Football Daily - Karel Prince: Lie Detector - Fenners

Episode Date: August 5, 2026

This week, Soccer AM favourite and broadcaster John Fendley (aka Fenners) submits three stories from his career. Did Lionel Messi really storm out of a FIFA match after losing to Fenners, cancelling their interview in the process? Did Fenners score the first ever goal at the new Wembley Stadium during a pre-opening test event? Or did Barcelona legend and Ballon d'Or winner Rivaldo disappear moments before filming, only to be found relieving himself in a nearby bush? Armed with photographs, football knowledge and plenty of scepticism, Karel and Anita examine every detail before Fenners returns to reveal the truth. Karel Prince: Lie Detector is presented by Karel Prince and Anita Abayomi and is a Sport Social Studios production for BBC Sounds. Credits Series Producer: Matt Tasker Technical Producer: Tom Hinckley Executive Producer: Jim Salveson Photography: Tom Barker Artwork: James Mobbs Original theme music: WIZZFX Commissioning Executive for BBC: Stevie Middleton Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Steve Trenchard Commissioning & Digital Support: Jade Burns & Stuart Birch

Yes, people, I'm Correll Prince, full-time auditor of Football Tales, Timeline Inspector, and now the BBC's resident football fact checker. This is my new podcast, Correll Prince, lie detector. Before the football season returns and while your usual Football Daily presenters take a well-earned break after the World Cup, myself and Anita Byer me will be putting footballing tales to the test to see if we can spot the truth from the lies. To never miss an episode, make sure you're subscribe to Football Daily. Listen on BBC sounds and watch on YouTube Yes people, it's Correll Prince here

And Anita by me And we are your new resident fat checkers here at the BBC Every week we're going to bring you stories from ex-professional footballers Three to be exact Two will be lies, one will be truth And we have to use our analytical and detective skills To weed out that truth from the lie Join us on this journey, see where we end up

Let's get into it Let's get into it, Carol, who we go? J.F. J.F. J.F. J.F. Should we do guesses? After you opened it. Yeah, let's guess. All right, cool. J.F. Is it Jal Fernandez?

Jal Fernandez? I don't think we have a Jal Fernandez on our roster. No, no. I don't think Jal Fernandez sounds like a liar. James Fox. James Fox. Jamie Fox. Jamie Fox. Is there a Jamie Fox? Fox that has played professional football?

No, but there's Hollywood. We might have gone Hollywood. You don't know that. Do you know what? You never met. See, you've got a little faith in us. No, no, no, you're right. J.F. I don't know who it is, but I'm happy to look and see who it is. John Felix, maybe. Oh my God. Yeah, he's Raleigh. I mean, he's lied to a lot of teams about how much he should cost them, but that's neither

him or there. John Fenley. John Fenley? You mean Fenner's? I'd even know his name was John Fenley Do you know much about him? Not really. I don't even know why he's in the case files. He's not a footballer, is he?

He's basically a fabric of like UK football because soccer him, which is probably one of the most iconic shows that's ever come out of this country, he used to produce it and then towards the end of its run, he was a co-host. So like nowadays, from the end of that run until now,

he's done a lot of stuff with Jimmy Bullard, who of course has been in, on I'm a celebrity and all that stuff. So, no, he's right up there with the ex-proes. Might be even more famous than some of them. Hmm. Our old school influencer. Before Instagram.

Before Instagram. We do have some images of him, him on set, with one of these, what do they call them, caguls. You know what a cagull is? I have no idea what a cagull is. It's the jacket that the Oasis wears, you know, the long, like, kind of like, trench coaty. Trench coat and stuff. You're looking at one right now.

That's what it is. I don't know why you, like, Oasis, do you know what? Today, it's going to be a day. No, no, no, I know Oasis, I love Oasis. I've never heard of a Kagul. Kau, it's called a Kugul. I found out through watching Fenner's on the show,

like he's really into these jackets. Okay. It's got a technical term. Sure. Got Wembley. This is Wembley Stadium. Mm-hmm. Hmm.

Interesting. Got Fenners and Jimmy Bullard. Why is his hair so blonde? I think it's gray. Is it gray? Yeah. It's giving blonde. on grey.

We've a gold pink at the top. It's definitely, it's definitely grey. He's getting on a bit. Oh. Oh, we've got the goal. Oh. Oh, we're on the wrong. Oh, sorry.

We need to be in sync if we're going to get this right. You put these files together. So what do you mean? Like, if you put them in the wrong order, then you blame yourself. When it landed on your table, it was in order. I should reshuffle them to know what your order is. Would you like me to reshuffle them for you? No, it's fine.

It's fine. I've got Barcelona. I've got Barcelona. Okay. These two spend a lot of time together, by the way. This image is Fenner's and Jimmy Bullard once again at what looks like the Barcelona Training Ground I believe this is around

I want to say like 27, 2017, 2018 times if I remember the kit correctly And that is blonde, corral That is grey It's blonde The printer's got no toner again I told you to replace it And then something that

You know always warmed my heart when I see this man Is the goat Leonel Messi Okay, right answer The only answer True, the only answer And he is playing FIFA 13 Of which he was the cover star of

I remember playing this game funnly Put a lot of hours into this game A lot of time into ultimate team on this one But yeah, it's the goal I wonder what the context is Of all of them We've got Wembley Stadium We've got Barcelona

We've got Messi playing FIFA We've got a wild variety here Yeah, but, you know, Fenders was kind enough to add context to these stories. He sent us some videos. I'm guessing to explain these stories, three of them to be exact. And I think we should get into the first one and hear what he's got to say. What do you think? Let's do it.

Hiya. Over the years, I've been very fortunate to interview some of the greatest players who've ever played football, Pele, Zedan, Dean Windas. And I was once asked if I'd like to go to Barcelona's training ground to interview Lienel Messi. It was a promotional visit to promote FIFA, the football game, by EA Sports. It's in the game. Part of the deal was that I would play Lionel at FIFA ahead of the interview. However, I was on fire.

I played so well during the game that Leonel Messi rage quit, as the kids say, threw his controller down and stormed out of the premises not to be seen again that day, no interview. That has to be a lie. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. That has to be a lie. There's just, well, we can never be 100% certain, but that just doesn't. It doesn't make any sense.

I mean, we've got Lionel Messi here in one of the pictures playing FIFA 13, right? But I don't see this guy. him though. Exactly. But... I don't see him anywhere in the pictures though.

Why will that be added to the evidence? Well, I'm guessing I'm guessing they played it behind the scenes or something. But even so, Messi's a consummate professional.

He looks like the type of man that wouldn't really care if he lost a game of FIFA. Do you think Leonel Messi cares when he loses a game of football in general? Yes.

Of course he cares. He would care about about losing to the point where you storm out Raid quitting is beyond me. He's a professional. No, like if he's winning 5, 6,0, I'll quit. But I wouldn't storm out because at the end of the day,

with these sort of things, it's usually a media day, right? So you've got to do different interviews with different people. It might be different publications. It might be YouTubers, whatever it may be. Like, we've seen a lot of these, like, junkets and press run. For him to storm out and say no one else saw him for the rest of the day, I don't know if I'm having that. because essentially at the end of what you're saying is

he's quit on the whole media day for a game that he's the cover star of, which is probably under contract by EA to do certain media obligations and he's told him that because Fenner's beating at FIFA. It makes no sense. I don't know. But then again, please, we need to make sure we listen to every single story before we make a conclusion.

It's true, but like I will give the credit to say, I believe Fenner's interviewed messy. I just don't believe that he stormed out not to interview because Fenner's in this world of like interviews and content and in that space, big deal. Like I watch these like other series that he does. He's had some big, big names on there. So it's very believable.

So don't take, don't look at the messy part and say that. But have we seen an interview with Fenner's a messy before? because he said that the interview didn't happen, didn't he? No, but I'm saying, I'm not saying that he did interview. I'm saying he could have been in the same room as him or he could have even played him at FIFA. But I don't believe that Messi stormed out and exit. That's where I'm out on that one.

It's that part. But for now, I think we just put small pin in that one because we do have another, we do have another tape. Yeah, roll that one. We're going to roll that tape. The second one, because if we're, we put all our eggs in one basket, we can be left with egg on our faces. As for the second clip, I'm going to play that now.

You ready? I've got my... Don't just use your listening ears, use the analytical ears as well. Okay, sorry. The wording matters. Devils in the details. Just before the new Wembley opened, you'll have to check the date because I'm not good with dates.

I can't really remember when it was. but it was a big event and there was a a game there a proper game a proper official game that took place again I'm not sure what that game was

however what I can tell it was prior to that game there was what we call a ramp event which is a smaller scale game and set up for the day whereby the stadium works through how a game day would work. I played in the first ever one of those games

and I scored the first ever goal in that game at the new Wembley. They all sound like lies. They all sound like lies. I'm so confused. Like, so what? Before Wembley opened they had people, the new Wembley.

Yeah. Well, it's not new anymore. It's been there like 20 years. Just Wembley now, isn't it? I believe it opened in 2000. 2007, no, six. Because Chelsea played the first FAA Cup final there. Wasn't that 2007?

Yeah. Drugba scored against Man United. John Terry scored the first England goal there. Okay. I'm trying to think, would they have had people play, like, because you remember, this is a national stadium that's opening up, right? Would they want the first people to ever play on that pitch to be? Fenner's.

Not Fenner specifically, just non-professionals. But it's like, do you know what I mean? It just doesn't make any sense to me. This isn't a sideman charity match. What was he doing playing in Wembley before any professionals playing in Wembley? It doesn't make sense. Why would he be one of the first people to play at a new Wembley stadium? That's where it's losing me again.

There is no way. I think if I'm the FAA and I open a state, bear in mind that Wembley as a stadium, like the old one, had been closed since 2000. So seven years since anyone's played England was playing at Old Trafford Where Beckham scored against Greece They had a cup finals We're at the Millennium Stadium

Gerard against West Ham Owens double against Arsenal Like that was all away from Wembley So to finally bring back the home of football You're going to let Fenners and Friends Play there before The FA Cup final That was a couple months

Come on the first goal Come on the first go at Wembley But would it be the first goal anyway because I feel like if I worked on the construction of that stadium I'm kicking a ball in the goal I'm going to say I would have scored a hat trick at least At least

I'm like The construction team The goal quickly Slottie bottom corner knee slide I'm the first first You know what I mean So again I'm not

This is like a weird one where it's like O for two where I don't believe either I don't believe either But I need to hear the third one To feel like Okay These two are definitely way off

and this one is somewhat close to the truth yeah Carrell played a third one before we make any rash decisions but so far

oh for two man I'm yeah I'm at loss man Fenner's you are masking the truth very well if you've told it

so far or maybe I'm just jealous that you got to play with Messi and play at Wembley he didn't play at Messi and he didn't play at Wemble

you're saying this we haven't heard the third one okay okay play the third one I'm gonna roll the tape on this one as well you know the drill

was a feature on Soccer AM whereby Jimmy Bullard would travel to a football club and take on a player in a drill to find out who was the winner. Inverably football was the winner. Sometimes Jimmy needed a buddy to partner up with. We get a call. Would you like to do a drill with Deco and Rivaldo in Barcelona? Yeah, yeah we do. So over myself and Jimmy go, we get there nice and early in the day and we meet Deco and Rivaldo very, very briefly. We get sorted and the cameras are just about to roll.

I'm there. Jimmy's there. Deco's there. Where's Rivaldo? Anyone see Rivaldo? Can't see him. I haven't seen him. Where is he? We look round to our right. Rivaldo is stood in public. having a wee

in a bush you don't forget things like that I believe that one he looks scarred if you look at him right he looks like he's relived a memory that he did not want to tell

genuinely yeah but is that like it's not harrowing in it it's like oh a ball and owing is having a wee in a bush like you would remember that

exactly do you randomly wee in a bush I'm not a ballandall winner Only Ballandall winners can weed in the bush. No, but I'm saying like, no one would remember if I haven't weed in the bush, but if I'm a ball and door winner doing it, like if you, obviously, if you walk down the street and you saw Roderie wean in the bush, you would never forget that.

I would call the police, actually. I'll call us. That's not our department. I don't do with public urination, by the way. Public urination. But like, where, okay, so Ravado Deco. You know the drill. Did you ever watch it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so I know that exists. That existed. And I think that's where the picture of those two in the Barcelona shirt is where it's leading me to. But I feel like I remember watching a Barcelona edition of it, but I'm not 100% sure it was Rivaldo and Deco that was in the video. Five light sports. So here's the first ball of this series.

All the cricket you laugh. Check for Lv-W. Ouch. Lips on BBC sounds. Smash straight back down the ground This girl Here ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions

on the domestic and international circuits It's a fourth cricket And it's the huge one Cricket on five live sport On five live sport Oh, blibing every ball of this Listen on BBC sounds Let's just look at the facts that we have

Right That our first two Videos that we've watched and listened to They make absolutely no sense this is the only one that does. I'm ready to make a conclusion. Is it making sense because you're putting the pieces together? Because remember, we know the details is what matters.

You know, like, he could be saying Ravado was weaning the bush, but the whole time he pooed in the bush and now we're wrong. You know what I mean? If Ravado pooped in a bush. I don't say he would. Sorry Ravado if you're watching this year, but here's saying. If he did, we would be wrong. If he did, we probably know.

about it by now. Nah, they could keep it under wraps. No, no, no, we would have known about it. That's a Ballando winner. A Barcelona legend. You can't, if he doesn't want that information out, he's not getting out. Are you going to allow this Ballando winner

to cloud your judgment? I don't say Ballando winner because, listen, the Ballando is the most prestigious award. It is, but if he's wean in the bush, how prestigious can it really be? The Ballando winner. A Ballando winner is peeing in the bush. You're talking about prestigious.

We're using things in the wrong context. Everyone is in the bush. Everyone, I don't pee in the bush. A lot of guys pee in the bush, sorry to generalise. But my point is... Why are guys pee, what is going on here? Because we sometimes nature calls. So you...

You know how big that training ground is? What if you couldn't make it back to the dressing room? So the training ground where most of my legends have grown up, people just peeing in the bush. Etto, he peed in the bush too. Possibly. Oh my God, that is this... Look, look.

Do you know what? We're going so off-kick... Oh my God. Etto's on the board as well. I'm telling you. Whatever Etto says, I think the opposite is true. Look, let's look at the files that we have. Okay?

Well, let's go to the one where he's in a Barcelona shirt. Yeah. Oh, I see the bushes. I'll be honest with you. All I can see is Jimmy Bullard, Fenner's and two ears. That ear is totally given with Aldo, man. On the right? Yeah, man.

that's a Rivado here It does look like a That is a Ravado here And then I'm imagining Deco is quite short He is It could be Ravado I'm telling you

It's in the details Corral It's in the details And I can see Like from what they're wearing It looks like they were on like a promotional Like media day or something

Exactly It's possible But did they film you know the drill This is where it's throwing me off Because it could be there for whatever reason They could have an on-pitched day Yeah And not necessarily film, like, anything with them.

Wait, what year was this Barcelona shirt from again? I want to say, I want to say, 2018 or 2017, 2017, 2017, 17, 17, 17, 17th, and how long was you know the draw on for? I know in that era it was on. I know in that era, it was definitely on. Are you 100% sure? It's nothing to do with it. Then what are we doing wasting time here?

Lionel Messi, he said, he said Lionel Messi stormed out of a FIFA game. because he was losing. Yeah. Our goat. Yeah. As we've agreed. Of course. Okay.

Yeah. Do you think that's believable? No. Okay. No, I don't. What was the second one? That he scored the first goal at Wembley. Is that believable?

No. Ravardo peeing in the bush. Well, you keep saying this, man. You keep saying this. Like, I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm with you. I thought like sometimes you look too deep into things.

That's what I do. And I know this is your job. I know it is. But you've got to go with me on this one. Am I trusting you? You have to try. You get this right, there might be a promotion on the cards. Right.

I might even let you sit on this side of the desk at some point. God. Okay. If I get this right, next episode, I'm on that side. Next season? No, next episode. We'll see. The chair's custom is made for my mom.

It's for my lumbar support. It's the right eye length for the, like you mess up those dynamics too soon. You know, I'll be in long-term trouble. Just don't pee on the chair, man. I'm not a rival, though. So we've gone through everything. I think we've picked these apart as much as we could. We've looked at Wembley when it opened.

We've looked at the era of Barcelona, if it would have worked. We've looked closely at it is. We've analysed our goat's character. And I think ultimately we've come to the conclusion that we don't believe Messi stormed out of a FIFA game. We don't. We don't believe that Fenner's scored the first ever goal.

at Wembley. However, we do believe that Rivaldo peed in the bush in the bush in front of Fenners and Jimmy Bullard. Yes. Whilst they're about to film, you know the drill. Yes. I'm happy to look it in. Let's lock it in. Let's look it in. So, Fenners has dropped us a fourth file and it's titled The Reveal. Very conveniently timed for us to find out if we're right or wrong. wrong. Let's roll the tape and find out. So, did Lionel Messi rage quit against B'was playing FIFA? Did Rivaldo we in the bushes or did I score the first ever goal at the new Wembley? I can reveal the answer is, Rivaldo, urinated in the bushes ahead of filming.

I told you! You had to trust me! Wonderful footballer, very questionable toilet habits. You had to trust me on that. I know. You had to. Listen, well done. Thank you. Well done.

It's why you wired me, mate. Honestly, this was like, I didn't hire you once again. I don't know why he keeps saying this. You were bestowed upon me, but clearly the powers that be they chose correctly because I don't know how you knew it was him

just from an ear. Obviously, we... It's such a Rivaldo ear. As if by magic, we have now been given, it has dropped in our inbox, the full image. Look, my sources came through once again.

Might have been last minute, but they came through. Yeah. He is Bullard Fenner's in the middle Deco to the left Ravado to the right Ballando winner peeing in the bush though Hey listen

Is that what you get away with If I want a balando I'd pee anywhere mate I agree Deco won the Champions League as well He doesn't get to pee anywhere He doesn't get to pee anywhere He should use the toilet

He won a league and cup double for Chelsea He should use the toilet Do you think you would have told the story If Deco peered in the bush and it wasn't Ravardo. That is a very good question. I think you would have told a story either way. No, I'm telling you.

If Blandor winner pees in the bush, you don't forget it. Exactly. He's probably been on so many shoots where players have peed in bushes, but Rivaldo's the one that sticks in mind. Yes. Yes. Don't look at me like that. He has...

That is disgusting. That is disgusting. I'm just saying, but I'm saying that when a Ballandoor winner does it, you will tell that story in the pub for life. Listen, if I saw Messi, Ronaldo, are nine, George Beyer, if I saw them peeing in the bush,

I would remember it. You're right. I remember it. You're right. Thank you for trusting me, Carrell. I do. You don't get to sit here, though. I lied.

Anyway, figure out that lie in that story. You're not sitting here. The lie detector is a real liar. No, but like, we cracked the case. We got it right. We made it happen.

And for that, I'd like to thank you. You're welcome. I'd also like to thank Fernand's three stories that honestly, genuinely, really entertaining. had me thinking, had my cogs turning, had me overthinking, which is why I have to thank you, Anita. And also, we've got to thank the viewers and the listeners for tuning in. And let us know,

be honest in the comments. Did you get it right? Did you suss it out? Did you not? Were you like me? Were you over thinking? It's okay if you were, but we got it right. And you need to own up if you got it wrong. If you have any suggestions or any stories that you think of escaped us and need to be real ding and scrutinised and you know brought to the stage as they would say feel free to get in touch through the socials and if you want to send an owl headwig send out through we've got a window we'll get in touch thanks for watching that owl gimmick needs to stop said headwig Carrell Prince lie detector is a sports social studios production for BBC sounds and Radio 5 Live.

So much sport today and all the goals as they go in up and down the league. This is Five Live Sports. It's all right to the lights and fit in the floor. To bowl him! It's not to stop out. Everyone standing around the 18th green. The home of the world's greatest sporting events. Listen on BBC Sounds