Morbo: The Story of Spanish Football

by Phil Ball

English writer Phil Ball has put the history of Spanish football into the context of the epomymous Morbo. Hard to pin down in translation (though the author manfully spends a chapter trying to explain the term in its fullest sense), "morbo" encapsulates the fierce rivalry across a club scene fragmented by history, language and politics. The bitter feeling between Barcelona and Real Madrid has, of course, been well-documented elsewhere. Here that famous rivalry is only one component of a landscape of antagonism. In particular, the Basque country in the north-west and Seville in the south both provide breeding grounds for a healthy portion of "morbo", and receive Ball's attention accordingly. The narrative captures the essence of that feeling perfectly, without failing to inform on a historical basis. A splendid chapter traces the ancestry of football in Spain back to the labourers in the English-owned copper mines in Huelva, Andalucia. While Spanish club football has always had its stars, from Di Stefano to Cruyff and Butragueno through to Raul and Luis Figo today, Ball shows that there is a greater force running in its lifeblood. Yet still there remains a paradox; he analyses the historical under-achievement of the Spanish national side in major international tournaments.

The new millennium has seen excellent books focusing on football culture in Holland and France--namely Brilliant Orange and Le Foot. At a time when the stock of Spanish club football has perhaps not been higher since the heyday of Real Madrid in the late 50s and early 60s, Morbo, a triumph in the same vein, thankfully allows us to add Spain to the list. --Trevor Crowe

Genres: Football, Sports, Soccer, Nonfiction, History, Spain, British Literature

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Phil Ball born 1957 in Vancouver, Canada is a British writer based in Spain. He has lived in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, for over twenty years. Born in Canada to English parents, Phil Ball grew up in Grimsby on the north east coast of England, having moved there as a child in 1957. As a youngster Phil Ball supported Grimsby Town, saying "I was brought up on lower league football". After finishing University, Ball took up an English teaching post in a state comprehensive school in Hull. He subsequently taught in Peru and later Oman, eventually moving to San Sebastián after the first Gulf War.

Reviews

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's probably tough to imagine a much better English language book about Spanish football in general. Phil Ball covers the beginning, the (at the time) recent and pretty much every region gets reasonable coverage. For a fan of Spanish football, it's probably essential reading.

With that said, it does have its faults. This book is at its very best when Phil Ball takes us down to the ground or into the seat of a taxi. His descriptions of his conversations with taxi drivers and spectators in the stadiums are impeccable and possess palpable emotion that makes you feel like you're right there. Unfortunately, these reports are very limited in some chapters, and as soon as there's too many specific historical ramblings, it gets a tad tedious and irrelevant to the bigger narrative. The chapter about Real Madrid is in particular one I did not enjoy significantly.

There's also the aspect of Spanish football having gone through such a revolution the later years. I'm a bit intrigued at the prospect of reading Graham Hunter's Barcelona book, as I assume it embodies the massive changes over the last decade or so. Needless to say, the "dark horses" chapter in Phil Ball's book has a completely different meaning to it today, as it becomes about everything Spain has conquered in the latter years.

However, at the end of the day, this is a very good book about Spanish football, and I assume it's natural to have chapters that are more appealing than others in a book like this. If you aren't a fan of Spanish football, I think some of the book's issues might become more apparent, but I'd regard it one of the better football books I've read regardless.

[Jim Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and insightful book and an interesting read to anyone interested in football and Spain in general. Links between Spanish culture, politics and recent history are described well and everything down the different dialect to disagreements to club formation (the correct year) get mentioned. I've only read two books by Phil Ball but will look out for anything else he writes as I enjoy the flow of his writing.

[bookreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

However you measure it, Spanish soccer is at present the best in the world, whether at the level of nation, league, club, or individual player. (This is not a new condition: Real Madrid is the most decorated football team in history.) Despite this success, relatively little is known about the history of Spanish football, probably due to the fact that soccer in Spain dwells at the intersection of culture & politics to a greater degree than in almost any other country. Therefore, an outsider seeking to understand Spanish football must immerse himself in Spanish history, the expression of regional culture, and politics. This is precisely the treacherous course that the felicitously named Englishman, Phil Ball, adopts in writing Spanish football's classic text, brilliantly organized around the concept of "morbo" (a morbid fascination with/diseased loathing of the opposition). You'll learn about the surprising origins of Real Madrid (founded by Catalans) & Barcelona (founded by a Swiss, rather than Catalans), both of whose presidents were killed during the Civil War. Or delight in the knowledge that the legendary short-passing game of "los azulgranas" developed from the methods of an English coach ("lo de Pentland"), or that the prodigious talent factory at La Masia is simply the highest expression of the Basque "cantera" (home-grown talent). For a soccer fan, or anyone interested in Spain & its constituent nations, this book is essential reading.

[Alex Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Football history with a smidge of travel writing is easily my favourite genre, Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy being another gripping read!

Favourite chapter was when Basque-living Phil conversed with numerous taxi drivers in Andalusia and had the earth-shattering feeling most of us more interested in narratives and history regarding football than the tactics deployed in matches had when some of them simply didn't care.

Great book!

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Que fantastico! Ok, that was cheesy, but what a book! Phil Ball is an amazing writer. He easily navigates complex socio-political subject matter and ties it in magnificently with the sport he loves. Throughout, he's simultaneously alluding to semi-obscure Shakespeare and dropping $100 words but with the comforting lack of pretension and formality of an old friend. The highest compliment I think I can pay it is this: If you don't like soccer/football, I think you could still like this book

Then there's the subject matter, which is brilliant in its own right. Spain is such a beautifully complicated country and this is echoed in how it plays, watches, and obsesses over its favorite sport. I'm actually interested to read the original version of this book (published in 2001, I believe) to see how it differs from this one, obviously written to accomodate the fact that, since the original publication, Spain has become the dominant force in world football on both a club and international level.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morbo (2003, 2011 update) by Phil Ball is a thorough, well written history of Spanish Football. Phil Ball knows his subject and takes the reader on a tour of the major clubs in Spain and the first club in Spain, Huelva.
He provides a narrative based on ‘morbo’ a sort of loathing antagonism to tie his subject together. It doesn’t really work that well but for anyone interested in football his facts and stories provide enough interest. He also tells tales of his travelling around Spain to write the book. At times this is a little annoying but at other times it works well. Ball also has a nuanced view of many of the issues, such as Franco’s support for Real Madrid and points out that people who believe that Franco made Real are overstating their case. Also in looking at inter city rivalries he finds that many are far more complex than are often reported.
For any football fan the book is well worth reading as it would be for anyone who is interested in Spanish history in the twentieth century.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

WSC books are simply great reads.

[Johnny Keeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two years later I’ve finally finished 🫡 So interesting to learn the political, societal and cultural differences between the major clubs in Spain. The author says nowhere in the world is soccer so political as it is there and he makes a very strong argument while also being very balanced in his approach. I loved it! And Viva Betis! 💚

[J H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and well researched but a little dry. Given it was written around 2003 it's funny reading it with the knowledge of what happens next I.e just before Spain become the dominant football force in the world.

[Paul Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A first the style of writing annoyed me ("the game had obviously begun to spread like a benevolent virus"), as well as some of the exagerrated statements, such as suggesting that 'morbo' is the true governing body of Spanish football, at the end of Chapter 1.

However, I got into it / got over it and enjoyed some of the other chapters, especially Chapter 5 (Madrid) and Chapter 9 (Spanish Club Culture).

My background - I'm a Spanish speaker, studied translating and interpreting at university, so I enjoyed the Spanish phrases. For non-Spanish speakers, some of them need a little more explanation, especially the Regional languages. The Catalan word "seny" on page 110, for example.

One of the most interesting things about morbo is that the Chapter on the national team was written before they had won the World Cup or the two European Championships of their golden era. A criticism could be that this means it is slightly dated, however still fascinating to read of an underachieving nation when you think what came next! Could the same happen with England? (I am ever an optimist!).

And arguably two of the best players in the world are entirely missing from this book - Messi and Ronaldo, as the book ends in about 2003. Their success seems almost even more incredible when you consider that they now occupy spots 1 and 2 in the all time la liga scorers, yet hadn't even got going when this book was published.

There has been one change in the all time la liga stats table on page 60 too, with Valencia now having accrued more points than Bilbao.

One final point, probably because he has become settled in Spain, Mr Ball frequently criticises the Premier League and I think unfairly so (I am a season ticket holder at Leicester). I used to believe that La Liga was the best league in the world, but I think the Premier League has surpassed it on all counts.

A greater number of clubs in England could win the Prem than is the case in Spain with La Liga, despite everything that could be written about The Etihad and Abramovich, my team being a classic example, and there is simply no easy game in the Premier League. Bottom can and do beat Top.

[Ian Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read.

Wonderful, insightful history of Spanish football. Couldn't put it down. A must read for all football fans around the world.

[Grant Scalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read - if you really want to know the history of Spanish soccer. The book delves in to the many facets of the Spanish culture that is soccer. The key theme is the book's title, Morbo, which means disease in Spanish. Ball talks about the autonomous regions of Spain and how their interactions brought about this morbo feeling in the sport. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the book. If you are looking for something geared more towards Real Madrid and/or Barcelona, this isn't for you. Ball does well to talk about all clubs.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less of a chronological historical guide and more of a club by club and rivalry guide with history of the important clubs, regions, and the national team.

Tor!: The Story of German Football. Ulrich Hesse-Lichtenberger is a better style and history on its respective country than this book, good as it is.

[Kim Montague · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again Phil Ball managed to capture our imaginations with his masterly interpretation of the history of Spanish football. He covers everything about the game from beginning to present day Spanish football. The newer release also entails the World Cup winning moment for the Spaniards. Personally, I recommend this to all true football fans. It's a great source of knowledge as well.

[Doruk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Phil Ball's articles and the book is written in a similar vein. However, the narrative drags in a lot of places and the overall structure of the book is not the best. The chapter on Seville was rather disappointing but overall there was a lot of good stuff here - especially around historical context of the big clubs.

[Leni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I would have wanted more detailed but I guess we all have our limits. A good history. You hardly notice that Phil Ball has gone 'native' right until the page where he tells you he opted to have his child in San Sebastian. It's quite a balanced and fair account when you reflect on it, despite discovering this fact towards the end.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is excellent.
Phil Ball is an excellent writer: clever, articulate, well-informed, and often funny. I'm sure he could produce great books on any subject. It's good luck for football fans he chose this one.

[Elizabeth Traver · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever wanted to know the history of Spanish soccer: how it arrived, the formation of the different Club teams throughout the country and what it might feel like to meet a Spanish soccer fan without actually going to Spain, this is the book for you! It's a darn good read.

[Leo Susana]

I started reading this book last summer ( 2012 ) and was loving it. I set it aside don't remember why, but am pondering whether to start again or pick up where I left off. Morbo dives into the bitter rivalries in Spanish Football and how politics has played a role in how people perceive teams.

[aNorthernSoul Lightbown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phil Ball certainly knows his Spanish football, and this is a painstakingly researched, well-written entry in the Spanish football genre. Great historical insights and covers into the 21st century. An update would be welcome.

[Rubén Tojeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love La Liga's bigger teams, you'll love this book

A good introduction to this topic, which is made accessible to those who don't follow the Spanish game by focusing on its biggest teams.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some general history of Spanish football followed by chapters on each of the major cities and their teams. Some chapterws more interesting than others. Lacks overall theme

[Dеnnis]

After reading it I keep on impressing everyone incl Spaniards, although I never been to Spain :D

[Julissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating read and very well written.
the best chapter by far was the betis/sevilla one. glad they updated this to include the world cup.

[Vineeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

good one

[Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, as much about Spanish culture as football

[Raman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great introduction to Spain -- and not just in footballing terms but also in social, cultural and historical perspectives.

Needs to be updated, though.

[Justin Pauls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this perspective on La Liga and the history of Spanish soccer. It's an interesting journey that tells you a lot about the various regions in Spain.

[Stuart Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, entertaining read, full of quirky little asides and as much about Spanish culture and society as it is simply about football.

[Augusto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tem um equilíbrio interessante entre diversão e informação. O autor é um expatriado britânico que vive em San Sebastian, fanático por futebol mas que não imprime necessariamente todas as suas perspectivas. As muiitas tiradas e piadas são boas, os relatos das entrevistas são bem escritos e a apuração é adequada.

Por falar nisso: se me permitem uma crítica é o fato da figura nefasta do Ángel Maria Villar ser citada en passant no posfácio do livro: pouco menos de 15 anos depois da publicação desta obra o cartola seria preso pelo envolvimento com lavagem de dinheiro, não sem antes ter passado quase 20 (!!!) anos como presidente da RFEF e Vice-Presidente tanto da UEFA quanto da FIFA. Boys will be boys.

"Morbo" é um termo meio amorfo que caracteriza os antagonismos entre os times da Espanha, antagonismos estes que refletem também a inquietação social e política entre as regiões. Algumas conclusões interessantes vão de encontro ao que eu mesmo tinha em mente quanto às identidades desportivas e regionais.