Synopses & Reviews
The definitive book about the national identities, heroes, and dramatic stories from Latin American soccer throughout history in time for the 2014 World Cup.
Golazo!” means amazing goal!” And the word perfectly captures the unique, exuberant, all-encompassing, passionate role that soccer plays in Latin America.
Andreas Campomar offers readers the definitive history of Latin American soccer from the early, deadly Mesoamerican ballgames to the multi-billion dollar international business it is today. Golazo! explores the intersection of soccer, politics, economics, high and low culture, and how passion for a game captured a continent.
Latin American soccer will be in the global spotlight more than ever in the coming years both the next World Cup (2014) and the Summer Olympics (2016) will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a country for which soccer is not just a passion but a way of life. The triumphs, the heartbreaks, the origins and the future, the political and the personal Golazo! is the perfect book for new fans and diehard followers around the world.
Review
"[A] sweeping exploration of soccer intersecting with politics, history, economics and culture in forging a continents passion." Steven Goff, The Washington Post
Review
"The most comprehensive history of soccer in the part of the world in which it may well mean the most....A thorough, engaging history of the development of futbol and its place in Latin American society....Campomar effectively brings out the color and passion for the game, its evocative langauge, its artistic power and its sometimes-martial ugliness....He accomplishes his task with verve....Fine, scintillating history." Kirkus
Review
"Perfection, pride, politics and punch-ups. The South American way of football has never been more readable." John Crace, ESPN and The Guardian
Synopsis
The definitive book about the national identities, heroes, and dramatic stories from Latin American soccer throughout history in time for the 2014 World Cup. Golazo means amazing goal And the word perfectly captures the unique, exuberant, all-encompassing, passionate role that soccer plays in Latin America.
Andreas Campomar offers readers the definitive history of Latin American soccer from the early, deadly Mesoamerican ballgames to the multi-billion dollar international business it is today. Golazo explores the intersection of soccer, politics, economics, high and low culture, and how passion for a game captured a continent.
Latin American soccer will be in the global spotlight more than ever in the coming years both the next World Cup (2014) and the Summer Olympics (2016) will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a country for which soccer is not just a passion but a way of life. The triumphs, the heartbreaks, the origins and the future, the political and the personal Golazo is the perfect book for new fans and diehard followers around the world.
"
About the Author
Andreas Campomar was educated at Cambridge University, where he studied Modern History. He is currently Publishing Director at Constable and Robinson in the United Kingdom. He reviews for The Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Times Literary Supplement, and many others. He is the son of a Uruguayan diplomat and a descendant of Dr. Enrique Buero, the man who brought the first World Cup in Montevideo and later became vice president of FIFA. He lives in London.