• Angels with Dirty Faces

  • How Argentinian Soccer Defined a Nation and Changed the Game Forever
  • By: Jonathan Wilson
  • Narrated by: John Sackville
  • Length: 20 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (7 ratings)

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Angels with Dirty Faces  By  cover art

Angels with Dirty Faces

By: Jonathan Wilson
Narrated by: John Sackville
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Publisher's summary

The Masterful, Definitive History of Argentinian Soccer

Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Alfredo Di Stéfano: in every generation Argentina has uncovered a uniquely brilliant soccer talent. Perhaps it's because the country lives and breathes the game, its theories, and its myths. Argentina's rich, volatile history—by turns sublime and ruthlessly pragmatic—is mirrored in the style and swagger of its national and club sides. In Angels with Dirty Faces, Jonathan Wilson chronicles the operatic drama of Argentinian soccer: the appropriation of the British game, the golden age of la nuestra, the exuberant style of playing that developed as Juan Perón led the country, a hardening into the brutal methods of anti-fútbol, the fusion of beauty and efficacy under César Luis Menotti, and the emergence of all-time greats.

©2016 Jonathan Wilson (P)2022 Bold Type Books
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"Argentina's narrative is complicated, and Jonathan Wilson mines all of it ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES. What sets Wilson's book apart is the depth to which he goes to show how soccer weaves through Argentina's political and economic turmoil. He finds that the country's most celebrated moments and players are never as great as they seem.”—Bloomberg Businessweek

"Mr. Wilson is the Lionel Messi of world football writing. Few writers in his genre are on the same literary pitch. His latest work is an integral read for those love the Argentinean style of play, its rich history and why football is the true soul of Argentina."—World Football Commentaries

"[A] comprehensive, but immensely readable and wonderfully-researched history of a nation and its long-term love for the beautiful game... After reading this excellent history, you'll be as convinced as Argentina's football-loving population that it won't be long before the Carasucias add to their two World Cup titles.”—News North Wales

What listeners say about Angels with Dirty Faces

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very good. Definitely needs an update now after the 2022 World Cup

Would love to see Jonathan Wilson update the book. He’s an excellent writer and I would recommend any of his books.

I do have to point out what others also have, the narrator’s pronunciation of Spanish names and places is atrocious, and there’s clearly a lot of edits where they had to splice in a better version of a section, which can be a bit disconcerting.

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A great read on Argentinian soccer/football

Jonathan Wilson did a great deal of research and interviews to come up this fascinating overview of soccer/football in Argentina, that also gives a good history lesson and sociology study of the country that gave us Maradona and Messi. John Sackville does a great job of narrating this book. I would recommend this to anybody who has an in interest in Argentina, soccer and South America. I really enjoyed this book.

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