Beyond the Final Whistle

'This book is a politically-committed love letter to all football fans out there who still care about the sport; and to anyone who cares about our life in common'
Giorgos Kallis, ICREA professor, ICTA-UAB
'A delightful exploration of football, capitalism, and the difference between the incessant pursuit of more for its own sake and the possibility of making a meaningful life with others in common'
Yochai Benkler, author of The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom
'Beyond the Final Whistle resonates deeply with my own journey in using football to spark meaningful change. This book is a profound reminder that football is far more than a sport; it’s a canvas for building a fairer and more compassionate world. Vasilis weaves these truths into a compelling call to action, showing how each of us can play a role in creating a better future'
Kelly Davies, Retired International Wales Football Player and Co-Leader 'Sport for Changemaking' Global Team
'You might think that a football pitch might not be the obvious place to begin to change the world, but Vasilis Kostakis encourages us to think otherwise. Using both mundane and wonderful examples, this tremendous book encourages readers to see the politics in the cooperation that makes a match possible, even if it is often shadowed by the spectres of big business. This is an incitement to take back the game, and begin to make it beautiful again'
Martin Parker, Professor of Organisation Studies, Bristol University
'If you love football and sharing, Vasilis Kostakis takes you on a deeply personal tour, explaining how the two can be a pair rather than opposites, brilliantly arguing for football less as symbol than as symptom of what has gone wrong in our structured living-together – and how it could be (made) better'
Wolfgang Drechsler, Honorary Professor at the UCL Institute for Innovation for Public Purpose
'Beyond the Final Whistle shows us how football can be not only an instrument, but also an essential part of social transformations for a more just society. By bringing stories of hope and fantasy that this sport evokes, showing the magical and artistic aspects of football from all corners of the world, Kostakis provokes in the reader a feeling of immersion rarely seen in other books about the sport'
Jorge Knijnik, author of Tales of South American Football and Jane Hunter, University of Technology Sydney
'In a world where culture faces serious manipulation by populist and authoritarian leaders, Vasilis Kostakis presents an inspiring narrative on how culture and sports can become levers to promote democracy. A compelling read for all; football fans or otherwise.'
Maria Kaika, Professor of Urban Regional and Environmental Planning, University of Amsterdam

Vasilis Kostakis is a Professor of Technology Governance and Sustainability at TalTech's Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance in Estonia. He is also a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Vasilis is the founder of the P2P Lab and a founding member of both the Tzoumakers rural makerspace and the Commonen energy cooperative.

Introduction
Part I: What is soccer?
1. Soccer is art
2. The soccer gods are dead
3. We always dance together
4. We always sing together
5. It came home
6. So what is soccer anyway?
Part II: What world do we want?
7. We all kicked a ball once
8. The one who always kicked the can
9. The Hallowed Lost Penalty
10. Messi stretches to infinity
11. The tragedy of our times
12. When you're down 4-0 in the 89th minute, can you turn the tide?
13. The poor are poor because they make poor choices
14. The tunnel to the other side of earth
15. The Cruyff turn
16. So can the world change through soccer?
Part III: How to change the world through soccer
17. The turn of the century
18. Drivers should drive and footballers should kick the ball
19. Democracy in soccer, democracy in society
20. Perhaps the greatest match of all time
21. Another world is here
22. The soccer of change
23. So, how do we change the world through soccer?

Acknowledgments