It’s essential reading for anyone with an interest in how football both shapes and reflects society across the globe.Īrsenal have enjoyed a number of stellar moments during their (sometimes) illustrious history. Goldblatt’s book is endlessly fascinating. Meltdown on the pitch was quickly mirrored by economic strife away from it, as well as a decade of bailouts, debt and high unemployment. In Europe, the national hysteria which greeted Greece’s surprise victory at Euro 2004 contrasted starkly with their dismal string of defeats at Euro 2008. Shipping sponsorship saved several clubs in Somalia, while Chinese investment built several new stadia in Ethiopia, which filled as they came close to 2014 World Cup qualification. Yet despite ongoing civil wars in a raft of states, globalisation’s more positive aspects have since enabled some to survive or even flourish. He has a sharp eye for the most richly textured stories in Africa, for example, stadia made for the 2010 World Cup are hugely underused a decade later, and players remain predominantly in their “class and ethnic silos”. Goldblatt expertly links politics, economics and culture to show how each has brought about a seismic change in football.
0 kommentar(er)
