Football and Popular Culture

Book excerpt: Football is ubiquitous and a permanent fixture of modern life. More than a sport, it frequently manifests in broader popular culture. This book examines the significance of football for, and in, popular culture across a wide range of forms, including music, film and social media. Football and Popular Culture plots a new path in Football Studies, drawing on original research in countries including England, Brazil, Germany, Canada and Yugoslavia. The book includes both historical and contemporary perspectives, exploring some of the most important themes in the study of sport and culture, including identity, nationalism, fandom and protest. It presents diverse case studies ranging from sonic violence among Brazilian torcidas organizadas to fan-led commemoration of the Munich air disaster, which together help us to better understand the intersection of sport, society and popular culture. This is fascinating reading for any student or researcher working in sport studies, cultural studies, media studies, sociology or contemporary history.