From the Publisher
Deep and intelligent…a portrait of football greatness.” — Arsène Wenger
"A comprehensive primer into the entwined histories of the two titans and the commercial forces that have molded their careers and, by extension, the sport." — New York Times
“While these two soaring greats are known for their transcendent wonder on the field, this rollicking narrative plunges into the complex backstories and entire ecosystems that propelled their colliding trajectories. With a pair of epic hero stories like The Last Dance or Homer’s Odyssey in cleats, this book traces the journey from aspirational prodigies to global commercial billboards, explaining how these two juggernauts and their rivalry shaped the most popular, and lucrative, era of the world’s most beloved sport.” — Roger Bennett, founder, Men in Blazers Media Network
"This rigorously researched book avoids becoming hagiography. The result is an ambitious and valuable study for all those who want to understand the modern world of football that Mr. Messi and Mr. Ronaldo have helped forge." — The Economist
“This book explains the brilliant backstory behind how each player became a star and how that stardom changed the footballing landscape not just in Spain but in the wider world as well…I read it in a day.” — Rebecca Lowe, NBC Sports
"Excellent... A brilliant follow-up to The Club." — The Independent (UK)
"Impressive." — Boston Globe
An absorbing cautionary tale for soccer fans and students of sports finance alike. — Kirkus Reviews
Billy Beane
"The Club is a richly detailed, remarkably told story of how the Premier League became the unstoppable force that it is today. Joshua and Jonathan provide unparalleled access to the people who make the league go, from the owners to the managers to the stars on the field. The Club is the definitive guide to the definitive league in sports.”
Roger Bennett
The transformation of the English Premier League, from the muddy pitches, primitive tactics, and unglamorous pub culture of its early days to the coveted, lavish, global colossus we now know and love is a rollicking tale. Robinson and Clegg delight in every detail of that evolution from backwater to behemoth, spinning a narrative that is part Great Expectations, part Game of Thrones, in equal measure.”
Library Journal
10/07/2022
Some individuals on the world stage have had so much fame or influence that they become known by only one name. Two current soccer competitors—Messi and Ronaldo—have achieved that status. The Wall Street Journal sports writers who coauthored The Club: How the English Premier League Became the Wildest, Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports, Robinson and Clegg argue that the soccer stars' fame is intertwined—that Messi without Ronaldo or Ronaldo without Messi would not have become the superstar they are today. While loads of information can be found on either player, this book takes a unique approach. Their stories, including their beginnings, training, and growth into superstardom are told side-by-side, not so that a comparison can be made (although that is a wonderful debate), but to clearly show how their influences have worked together to improve soccer and make it more visible on the world stage. Their playing styles, temperament, and physical traits are vastly different, but that's motivated each to become better. VERDICT This work is a unique, simple, entertaining piece of writing. It belongs on the shelves of all libraries that serve sports fans.—Steve Dixon
Kirkus Reviews
2022-10-19
Two Wall Street Journal sportswriters chronicle a soccer rivalry that hinges on money as much as on-the-pitch performance.
Facing off in the Spanish soccer league for years, Lionel Messi (b. 1987), a native of Argentina, and Cristiano Ronaldo (b. 1985), from the Portuguese island of Madeira, were a study in contrasts: the former small and, as often noted here, lacking in much of a personality, the other voluble and larger than life. Yet both have always displayed nearly superhuman skills, and both emerged as superstars, sometimes to the unhappiness of teammates—in the case of Ronaldo, for example, never passing the ball to them because, he said, “I’d only see the ball.” Both were signed young to rising clubs from Barcelona and Madrid that would soon become the richest in the world—at least, write Robinson and Clegg, until Emirati investors pumped Manchester City and other British teams full of money. Part of the cash flow came from rival sportswear manufacturers Adidas and Nike, part from TV, part from gate revenues. With a huge publicity machine behind them, the rival players “accessed a level of recognition normally reserved for US presidents and popes.” Messi has more social media followers than LeBron James, Ronaldo more than Kim Kardashian. So popular as both athletes and “lifestyle brands” were the two that their clubs had to pay exorbitant amounts to keep them. Fans may argue over which player is better, but for the amount they paid Messi, the authors note, “Barça [Barcelona] could have bought six F-35 fighter jets from the US Air Force,” and Ronaldo commanded similarly huge numbers of euros. Messi and Ronaldo have gone on to other teams, but, the authors conclude, thanks to overreach, the clubs they once played for were left “out of ideas, running out of money, and increasingly desperate.”
An absorbing cautionary tale for soccer fans and students of sports finance alike.
