Football for the Soul : Rediscovering the Beauty in the Beautiful Game

Author: Bysouth, Alex

Football (Soccer, Association football)

Published on 9 June 2025 by Pitch Publishing Ltd in the United Kingdom.

Paperback / softback | 288 pages
198 x 131 x 24 | 274g

Football for the Soul journeys through the European game – from Bilbao to Berlin, Paris, Naples, Amsterdam and beyond – drawing on candid personal interviews to get to the heart of what makes football special and why it matters so much.

By BBC Sport journalist Alex Bysouth.

Exploring and uncovering some of the most unusual and intriguing stories in European football, this unique book includes:Exclusive behind-the-scenes access at Athletic Club in Bilbao, featuring interviews with players, directors, fans and journalistsFresh insight into the Berlin football scene, from those who live and breathe itAn exclusive interview with Johan Cruyff’s trusted former right-hand man and extensive details about his legacy at Ajax and beyondReflections from a unique Parisian derby and time spent with Red Star, one of France’s oldest clubsUnique and wholesome personal stories from the football world, including with Andorra’s record-breaking, shirt-collecting former captainOn-the-ground interviews in Naples with the city’s second club to tell their unusual storyAccess to Serie A legends during a weekend spent discovering the cult of Italian football nostalgiaUntold tales from the teams behind the non-league Champions League and a pioneering new multi-club ownership modelFootball for the Soul is a must-read for fans who want feel-good, wholesome tales that help make sense of why we really love the beautiful game.