Euan McTear knows Spanish football and La Liga better than anyone on the planet. He has already authored Eibar The Brave: The Extraordinary Rise of La Liga’s Smallest Team, which was named one of the top sporting books of 2015 by the Guardian. McTear has covered Spanish soccer for a number of publications including These Footy Times, La Liga Lowdown, and MARCA.
Honestly McTear was the perfect choice to write a book about Atlético Madrid and what he came up with is quite simply the most comprehensive text on Atlético Madrid that’s ever been written. Hijacking LaLiga: How Atlético Madrid Broke Barcelona and Real Madrid’s Duopoloy on Spanish Football is the complete history of a club that rose from relegation to become one of the top teams in Spain and the world. With this success the club has experienced a a meteoric rise that has also made them one of the top brands in all of sport, football or otherwise.
McTear breaks down this winning formula in just 192 pages. On paper they should have never had a chance. But on the pitch Atlético Madrid has won just about everything, including the hearts and minds of Madrileños. They also won Europa League, La Liga, UEFA Super Cup, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup hardware along the way. Every season they have a legitimate chance to win it all in La Liga and even the Champions League.
Everyone knows Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, and while they are amazing clubs and brands, Atlético Madrid has accomplished a great deal. They were deserving of a great story to tell their history. And McTear does just that with complete brilliance, delivering the roller coaster journey of the “other” Madrid club. It was not one of royalty, of kings and generals, but rather a humble club that turned Diego Simeone, Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguero, and Diego Costa into household names all over the world.
Hijacking LaLiga is an enjoyable and easy read for any fan of Spanish football. It’s also great for those that love a behind-the-scenes look at successful organizations. You honestly can’t go wrong with this one, just like you can’t go wrong with being a fan of the one and only Atlético Madrid.
