Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff Soccer Books | sku-21755883

The Making of Les Bleus by Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff is a hardcover Soccer Books title about France's efforts to develop elite football and basketball players, chiefly through youth programs, from 1958 to 2010. The Fifth Republic sought better results in international competition, while the programs also became a way to address domestic tensions.

In the post-1945 world, France used youth sport to build international soft power, teach republican ideals of democracy and fair play, and work through questions of post-colonial identity. Its approach sought a “third way” alongside its diplomatic search for an alternative to Washington and Moscow. The state oversaw elite training, and private clubs helped develop players for competition.

The book also examines changes in French society, the media and public health. A podcast interview with the author is available at http://newbooksinsports.com/2013/11/14/lindsay-krasnoff-the-making-of-les-bleus-sport-in-france-1958-2010-lexington-books-2012/. SKU sku-21755883.