Seven Dials More Than A Shirt: How Football Shirts Explain Global Politics, Money and Power | Paperback

Explore the profound cultural, financial, and political narratives woven into the fabric of football shirts with Joey D'Urso's compelling and eye-opening investigation. This book reveals how the seemingly simple combination of colors, sponsor logos, and materials on a football jersey reflects the social values, financial struggles, and geopolitical ideologies shaping the modern world.

Investigative journalist Joey D'Urso travels globally, combining on-the-ground reporting with deep analysis to identify twenty-two specific football shirts that serve as powerful explanations of contemporary global issues. The journey spans locations from Birmingham and Belgrade to Medellin and Mumbai, illustrating complex connections, such as seeing the war in Ukraine reflected in Schalke's German shirt, China's foreign policy in West Bromwich Albion's kit, and worldwide migration patterns embodied in the French national kit.

Awards and Recognition

• SHORTLISTED FOR THE BEST SPORTS WRITING OF THE YEAR AWARD
• LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
• A GUARDIAN SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
• A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR

Key Insights

• Examines football shirts as the sport's greatest means of cultural expression.
• Connects seemingly innocuous designs to broader geopolitical issues increasingly impacting the game.
• Features unparalleled analysis by author Joey D'Urso.

Specifications

Author: D'Urso, Joey

Binding: paperback

Language: English

Print Length: 400 pages

Publication Date: May 7, 2026

ISBN-10: 139962282X

ISBN-13: 978-1399622820

Dimensions: 126 x 26 x 196mm (Approx.)

Weight: 304 g

More Than A Shirt promises to fundamentally change how readers view the beautiful game's most universal symbol.