Description
Football isn't like that
Book Summary
A mix of investigative reporting and detective novel that exposes the darkest corners of professional football. The plot begins with the murder of a former president of a First Division club, and from there, the authors unfold an investigation that reveals the webs of power, corruption, and shady business that threaten the essence of the sport. The book is a warning about the dangers lurking in football, combining the suspense of a crime with the rigor of journalistic reporting.
What is it about?
A man is found murdered in a pool of blood. His wife, overcome with nervousness, curses football when calling the police. The victim was for years the president of a First Division club, one of those teams that fluctuate between European ambition and the fear of relegation. The investigation of the crime becomes the common thread to delve into a web of economic interests, corruption, and power surrounding professional football. The book is structured as two-thirds investigative report exposing questionable practices, and one-third detective novel that maintains narrative tension. The goal is not just to solve the mystery, but to warn about how football—which should not be this way—is in danger of becoming a stage for corruption and violence.
Main themes
- Corruption in professional football and its power structures.
- The duality between sports passion and shady business.
- Crime as a starting point for social criticism.
- The fragility of ethics in elite sports.
- Investigative journalism as a tool for revealing the truth.
Who is it recommended for?
- For football fans who want to know the less pleasant realities of the beautiful game, readers of noir and detective fiction interested in plots with social backgrounds, and followers of investigative journalism looking for a narrative that combines social criticism with entertainment.
What this book offers
- A critical and documented vision of the excesses of professional football.
- A suspenseful plot that keeps the interest from beginning to end.
- The analysis of a realistic case that reflects current problems in the sport.
- The perspective of two authors with direct knowledge of the football environment.
- A well-founded warning about the risks facing the integrity of football.
Technical specifications
- Author: TEBAS MEDRANO, JAVIER; TORRÉNS OTÍN, PEDRO
- Publisher: TITANO EDICIONES
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Modern and contemporary fiction, crime and mystery genre, mystery and suspense work, sports and outdoor recreation
- Collection: SPORTS
- Publication date: March 2014
- Number of pages: 264
- Weight: 315 g
Editorial review
A book that succeeds in combining the pace of a noir novel with the solidity of investigative reporting. Its main success is addressing a topical issue—corruption in football—from a perspective that does not sacrifice entertainment. It may interest both those looking for a suspenseful read and those who desire a critical reflection on the state of professional sports. The work is supported by a solid plot and a narrative structure that alternates fiction with documented analysis, making it an original and pertinent proposal.