Why can't footballers stop using Snus?

Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid has left plenty to unpack — not least Lisandro Martinez’s explosive post-match comments. Mark Chapman and Nedum Onuoha react to the biggest talking points from another dramatic week in Europe.

Then, we turn to something far less visible but increasingly common inside football: Snus and nicotine pouch use.

Why has nicotine become so normal in dressing rooms? Why are players using it, and what happens when a habit that starts socially becomes something much harder to control?

We hear from a former Premier League footballer speaking candidly about his own addiction to snus, explore how these behaviours spread through teams and academies, and ask whether snus is really the story — or simply one symptom of a much wider issue.

From nicotine and gambling to nitrous oxide and the search for a release from the intensity of elite sport, this is a conversation about what happens away from the pitch — the dressing room culture which fuels addiction amongst footballers.

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