Played in Germany

This was a really pleasant surprise. A well researched and racily written overview of Germany through the eyes of its football clubs and supporters who are freely quoted throughout.

This is a timely publication given that Germany will be hosting Euro24 and the thousands of visitors to the competition will be thoroughly educated and entertained if they browse through this excellent book beforehand.

Highly recommended.

'Played in Germany' is a well-researched, witty and interesting social history of football in Germany. It largely sidesteps cliche and covers an awful lot of ground without sacrificing depth. The book is full of insights from football fans (rather than players) and Holden has a way with a telling phrase, such as 'The Ruhr may always have been the engine of German industry. But it was Stuttgart, way down in the south-west, which produced its most famous motor'. He also picks up nicely on that much-misunderstood force, German humour, for instance in quoting an 1860 München fan on their clubs decline: 'that has less to do with idealism, and more to do with incompetence.’ There might have been more on Germany's long dominance of women's football, which only gets a brief mention, and for me this book could have been quite a bit longer, which is probably the greatest praise I can offer.

I have an interest in football, history and politics so, for me, this was an ideal book!
Using the structure of providing insight into a number of the significant football teams in Germany, and their respective geographical locations, the author's narrative rattles along at a refreshing pace thus avoiding what might have been a repetitive format. Through a history of the Clubs, the different regions of Germany are introduced in an interesting way through their own political and social histories, and, although historical incidents are referenced, discussion of current events gives a freshness to the narrative, and stories from fans of the Clubs provide great personal anecdotes on the impact of football on people's lives.
With the European Championships being held in Germany in June this year this book certainly delivers a great taster for anyone looking forward to the event.
Thank you to netgalley and duckworth books for an advance copy of this book

Played in Germany has the subtitle ‘A Footballing Journey Through a Nation's Soul’ and it does exactly that. Author Kit Holden expertly takes the reader on a journey through Germany to look at the historical, cultural, and social influences that make fußball what it is in the country.
The publication of the book is timed with the 2024 European Championships, in Germany, and the simple premise is that each chapter looks at one of the venues for the tournament. What Holden produces is a book that is easy to read due to the expert storytelling. It could be read in one sitting such is the skill on show. Holden has chosen his interviewees wisely and this tool brings the reader into the conversation, and it creates a wonderfully nuanced view of each part of Germany.

Although the book’s leitmotif is the European Championships, this book will last far longer than the football tournament. Holden’s journey into modern Germany has many fascinating sections and serves to enlighten the reader as to what makes the nation tick. It also reaffirms for football fans that their own footballing influences have a fascinating backstory and they, will, find out why they love their team and hate their rivals the way they do.

This book is a must for football fans everywhere and I hope that Holden revisits the German football story in more depth in future because as good as this book is, the reader will want to know more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.