The fascinating story of the Argentine national football team, and how it became a major symbol of national identity for the people of Argentina.From Dr Mark Orton, author of the Lord Aberdare Prize-shortlisted Football and National Identity in Twentieth Century Argentina.From its first international in 1902 with a side largely of British and Irish origin to the World Cup wins of 1978, 1986 and 2024, the book charts all the highs and lows of the Ar...

El Má s Grande is the story of Argentina's biggest and most successful football club, River Plate. It traces River's development, from humble origins to footballing powerhouse, exploring the great teams and legendary players who have worn the distinctive white shirt with the red sash while enchanting generations of fans with their stylish play.

This book examines how since its arrival in 1867 with British immigrants, football has become the key cultural signifier of national identity in Argentina over the long twentieth century. With the international exploits of players such as Luis Monti, Alfredo Di Stéfano and Diego Maradona, the sport has projected Argentina onto the global consciousness not seen in any other way.In this book, Mark Orton challenges existing myths surrounding the nativisation of football in Argentina a...

In the fickle world of Hollywood, celebrity business manager John Bradshaw is haunted by the client he could not save. When career threatening photos of his newest client surface, Bradshaw is forced to delve into Hollywood's dark side in order to save Amy Hodges from the same tragic fate. With a rogue paparazzo, a scorned woman and a low class thug each working their own agenda, Bradshaw and his associates must race against time before those agendas align and produce a catastrophic result....

It's Messi vs Ronaldo, it's Catalonia vs Castilla. It's the nation against the state, freedom fighters vs Franco's fascists. It's majestic goals and mesmerising skills, red cards and bench brawls. It's the best two teams on the planet going face to face and toe to toe. It's more than a game. It's a war. It's Barcelona vs Real Madrid....Only, it's not that simple. From the wounds left by the civil war to the teams' recent global domination, historian and expert on Spanish football, ...

'ABSORBING' Guardian'ENTHRALLING' New Statesman'EPIC' Evening Standard'INESCAPABLE' The Sunday Times'MAGISTERIAL' Irish ExaminerFully revised and updated, the definitive history of Argentinian football from the award-winning author of Inverting the PyramidAlfredo Di Stefano, Diego Mar...

'Striking . . . extraordinarily ambitious' JONATHAN WILSON, NEW STATESMAN'A compelling account of how football became a force in Latin America with an impact far beyond the pitch, helping forge national identity and fuelling regional rivalries' INDEPENDENT¡Golazo! recounts the story of Latin American football: the extravagantly talented players; pistol-toting referees; bloody coup d'états; breathtaking goals; invidious conspiracies...

The definitive book about the national identities, heroes, and dramatic stories from Latin American soccer throughout history, perfect for World Cup reading.“Golazo!” means “amazing goal!” And the word perfectly captures the unique, exuberant, all-encompassing, passionate role that soccer plays in Latin America.Andreas Campomar offers readers the definitive history of Latin American soccer from the early, deadly Mesoamerican ballgames to the multi-billion d...

In Life in La Liga, football writer Rab MacWilliam delves to the heart of one of Europe's most historically and politically complex nations to explore its rich football history, examining its deep-rooted rivalries and internecine vendettas, and the undoubtedly impressive standard of its football clubs.From the big five of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Valencia, to the likes of Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Deportivo de La Coruna, Real Zaragoza, Cel...

Barcelona are the greatest football team in the world, the greatest for a generation and possibly the greatest of all time.This is the untold inside story of how the best and most loved football team in the world came to redefine how the game is played.We start with the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley, the game that ended the debate about whether Barcelona were the greatest team in the world and began a new one: are they the best ever?We are inside the winning dressing room and insi...

'A must-read for anyone who's doubted Pep's influence, from handing the power to Barça's homegrown crop to never betraying his childhood romanticism of the game' FOURFOURTWO'Balague's insightful biography presents Guardiola as a relentless perfectionist - a man obsessed with the minutiae of football, often unable to switch off' SPORTThis fully updated edition of the international bestseller includes Manchester City's incredible 2017...

A fully revised, expanded and updated edition of this masterly portrayal of contemporary Spain.The restoration of democracy in 1977 heralded a period of intense change that continues today. Spain has become a land of extraordinary paradoxes in which traditional attitudes and contemporary preoccupations exist side by side. Focussing on issues which affect ordinary Spaniards, from housing to gambling, from changing sexual mores to rising crime rates. John Hooper's fascinating study b...