All About Football and Sports in Italy

Italians adore football — known as calcio in Italy — and are some of the most passionate fans in the world. They love it as a sport, but also as a way to express their identity and community, and to escape the troubles of daily life for 90 minutes at a time.

The Goal360 of the Serie A are household names worldwide and players make millions. But the league is just one part of the scene in a country that loves sports of all kinds, from golf to skiing and cycling.

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When it comes to soccer, the real action takes place in the stands, where home and visiting sections are strictly separated by stadium security. During the game, fans wave flags, chant team songs and cheer at the good play while jeering their opponents. Whether they are in the stadium or on the couch, Italians place their national, regional and even personal pride on the back of these athletes, who are sometimes treated like movie stars and regularly face death threats.

In this “fascinating, funny, desolating and deeply human story,” master storyteller Joe McGinniss follows a ragtag minor league team in a tiny Italian village. As the season unfolds with its riotous highs and lows, he develops a deep bond with the players and their community. Along the way, he discovers an Italy that no guidebook has ever described, from gritty towns to grand cities.