How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization | 
 enlarge | Author: Franklin Foer
Publisher: HarperCollins
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
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Rating:  81 reviews
Sales Rank: 66628
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0066212340
Dewey Decimal Number: 327.1
EAN: 9780066212340
ASIN: 0066212340
Publication Date: July 1, 2004
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Amazon.com Review
The global power of soccer might be a little hard for Americans, living in a country that views the game with the same skepticism used for the metric system and the threat of killer bees, to grasp fully. But in Europe, South America, and elsewhere, soccer is not merely a pastime but often an expression of the social, economic, political, and racial composition of the communities that host both the teams and their throngs of enthusiastic fans. New Republic editor Franklin Foer, a lifelong devotee of soccer dating from his own inept youth playing days to an adulthood of obsessive fandom, examines soccer's role in various cultures as a means of examining the reach of globalization. Foer's approach is long on soccer reportage, providing extensive history and fascinating interviews on the Rangers-Celtic rivalry and the inner workings of AC Milan, and light on direct discussion of issues like world trade and the exportation of Western culture. But by creating such a compelling narrative of soccer around the planet, Foer draws the reader into these sport-mad societies, and subtly provides the explanations he promises in chapters with titles like "How Soccer Explains the New Oligarchs", "How Soccer Explains Islam's Hope", and "How Soccer Explains the Sentimental Hooligan." Foer's own passion for the game gives his book an infectious energy but still pales in comparison to the religious fervor of his subjects. His portraits of legendary hooligans in Serbia and Britain, in particular, make the most die-hard roughneck New York Yankees fan look like a choirboy in comparison. Beyond the thugs, Foer also profiles Nigerian players living in the Ukraine, Iranian women struggling against strict edicts to attend matches, and the parallel worlds of Brazilian soccer and politics from which Pele emerged and returned. Foer posits that globalization has eliminated neither local cultural identities nor violent hatred among fans of rival teams, and it has not washed out local businesses in a sea of corporate wealth nor has it quelled rampant local corruption. Readers with an interest in international economics are sure to like How Soccer Explains the World, but soccer fans will love it. --John Moe
Product Description
Religious, economic, political and ethnic divisions around the world are dramatically illuminated using the world's most popular sport as a lens and metaphor. A groundbreaking work. Soccer is much more than a game, or even a way of life. In fact, it's a perfect window into the cross–currents of today's world, with all of its joys and sorrows. Soccer clubs don't represent geographic areas; they stand for social classes and political ideologies. And unlike baseball or tennis, soccer is freighted with the weight of ancient hatreds and history. It's a sport with real stakes –– one that is capable of ruining regimes and launching liberation movements.In this remarkably insightful, wide–ranging work of reportage, Franklin Foer takes us on a surprising tour through the world of soccer, shattering the myths of our new global age. Instead of destroying local cultures, as the left predicted, globalization has revived tribalism. Far from the triumph of capitalism that the right predicted, it has entrenched corruption. From Brazil to Bosnia, and Italy to Iran, this is an eye–opening chronicle of how a beautiful sport and its fanatical followers can highlight the fault lines of a society, whether it's terrorism, poverty, anti–Semitism, or radical Islam –– issues that now have an impact on all of us. Filled with blazing intelligence, colourful characters, wry humour, and an equal passion for soccer and humanity, How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 76 more reviews...
 this BOOK should be "relegated" (hope you know the term) July 14, 2008
4 out of 8 found this review helpful
I could write another BOOK as to why this tome should NEVER have been written.
For all those who understand my title caption of the review,no more needs to say. For the USian uninitiated to world football, you can look up the concept of 'relegation' on internet, no problem and you will understand what I mean by this title.
1st , a side note, if you really want an educated and informed story of the HISTORY of futebol* (*futbol, calcio, fussball....PLEASE no call it 'soccer', hahahahaha!), read the englishman David Goldblatt's remarkable book "the Ball is Round" (or as we say , "A bola e redonda"!).
Em Breve, Mr Foer is a newcomer to the beautiful game, and has NO historical background for it.
Mr Foer writing a book on futebol can only be equalled as a supremo absurdo , if , por ex. Madonna (the singer) wrote a book on Cabala (Jewish numerical mysticisms that she experimented , and well documented by the USA "news" media, ih!!).
Or Michael jackson writing a manual on, say " how to romance women in ten easy (moonwalk) steps" would be another humorous(?) way to view this ???
Either way, Mr Foer has not the background , even with the research he did (and I commend him for that), he has no "muscle memory" regarding great moments of futebol both distant and recent past.
How can he describe how ,ex.~ in 1982 , Rossi's THREE gols destroyed one of the best selecao brasil even appeared on a pitch, what it meant to Rossi personally in his life,italia and brasil em geral...How can he know, futebol did not even exist for him in 1993, alone 1982!
He can research it, but can he feel this in his bones , not only as an italian or brasilian can, but almost ANY longtime football fanzaco do/did?? I am STILL torn between my admiration for the selecao and my beloved Azzurri of the impact of Rossi's momentary brilliant light that Copa!
NO, because he is from USA where futebol is STILL out of favour, even if milliards and milliards of immigrants and children of soccer moms play futebol daily at their neighborhood pitch, the sport gets minimal press, and is denigrated regualr basis by these sportstalks show idiotas, more/less!
A note-- Mr Foer is editor of a center-right journal in USA.
I had hoped this would have minimal influence on his "new love for the game" when he writes this book (which for reason unknown, is found in the POLITICAL SCIENCE section of local book stores!!!???)
,That this book is in the Poli Science section seems to denegrate political science discourse, as Mr Foer's book is a "lightweight" and more belongs to ficcion than poli-sciences.
Mr Foer's futebol "worldview" seems to be that of a partisan right winger/ super patriot (pun intended, obvious I mean his political preference), and this premeates the book perspective.
The first chapter, he rehashes what he has READ from futebol books written in Engleesh,after this "lesson" about futebol, he is to make right wing politics out of each passing chapter, including a chapter where he berates "soccer moms" as being "left wing" and goes on the attack! (??)
Personally,it seems that most USian "mammas" become very CONSERVATIVE after having children, and I make a guess more than a few these women voted BUSH as for the "opposition", no??
(I think there is even a study-report that "liberal" people become more conservative in USA once with child/children, no??)
If I remember, and I believe it so as it got me quite angry at time I read this book, Mr.Foer also attacks liberal parents in the book,I not impressed by that at all to publish derogatory comments about one's famiglia.
Sad sad, as I see it.
Again, Mr Goldblatt's book is poesia (or romantic prosa), a loving and THOROUGH history of the beautiful game as well as very non partisan overview of the world as applies to each country he "visits".
Mr Foer's book, sacanagem puro!
He cannot possible show how "soccer explains the world", futebol does NOT "explain" the world, but is an integral part of it (as , again, Mr Goldblatt's wonderful book indicates).
To sum, Mt Foer has an axe to grind, I have seen some of his political writing, and it is even worse than what is contained in this book.
As David Zirin has written, Mr Foer seems a proponent of the Freidman school of globalisation, and this is BAD BAD for everyone on the planeta, save the few elitistas in USA who profit from this arrangement.
In Italian football terms, this book is barely "C-2" division as a football book, as a political book, it not worth to use the pages to wrap fishbones..
To be charitable for Mr Foer's entusiasms for the world game,and a passable first chapter for all USian football "new boots", I allow the one star to be kind for a ZERO stars offering
o mundo gira e a bola rola
PS in the spriti of full disclosure, Eduardo Galeano's delightful (an partisan, so call me a hipocrite!) football book is translated ingles, "Football in Sun and shadow" , and takes a delightful PROGRESSIVE worldview, and of course,
Sinho Galeano is an 'aplicado discipulo' of the world game since a boy in uruguai. A MUCH better choice also than this book, a "classic" of futebol literature.
 Foer makes a huge stretch; still and interesting read June 25, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
_How Soccer Explains the World_ is an unfortunately misleading title; rather than explain the world, Foer uses soccer as a metaphor for globalization and the various reactions of parts of the world to it. He is only partially successful in this.
Evidentially the opposite of globalism isn't nationalism, but what Foer referrs to as "tribalism", as demonstrated by English (and Serbian) "soccer hooligans." How this has developed and been used by the likes of Slobodan Milosevic was an interesting premise, if a bit of a stretch. The global recruitment of soccer players - Nigerians playing for Ukraine, Brazilians playing for anybody, Dutch coaches working in the Near East - are cited as evidence of how soccer has become a "global marketplace" - with mixed results. The metaphor fits on one level (yes, it IS global - how 'bout that?) but fails horribly on another. (How can one make generalizations about the way a "nation" plays soccer?)
Foer also goes into great detail about the politics of the sport - I think he was on to something here, but the idea was only one of several that he persued, to its detriment. (In addition to the "national styles" of coaching and playing, Foer also discussed the sociology of the sport and its appeal - or lack of - in the United States, and its role as a social safety valve in Spain and Iran.) His would have been a stronger case had he pursued only one idea, rather than several.
As a soccer fan, I enjoyed his detailing the stadiums, the chants between rival teams, and (especially) his thoughts on soccer in America. Given his thesis, though, it only warrants 3 stars. An interesting book and there is much to like here - but the central idea, sadly, is very thin.
 how soccer explains the world June 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was a well written book regarding soccer in the global community. I would encourage anyone who enjoys the game to read this interesting perspective on how soccer is influenced by religion and race and vice versa.
A Book Not Yet Written June 6, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Franklin Foer is definitely onto something. Indeed soccer might ultimately explain the world. Unfortunately the National Best Seller he has written, "How Soccer Explains the World", does not. Yet Foer is a good writer. His chapters are nice introductory essays on the culture of soccer in it's many forms throughout the world. He stops well short of linking the many disparate aspects of multi-cultural supporter rivalry, prejudice, and greed into why the beautiful game is, in fact, such a phenomenon throughout the world. Soccer fans will enjoy this book for the insight into leagues they do not follow and for some historical trivia. Others might enjoy it just so that can laugh at the absolute freaks who show up to support their passion and sadly for the crimes against humanity committed in its name. But he does not explain, to the uninitiated, why soccer is the world wide beautiful game. Those of us who play or follow the sport, might think we know how soccer explains the world because we live it, it's a part of our lives, we feel it everyday. But the same is true for any other passionate human endeavor. If you are passionate about it, it is the undisputed answer to the world and holds the key to the meaning of life -- serious stuff. So a book claiming to actually know why, not just locally but globally, must stand up to it's title. There's a lot of competition out there and Foer fails to bring anything else to the table for a comparison -- but he could. Further, he does not link the fundamental building blocks of society into the game -- he touches on them, but does not link them into society -- I guess that's because he is an economist and not a sociologist or a theologist. However as an economist he really misses the big business that is soccer. Without a chapter devoted to the business of soccer he has ignored a very important link. If soccer explains the world than FIFA must be running the world, for example. There is no chapter on FIFA. And if soccer is akin to religion, while he did write a chapter about the King, he failed to mention God. Where is Diego Maradona? And if soccer is a social building block -- while he does mention yuppies in America, where soccer is the least stringent of societal glue, he does not mention the societies where soccer is one of the very few but incredibly binding influences. So to recap -- no elements of the beautiful game itself, no comparisons to other global influences, and no expansion into other phenomenon directly attributable to a functioning society. Foer wrote some nice essays after taking the opportunity to travel the world. I am envious to say the least. But he failed miserably to live up to the title of the book. Perhaps he should write a sequel and call it -- "How Soccer Really Explains the World". For now we must continue to wait for the explanation of what we already know.
 A different way of looking at thing May 17, 2008
Overall a pretty interesting look at the world. The author looks at how different countries treat soccer, and what that says about their culture. Due to the fact that soccer is a pretty much universal sport, it does act as an interesting way to compare cultures. In fact one could make the argument that he actually leaves a lot of material on the table in examining cultures and economies through sport.
My biggest complaint is that it often becomes way too travel essay like. I am glad he likes the game and all, but frankly his enjoyment of the sport isn't interesting enough, I had never even heard of the author previously. Stick to the game.
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