Marco Mathieu Books

Gloves like Zenga’s, washed after every practice and wrapped in cling-film, new shoes with cleats that need cobbler repairs after just two pairs, and the ball. Anywhere there’s a patch of grass, especially muddy, is where a kid can dive to make a save. This is the tale of a boy growing up in the Seventies in the outskirts of Turin, surrounded by symbols of the local football club. It’s a dream of becoming a soccer player, specifically a goalkeeper («Because being the goalie is something else entirely»), and the passion of a kid destined to thrive between the goalposts. Not as a starter, but as a reserve, navigating the changing landscape of Italy. The narrative unfolds through the life, career, challenges, family, and teams of Alberto Maria Fontana, affectionately known as Jimmy, the reserve goalie and Toro fan. His journey is marked by episodes and matches, anecdotes and reflections, traveling from Turin to Aosta, Voghera, Hamburg, Verona, and beyond, while remaining attuned to events in Baghdad, Lampedusa, and Kabul. These reflections on the troubled world of soccer illuminate the dark corners of a transforming nation. The reserve goalie’s bench serves as the starting point for this exploration of Italy and the soul, masterfully conveyed by Marco Mathieu, a journalist and soccer enthusiast, revealing the hidden side of soccer and Italy itself.