Angels with Dirty Faces: How Argentinian Soccer Defined a Nation and Changed the Game Forever

Argentina has been at the pinnacle of world football for decades, consistently fielding the sport's best players. Lionel Messi has followed in the footsteps of other giants such as Alfredo di Stéfano; Daniel Passarella; Gabriel Batistuta; and Diego Maradona, one of the best and most controversial footballers of all time. Wilson (Inverting the Pyramid) lived in Buenos Aires next to the Estadio Tomas Adolfo Duco, the stadium of Huracán, and here describes the evolution of Argentinian football against the backdrop of the country's most turbulent political times: Peronism, the almost constant rotation of military juntas and dictators, and near economic collapse. The author shows how politics and football have always been inextricably linked in Argentina, a country that lives and breathes the sport. Wilson intertwines narratives following the history of Argentina's national team and domestic league, along with the country itself, to highlight how each relies on and informs the other. Interviews with former players, managers, and journalists provide colorful anecdotes about famous games in Argentinian history, which football fans will find enjoyable.