Overview

The greatest game you've never heard of. Who was the best Brazilian footballer of all time? Easy Pele. Argentina? Maradona or Messi. Portugal? Ronaldo. England? Bobby Charlton. But who was the greatest Jewish footballer ever? That's a question to send even the most historically literate football nerds into an uncharacteristic silence. And yet, before the Holocaust, Jewish talent was at the very heart of European football. Jews were among the superstar players who drew tens of thousands to stadiums as well as the visionary coaches revolutionising tactics, the administrators professionalising the modern game, and even the elite referees, not to mention the hordes of passionate fans. Digging Deep excavates a destroyed civilisation to reveal the untold stories of men who were icons one minute and marked for extermination the next. Setting exhilarating sporting triumphs against the harrowing backdrop of twentieth-century history, it restores eleven forgotten greats to their rightful place in the football pantheon. More than a sports book, this is a journey through the prism of the magnificent game to find the human stories within the savage reality of the Holocaust.

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9781837360321

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Reviews

“A team of forgotten heroes and a series of careers that have become secret histories. David Bolchover has written an enthralling, harrowing, uplifting book that follows some of the greatest Jewish players in football history to their fates and, by telling their stories so vividly and meticulously, brings them new life.” Oliver Holt, chief sports writer, Daily Mail ""David Bolchover has reshaped my view of Jews, of football and of murder. Don't miss this book."" Daniel Finkelstein, associate editor, The Times ""Meticulously researched and elegantly crafted, Digging Deep serves both as a profoundly moving tribute and as a salutary reminder - at this dangerous moment of rising antisemitism - to keep the memory of these murdered Jewish players alive."" Oliver Brown, chief sports writer, The Telegraph ""An eye-opening account of the pivotal role Jews played in the history of European football - and of how the Holocaust erased not only so very many lives, but also an entire sporting legacy from memory."" Toby Young, associate editor, The Spectator ""Amid the trademark detail of Bolchover's passionate writing, one thing emerges above all: that Europe is a diminished continent without its Jewish communities."" Jonny Gould, TV and radio presenter, journalist and commentator

“David Bolchover has reshaped my view of Jews, of football and of murder. Don’t miss this book.” Daniel Finkelstein, associate editor, The Times“Meticulously researched and elegantly crafted, Digging Deep serves both as a profoundly moving tribute and as a salutary reminder – at this dangerous moment of rising antisemitism – to keep the memory of these murdered Jewish players alive.” Oliver Brown, chief sports writer, The Telegraph ""An eye-opening account of the pivotal role Jews played in the history of European football – and of how the Holocaust erased not only so very many lives, but also an entire sporting legacy from memory.” Toby Young, associate editor, The Spectator“Amid the trademark detail of Bolchover's passionate writing, one thing emerges above all: that Europe is a diminished continent without its Jewish communities.” Jonny Gould, TV and radio presenter, journalist and commentator

Author Information

David Bolchover is an author and commentator. His most recent book, The Greatest Comeback: From Genocide to Football Glory, a biography of the football coach Bela Guttmann, was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. He has also written three business books, including the bestselling 90-Minute Manager, which explored the various management styles of the great football coaches. David has written for number of leading newspapers, including The Times, the Telegraph and the Financial Times, and has frequently appeared on the BBC, Sky and other broadcast outlets. He has an MBA (Finance) from Cass Business School and a Master's degree from the London School of Economics.

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