The Politics of Football in Yugoslavia: Sport, Nationalism and the State

by Richard Mills

Even before Tito's Communist Party established control over the war-ravaged territories which became socialist Yugoslavia, his partisan forces were using football as a revolutionary tool. In 1944 a team representing the incipient state was dispatched to play matches around the liberated Mediterranean. This consummated a deep relationship between football and communism that endured until this complex multi-ethnic polity tore itself apart in the 1990s. Starting with an exploration of the game in the short-lived interwar Kingdom, this book traces that liaison for the first time. Based on extensive archival research and interviews, it ventures across the former Yugoslavia to illustrate the myriad ways football was harnessed by an array of political forces. Communists purposefully re-engineered Yugoslavia's most popular sport in the tumult of the 1940s, using it to integrate diverse territories and populations. Subsequently, the game advanced Tito's distinct brand of communism, with its Cold War-era policy of non-alignment and experimentation with self-management. Yet, even under tight control, football was racked by corruption, match-fixing and violence. Alternative political and national visions were expressed in the stadiums of both Yugoslavias, and clubs, players and supporters ultimately became perpetrators and victims in the countries’ violent demise.

In Richard Mills' hands, the former Yugoslavia’s stadiums become vehicles to explore the relationship between sport and the state, society, nationalism, state-building, inter-ethnic tensions and war. The book is the first in-depth study of the Yugoslav game and offers a revealing new way to approach the complex history of Yugoslavia.

Genres: History, Football, Sports, Soccer, Politics, Nonfiction

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2018

About the author

Richard Mills is a lecturer in Modern European History at the University of East Anglia, where he received his PhD, and has recently become the course director there for the BA in Modern History. Mills has published in peer-reviewed journals, edited collections and the popular sports magazine When Saturday Comes. He has guest lectured at the CIES's prestigious FIFA master's programme.

Reviews

[bialettibruder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Höchstwertung für The Politics of Football in Yugoslavia von Richard Mills - bialettibruder approved also quasi. Ergibt sich natürlich nicht zuletzt aus meinem Interesse für Fußballkultur in all seinen Facetten, aber würde durchaus auch und gerade für Nicht-Fußballfans eine Leseempfehlung aussprechen.

Das Buch verfolgt (ziemlich detailverliebt) den Auf- und Abstieg des jugoslawischen Fußballs von seiner formativen Phase in den Zwischenkriegsjahren über seine Blüte im multiethnischen, sozialistischen, blockfreien Jugoslawien unter Tito hin zum schließlichen Zerfall des Staatenverbunds ab den 90ern, der in unzähligen blutigen nationalistischen Konflikten und Massakern kulminierte. Mills nimmt dabei seine Leser:innen an die Hand und schafft es sehr gut durch das ~Prisma~ (sorry mir fällt gerade kein weniger schlimmes Wort ein) Fußball dessen politischen Implikationen für die turbulente Geschichte Jugoslawiens zu durchleuchten - so erleichtert Vorwissen von dieser zwar das Verständnis ist aber keinesfalls erforderlich, um dem Buch folgen zu können. Hab, ohne mich als Jugoslawien-Experten ausweisen zu wollen, auch das Gefühl, dass es historiographisch Hand und Fuß hat was Mills erzählt. Es lässt sich zumindest keine falsche Parteiergreifung für eine der aus Jugoslawien scheidenden Nationalismen anmerken. Eine gewisse Grundsympathie für das sozialistische Projekt Jugoslawien ist ihm aus meiner Sicht zu attestieren, was für mich ja auch einen Pluspunkt darstellt hehe - könnte mir aber vorstellen, dass besonders die doch unfassbar positive Darstellung Titos auch Gegenstimmen wecken könnte - aber wie gesagt bin da auch kein Experte. Einziges Manko ist einfach wirklich eine extrem hohe Dichte an Informationen, die einen teilweise wirklich etwas überfordern kann, weshalb sich das Buch besonders gut kapitelweise lesen lässt, anstatt es wie einen fesselnden Roman in 3-4 Sitzungen durchzuklopppen.

Das Buch ist für mich ein weiterer zweifelsfreier Beweis dafür, wie absurd es ist Fußball entpolitisieren zu wollen, oder dessen Bedeutung als gesellschaftlichen Spiegel zu bagatellisieren. Mills schafft dabei auch den Spagat zwischen der Erzählung von aus der heutigen Sicht unglaublich wirkenden historischen Anekdoten und Fragmenten, ohne dem immergleichen Klischee vom Balkan als Pulverfass Europas weiter Vorschub zu leisten. Viel mehr ordnet er diese samt ihren Widersprüchlichkeiten in den so multidimensionalen wie wechselhaften gesellschaftlichen Zeitgeist ein. Kuriose und verrückte, aber durchaus ernste historische Bruchstücke mit krassem "Hast du gewusst, dass"-Wert ziehen sich durchs ganze Buch und machen die jugoslawische Geschichte ein Stück erlebbarer, gerade als Fußballfan. Von Entführungsversuchen der Armee (Die Partizan Belgrad nahe stand) vom Roter Stern Starspieler Rajko Mitić im Jahre 1946, über Entstehungs- und Wirkungsgeschichte widersprüchlicher und oft (politisch) sehr problematischen Ultrà und Fangruppen, die wohl jedem geneigten Leser etwas sagen werden (Torcida, Delije, Grobari, BBB etc pp.), bis hin zu sogenannten Fußballkrawallen, die im kroatischen Volksmund zu Auslösern vom Unabhängigkeitskrieg mythologisiert wurden. Das Buch schafft es die geschichtliche und politische Relevanz von Fußball in all seinen Facetten greifbar zu machen, vom Fußball als verbindenden Element und der schönsten Nebensache der Welt bis hin zu Bruchstücken aus dunkleren Zeiten, von denen bis heute Spuren sichtbar sind - so verweist Mills emblematisch auf einen auf dem Trainingsplatz von FK Sarajevo errichteten, symbolträchtigen Friedhof in der bosnischen Hauptstadt.

[Marin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful, illustrating how the dominant forces in society influenced the game, from the inequalities and chauvinism of monarchist, interwar Yugoslavia, to WWII, and post WWII revolutionary, anti-fascism and socialism, and finally the violence and nationalism of the 1990s and the wars that broke up the country.

Only criticism is that it’s more of a snapshot of each period as opposed to a deep dive which is fair as you could write a book about each era that was covered, but that being said I did find it a bit lacking at times.

Also the book is a perfect demonstration that sport is and always will be political. By giving an account of how politics and football were intertwined in Yugoslavia, my hope is that the book dispels the notion that many people have of the “apolitical” image of modern football that in reality is just being used to whitewash authoritarian regimes and deepen pockets of millionaires, and I also hope that football can once again be an instrument in progressive and socially just politics like it was in its heyday of Socialist Yugoslavia.

SFSN

[Marko Galic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book which tells a story of Yugoslav football starting at in between two world wars years. It portrays the role football had in both establishment of socialist Yugoslavia and the role it had in escalation of nationalism within the country. Every football fan and/or leftist should read this book

[Gordan Karlic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you, this will probably be the best book I read in 2020, I hope it won't, but it put the bar pretty damn high.
It talks about turbulent times in Yugoslavia from the perspective "the most important side thing in the world", and believe you me, football in countries of the former Yugoslavia is just that.
There is triumph, fights, victories, war, politics, hooliganism, joy, anger, more politics, regimes, suffering, heroes, villains, war criminals, even more politics, and a whole bunch of football.
Really, really liked this book, learned a lot, and even if you are not a football or history fan I am pretty sure you will find this book enjoyable, but if you are, this is a must-read.
Stop reading this review go and read this one.

[Warren Hong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia , Serbia, Slovenia

Book Notes-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1
- central disagreement among the kingdom (of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes) is - whether the state would be centralized upon Serbian Belgrade or decentralized to allow broad autonomy for national centres such as Zagreb and Ljubljana.
- After decision to centralized, Croats refused to accept centralized kingdom
- Belgrade (Serbia), Zagreb (Croatia), Split (Croatia)
- Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ)
- "demonstration of class and solidarity are performed through the expression of sympathy for Radnicki sport club (Serbia). To support Radnicki is not merely a sporting opinion ... synonym for "I am a communist"

Chapter 2: Liberation Football
- Nazis invasion of the Kingdom, the NDH rule (Independent State of Croatia), established by the Axis
- Clubs harboured antifascist activities against the occupation. Fight against Germany, and fascist Italy
- Hajduk FC team formed again during war to travel abroad to represent the partisans. Anti-fascist. Played on island of Vis, against British soldiers. Propaganda.
- 1944/9/23 - match between Hajduk & great Britain, at Stadio della Vittoria, w/ 40000 spectators. Italians denied access to match

Chapter 3:
- Post-war. The close relationship between Belgrade and Moscow was also cultivated via friendly matches. (Belgrade as headquarter of the communist information bureau, that brought tgt the communist parties of eastern Europe under soviet tutelage)
- core of the communist pledge is embrace multi-ethnic population. Football association of yugoslavia reflected this diversity
-physical culture movement. footballers contribute to rebuild of society. (i.e repair infrastructure, built roads ... etc)
- on-going tension between Serbians vs Croatians

Chapter 4: A golden age? prestige, problems, and the third way after 1948
- Cominform - Communist Information Bureau - designed to enable Europe's communist parties to gather on an equal footing. Yugoslavia & Soviet union fall out due to diff in opinion. Led to Yugoslavia expulsion. Led to economic strain because less trade, which is embraced by US and western Europe
- awkward match between soviets and Yugoslavia. After 5-5 draw, Yusgoslavia won 3-1
- Yugoslavian coaches dispatched all over the world. Better international relations. Labour migrations
- Torcida (Croatian) - supporters inspired by Brazilian football supporting culture."50% were card-carrying communists"
- partizan was inseparably tied to the yugoslav military (identity wise)
- leagues were marred with issues (match fixing, instability, violence among fans, favoritism towards the big 4)

Chapter 5: Keeping the revolution alive: the ling 1970s
- Croatia - movement towards self-independence. alerted tito & belgrade. - became known as the "silent republic" (due to it's growing identity & desire to become independent)
- death of tito

Chapter 6: After Tito, Nationalism!
- tito's death provided a vaccum, economy went into sharp decline. By 1980s, referees and players were bribed openly
-football hooliganism was commonplace as the 1980s dawned
- kosova wanted to be made a republic. Serbia needed to be recentralised, amidst of rising nationalism
- rapid urbanisation cited as one of the causes to hooliganism. Serbia gained powered in politics
- By end of 1980s, supporters saw dividing lines between certain clubs as hard ethnic borders, resulting in homogenization of fan bases
- conflicts between Slovenes and Serbs crystallized around freedom of speech and repression in Kosovo.
- Serbia & Croatia went nationalistic, while Bosnia remained Pro-Yugoslavia

Chapter 7: The Maksimir Myth
- 13 May 1990 marked as beginning of Croatia Independence. Monument below Dinamo Zagreb's Maksmir Stadium
- Over 12% of Croatia's population were ethnic Serbs. they were also a majority of Croatian police
- "All people are equal in Croatia, but it must be clear who is the host and who is the guest"
- Fight broke out between Serbs and Croats during Zagreb vs Belgrade football match. War in Summer 1991.

Chapter 8: One the brink: The 1990-1 Season
- Hadjuk players removed red five-pointed star from shirt, which was a replacement to Croatian sahovnica symbol during Australia tour. demise of socialist emblem on
- August 1991, Croatia declared independence. Reforms to follow to the league
- Delegates of FSJ not supportive of disassociation of league, not prepared to allow member to join UEFA and Fifa.
- Croatia's refusal to join the First Federal League. Slovenia also same. In FSJ, six republics became four
- End of socialist Yugoslavia

Chapter 9: Football on the frontlines
- Croatia tries to setup league amidst of war
- UEFA forced red star to play at "neutral" countries. Because of the war and the unrest. Dire political and economic situation lead to departure of talented footballers.
- Yugoslav First league limped on until the beginning of April 1992. Bosnia & Hercegovina had voted for independence

Context Notes --------------------------------------------------------------------
- Communism advocates for a classless society where the means of production are owned collectively, aiming for equality among citizens and the eventual dissolution of the state ... seeks to eliminate class distinctions through revolution.
- Fascism supports a strong, centralized state led by a dictatorial leader, emphasizing nationalism, hierarchy, and the supremacy of the nation or race. It allows private ownership but tightly controls economic activities to serve national goals, often using propaganda and repression to suppress dissent and maintain order.

[Denis Knezovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of a region that has always been troubled politically in the same way that it had a seemingly endless supply of football (soccer) talent. It tells the story of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious people, so different and yet in many ways so similar, as viewed through the lens of its most beloved sport. It begins with the interwar kingdom, moving though to the Titoist revolution at the end of WWII, which gave birth to the Yugoslav nation and culminates in the 1990s with that state's violent breakup.

As a lover of the Beautiful Game with a history degree, born in former Yugoslavia, I learned quite a bit. I can only recommend this book, five stars!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book looks at football in Yugoslavia, and how it was intertwined with the political reality of the state in all its versions, and does a really good job of it. Mills is able to work with both sport and politics in a good balance and shows how they worked with each other, and how football served as a microcosm of the ethnic reality of Yugoslavia.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read.

[DANIEL JOSEPH RYAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things you never knew

Eyeopening
We have all been sitting there with our eyes wide shut as the saying goes.
Politics and Football always entwined,

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be incredibly informative on the history of Yugoslavian Football. I especially enjoyed it as a history buff and a football fan. I really liked the ability to include the intersection of politics and sport.

[Jack Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and incredibly insightful telling of a remarkable period of history. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

[Sara G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good overview of the history of football in Yugoslavia, but occasionally flat and impersonal, especially when going over mass tragedies.

[Santiago Álvarez]

Fundamental en mi TFG.