Soccer in Spain

In the last few years, Spanish soccer has surged to the forefront of the sport, with the national team winning the last two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup. Soccer has long been a global social phenomenon that captivates the masses, and this is clearly evident in the people of Spain. Since the formation of Spain’s first club teams at the turn of the 20th century, the sport of soccer has long been connected with Spain’s internal historical and socio-political disputes. In Soccer in Spain, Timothy Ashton not only details the strong relationship between soccer and politics in Spain, but also demonstrates the multifaceted connection the sport has with other aspects of Spanish society, namely literature and film. This book opens the doors into Spanish literature, film, and politics as they pertain to soccer, and will be especially worthwhile and significant for soccer fans and scholars alike.

Timothy J. Ashton is assistant professor of Spanish literatures and cultures at the University of South Carolina Aiken.