Passion of the People? Football in South America

Brazil's first World Cup win since 1970 in the United States this year, promoted widespread interest in international fooball and the Latin-American game. This book combines social history and reportage to explore the place of the world's most popular game in the life of Argentina, Brazil and Urugua [...]
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Brazil's first World Cup win since 1970 in the United States this year, promoted widespread interest in international fooball and the Latin-American game. This book combines social history and reportage to explore the place of the world's most popular game in the life of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. The book examines the historical and political role of football on an international level, from colonial times to the present, up to and including the controversial Argentina appearance in the World Cup Final of 1990. It reveals how various dictators have used the game to ensure political passivity, and considers whether the game is declining in importance in Latin America, both as a spectator and a participatory sport. Tony Mason is the author of "Sport in Britain: A Social History" and "Association Football and English Society".