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In this episode of Data Talks, we’re joined by Benedikt Höwedes, World Cup winner with Germany, former long-time captain of FC Schalke 04, and a leader shaped by elite football environments.

Benedikt reflects on his journey from academy football to captaining his boyhood club, and on playing every minute of Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph. The conversation explores how football has evolved, from physical demands and tactics to data, performance science, and the growing complexity of the modern game.

At the heart of this episode is a clear message: despite analytics, technology, and commercial growth, football remains a human game. Leadership, trust, team culture, and connection still define success at the highest level.

A thoughtful conversation at the intersection of data, performance, and the people behind the game.

Note this episode is in German

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Data Talks is produced by World Data Lab, bringing global data to life through insights, conversations, and stories that matter.

Join Data Talks

This episode of our podcast brings together Wolfgang Fengler and Shamina Singh for a powerful conversation on inclusion, data, and the rapidly changing digital-to-AI economy. Shamina shares the origin story of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the shift from the analog world to a data-driven one, and why networks and access determine economic opportunity. Together, they explore the rising “data divide,” the role of AI in shaping the next decade, and how organizations can ensure technology serves people, not leaves them behind. The discussion spans financial inclusion, privacy, regulation, human-centered innovation, and the global middle-class transformation, all framed through real-world impact and shared values. It’s a thoughtful, energizing episode that captures the spirit of building a more inclusive and connected world.

🔗 Learn more at worlddatalab.com
Data Talks is produced by World Data Lab, bringing global data to life through insights, conversations, and stories that matter.

Join Data Talks

Data Talks: Measuring Peace with Steve Killelea

In this episode of Data Talks, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Steve Killelea, respected entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of the Global Peace Index.

Steve shares his journey from building successful tech companies to dedicating his life to understanding and measuring peace. Together, they explore how data can quantify something as complex as peacefulness, what the Global Peace Index reveals about today’s conflicts, and how shifting global power, inequality, and technology will shape the future.

An engaging discussion about the data behind peace, and what it tells us about the world we’re building next.

🔗 Learn more at worlddatalab.com
Data Talks is produced by World Data Lab, bringing global data to life through insights, conversations, and stories that matter.