Futbol Rivalry Blog: Commentary & Analysis
Explore commentary and analysis on soccer rivalries, cultural context, and other timely, burning issues in world futbol. This blog, by Sibling Rivalry author Hal Phillips, features essays and observations focused on major matchups like U.S.A. vs. Mexico, other rivalries making news, the psychology of rivalry, tactical and historical perspectives, questions around fan identity, and trends shaping the global game.
Find below the latest full articles breaking down historic rivalries, discussing international competition and policy, and offering thought-provoking angles on how soccer intersects with culture and identity.
Two Bitter Rivalries Take Flight, Right Before Our Eyes
In the pages of Sibling Rivalry, I examine not just [...]
Excerpt: Mexican admiration for Argentinian Futbol Culture runs Deep
Walking through the tailgate scene outside Estadio Akron, I [...]
He’s Not Wrong: U.S. Tends to Hog Regional Branding
Neil Young first introduced me to appellative “American” chauvinism. Someone [...]
Bloomsbury issues Sibling Rivalry: The ESSENTIAL Soccer Book for 2026
NEW YORK, N.Y. (5 March 2026) — Bloomsbury has published [...]
Excerpt: The Continuing Education of Rafa Marquez
Rafa Marquez is a thoroughly modern figure. In the [...]
Politics of Blood & Soil Should Inform Club Allegiance, not Actual Politics
I was chatting with a business associate the other day [...]
