Football is much more than physical exercise or a pastime pleasure. It has become an enormous economic factor transforming ways of life. The sport is one of the most effective means of mobilization beyond borders in our time. Football is more than just a game to be practiced and more than a product to be consumed. It is also a source of identity and inspiration even for artistic and literary production. This book offers a collection of essays by experts in Latin American, African, and European history and literary studies inspired by the new transnational historiography. A central question is in how far regional, national, and global dimensions have interacted and impacted upon the historical development of football.