Since its invention in the nineteenth century, football has emerged as one of the most spectacular total social facts of the modern world, in which politics, economics, religion, and flesh and blood become inextricably entangle. With rich ethnography, analytic subtlety and theoretical sophistication, the contributors to this collection explore how football unites and divides, inspires great deeds and brings out ... Read morethe worst in people, and encapsulates all the complexities of life in the contemporary moment. This book is sure to inspire future generations of sport scholars.' - Niko Besnier, Professor of Cultural Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, and co-author of The Anthropology of Sport     'The in-depth analyses that make up this book go beyond classic themes, such as the link between football and nationalism, in dealing with innovative topics: female football fans, socialisation of children into football, gay football teams and transnational football club supporters. The diversity of both the fieldwork and the theoretical reflections enhance the richness of this volume and makes it an important contribution to the anthropology of football.' Christian Bromberger, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, Aix-Marseille University, France Show Less