The Black Man in Brazilian Soccer

“Filho’s comprehensive work will leave sports fans with a better understanding of soccer as both a sport and a global cultural phenomenon.”—Publishers Weekly

“More than seventy years since its original publication, [The Black Man in Brazilian Soccer] . . . still arouses the interest of readers and academics, at home and abroad”—Bruno Rodrigues, Folha de São Paulo

“Romantic, political, and full of pageantry, Mario Filho’s classic book—now in English for the first time—chronicles the central role of Afro-Brazilians in perfecting the world’s most popular sport.” — Brenda Elsey, author of Citizens and Sportsmen

“A fascinating and capacious interpretation of the social power and cultural intricacies of sport. Filho presents the powerful story of the interplay between race and soccer in Brazilian society in a riveting style that captures all the delights, contradictions, and possibilities that soccer offers to the world.”—Laurent Dubois, author of The Language of the Game: How to Understand Soccer

“Written with a journalist’s flair, Filho’s innovative exploration of race, nation, and popular culture set the terms of debate about the inclusion of African-descended people in Brazil more broadly. It is one of the most important and essential books on both soccer and early twentieth-century Brazilian society.”—Joshua Nadel, author of Fútbol!: Why Soccer Matters in Latin America