Martin da Cruz

Hi, my debut book From Beauty to Duty: A Footballing History of Uruguay 1878-1917 is OUT NOW through Pitch Publishing. See description, reviews and links to purchase below!

Description

In this first English-language history of Uruguayan football, From Beauty to Duty maps the game’s journey from exclusive British pastime to Uruguayan national passion, bringing to life the teams, players and personalities who helped create one of the world’s most intense sporting cultures. From the start, football was intimately tied to Uruguay’s national story. Wedged between giants Argentina and Brazil and lacking a cohesive national identity, Uruguay used the game to create unified and educated citizens, to put an end to civil war and become an advanced social democracy. Yet football also drove counter-narratives of class and race, challenging Uruguay’s self-identification as a peaceful, ‘white’ nation. From Beauty to Duty is the story of a little country made big.

Key Features

First full-length history of Uruguayan football in English
Explores in depth Uruguay’s rapid adoption of the game, its first clubs and home-grown heroes, intense club rivalries, and the development of a unique national playing style.
The centrality of international football to Uruguay’s footballing story, including the Uruguay–Argentina rivalry, professional English tours, and the founding of CONMEBOL and the Copa America.
Uses rare and extensive archival material gathered in Montevideo.
Places football within Uruguay’s socio-political context and links to global developments.
Tells the story of Uruguay’s pioneering Black footballers, Juan Delgado and Isabelino Gradín.

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