Calcio: A History of Italian Football
by John Foot
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The first history of Italian football to be written in English, 'Calcio' is a mix of serious analysis and comic storytelling, with vivid descriptions of games, goals, dives, missed penalties, riots and scandals in the richest and toughest league in the world. 'Calcio' tells the story of Italian football from its origins in the 1890's to the present day. It takes us through a history of great players and teams, of style, passion and success, but also of violence, cynicism, catenaccio tactics show more and corruption. We meet the personalities that have shaped this history - from the Italian heroes to the foreigners that failed, the model professionals to the mavericks. 'Calcio' evokes the triumphs (the 1982 World Cup victory) and the tragedies (Meroni, the 'Italian George Best', killed by his number one fan), set against a backdrop of paranoia and intrigue, in a country where the referee is seen as corrupt until proven otherwise. Calcio is no longer a game. It is sometimes difficult to define it as a sport. It is certainly big business and a fanatical civic religion. There is no moral code here. Winners are always right, losers always wrong. This history of Italian football reveals all about the richest and toughest league in the world. show lessTags
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The Guardian (London)
September 8, 2007 Saturday
Review: Paperbacks: Non-fiction: Calcio: A History of Italian Football By John Foot (Harper Perennial, £8.99)
BYLINE: John Dugdale
SECTION: GUARDIAN REVIEW PAGES; Pg. 19
LENGTH: 185 words
Italy's first inter-city game was organised in 1898 by a London doctor, and the role of Brits in introducing the sport is still reflected today in links such as Juventus's black-and-white striped strip, which mimicked Notts County's. Throughout Foot's marvellous chronicle further parallels with the English game accumulate, ranging from a postwar air crash as devastating as Munich to a 60s playboy forward as revered as George Best. Yet the differences are more striking, and at times the book resembles a magic show more realist novel, full of deranged managers,bewitched players, tyrannical club presidents, bent refs and superstitious fans. Only in Italy would a political party - the Forza Italia of Silvio Berlusconi, AC Milan owner and former PM - take its name from a soccer chant, a national-team manager sprinkle holy water on pitches, or stars of a World Cup-winning team (as last year) be under investigation in a match-fixing scandal. The jacket's claim that Calcio should be read "by anyone interested in Italian football" is far too modest - it should be read by anyone interested in either football or Italy. show less
September 8, 2007 Saturday
Review: Paperbacks: Non-fiction: Calcio: A History of Italian Football By John Foot (Harper Perennial, £8.99)
BYLINE: John Dugdale
SECTION: GUARDIAN REVIEW PAGES; Pg. 19
LENGTH: 185 words
Italy's first inter-city game was organised in 1898 by a London doctor, and the role of Brits in introducing the sport is still reflected today in links such as Juventus's black-and-white striped strip, which mimicked Notts County's. Throughout Foot's marvellous chronicle further parallels with the English game accumulate, ranging from a postwar air crash as devastating as Munich to a 60s playboy forward as revered as George Best. Yet the differences are more striking, and at times the book resembles a magic show more realist novel, full of deranged managers,bewitched players, tyrannical club presidents, bent refs and superstitious fans. Only in Italy would a political party - the Forza Italia of Silvio Berlusconi, AC Milan owner and former PM - take its name from a soccer chant, a national-team manager sprinkle holy water on pitches, or stars of a World Cup-winning team (as last year) be under investigation in a match-fixing scandal. The jacket's claim that Calcio should be read "by anyone interested in Italian football" is far too modest - it should be read by anyone interested in either football or Italy. show less
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Author Information
22+ Works 490 Members
John Foot is Chair of Italian in the Department of Italian at the University of Bristol, UK. His previous publications include Italy's Divided Memory (2009) and Pedalarel A History of Italian Cycling (2001).
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- Genres
- Sports and Leisure, Nonfiction, History, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 796.3340945 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Sports Ball sports Inflated ball driven by the foot Soccer standard subdivisions Biography And History Europe
- LCC
- GV944 .I8 .F66 — Geography, Anthropology and Recreation Recreation. Leisure Recreation. Leisure Sports Ball games: Baseball, football, golf, etc.
- BISAC
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- 159
- Popularity
- 205,804
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.02)
- Languages
- English, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 1
