Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches with Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall

In just a few days time, the 2026 Fifa World Cup will begin, a vast 48-team affair across North America, the geopolitical backdrop to the tournament as fractious as it has ever been in recent times. It goes without saying, however, that ideology, propaganda and diplomacy have always been at the forefront of the beautiful game throughout the tournament’s history.

Joining Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, for this week’s episode are Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall, their collaborative efforts in Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches making for a fascinating dive into the sport on both sides of the Iron Curtain and beyond. From Dynamo Moscow’s infamous 1945 clash with Arsenal to the revolutionary style of Hungary’s Magical Magyars, North Korea’s bond with Middlesbrough in 1966, and the charged meeting of East and West Germany in 1974, our conversation reveals how the game both reflected and transcended global tensions, breaking and building connections on either side of the Cold War’s cultural divide.

Episode Links

Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches

Tony Shaw Links

Tony ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠

Alan McDougall Links

Alan ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠

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