The city of Milan is no stranger to having players from the Netherlands leave an everlasting impression on its inhabitants. When asked to connect the two, most people think...
Read More
Masters Versus champions: British Perceptions of Calcio in the Fascist Era
On 2 April 2013, Paolo Di Canio entered the pressroom at the Stadium of Light to begin his first press conference as Manager of Sunderland AFC. The line of...
Read More
Chievo Verona: The Donkeys who dared to fly
“When donkeys’ll fly, we’ll have a derby in Serie A,” chanted the gleeful fans of Hellas Verona. Year after year, decade after decade, they poured scorn on their long-suffering...
Read More
The transfer that sparked a riot: Baggio to Juventus (1990)
Transfer dealings between rivals often leave fans feeling resentful or betrayed – take Miralem Pjanic’s departure from Roma as a suitable recent example. Few moves, though, incite urban riots....
Read More
C.S. Lebowski: Continuing their project in the face of adversity
Locked away among the pedestrianised streets in the San Frediano district of Florence lies an open green space where local children play football. This in itself is not an...
Read More
On the march with Tally’s Army: Stand up for the Boys in Green
On New Year’s day, when an ex-student of mine, a proud Veronese with a curious west coast drawl, asked if I would be interested in going to France for...
Read More
Familiar Foes: Italy and Ireland renew acquaintances
It is a small country on the fringes of Europe, a country whose people have spread knowledge, ‘craic’ and a deal of mischief to the four corners of this...
Read More
Golden Heartbreak: Italy at Euro 2000
Despite a laudable haul of four world cups, Italy have only won the European Championships once – back in 1968, when they played at home in a tournament comprised...
Read More
Gigi Riva: The silence before the thunder
“Knocks from defenders are like caresses when compared to the beatings of mourning, loneliness and deprivation.” Those strong and poignant words were uttered by a man better known for...
Read More
Italy and Euro 2004: A conspiracy or Scandinavian pragmatism?
On a June evening in Porto in 2004, a Scandinavian derby took place in a decisive game of the Euro 2004 group stage. Sweden trailed 2-1 going into the...
Read More