# First Touch Dispatch | James Rodriguez Retires, VAR Controversy & the Ballon d’Or

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085/first-touch-dispatch-james-rodriguez-retires-var-controversy-the-ballon-d-or
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085/first-touch-dispatch-james-rodriguez-retires-var-controversy-the-ballon-d-or.md
Podcast: [First Touch | World Soccer](https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085)
Published: 2026-09-15T22:50:00+00:00
Episode link: https://kickbacksoccer.com/
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/c0572a8e-5c10-4e0a-a1e6-061181d97f24.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/kickback-26-7606085/episodes/first-touch-dispatch-james-rodriguez-retires-var-controversy-the-ballon-d-or
Duration seconds: 1014

## Resource

James Rodriguez brings his Colombia career to a close, four Americans are making their mark at Middlesbrough, and Paris FC and Como are emerging among Europe’s early-season surprises. Plus, the fallout from the Manchester Derby’s VAR controversy and a closer look at this year’s Ballon d’Or race. 0:00 Intro 0:34 James Rodriguez Retires 1:33 Americans at Middlesbrough 4:30 Paris FC Among France’s Elite 6:23 Como’s Champions League Breakthrough 8:17 Manchester Derby VAR Controversy 11:00 A Closer Look: The Ballon d’Or 15:00 One for the Road: Cavan Sullivan The American home for the global game. Follow the conversation: https://linktr.ee/firsttouchksm

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## Transcript

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