The Odyssey on The Rest Is Football

This episode is brought to you by Christopher Nolan's epic new film, The Odyssey, the must see motion picture event of the year. It's the legendary story of Odysseus embarking on the ten year journey home after the Trojan War. Think monsters, gods, and immense battles. So when we're asked to pick a truly Odysseum player from our own generation, I started to think of the ones who really had to graft, the ones who showed real grit, navigating setbacks, pushing for those later breakthroughs, beating the odds to reach the top with maybe a few less mythical creatures. Our kick us off as my player is probably the oldest of the lot. A certain Peter Beardsley I've gone for. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think people are aware of this, but he eventually had to go and play in Canada when he was, like, late teens. Vancouver Whitecaps, was it? Vancouver Whitecaps and, played over there in that era when American the football side in America was was quite popular for a while. He was doing okay over there, playing really well. I think then he got he got come back trial at Manchester United or something. He didn't quite and then, eventually, he made his name. Brilliant. I'm going for Stewart Pearce. Yeah? From where he started, electrician. Non league football, Willston was. Was an electrician. Mark Hughes. Was he? Sparky. Yeah. Yeah. There you go. There's another one. Yeah. So then for him to do what he did in his career and the way he got there, play for England and World Cups and Euros and had the career that he had, proper warrior. Did you have any, skills before football? No. I was too busy working on my first touch, Micah. I'll go Mo Salah. Mo Salah. Mo Salah. He had a journey. He had a journey. Well, you probably know a bit more about the beforehand. But I did a documentary with him once, and I didn't realize that, you know, when he was he wanted to be as a footballer, and he used to have to get, like, travel, like, four hours there and four hours back every day to train. That's mad. Incredible. Incredible drive, conviction. Yeah. But also, the comeback bounce back ability is called the dummy. I was with my Fiorentina. I know. And I think he was a superstar then. I knew it. He went to Rome. I went to Liverpool. Failed at Chelsea before he went on loan to Fiorentina as well, but to become the superstar that he is today. I'd I'd possibly pick you as well. Me? Yeah. Because at one stage, you were just Mo Salazar's tattoo. We got all serious ideas. You're gonna bring super nervous films to you. You're the exact you're the exact opposite. You you you burst onto the scene and then kind of plays. That was a good one, I guess. Yeah. Very good. Every now and again. There you have it. Our Odyssean players, whether it's on the pitch or on the screen. That kind of resilience and perseverance is what separates the greats from the rest. And to truly experience such an ambitious journey, it demands the big screen. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is in cinemas from July 17. Book your tickets from June 5