Overview
Barcelona is the greatest soccer team in the world, the greatest for a generation, and possibly the greatest of all time. This is the inside story of how the team came to redefine how the game is played, told by the journalist closer to it than any other. This edition contains a new epilogue reflecting on the departure of Pep Guardiola and Spain's victory at Euro 2012. It is of huge interest to anyone who loves the way this team plays soccer, which is anyone who loves the game.Reviews
"From detailing the out of control influence of Ronaldinho and Deco to confirming Guardiola's genius, it's written with stacks of insight. *****" —Four Four Two
"Superbly-written analysis & celebration of Pep, Messi, Xavi etc. Brilliant book." —Daily Telegraph
"Graham Hunter's book reminds us all just how beautiful the beautiful game can be. His admiration for Barca is genuine, his knowledge is vast, and he is an expert at bringing readers close into the story, making us cheer for not only Pep and Messi, but for every player who has turned out for the greatest team in the world." —Rodge Glass, author, Bring Me The Head of Ryan Giggs
"An enjoyable, flowing read that succeeds in providing great detail and insight . . . Hunter impresses a supreme command of the inner workings of the FC Barcelona machine." —Total Football Magazine
"Hunter examines Barca's rise from every angle and manages, ultimately, to strike a delicate balance between wise football writing and perceptive portraiture that makes for a compelling read." —ESPN
"Graham Hunter takes you on an unforgettable journey . . . into the famous footbaling cathedral of Camp Nou and into the Catalan club's boardroom. He delves deeper than any journalist has ever managed into every nook and cranny of the much-vaunted youth system. You will love it. Hunter's gargantuan effort is quite possibly the best book ever written on FC Barcelona and quite comfortably slots into the top 10 of my all-time sports books." —Irish News
'We'll be talking about this Barcelona team decades from now, and thankfully we'll still have Graham Hunter's magisterial book explaining how it came about. Just as Barca didn't happen by accident, neither does Hunter's acutely observed account. An instant classic.' —Sports Illustrated
"No one knows Barcelona like Graham Hunter. This is a penetrating, convincing and fascinating account of the construction of one of the best teams we have seen, full of insight and analysis." —GuardianAuthor Biography
Graham Hunter is a journalist of international reputation and covers Spanish soccer and FC Barcelona for Sky Sports, the BBC, and newspapers and magazines across the world. His access to the team is unrivaled and he is the only English speaking journalist to have interviewed Pep Guardiola during his time as Barcelona coach.