What is it that has the power to liberate women in Iran while causing controversies between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland, attract Nigerians to chilly Ukraine while sparking class warfare in the heart of the USA, and at the same time benefit local gangsters and create local - and international - celebrities? Foer presents an unexpected, uniquely revealing tour through the politics and culture of football from Milan to Tehran. He examines the role of the game in maintaining ancient grudges and rivalries (Red Star of Serbia and Dinamo of Croatia), supporting player migration and the rise of football oligarchs (such as Silvio Berlusconi, President of AC Milan - and Italy), and defending the virtues and flaws of traditional nationalism. As Foer brilliantly illuminates, the Balkan Wars, anti-Semitism, Jewish identity, racism, social integration, media manipulation, and American patriotism have been influenced by and have dramatically impacted football. In his tours, Foer encounters a collection of fans stranger than fiction: from a British hooligan with a Jewish mother, Nazi father, and a career as a mercenary, to a fan club in Serbia that turns into a violent paramilitary group against Muslims. The result is an unforgettable parade of uniquely memorable fans - each placed in their unique political and cultural context.

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm