This collection serves as a useful and invigorating introduction to the state of the field of soccer studies. Thomas Fischer, Romy Köhler, and Stefan Reith have compiled 30 essays by scholars from many countries, disciplines, and career stages, organizing these into one introductory section and seven thematic ones. Together, the authors included explore social, cultural, and political facets of the “footballization” of Latin America, giving particular attention to the early twentieth and the twenty-first centuries.
One of the welcome features of this volume is the recognition that “Latin American soccer” and, indeed, all purported national styles of the game exist merely as narratives created and used for varying purposes. The six essays that comprise the first two sections make vital contributions in this regard. The works of Aldo Panfichi and Pablo Alabarces, two sociologists who are among the most influential figures in the field of soccer studies, stand out here....
