Soccer in Sun and Shadow

Acknowledgments

This book owes much to the enthusiasm and patience of “El Pepe” Barrientos, “Manolo” Epelbaum, Ezequiel Fernández-Moores, Karl Hubener, Franklin Morales, Ángel Ruocco, and Klaus Schuster, all of whom read the drafts, caught mistakes and came up with valuable ideas and information.

Also of great assistance were the critical eye of my wife, Helena Villagra, and the soccer memory of my father, “El Baby” Hughes. My son Claudio and a few friends, or friends of my friends, did their part bringing me books and newspapers or answering queries: Hugo Alfaro, “Zé” Fernando Balbi, Chico Buarque, Nicolás Buenaventura Vidal, Manuel Cabieses, Jorge Consuegra, Pierre Charasse, Julián García-Candau, José González Ortega, “Pancho” Graells, Jens Lohmann, Daniel López D’Alessandro, Sixto Martínez, Juan Manuel Martín Medem, Gianni Minà, Dámaso Murúa, Felipe Nepomuceno, “El Migue” Nieto-Solís, Luis Niño, Luis Ocampos Alonso, Carlos Ossa, Norberto Pérez, Silvia Peyrou, Miguel Ángel Ramírez, Alastair Reid, Affonso Romano de Sant’Anna, Pilar Royo, Rosa Salgado, Giuseppe Smorto, and Jorge Valdano. Osvaldo Soriano collaborated at my invitation.

I ought to say that all of them are innocent of the result, but the truth is I think they are rather guilty for having gotten themselves into this mess.