POLITICAL FOOTBALL

The Anonymous founder of of ‘Pinceladas de Fútbol’ – ‘El Comandante’ – shares fascinating stories about politics and the beautiful game, from Pinochet to Palestine. Joining him will be David Goldblatt, sports writer, broadcaster, sociologist, journalist and author of  The Age of Football. Our referee is journalist Barbara McCarthy.

Football is not about the players’ private lives (or that of their wives) nor the petty gossips which surround them; it is not about spreading transfer rumours in order to get more ‘hits’ and it’s certainly not about the merits of VAR. Football (with a capital ‘F’) is Didier Drogba having the courage to become a mediator during the civil war in Ivory Coast; Bert Trautman, a former Nazi soldier, seeking forgiveness by sacrificing himself in a football pitch; the tactical evolution of Andrea Pirlo from ‘trequartista’ to ‘regista’ and, sadly, dictator Pinochet forcing the Chilean National team to score the saddest goal ever. Join the anonymous founder of Pinceladas de Fútbol ‘El Comandante’ as he shares his manifesto with us, a fascinating insight into the game of two halves and its political connotations, from Pinochet to The Palestinian Sports Club. These are the football stories that transcend the back pages – these are the game-changers. Joining the discussion will be David Goldblatt, sports writer, broadcaster, sociologist, journalist and author. Among his books are The Age of Football, The Game of Our Lives: The Meaning and Making of English Football, Futebol Nation: A Footballing History of Brazil, and The Ball Is Round: A Global History of Football (described as the “seminal football history”).