History of football. Ep. 5

This six part series offers insight into the game of football, or soccer as its known in Australia. This episode (5), “The Media” and “Superstars”, examines the role of the media and the modern trend of football players as celebrities - requiring them to be media savvy and be able to withstand the pressures of fame and intense media scrutiny. Despite fame, talent and wealth however, some players have suffered the vagaries of fame, in particular Maradona, who features extensively but also George Best and Garrincha, a Brazilian hero abandoned after his career faltered. Pele by contrast has always been a media darling, showing as much acumen and skill on the field as off. Dissects the affect that television has had on the game - turning it into a lucrative, global business and the history of the relationship between the media and football. This show also examines the rise (and fall) of the popularity of football in Japan and the powerless status of Africa on the world stage. Part two: “Superstars”. Football is a team sport but great players will outshine others. This episode examines the history of football in relation to “superstars” and player migration from club to club. Since the early twentieth century this has occurred - except that now players reap the financial benefits of record transfers. This of course escalates the pressures placed on players - as Ronaldo, George Best and Maradona reveal in frank interviews. This entertaining, well-documented and informative series contains extensive footage of key historical matches as well as interviews with Alfredo di Stefano, Pele, Zinedine Zidane, Paolo Maldini, Pepi Bican, Antonio Rava, David Hill and Joao Havelange. In various languages, with English subtitles.