The Black Man in Brazilian Soccer

Description

At turns lyrical, ironic, and sympathetic, Mario Filho's chronicle of the beautiful game is a classic of Brazilian sports writing. Filho (1908-1966)--a famous Brazilian journalist after whom Rio's Maracana stadium is officially named--tells the Brazilian soccer story as a boundary-busting one of race relations, popular culture, and national identity. Now in English for the first time, the book highlights national debates about the inclusion of African-descended people in the body politic and situates early black footballers as key creators of Brazilian culture. When first introduced to Brazil by British expatriots at the end of the nineteenth century, the game was reserved for elites, excluding poor, working-class, and black Brazilians. Filho, drawing on lively in-depth interviews with coaches, players, and fans, points to the 1920s and 1930s as watershed decades when the gates cracked open. The poor players and players of color entered the game despite virulent discrimination. By the mid-1960s, Brazil had established itself as a global soccer powerhouse, winning two World Cups with the help of star Afro-Brazilians such as Pele and Garrincha. As a story of sport and racism in the world's most popular sport, this book could not be more relevant today. Cover Contents Translator’s Note to the First English Edition Author’s Note to the Second Edition Author’s Note to the First Edition Chapter 1. Nostalgic Beginnings Chapter 2. The Grass Field and the Empty Lot Chapter 3. The Rebellion of the Black Man Chapter 4. The Social Ascension of the Black Man Chapter 5. The Trial of the Black Man Chapter 6. The Black Man’s Turn Acknowledgments Notes