Football is the world’s most popular sport, but according to the authors, it is much more than just a game, as it involves people’s lives, historical changes, social struggles, cultural differences, and the fashions and trends of an era. When describing Sampdoria’s triumph in the 1990/91 season, authors Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini say that “football is a way of life, it is part of the air you breathe”. A great deal has changed in the years following Sampdoria’s most triumphant season, but several key aspects remain the same.
A Beautiful Season is the story of a truly extraordinary year, which touched the hearts both of Sampdoria fans and of Italian football in general. These were the years of Van Basten and Maradona, the advent of televised entertainment, and the arrival of the big agents, as well as the collapse of the USSR and the Gulf War. The authors analyse all these factors, by way of explaining the reasons behind Sampdoria’s success, and to convey the prevalent feelings during this time. They describe, for example, a trip to Turin, highlighting the differences between the Piedmontese capital and Genoa, and explaining how simple geography can have a profound impact on people’s lives.
According to the authors, footballers are privileged, because they have the opportunity to travel the world, to give in to their physical sensations and intuition, and to simply wander. This has been somewhat lost in today’s world of social media, smartphones, and economic interests. The shirt players wear on the pitch every weekend is no longer a symbol of belonging, but a mere bargaining chip between mercenaries and contractors. Mancini and Vialli, however, point out that sporting success is often not just about the competition itself, but also authenticity, self-respect, respect for the people around you, and the joy of what you do. Throughout the book, they emphasise the important role these factors played in Sampdoria’s journey to the top, as well as the openness and camaraderie between the players, coach Vujadin Boškov, and club president Paolo Mantovani, who always respected the job the other was there to do.
A Beautiful Season highlights the fact that a positive and motivational approach is a key factor in sports and in the pursuit of success, and more generally, in the search for meaning in life and in appreciating our relationships with other people.
