More Than Just a Game: Soccer vs. Apartheid: The Most Important Soccer Story Ever Told

by Chuck Korr, Marvin Close

Timed perfectly for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the true story of how political prisoners under apartheid found hope and dignity through soccer In the hell that was Robben Island, inmates united courageously in an act of protest. Beginning in 1964, they requested the right to play soccer during their exercise periods. Denied repeatedly, they risked beatings and food deprivation by repeating their request for three years. Finally granted this right, the prisoners banded together to form a multi-tiered, pro-level league that ran for more than two decades and served as an impassioned symbol of resistance against apartheid. Former Robben Island inmate Nelson Mandela noted in the documentary 90 Minutes for Mandela, “Soccer is more than just a game…. The energy, passion, and dedication this game created made us feel alive and triumphant despite the situation we found ourselves in.”

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

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2010

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful! An inspiring story that gives me hope. It shows me what true struggles can be like and how to overcome them.

[Roman Khripunov · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not read past page 100. It is extremely boring.

[Stephen Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important story, but told poorly. The authors have created a time based narrative without finding a through line or focus to engage the reader. It’s a missed opportunity.

[AxelNino · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't recommend this book for people who really don't like to read, it has too much reading and many things that no everyone would use understand it.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for a school book report. We were required to read 2 fiction and 2 non fiction. I read this one as one of my none fictions ones. I am not usually interested in none-fiction and wasn't excited going into the reading. By the end of the book though, it had become one of my favorites, or at least on of my favorite non fiction books.

I am a soccer player myself, so this automatically made it an area of interest. There was a lot of information, and you could tell it was a nonfiction book, but there was also a story unlike so many non fiction books. It wasn't just hard facts, it was facts intertwined with an interesting story of the struggle to have a organized soccer league.

I recommend this book to anyone. It may not be the fast thriller that you're looking for, but if you want to learn something new, then this is the book for you. Also, if you are a soccer player or play any sport in general, this is a very interesting read.

I own this book in hard cover with very little folds or harm done to the book.

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was especially disappointing because the topic has so much potential, but the work is extremely poorly executed. It is the rare book I could not finish (but I did make it through about 150 pages before my wife told me it was ok to give up). The authors seem much more interested in the minutia of how the Robbin Island soccer league was run than the personalities populating the island prison, or what the league meant in the history of South Africa. It is an especially disappointing work of history since most of the principles are alive/could be interviewed for the book, but their voices are largely absent in the text. (The best part of the book that I made it through is the first few chapters describing how these men ended up on Robbin Island.) I hope the book was rushed to make it out in time for South Africa 2010, and someone else will make a more thoughtful run at the topic in the future. As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about prison and soccer, trust me when I tell you to stay away from this book.

[Cesar]

I enjoyed reading this book because it was about something that I love doing which is playing soccer. This book was different from all the other soccer related books that I have read because this book was about prisoners playing soccer. It's about a prison that starts a soccer league so that it could increase the confidence, managerial skills, and the morale of the inmates. The prisoners felt the duty to become more physical and so soccer became their regular routine and it allowed the prisoners to do something they enjoyed doing. Playing soccer in the prison helped the inmates become more connected to each other and they also came closer together despite their color or race. This book was really good and I recommend reading this book.

[Manish Sapkota · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book had loads of potential to deliver a powerful narrative of how soccer played an important role in the lives of some of the future South African leaders including Jacob Zuma during their imprisonment. There are parts in the book where we can get a sense of unwavering commitment of the prisoners to democratic values and principles and how they practiced democracy in the football league. Yet, the writer dilutes some of the potentially powerful messages of the book in his excessive engagement with minute details of the Makana league and the problems within the league which were not very hard to fathom. Still, it was good to know that Zuma was Daniel Passarella of the Robben Island.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful testament to the power and potential of sport and a fascinating story of how South African political prisoners used soccer to practice democracy, maintain their dignity, and transcend their horrendous circumstances.

[VaughanPL]

Click here to find it in the catalogue.

[Rhianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love it but it wasn't an easy read

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very interesting story that the author tried to make extremely boring. He succeeded.

[Ang Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read! I liked the focus on the day to day life of the prisoners.