A People’s History of Football

Football has always been so much more than the billionaire buyers and seven-figure signing fees. With the women’s game now more popular than ever, one thing is clear: when it comes to football, only half the story is usually told. Would the Lionesses ever have roared without the Munitionettes? If you look beyond the men in suits at FIFA and the corporate World Cup, you’ll find a history unparalleled in the world of sport.

From England, France and Germany to Palestine, South Africa and Brazil, A People’s History of Football reveals how the “beautiful game” has been a powerful instrument of emancipation for workers, feminists, anti-colonialist activists, young people and protesters around the world.

This entertaining history from below is beautifully rendered by award-winning illustrator Lelio Bonaccorso, bringing players from history to life in vivid colour. From the game’s unruly feudal origins right up to the present day, immerse yourself in the stories of professionals and amateurs alike, and feel the powerful force of a game that is as generous as it is subversive.

“What would have happened if Roy of the Rovers had got himself an Open University history degree? What happens when you put Eduardo Galeano in charge of a graphic novel. Now we know, you get A People’s History of Football. Delightfully illustrated, smartly organised, and deftly argued. A pleasure from start to finish”
David Goldblatt, writer, academic, broadcaster, author of Injury Time

“The love for football shines through in this beautifully illustrated, humanist history of the sport – the perfect antidote with those fans disillusioned with the modern game, and a reminder that it’s still worth fighting for”
David Squires, artist and cartoonist, author of The Illustrated History of Football

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136 pages, large format paperback