Pasión, Politics & the Pitch: Spain's Football Journey ft. Miguel Lourenço Pereira

In this episode, Guy and Francesco welcome back friend of the pod Miguel Lourenço Pereira to talk about his new book Pasión: A Journey to the Soul of Spanish Football (out 21 April from Pitch Publishing).Together, they dive into the political, cultural, and social undercurrents that have shaped Spanish football—from Franco’s regime using the sport as soft propaganda to the democratic era’s subtler, but still strategic, engagement with the game.They explore how ownership models shifted in the late 1980s and early 1990s and what that meant for the sport's structure and soul. Miguel also sheds light on the role of national and regional identities in shaping clubs, fan bases, and rivalries, as well as the impact of demographic change—from inland depopulation to coastal booms, and the rise of second-generation stars like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.It’s a deep, passionate look at how fútbol reflects and refracts the story of modern Spain.