A wide-ranging inquiry into soccer as a social phenomenon to better understand a major aspect of our societies.

Today's soccer stars are among the highest-paid and highest-profile media figures worldwide. Why does being good at kicking a ball ‒ if you're a man, that is ‒ lead to fame and fortune? A deeper consideration of this question reveals a number of insights. How did modern soccer come about in the 19th century? What dynamics contributed to its growing importance in the 20th? What is the structure of today's salary market?
A reflection on the production of value, both symbolic and financial, and the making of great men in contemporary society.