The Soccer Ladder with Li & Me

Former MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Dax McCarty joins The Soccer Ladder for a special conversation filmed during MLS All-Star Week.

After nearly two decades playing at the professional level, Dax shares the lessons he believes matter most for young players trying to grow in the game.

We talk about leadership and why accountability may be one of the most important qualities a young captain can deve...

Real Madrid and Germany star Antonio Rüdiger joins The Soccer Ladder for a special conversation from the United Nations in New York City.

Antonio shares the heart behind the Antonio Rüdiger Foundation, why giving back is so important to him, and his commitment to creating opportunities and making a difference beyond the football pitch.

A powerful conversation about using football, influence, and opportunity to create meaningful impac...

Former professional player, Olympian, and MLS on Apple TV Studio Analyst Kaylyn Kyle joins me during MLS All-Star Week for a special conversation on The Soccer Ladder.

Kaylyn shares her perspective on what separates players as they move through the game, the importance of mindset and resilience, and what young athletes can learn from the challenges they face along the way.

We also talk about a question nearly every so...

In Episode 37 of The Soccer Ladder, Megan and Liam sit down with Lou Ruffien, French Youth National Team player, Paris FC academy standout, and incoming Harvard Women's Soccer student-athlete.

After representing France at the UEFA U-17 European Championship and FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, Lou shares what it's really like to compete at the highest levels of youth soccer, adapt to life in Europe, and prepare for the next chapter at H...

In Episode 36 of The Soccer Ladder, Megan and Liam sit down with Matteo Masucci, founder of Juventus Academy Los Angeles, entrepreneur, coach, and creator of innovative AI-powered coaching technology.

Born and raised in Italy, Matteo shares his journey from professional soccer and sports science to building one of the premier youth development environments in the United States alongside Alessandro Del Piero. He offers valuab...

In Episode 35 of The Soccer Ladder, Megan and Liam sit down with soccer legend Tab Ramos.

A three-time FIFA World Cup player, Olympian, former U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team Head Coach, and MLS Head Coach, Tab shares lessons from decades at the highest levels of the game.

In this episode we discuss:

⚽ Playing in three FIFA World Cups
⚽ What players ages 12–15 should focus on right now
⚽ Why tec...

A conversation on access, opportunity, and using soccer to change communities.

Hosts

Megan
Liam

About This Episode

In Episode 34 of The Soccer Ladder, we sit down with Janine Willis, former Canadian Women’s National Team player and Board of Directors member for Soccer in the Streets (@soccerstreets).

From her journey playing at Princeton and with the Canadian National Team to now helping lead one of the most impactful soccer no...

A conversation on player pathways, local talent, and building the next generation through community.

Hosts

Megan
 Liam

About This Episode

In Episode 33 of The Soccer Ladder, we sit down with Jose Angulo (@j_angulo), Scout and Manager of Youth Partnerships for the New York Cosmos (@nycosmos).

A North Jersey native from Paterson, Jose Angulo’s journey through the local soccer scene led him to a professional career — wh...

A conversation on fueling youth athletes, building longevity, and mastering the fundamentals of performance.

Hosts

Megan

Liam

About This Episode

In Episode 32 of The Soccer Ladder, we’re joined by Dr Marc Bubbs (@Drbubbs), a performance nutritionist working with professional and Olympic athletes across elite sport, including @canadabasketball, @usmnt, and @underarmour.

With over 20 years of experience, Dr Marc Bubbs breaks down wha...

A conversation on development, pressure, longevity, and building the next generation of players.

Hosts

Megan
 Liam

About This Episode

In Episode 31 of The Soccer Ladder, we are joined by Jozy Altidore (@jozyaltidore) — a U.S. Men’s National Team veteran who signed professionally at just 16 and built a career across Europe and MLS.

Now stepping into a new chapter, Jozy Altidore is focused on developing the next genera...

 A behind-the-scenes look at elite preparation, mindset, and what young players can learn from the highest level of the game. 

About This Episode

In Episode 30 of The Soccer Ladder, we are joined by Jesús Pérez (@jpp_71), assistant coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team (@usmnt) and longtime collaborator of head coach Mauricio Pochettino (@pochettino).

With the next World Cup on the horizon, Jesús Pérez shares what elit...

A behind-the-scenes look at how the world’s top athletes fuel performance, recovery, and longevity — and what youth players and parents can learn from elite nutrition strategies. 

About This Episode

In Episode 29 of The Soccer Ladder, we dive into one of the most overlooked pillars of performance: nutrition.

We’re joined by Dan Motchman, a private performance chef who works with some of the top athletes in the w...

In this episode of The Soccer Ladder, hosts Megan Linke (@meganlinkeofficial) and Liam Linke (@liamlinke18) sit down with Amir Lowery — former professional player, D.C. native, and founder of Open Goal Project.

Amir shares his powerful journey from playing professionally in MLS and USL to returning home to Washington, D.C., where he’s now working to dismantle barriers in youth soccer and create access for players from un...

In Episode 27 of The Soccer Ladder, we’re joined by Jeroen Chantrain, a Belgian youth coach who has worked at two of the most iconic clubs in European football — RSC Anderlecht, Belgium’s most successful club, and Royal Antwerp FC, the oldest club in the country.

Jeroen brings a rare inside look at elite European player development, sharing how top academies think about technical skill, mentality, patience, and the...

Local Football, Access, and the Future of the American Player Pathway

In Episode 26 of The Soccer Ladder, Megan sits down for a solo-hosted conversation with the voice behind  ⁨@TheExchangeFc⁩   a platform deeply rooted in local football culture and grassroots storytelling.

With Liam at school for the day, this episode becomes a deep dive into the local soccer ecosystem, access to the game, and how untapped ...

This one really is legendary — we’re welcoming our first-ever NWSL player to The Soccer Ladder! In this episode, we’re joined by Haley McCutcheon of the Orlando Pride, and she brings such real, grounded insight into what it takes to develop, stay mentally strong, and build a career that lasts.

Also… quick behind-the-scenes moment: I usually record with Liam, but I accidentally scheduled studio time on a scho...

This week on The Soccer Ladder, we’re joined by Bryan Jordan (@bj_6) — former LA Galaxy winger, two-time MLS Cup champion, and one of the hardest-working pros of his era. From grinding through trials to sharing a locker room with David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Robbie Keane, Bryan gets real about what it actually takes to climb — and stay on — the ladder.

What we cover

• From LA kid to pro: Growing up in ...

In this inspiring episode of The Soccer Ladder, we sit down with Mike Chabala (@michaelchabala) — former Houston Dynamo defender, two-time MLS Cup Champion, and founder of @sphere.club — to explore the full-circle journey from professional athlete to purpose-driven entrepreneur. ⚽️

From playing in Europe at just eight years old, to earning his way onto one of the best teams in MLS history, to now creating a globa...

This week on @thesoccerladder, hosts @meganlinkeofficial and @liamlinke18 sit down with Chijioke Akujuobi (@choppaholic5) — the creator and host of @victorychatterpodcast / @victorychatterpod — for a powerful conversation on mindset, mentorship, and what it really takes to make it in the world of soccer.

From street soccer in Texas to playing professionally in Denmark,  Chijioke’s story is one of grit, faith, ...