defines a Future Star
Feb 06, 2026
066: The Surprising Impact of Preseason Results on MLS Season Success
Jan 30, 2026
065: What the African Cup of Nations Reveals About Continent-Wide Pride and Unity
Jan 23, 2026
064: How Preseason Clarity and Intentionality Make or Break Your Soccer Season
Jan 16, 2026
063: Kicking off 2026 - We're Ready for a Huge Year of Footy for American Culture
Jan 09, 2026
062: Best of New Ground 2025: Kei Kamara, Calen Carr, Darian Jenkins, Maurice Edu
Dec 19, 2025
061: Messi's Inter Miami CF Wins MLS Cup and World Cup Draw in DC
Dec 12, 2025
060: Inter Miami CF v Vancouver Whitecaps FC: MLS Cup Final Preview
Dec 05, 2025
059: Tayvon Gray on Prepping for the Intra Miami CF and His Rise in the MLS
Nov 28, 2025
058: Sparking USMNT Confidence and Hope, MLS Conf Semifinals
Nov 21, 2025
057: Michael Lahoud is Found His Voice and Walks In His Own Power
Nov 14, 2025
056: Darian Jenkins Knows How to Work Hard and Play Hard
Nov 07, 2025
055: USL Championship Playoff Preview, Revisiting Pa-Modou Kah and Khano Smith
Oct 31, 2025
054: Revisiting our Vancouver Whitecaps FC conversations
Oct 24, 2025
053: Brian Anunga's Journey From Cameroon and the Transition to a Winning Organization
Oct 17, 2025
052: Why Coaching Excellence in MLS Is Better Than Ever in 2025
Oct 03, 2025
051: DeAndre Yedlin is a Grounded Father, Author, and Footballer
Sep 26, 2025
050: 1 Year on New Ground!
Sep 19, 2025
049: Alex Freeman carved his own path and brought the game to his family
Sep 12, 2025
048: How Seattle Sounders built most respected MLS Dynasty through class and consistency
Sep 05, 2025
047: How Small Shifts in Mindset and Playing Free Lead to Big Outcomes
Aug 29, 2025
046: Max Bretos is the Most Interesting Man in American Soccer
Aug 22, 2025
045: Kickin It with All-Stars Miles Robinson, Maurice Edu, and Gyasi Zardes
Aug 15, 2025
044: Kei Kamara escaped civil war in Sierra Leone and owes everything to Soccer
Aug 08, 2025
043: Tesho Akindele Sees Himself as a Brand
Aug 01, 2025
042: LIVE from Austin! New Ground with the 2025 MLS All-Star Game Pre-Show
Jul 23, 2025
041: 2025 MLS Midseason Check-in
Jul 18, 2025
040: Gyasi Zardes' longevity in pro soccer and the power of earning respect
Jul 11, 2025
039: Jordan Allen says emotional intelligence is key for coaches
Jun 27, 2025
038: Turning Pain into Power: How Athletes Leveraged Their Platform for Change
Jun 20, 2025
037: Hidden leadership secrets of Issa Tall that transformed the Columbus Crew
Jun 13, 2025
036: Lamar Neagle from Federal Way redefined what it means to succeed in soccer
Jun 06, 2025
035: At age 14 Calen Carr traveled by himself to train in Brazil
May 30, 2025
034: Baky Soumaré's seamless move from footy to high-end design
May 16, 2025
033: Brian White earned April Player of the Month leading the Vancouver Whitecaps FC
May 09, 2025
031: Luis Robles holds the record of 183 consecutive MLS games played
Apr 25, 2025
030: Tiger Fitzpatrick of NY Red Bulls is all about player development and GA Cup
Apr 18, 2025
028: George Campbell stays steady while things constantly move around him
Apr 04, 2025
027: Chris Armas brings Bronx toughness and earned his National Soccer Hall of Fame spot
Mar 28, 2025
026: Omar Gonzalez wonders what happened to the Mexican team that kicked his a$$ as a kid
Mar 21, 2025
025: Lorne Donaldson brings 3 decades of coaching experience & Caribbean swag
Mar 14, 2025
024: Coach Jeremy Hall is prioritizes connecting with players and building relationships
Mar 07, 2025
023: Jayden Nelson is 2025's Matchday 1 Breakout Star
Feb 28, 2025
022: Darlington Nagbe can't remember a time when he wasn't good at soccer
Feb 21, 2025
002: Emeka Eneli loves defense, table tennis, and eating jallof from the deep freezer
Sep 27, 2024