Simon Kuper immersed himself in the Barcelona FC culture for decades and the long view shows here. He details the club’s operations from the Johan Cruyff days as a player (1973-78) and coach (1988-96), to the recent downturn. He displays a deep understanding of the tactics, personalities and politics of the club.

Cruyff was the catalyst for Kuper’s interest in the club. “Cruyff created the great Barca. In the words of his chief disciple, Pep Guardiola, he built the cathedral” which was “later updated by Guardiola and perfected by Lionel Messi, before it fell into decay.”

The club developed from “a bastion of local pride” to one of the world’s best clubs, propelled by Cruyff and his philosophy. Guardiola for one, considers Cruyff “the most important person in the history of football.” Although the club has fallen on hard times (but at this writing are in first place in La Liga, albeit early into the season), Kuper isn’t writing them off. He finishes with a warm thought: “What Barca created, in the world’s most beloved sport, is one of the most cheering of human achievements.”

This is probably the best book I’ve read for understanding the dynamics of a top-level football team. ( )

Cruyff > Guardiola >Messi. Despite Kuper's attempt to build up Barcelona as more than a club before it's recent fall, it's a bit rose-tinted and misses the context of how every other big club also transformed with the influx of mega TV and IP revenue streams since the 80's. It's actually not even just football, but most professional sports that have seen the rise of player power and boardroom's enslaved to marketing-driven agendas. Sure Barcelona's essence might be unique in the terms of Cruyff-ian legacy the Kuper extolls, but it was always just a club even if that 2008 - 2009 side played the greatest football we'll ever see. ( )