¡Vamos Verde! is a podcast about Austin FC and the community that has grown up around the team. From player interviews to looks behind the curtain at what makes the team and the community thrive – it’s a soccer podcast for everyone. Hosted by Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia and produced by KUT & KUTX Studios in collaboration with Austin FC.
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It has been a journey this season for Austin FC. Familiar faces leaving. League play disappointments. But once again, hope springs from the team's performance in intra-season tournament play. Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia talk with the Austin Chronicle's Eric Goodman and Austin American-Statesman's Colby Gordon, Austin FC beat writers, about the turnaround the team has pulled off in the Leagues Cup and what it could mean for the fans, interim coach Davy Arnaud, and the team.
Polish winger Przemysław Płacheta joined the club on a free transfer this summer, having spent the last six years plying his trade in the English leagues. “Plachy” coaches hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia through some basic Polish, discusses the most uncomfortable climates to play soccer in, and reveals his unique relationship with teammate Myrto Uzuni.
Hosts Juan Diego Garcia and Jimmy Maas chat with Austin FC captain Ilie Sánchez about Spain winning the World Cup, the Barcelona way and how that's transferred to the national team. We also talk about Austin FC's prospects for the season with an interim coach, little pressure, and even still some team goals within reach.
Some Austin FC fans noticed something interesting when watching Mexico play in the World Cup. The stadium announcer at Estadio Azteca, the largest stadium in Latin America, sounded a lot like the stadium announcer at Q2 stadium during Austin FC games. That's because they are the same guy: Jeremiah Gallegos. From boxing to basketball, softball to soccer, Gallegos has two decades of stadium announcements under his belt. He sits down with host Juan Diego Garcia to discuss his career so far and how he got chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime gig.
Former Austin F.C. and U.S. Men's National Team member Gyasi Zardes talks about World Cup chances after the second round of the group stage. Zardes joined hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia at Casa Verde, Austin FC's pop-up World Cup party at Inn Cahoots in East Austin. they also chat about the USMNT coaches he's played under and the calculus of how national teams are put together.
The FIFA World Cup kicks off today, hosted by three countries for the first time in the tournament's history. Hosts Juan Diego Garcia and Jimmy Maas share their predictions for how the biggest World Cup yet will play out, and they enlist the help of professional commentator and soccer sage Adrian Healey to separate the contenders from the also-rans.
Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia discuss the departures of head coach Nico Estévez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell with two local journalists. Eric Goodman has covered Austin FC for the Austin Chronicle since season one. While Jessica Luther has been a season ticket holder for all six seasons. Hear their reactions as the team plots a way forward during the two-month World Cup break.
Mama Duke is a rapper-singer-multi-hyphenate-artist who's performed around Austin for more than a decade. In 2025 she charmed her way into the hearts of the audience and the judges on NBC's America's Got Talent, making her way to finals. Mama Duke collaborates often with Austin FC, recording a hype song and video, and hosting the All-Star Game and U.S. Open Cup pregame festivites in the stadium. She talks with Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia about her journey on the show with Scary Spice (Mel B.) and Simon Cowell, her relationship with the Verde and Black, and fulfillment as a performer in sp
Austin FC defender Jon Bell talks Maryland, family, and making his way through Major League Soccer with hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia. Bell has added depth to the defense and, perhaps surprisingly, some scoring punch for the offense. His two goals tie him for second on the team stat list early in the season.
After years of raising its profile, Austin Rise is taking steps to become a professional women's soccer team by next spring. As their current 2026 season kicks off, Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia talk with team co-founder Bethany Cyrtmus-Davaul, head coach Mykell Bates, and ex-Texas and McCallum High School player Katie Gernsbacher about taking the next step in the evolution of women's soccer in Austin.
Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia talk with Christian Ramirez about his first minutes of action with Austin FC, with his game-winning goal in week two against DC United. Ramirez, a prolific goal scorer, was once known as "Superman" with Minnesota and won the 2023 MLS Cup with Columbus. He talks about what it's like to be waived in Major League Soccer, his surprise call from Austin FC, and what he sees his role on the team will be.
Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia dive into one of the biggest questions for many North American soccer fans' this spring: Can I actually go to the World Cup? We start with memories of the care-free days of 1994, when the last World Cup held in the U.S. The arts editor for KUT News, Stephanie Federico, takes us down sorta-memory lane. Then we get the perspective a current college student hoping somehow to get to see Mexico play in Mexico this summer. And then we turn to an expert, Jason Daley, who has put his knowledge gained from going to the last five tournaments into one spot for you, The Wo
Facundo Torres achieved more in the first year of his career than many professional soccer players achieve across their whole career. Austin FC’s new designated player tells us about his early success in Uruguay, making the hard choice to move to MLS (twice), and how becoming a girldad has changed his life.
Songwriter Lindsey Mackin, frontwoman of Austin band Annabelle Chairlegs talks with Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia about the group's new album, her roots in "Soccer Town USA" (Kearny, NJ), and the power of the cowbell. Also, we talk what's new for Austin FC with team president Andy Loughnane. The kickoff episode of the 2026 season for Austin FC and ¡Vamos Verde!
Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia will get to know some new faces on and off the pitch as Austin FC looks to build on a year that featured a return to the MLS Cup Playoffs and an appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
Major League Soccer announced a big change this week. The league is shifting its calendar to align with the top leagues in the sport. Instead of playing matches from January to November, the 2027-28 season will begin in late July with a champion crowned in May.
Austin FC will get a new away shirt next season, set to replace the “Amadillo” shirt introduced ahead of the 2024 season. The shirt paid homage to the legendary Armadillo World Headquarters, the Austin music venue at the epicenter of the cosmic cowboy music wave. The shirt also gave Austin FC a mascot: an armadillo named Speed Bump. ‘Dillo handler Swift Sparks tells us all about Speed Bump’s celebrity, what it takes to care for him, and what the future holds for their partnership with Austin FC.
Austin FC is headed to the 2025 MLS playoffs. A key reason for that is Diego Rubio. The veteran stepped into a bigger-than-anticipated role after Brandon Vázquez's season-ending injury. Rubio turned pro at age 17 in his native Chile. His passion to compete and penchant for scoring goals got the attention of the Chilean National Team. He played for clubs in Portugal, Spain, Kansas City, and Denver before joining Austin FC last year. Rubio joins hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia to talk about his maturation as a player, the importance of family, and building a legacy.
Live (to tape) from the U.S. Open Cup Championship match, Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia talk with original Austin FC play-by-play announcer Adrian Healey, chat about the return of the tifo to the supporters' section and the history made Wednesday night at Q2.
Austin FC midfielder Owen Wolff is having a breakout year. Fans at Q2 Stadium have seen glimpses of his brilliance on the field since 2021, but publicly, he's been a bit of a mystery. Until now. He joins hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia to talk about his five seasons in verde and black, along with his future.
Austinite and FC Juarez goalie Guillermo Ruiz has been a pro for just a few years. He talks about how Raising Canes almost derailed his pro career, his time with Real Madrid, and the reasons he moved back to his home state to play across the border in Liga MX. Plus, Jimmy and Juan dare to repeatedly mention the P-word (playoffs) for Austin FC.
We check in with Austin FC head coach Nico Estevez with Austin FC making a push for a playoff spot in the last few matches of the season. Hear about his experience in Austin so far and what’s ahead for the remainder of the season.
Austin area high schools won 5 UIL State Championships in soccer last school year, and others made deep runs in the playoffs. In honor of back-to-school season, Jimmy chats with three of the championship winning coaches about their title winning seasons.
Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia talk with Phil West of Verde All Day and Eric Goodman of the Austin Chronicle about the Major League Soccer All-Star Game and Austin FC's prospects for the fall. Q2's resident luchador Verdisimo takes on the Bayou Breeze. And the grudge match on the pitch is decided between supporter groups Los Verdes and Pollo FC.
Austin will host its first major league all-star game this month. Goalkeeper Brad Stuver talks about representing his squad at Q2 Stadium. Team president Andy Loughnane talks about what will be available for fans to do during MLS All-Star week and his brief career as a hockey referee. The team had to absorb some heavy news this week with striker Brandon Vazquez now out for the season due to a knee injury. In anticipation of his second All-Star game, he sat down with hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia before his injury. They chatted about his journey to the team, including many crossings of the b
