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Simon Kuper

Biography

Simon Kuper

Simon Kuper is a journalist who writes for the Financial Times and publishes in newspapers and magazines around the world. He is one of the world’s leading writers on soccer. His book FOOTBALL AGAINST THE ENEMY won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award. His works are also widely read in translation. Born in Uganda, Kuper spent most of his childhood in the Netherlands and now lives in Paris.

Simon Kuper

Books by Simon Kuper

The Barcelona Complex: Lionel Messi and the Making --- and Unmaking --- of the World's Greatest Soccer Club
by Simon Kuper - History, Nonfiction, Sports

FC Barcelona is not just the world’s highest grossing sports club, it is simply one of the most influential organizations on the planet. It has more in common with multinational megacompanies like Netflix or small nation-states than it does with most soccer teams. No wonder its motto is “More than a club.” But it was not always so. In the past three decades, Barcelona went from a regional team to a global powerhouse, becoming a model of sustained excellence and beautiful soccer, and a consistent winner of championships. Simon Kuper unravels exactly how this transformation took place, paying special attention to the club’s two biggest stars, Johan Cruyff and Lionel Messi, who is arguably the greatest soccer player of all time.