“The European Game” is an adventure. Over three months Daniel Fieldsend travelled the continent discovering the methods for success used at some of the biggest clubs in Europe-from Ajax, Juventus and Benfica to Bayern Munich, A. C. Milan, Lyon, Athletic Bilbao and many more. At every stop on his journey, Fieldsend delved to the very heart of what made each club tick, speaking to members of staff all the way up the hierarchical ladder, from scouts and academy coaches to first team managers, analysts and board members, pulling back the curtain to reveal their day-to-day workings.
Insightful, ambitious and compelling, “The European Game” is about society, about identity and attachment. It comprises leadership, tactics, coaching and scouting as well as politics, finance, fandom and culture. It is a broad investigation into Europe's relationship with football and what nations can learn from one another, celebrating the uniqueness of football clubs around the continent and the culture of their nations, and exploring whether or not the methods they implement with success can be instilled in other domestic leagues.
"'Shows how globalisation, and the professionalisation of all facets of football, have transformed the sport on the continent…and how important regional and national differences between teams still linger'"
