Cold War Conversations

The Cold War was a huge battle for hearts and minds — a true “people’s war.” But where did the “people’s game” fit into it? In their new book, Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall explore the surprising and fascinating links between football and the global struggle between capitalism and communism. From East Germany’s famous victory over West Germany at the 1974 World Cup to North Korea’s remarkable run in 1966, they show how football became much more than a game. Tony and Alan reveal how football was used to support democracies, strengthen dictatorships, and win influence in the developing world. These matches gave people a rare glimpse of life on the “other side” of the Iron Curtain — sometimes bringing enemies closer together, and sometimes helping to spark unrest and revolution. Packed with legendary players, unforgettable goals, and controversies both on and off the pitch, this is a wonderfully rich history of how the Cold War shaped football — and how footba