<p>The latest act of David Beckham's career, played out on foreign fields, has outshone all previous drama: His falling out with Ferguson and leaving Old Trafford; the bitter power struggle for his signature between Barca and Real; the hype of his inauguration and medical (watched by a live TV audience of 2 billion); the star-studded tour of the Far East; the behind the scenes politics of marketing and spin and accusations that he was being bought not to play but to sell shirts, and silencing his critics with performances on the pitch that have made him the fulcrum of Real's 'Galacticos' and the darling of the Spanish media. This is the story of that season finally told in full through Spanish eyes - the players, agents, pundits and ordinary fans - by a man who was there as it happened. "Excellent - Phil Ball has written nothing less than a guide to Spanish life." - Simon Kuper, "Observer on Morbo". "It wouldn't matter if Phil Ball travelled to the worst team in the lowest division in Spain, it would be a pleasure to go with him." - "Four Four Two". "Entertaining and original" - "El Pais".</p>

An Englishman Abroad : Beckham's Spanish Adventure

Phil Ball

Ebury & Vermilion

The Hapless Teacher's Handbook

Morbo : The Story of Spanish Football

Sports & Outdoors

Soccer

When Saturday Comes Books

<p>Morbo is the unique element that gives Spanish football its special flavour. More than mere rivalry, it is the expression in a thousand provocative ways of the feeling between clubs divided by history, language and politics. At its most bitter between Barcelona and Real Madrid, the same spirit courses through the uncompromising politics of the Basque Country, hangs over the divided city of Seville and marks Spain s attitudes towards its national team. In this brand new 2011 edition , Phil Ball examines the recent successes of the Spanish national team in the World Cup of 2010 and the European Championship of 2008, as the dark horses finally managed to live up to their potential. In addition the analysis of the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is brought up to date to take account of the impact of José Mourinho and the many fractious recent encounters between the two clubs, in both domestic and European competition.</p>

Morbo: The Story of Spanish Football

Individual Sports

Real Madrid have won 28 league titles, eight European cups, 12 Spanish cups, two UEFA cups and two World Cup Championship titles since the beginning of the 20th century. The clubs story however, is much more than the mere sum of its achievements. There have been legends at every step, and behind the shine of trophies there is the darker side of the club's association with fascism - its role as the pure white ambassador to Franco's jackbooted vision of a centralized Spain. This volume divides the clubs history into six distinct periods - from its founations, through the war years, to the golden period of Di Stefano and Puskas; the "hippie years"; the "Quinta del Buitre" (Butragueno's Gang) and ending with the modern period which dates from the contemporary embodiment of Madridismo - Raul.

White Storm

Mainstream Publishing

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Books by Phil Ball