One Night in Turin: The Inside Story of a World Cup that Changed our Footballing Nation Forever

by Pete Davies

It was the World Cup semi-finals. On 4th July, 1990, in a stadium in Turin, Gazza cried, England lost and football changed forever. This is the inside story of Italia '90 - we meet the players, the hooligans, the agents, the journalists, the fans. Writer Pete Davies was given nine months full access to the England squad and their manager Bobby Robson. One Night in Turin is his thrilling insider account of the summer when football became the greatest show on earth.

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

496 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 1995

About the author

Pete Davies is best known as the author of All Played Out, the classic account of the Italian World Cup in 1990 that's been continuously in print ever since it hit the bestseller list. He's also the author of three novels, and eight other works of non-fiction.

Davies has written about sport and politics, history and science, travel and weather. He's flown in hurricanes over the Gulf of Mexico and off the Carolinas, chased tornadoes on the Great Plains, and followed stories around the world from Central America to East Africa, from India to Japan, from Hong Kong to the high Arctic.

Davies was born in 1959 and lives in West Yorkshire, England. He was prolifically productive in the 1990's, but after American Road came out in 2002, he disappeared from view. In deteriorating health, he was told in 2006 that he had two years left to live.

Davies defied that diagnosis, and in 2017 - after fifteen years of silence - he published his novel Playlist. A wildly inventive comedy, Playlist marks a stunning and unexpected return to print for one of the most original voices of his generation.

Reviews

[Tim Roast · Rating 4 out of 5]

“All Played Out” is the tale of Italia ’90, with a focus on England’s time there. It is interesting reading it now as in many ways despite not being that long ago it seems a different era. This was a time when the Premier League hadn’t begun, when Lineker had scored only thirty-odd goals for England, and when it was still just 2-points for a win. Also “these were the horror days of a nation all played out, a nation of riot and yobbery, a nation whose football was oafish and whose fans were louts.” Hooligans are far less an issue these days of course.

Along the way as the author follows England there is a lot of talk of the “fans” and the thuggish behaviour of a minority, always written about in the English press in an over-exaggerated manner, and the thuggish behaviour of the Italians too, plus their baton-wielding police. There is also a lot of talk about the English press, “the worst disciplined press in Western Europe”, because the author of the book was a fully signed-up member of the press pack with all the privileged access that brings, this access allowing him to conduct several interviews in the book with members of England’s playing squad, as well as the manager.

Some of these interviews are interesting retrospectively now, like how Lineker would “like to go into television”, and how Waddle thought Gazza with his personality could be a danger to himself when he was older. Also retrospectively it looks odd why Bobby Robson got so many negative headlines as England manager with his impressive record of a world cup quarter-final followed by a semi-final, but when the author maligns the press behaviour through much of the book you can probably begin to see why that happened.

The book also delves into football more technically than other offerings, with lots in particular on systems with 4-4-2 being said to be “all played out”. The author also covers all the wider football stuff going on at the World Cup in “Planet Football” with England players performing commercial activities such as casually modelling clothes or delivering Malaysian sound-bites, and some remarks on the official cheese of Italia ’90 with a multitude of tall, beautiful cheesewomen being present at various press events, never failing to impress the author, although the cheese less so as he never talks about tasting it.

The book covers more than just football though. For example it starts before the World Cup with a journey to Sardinia and Cagliari, England’s World Cup base for their group games, and delves into the history and culture of the place. Some of this works better than other bits, for example all the administration bits about waiting for fax machines to work etc. as he tries to obtain press tickets and the like could have been left out.

There is also a good writing style present too. On the unpredictable Gazza getting fouled: “Will he clout the guy? Or will he get up and shake his hand, pat his face and ruffle his hair, then embrace the referee?” And on the stadiums: “where the ordinary folk go to watch the men who’ve got gold in their shoes.”

Overall then an enjoyable read, and if you want to play a game whilst reading then see if you predict when the author is just about to use his favourite phrases “all played out” and “Planet Football”.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this was even better than watching the tournament. It's a true fan's account of what it is to watch football. Nick Hornby is fine for those who haven't truly got it in the blood, but Pete Davies is the real thing.

When it first came out I had a number of aspiring footballers who wouldn't read in my tutor group. They all read this...and a few went on to read a few other books I had on my desk at the time---A Rough Ride, I Lost my Heart to the Belles, Jonathan --- even some non-sporting books.

Trivia Question: What does Pete Davies have in common with ex Yorkshire and England fast bowler, Chris Old?

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

i dont really know what i'm giving 4 stars here - this book or the mutant cultural nebula of 1990. i am increasingly uninterested in the present because it's mostly stupid, so instead i am enjoying the stupid past. this is a good slice of stupid past if you are curious about old times soccer, permanent nationalism malfunctions, and or sardinia

[Christopher Athey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pivotal moment in football that had significant underlying impact on the commercialisation of sport is expertly considered in this part historical account, part journal. Perhaps more importantly, from the authors perspective and ours, the work expands and reflects on an great sporting event that beckoned a sea change in the mood and cultural outlook of a generation of football supporters.

In June 1990 the England football team and supporters travelled to Italy to take part in Italia 90, beginning their games in Cagliari, Sardinia and touring Italy as the team played crucial games in Bologona, Naples, Turin and Bari.

More an adventure story, drawing on standard sporting emotional themes hope, expectation and believe with a good dose of social comment it's hard to draw attention to the book while not explaining the sporting context and with all due respect I am humbly incapable of doing, so allow me to indulge. Without question England had talent in the team, it took a manager willing to be flexible and adapt to draw out the best in the team and produce England's second best international tournament result. A team that was more than the sum of it's parts grew in strength and believe around a spine of talented players, the best known Peter Shilton, Mark Wright, Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker. The next two tournaments England reverted to type and disappointed.

In isolation the book has specific appeal to those with a personal interest, fans, yet I believe there is more to this than the ordinary sporting history. The excellent writing is from the fans perspective and has originality there in comparison to the close to the action memories and insights of players and managers biographies and autobiographies. From a historical perspective it bridges two decades of stark contrast for a game about to come home in 1996.

It's a long time since I read this so my rating may be harsh.

[Dave Wharton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still wake up at night wondering what would have happened if England had won the penalty shoot-out...

Written at a time when there was no ubiquitous World Wide-Web, few tell-all football biographies, and far less intense media scrutiny on footballers' lives off the pitch, this thoroughly engrossing 'behind the scenes' account of the goings-on in England's World Cup 1990 camp was unputdownable from start to finish.

[Mark Hirst · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book ever, unlikely to ever be surpassed. Only book I've ever read twice

[Rob Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding.

Football writing doesn’t come better than this absorbing read.

Arise, Sir Pete Davies.

[Aidan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The World Cup can always be relied upon to provide tales of sporting heroism and drama; joy and pain; smiles and tears in equal measure. Many nations’ sporting histories are inextricably linked to their successes and failures in the World Cup. Eras are defined by it. For England, in amongst the many disappointments, there are two lofty peaks. 1966 is the loftiest of all of course, but 1990 came within a whisker of matching it.

Against a backdrop of European isolation thanks to the post-Heysel ban on English teams; a well deserved reputation at the time for fan hooliganism; a team seemingly bereft of ideas and inspiration coming off the back of a terrible Euro ’88; a set of players schooled in kick and rush, 4-4-2, and the art of the headless chicken. At the helm was Bobby Robson, clinging on despite an intolerable level of vitriol and ridicule. It’s easy to look back with 20-20 hindsight and imagine that Robson was held in the same great esteem then as he was in his latter years, but that simply wasn’t true. It was also while football in England was yet to become “cool” again, with the advent of the Premier League still two years away. Attendances were low and fans were tolerated rather than desired. It was another time altogether.

Amid all this, Pete Davies followed the England team through the final few qualifiers in Sweden and Poland and on to the tournament in Italy. He enjoyed an unparalleled level of access, not just to the team and staff, but also to the press corps who followed them. This would be the cause of great angst from the men of the press when the book was published, with many feeling their confidences had been betrayed; something that would prevent such access for a book being given to quite the same extent again. What Davies produced is quite simply the best behind the scenes football book I’ve ever read. The access Davies enjoyed allowed him to bring such depth to this book that not only takes us through the World Cup adventure but makes the reader feel they were travelling along with the team too.

There are discussions with several players about the manager’s inflexible belief in 4-4-2 and its rigidity. An enlightening exchange given what happened in the second match of the tournament when England suddenly abandoned all they’d previously held dear, allegedly at he behest of the key players, and cut loose in a 5-3-2 system that allowed the more creative players to express themselves. Another fine chapter is devoted to the enigma that was John Barnes, stifled as he was by the rigid restrictions of the formation.

There are revealing insights into the players thoughts, such as the obvious pain in Steve McMahon talking about a costly error in the group match with Ireland, or with the players broken relationship with the press, or Paul Gascoigne’s ongoing antics. My favourite anecdote sees a handful of the players wandering down to a beach near Naples on the day before the quarter final with Cameroon. They signed autographs, chatted with the locals and kicked a ball about with them, making everyone’s day.

Davies also travelled extensively in Italy before and during the tournament; he visits England’s island outpost in Cagliari several times and navigates the minefield of accreditation bureaucracy on several occasions, and also witnessed other key moments in the tournament bookended by Argentina and Diego Maradona. Beginning with his declaration of “defending Argentina in the World Cup” as opposed to defending the World Cup for Argentina, before delighting billions worldwide by promptly losing the opening match to Cameroon, he then sees a moment of magic in Argentina’s second round defeat of Brazil. It culminated in tears for Diego come final day of course, but in a tournament lacking in real quality there was more than enough of a dramatic narrative to make this an epic read.

But the main theme is of course England. Davies tells a tale of a broken national game that is All Played Out, which rose in unlikely circumstances to come within a kick of the final itself. It is no understatement to say that without this success, and the new found popularity that came with it, English football may not have become so cool and made the stratospheric leap into the Premier League era and all its riches quite as quickly as it did. As the book blurb says: “Gazza cried, and football changed forever.” For those of us for whom this tournament was a seminal moment in our youth it is glorious and yet sorrowful reading. England came so close, but this book goes all the way and is quite simply magnificent.

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

magnificent.

[PinkieBrown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winning the 1/4 final spurred me to try to read this again in the gap between hope and mild disappointment. This is a book borne out of a very particularly set of circumstances that makes it a historical document; and if this sport doesn’t strike you as ever worth using the word “historical” about then, I get it, but its different worlds entirely in which we exist.

The turmoil of Hillsborough that is finally being brought to proper closure, rumbles through this story; Steve MacMahon’s tale of the drawing together of community, the loss of 200,000 sales of the Sun on Merseyside; abrades against apocrypha about national newspaper photographers offering bricks to throw through Sardinian shop windows; denials by the Sports Minister that they are pandering to the press; weak claims by “fans” that they never start anything, just finish it. The book is a transformative experience of football returning to being a sport of the heart. The stirrings of the commercial beast it will become are also there so it stands at a crossroads; English football rehabilitating but maybe selling its soul, expensively.

It’s oblique biography of Bobby Robson especially; how close Davies got to the manager and squad; Chris Waddle’s shockingly prescient prediction of what Gazza could become; the seeds of Gary Lineker’s media future. Close enough to get at a truth that you need thirty years to prove.

[Thiago S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just abandoned it. Wasnt what I expected. Overrated.

The story about Cagliari promotion at the first part tried to be epic, but in fact it was boring, plastic and repetitive. The style of the author is so "smart" and "cool" and I dont think I can take it for some hundreds of pages.

Paradoxically, I bought this book to see about the "old times" (at least for me) of the early 90's but it seems to have been written by one of those "pretends-to-be-funny" football pundits which are infesting the sports channels in the years 2010's. Its so "modern" in the bad meaning of the word. It doesnt have the ability to make you feel on the "raw terraces", which I believe should be the correct thing in a book about ENGLAND and the 1990 WORLD CUP.

I cant realize why this book is so good rated since its boring and too much informal. His chat with Butcher is amusing and looks more as a draft of a book than a complete job.

Overall, seems that the book was published in a hurry, and without an editor. Maybe I can return to it when I have a LOT of free time, but by now, I have MUCH better things to read. One of the worst buys of the year so far, sad because I like very much the English team and Gazza.

I ve read some football books written in an informal way, but they were written by hooligans or common fans. ONIT author is a complete different animal, it just doesnt work.

[Adrian Fingleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems a bit weird to be reading and reviewing this book 28 years or so after it was written. But I recently saw it cited as ‘the best book ever written about Football’ so I knew I had to read it. And it IS good, just maybe not THAT good…

Italia 90 was when Ireland went crazy as Ireland got to the last 8 of the World Cup for the first time, before being knocked out by the hosts, Italy. Ireland were also in England’s group, so while we feature tangentially in this book, I do have absorbing memories of the events that are referenced as the author charts England’s progress to the semis, Gazza’s tears etc.

It is absorbing, well written, focused on many of the key players. I guess this far down the road interviews with people like (say) Chris Waddle are a bit out-dated. But the book does capture the atmosphere, the tension, the violence, the way that the fan always gets screwed, even the decent ones. And the writer’s heart is in the right place, that shines through. His access to Bobby Robson reveals him to have been the decent man that he appeared to be. Some of the descriptive passages about the good and bad aspects of the Italian landscape, urban and otherwise are also evocative.

In truth, It seems (at least reading it now) to be a bit too long. But I really did enjoy it and it took me straight down to memory lane and the events of 1990. Four stars.

[Rick Burin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read something suitable between World Cup matches, so I got this: the ‘inside story’ of my first and favourite World Cup, sometimes cited as the best book ever written about football.

Boy can Davies write – and write emotively – when he wants to, ruminating on the suffocating horror of a visit to Auschwitz or the bitter glory of England’s semi-final defeat, and his access to Bobby Robson and his squad is truly remarkable, but too much of the book is about his personal itinerary, which evokes the breathless, sleepless insanity of what he terms ‘Planet Football’ but isn’t terribly compelling in itself, and makes the book an odd jumble of elements, alongside some laboured running jokes, and a little too much score-settling (though Davies is nothing if not even-handed in his portraits of the press, the fans and the England camp).

His book is more incisive and insightful than James Erskine’s thin, glossy film adaptation, capturing some essential truths about what football gives us, and operating as a vivid snapshot of a turning point in the sport’s culture – hooliganism juddering in its death throes as rampant commercialism raps on the door – but it’s more uneven and self-indulgent than I expected: in World Cup terms, a Denilson rather than a Ronaldo.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely magnificent book which captures the mood of Italia 90 superbly. It's the best book about football I have ever read but it's a great piece of history too. With access to players and officials that would never be granted now, and players who engage in a way they would never be permitted to now, what you get is a fabulous insight into how England came so close to a World Cup Final despite an appalling start.

There is so much to dislike: hapless officials in Italy and at the FA; a Government that doesn't understand football; hooligans; disgraceful journalists; awful policing; a brutal Argentina team; lots of low scoring matches. And yet, and yet ... From somewhere England participate in the three best matches of the tournament, there is an honesty and joy that exudes from the England players and Pete Davies captures it all magnificently.


While Fever Pitch is a better known book about football for non football fans, I prefer this. If you want to get ready for Brazil 2014 there is no better way than reading this book.

And you know what? I sat next to Roy Hodgson at dinner last week and told him exactly that.

[Tom Rodwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Staggering nostalgia of England's greatest ever tournament away from home

I wasn't born when Italia 90 happened. As a dedicated fan of the game, it actually pains me to write that... And until now I had to rely on stories of those who were alive (or even there) to help me understand what it was like.

Now, 48 hours before the next World Cup, I feel like I was there.. And that is thanks to the crushing honesty, the pure emotion, the creativity and the unrivalled insight that Pete Davies has given in One Night in Turin. I have never seen the film that this book has inspired (I'm planning to watch it tomorrow, on the eve of the tournament) but I've no doubt it will struggle to do this titanic book justice.

If you aren't sure about reading this book and are wondering if it will just be one man's ramblings about 'the good old days', let me reassure you: this is pure gold for anyone even remotely interested in England and, indeed, classic international football.

I can only imagine what it would be like to read this book having actually witnessed the tournament as it happened, but this is literally the next best thing.

Oh and... There's only one Paul Gascoigne.

[Andrew Sharman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pete Davis documents a pivotal moment in the history of English football, between the tragedies of the 1980s at Bradford, Hillsborough and Heysel, and the commercial revolution of the Premier League in the 1990s. Even within the England squad there is a changing of the guard. Bryan Robson, nick-named ‘Captain Marvel’, is injured and replaced by the youthful talent of David Platt, who scores one of the iconic goals of the tournament. For Bobby Robson, the manager, it is the last tournament in which he will take charge of the team. Vilified by the tabloid press in Britain, he has a final opportunity to win the ultimate prize for the country he loves. Davis’ writing style is earthy and emotive. He was given unprecedented access to the squad, the staff and the FA, and makes us feel we are there with him. It will never happen again and for this reason it’s the greatest book on football ever written.

[Joe Scahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best football book i've ever read, from a time when there was still mystery in and around football and footballers at World Cups.
The access Davies has to the England camp is pretty much boundless, leading to some interviews and expansive thoughts from the leading players such as Lineker and Waddle. Honest, open and clearly having complete trust in Davies. This book could not be written today.
Add in the fact the book acts as a travel guide to Sardinia and Italy, the stadia, bars and stations - it becomes a great blend of adveture, travel and eventual (sporting) tragedy, all beautifully written.
The film spin off One Night In Turin barely captures what lies in these pages, and it's one of the few books i've read twice.
Could not recommend more.

[Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was awesome to return to my first World Cup. My first WC and the best in my opinion. No other people have the passion and love for football like the Italians. This book brought me back to those sweet childhood vivid memories. And Maradona, you can say a lot about him, but what a character!

I loved how the football parts were conveyed, the drama and emotions, but I could live without the major parts of the stories revolvoing around the fans endeavours and achievements and other stuff like that.

Honestly, it became somewhat tedious in the end and a subtitle could actually be added to the title (eg - "a journey among the English fans"). 300 pages would easily have been sufficient to saturate my World Cup ´90 hunger.

[Peter Boyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the World Cup on the horizon I decided to read this recognised classic as a means of whetting my appetite. It gives a gripping account of England's journey through Italia 90 as well as the effect of the World Cup on the soccer-mad Italian nation. I enjoyed the football aspects of the book - the honest and revealing interviews with Bobby Robson, Chris Waddle and Terry Butcher are fascinating. The stories around the disastrous organisation, reporting on hooliganism and cronyism in the FA I was less enamoured with. Nevertheless it is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in one of the most intriguing World Cups of recent years.

[Overmind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is tremendously entertaining. One of my favourite books of all time. The chapter on John Barnes deserves a review in itself.

The original title of the book was "All Played Out" and this confused me for a while. The book (with the original title) was MUCH more expensive on Amazon. This version is a much more reasonable price and from what I can see is basically the same book.

There is also a film with the same title but in my opinion is is not comparable. The book really captures the romance of football in a way the the video does not.

[Piers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously it helps that I'm a massive football fan. Obviously it helps that I know much of the story already. But this was somehow both incredibly personal, and touches on a wide range of sporting, social and political issues.

Davies paints a wonderful picture of the sights, sounds, smells and sensations of following the circus of the World Cup around Italy in the face of on-field problems, 0ff-field controversy, hooliganism, policing, press intrigue... there's so much going on. So many parallel stories. I was gripped the whole way through to a scintilating conclusion. Loved it.

[Paul Mcloughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely enjoyable and entertaining read about the 1990 World Cup, and in particular the England team's epic journey to the semi-finals. Great to read lengthy, thoughtful interviews with good football men like Robson, Lineker, Barnes, Waddle etc. The portrayal of the England fans was more nuanced and thought-provoking than we are used to. A good read about a time when football was on the cusp of massive changes.

[Ystyn Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little meandering at times, but overall a fascinating look into the ways of English football, particularly relating to strategy and hooliganism. This was the last World Cup before I started watching them so it was nice to be surprised by the results and the genuine tension that this created.

[Dan Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this many years ago but I remember a few things so it must have made an impression on me. The details of the author's travels supporting England at Italia 90 are OK but the interest is in the theme of how the England team were perceived and how this linked to national image. Worth a read.

[Nathan M. Corzine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still one of the best soccer narratives ever written. An honest, often hilarious (ie. Maradona's shot regimen turning him into a "fat, mad, immobilised dwarf"), and insight filled tour of Italia '90 -- since reissued as "One Night in Turin"

[Kevin Coaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Italia 90 nostalgia piece, and it's time ground-breaking like 'Fever Pitch'. I actually felt it only scratched the surface, and isn't on a par as the Kevin Allen documentary.

[Dan Stapleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lived up to the hype. An extraordinary work of non-fiction.

[Michael Speight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly essential.

[Darren Richman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read about sport.

[Simon Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first experience of football's new literati in the 90's. A wonderful and absorbing book.