Spain The Inside Story Of La Roja S Historic Treble

This is the story of the greatest achievement in the history of international football. After decades of failure, Spain won the European Championship in 2008 andthen the World Cup in 2010. At Euro 2012 they became the first team to win three consecutive tournament titles. Graham Hunter was inside the dressing room as the players celebrated after the finals of the World Cup and Euro 2012. His access-all-areas pass at all three tournaments has resulted in remarkable eyewitness accounts and new interviews with star players and the men behind the scenes. Across every day of La Roja’s treble, the author takes you on to the training ground; on the team bus; into the canteen; inside the hotels and on to the pitch. You’ll hear the team talks that inspired Spain to victory plus the inside stories from Fernando Torres, Xavi, Iker Casillas, David Villa, Cesc Fàbregas, Andrés Iniesta, Gerard Piqué and the others behind an unprecedented era.

Through incredible insider access and interviews with all the big names--including Fernando Torres, Xavi, Iker Casillas, David Villa, Cesc Fàbregas, Andrés Iniesta, and Gerard Piqué--Graham Hunter tells the story of the greatest achievement in the history of international soccer. Between 2008 and 2012, Spain were the best team on the planet, winning three consecutive tournament--two European Championships plus the World Cup in South Africa--with a thrilling brand of soccer. Hunter's access to the greatest international team of all time was unparalleled. He was inside the dressing room for the celebrations after the World Cup final and had a fly-on-the-wall perspective on how they trained and prepared for their historic achievements.

The essays in this volume use football to create a dialogue between history and other disciplines, including art criticism, philosophy, and political science. The study of football provides fertile ground for interdisciplinary initiatives and this volume explores the disciplinary boundaries that are shifting “beneath our feet.” Traditional disciplines in the humanities and social sciences have come to embrace diverse research methodologies and the increased scholarly attention to football over the past decade reflects both the startling popularity of the sport and the trends in historical scholarship that have been termed the “cultural,” “interpretive,” or “linguistic” turns. This volume includes work on gender, sexuality, and ethnicity, which have challenged disciplinary fault-lines.

Football's Fifty Most Influential Players tells the story of football through its best and most influential players, from the 19th century to the modern day. Most of the 50 are household names-Pele, Charlton, Maradona, Jimmy Hill, Matthews, Best, Zidane, and Messi-and those who aren't certainly deserve to be. You'll read about football's first black superstar Jose Andrade, a 1930 World Cup winner with Uruguay who died in poverty. There's Lily Parr, a Woodbine-smoking behemoth of the women's game who is more famous now than when she died. Then there's Robbie Rogers, the second male footballer in Britain to come out as gay. Though Rogers wasn't a great player, his story will restore some faith after Justin Fashanu's appalling experiences as a gay footballer in the 1980s. Similarly, Jean-Marc Bosman made an indelible mark, not on the pitch but through the courts, changing the way footballers are treated forever. It's not about the stats, tactics, or managers-this is the players' story, from war heroes and match-fixers to superstars and an African president.

In 2008 another economic crisis emerged in the long history of capitalism which created a period of ‘austerity economics’ across many nations. Cultural Politics in the Age of Austerity examines how austerity has impacted upon cultural politics in relation to understanding how established power is both maintained and challenged. The book begins by detailing the meaning of cultural politics before exploring themes such as media discourse, austerity narratives, class, cultural hegemony/government policymaking, social movements and the European Union, and left responses to austerity. It also includes chapters tracing cultural politics in Spain, with a focus on anti-austerity movements and the relationship between austerity and Spanish football. Cultural Politics in the Age of Austerity assesses the impact of a range of cultural/political forms concerning the dynamics of society and relations of power during times of crisis. As such, it will appeal to scholars of culture, media, politics, philosophy, sociology and social psychology.

Madrid is the football capital of the world – and this is the essential guide for every fan heading there in search of an authentic futbolero experience. Do you have your eye on a trip to Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu to cheer on stars like Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric? Or will you take in a game at Atletico Madrid’s boisterous Metropolitano, where legendary manager Diego Simeone whips the crowd – and his team – into a frenzy? Maybe you’d rather stand up with Rayo Vallecano’s Bukaneros Ultras or sit alongside the locals at Leganes’ Butarque or Getafe’s Coliseum. Or are you following your own team to the Spanish capital in UEFA competition? The Football Fan’s Guide to Madrid covers every last detail - How to get a ticket - Great places to eat and drink pre- and post-match (including Simeone’s preferred steakhouse and Thibaut Courtois’ favourite nightclub!) - A list of city-centre bars which show LaLiga and Premier League games - Best hotels for lovers of the beautiful game - A football-themed walking tour - How to play a pick-up game of six-a-side with locals - Shopping tips, including where to buy the best football gear in the city

WATERSTONES BEST BOOKS OF 2022 – SPORT 'A brilliant new perspective on World Cup management... Superbly insightful .' – Jamie Carragher 'Superb - great stories about the greatest tournament' – Daniel Taylor Master tacticians, crazy tyrants and lucky generals... This insightful investigation reveals the mindsets and, frankly, at times unbelievable approaches of the coaches who strive to deliver football's ultimate prize. HOW DO YOU WIN THE WORLD CUP? Godlike genius or the focus of a disappointed nation's fury – the world's most prestigious tournament makes or breaks a national coach. Only 20 managers have guided their team to World Cup glory, so what are their secrets? From revolutionary tactics to hare-brained schemes, this book searches for the keys to the most exclusive club in international football. They may silently plot on the bench or manically gesticulate from the sidelines, but what can the coach really do to influence their team's performance? Discover the tactical innovations and brilliant strategies as well as the bizarre superstitions, psychological masterclasses and bonkers team-building regimes that managers have employed in the quest for that iconic trophy. Charting the successes, failures, dramas and controversies of 90 years of World Cup action, through the insights of journalists, players and managers with first-hand experience of World Cup competition, this book comprehensively documents the lengths the man in the dugout will go to in order to bring home the greatest prize. The book features contributions from leading World Cup stars, including Luiz Felipe Scolari, Geoff Hurst, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Pierre Littbarski, Roberto Martinez, Mick McCarthy, Tomas Brolin, Jamie Carragher, Alexi Lalas, Patrick Barclay, Raphael Honigstein and Graham Hunter. 'A rich and rewarding football read' – Patrick Barclay 'A fascinating read' – Barry Davies

FC Barcelona are the greatest football team in the world, the greatest for a generation and possibly the greatest of all time. This is the inside story of how the team came to redefine how the game is played, told by the journalist closer to it than any other. This edition contains a new epilogue reflecting on the departure of Pep Guardiola and Spain's victory at Euro 2012.