Each month, Center Circle presents and reviews a collection of soccer media pieces. With the rise of independent magazines, themed board games, tactical exposés, historical overviews, lockeroom documentaries, fútbol-art initiatives, and more–it would be a shame not to highlight some of the best ones I’ve been able to see for myself. So here we go!
The July Collection: All or Nothing: Brazil / 8by8 Mag. Issue 16: The Greatness Factor / Hands Off! by Mario Mariotti / Baianá, by Barbatuques / San Siro, by Yuri Ancarani
All or Nothing: Brazil National Team
The fútboling successor to Amazon’s inside look at the Manchester City lockeroom under Pep Guardiola, All or Nothing Brazil manages to capture a more emotional, albeit less tactically intriguing, side of the world’s game. Following the Seleção through their preparations for the 2019 Copa America on home turf, the 5-part docuseries displays an intimate perspective of professional soccer, with a ranging assortment of field-side cameras capturing clattering tackles in glittering detail. Film from inside the dressing room at halftime and at the Brazil homestay complex, alongside shots of the country’s favelas and youth clubs, and interlaced with staff/player interviews, radio audio, and live commentary–the film assembles a compelling and immersive story that leaves even an Argentinean like myself rooting for The Canarinha. Job well done.
So what’s the main idea? In the immediate aftermath of Neymar’s infamous fan-punch, alongside an injury in pre-tournament matches, questions swarmed the National side surrounding their leadership and team chemistry. Only five years prior, Brazil legends like Marcelo and Julio Cesar fell to formidable German side, on the world’s stage, by a thunderous 6-goal margin. A tournament historically dominated by the yellow and green, this was a stinging laceration to the hearts of millions of Brazileiro citizens–and one of the most surreal moments in recent fútboling history. Redemption at home became an utter necessity, leaving Coach’s Tite’s job cut out for him.
Though the content proved to be less intellectually enthralling than the Manchester City edition, improvements in cinematography, editing, and the heavy emotional burden of National pride makes this inside-look delightfully engaging from kickoff to the final whistle. Tite, as opposed to Pep, gives viewers more attuned to a humanistic approach to coaching, something to enjoy.
To check out the docuseries, see Prime Video.
Rating: 7.5/10
8by8 Magazine, Issue 16: The Greatness Factor
The GOAT conversations are ever-persistent in any sport, but perhaps none compare to the array of candidates in soccer. LeBron and MJ may have a fierce history-book rivalry, but the likes of Maradona, Cristiano, Messi, Cruyff, and Pele make for an even more divisive conversation. 8by8 magazine’s eye-catching Issue 16 attempts to settle the feud by labeling “The Greatest”, per writer David Hershey, as well as categorizing “Greats” like Puskas and Zidane, “Almost Greats” including Cantona and George Best, and “Players on the Cusp of Greatness”, like baby Kylian. Though the argumentation is perhaps a bit biased, due to the writer’s clear infatuation with a certain CBD attacker, the details regarding Pele’s Godlike dominance of the fútbol pitch are thoroughly compiled and certainly compelling. Though the FIFA Player of the Century Award was given, jointly, to Dieguito and his eternal Brazilian rival, 8by8 claims that the dispute ultimately boils down to a conversation between a different Argentine forward–Lionel–and Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer. The grinning face emblazoned on the issue’s front cover ought to elucidate which of the two was eventually crowned king.
The magazine contains other lovely snippets, too. A section on Zinedine Zidane’s troubles in his return to Real Madrid will be of particular delight to any La Liga fans. Additional sections cover the top 50 influencers in world football, Troy Deeney’s struggles with mental health on the field, Wilfried Zaha’s skillful resurgence, and referee Howard Webb’s opinions on VAR. Entertaining literary production with radiant cartoon renditions.
Rating: 7/10
Hands Off! by Mario Mariotti
This eerie art showcase carries an uncomfortable premise: the utilization of hands–the forbidden soccer body part–to depict scenes on the pitch. And yet, despite our shifting in our seats, Mariotti executes to a tee. This series of posed photographs is as graceful as it is disturbing, just as we’d expect from an exposé of austere fingernail countenances. From The School Library Journal, “…the effects of motion are astonishingly fluid and expressive…”
Full of colorful bicycle kicks, thumb-fans, and grotesque referees, this collection is splendid for casual consumption, and will find a happy home on your coffee table–so long as you can find it. I came across the book and nabbed a sole, used, $32 version off of Amazon, but the 1990 hardback is clearly somewhat of an antique. Two weeks after my purchase, a search of the title shows only three available copies, ranging between $800 to $1000. You’ll have to add this one to your list and keep your eyes peeled, in order to snag a copy. But in any case, for those moved by art and fútbol, and especially their intersection, I’d highly recommend it.
Rating: 8/10
Baianá, by Barbatuques
Baianá is that raucous, chanting song you’ve always heard, but never really known the name. Embodied by a hearty chorus that introduces us to the women of Bahia, Brazil, this track evokes images of children dribbling tattered balls out of beggarly alleyways and into vibrant South American parks. The thundering baseline makes us want to slam lockers, beat our chest, and huddle up with the boys–tenaciously holding onto the energy that will boil over at the opening kick. Barbatuques generously gives us the sound of a community to spur us on in warmups, and will leave you itching for the summer burn of turf beneath your feet.
Rating: 7/10
San Siro, by Yuri Ancarani
The fabled Italian stadium is home to bitter rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan and world-renowned for its architectural beauty. Described aptly by director Yuri Ancarani as “2014, Italy, 26 min, colours, no dialogues”, this short film has tragically only been made available in select museum exhibits festivals throughout the world. That being said, an abridged, 6-minute version can be found online. The spooky footage shows a stadium being prepped for an match unknown to the viewer, with chillingly still shots of groundkeepers in the place of thousands of roaring fans. Ancarani shows us futbol aficionados a quiet and unfamiliar side to the stadium, with striking visuals and hauntingly crisp audio. Excellent quarantine content.
Rating: 7/10
