Author: Manu Muñoz-Barillas

Agergaard, Sine, et al. “The Typology of Athletic Migrants Revisited.” Women, Soccer and Transnational Migration, 1st ed., Routledge, London, 2016, pp. 191–216. Arfi, Fabrice, et al. “Quotas Dans Le Foot: La Vérité Au Mot Près.” Mediapart, Mediapart, 9 May 2011, https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/290411/quotas-dans-le-foot-la-verite-au-mot-pres. (Mediapart) Aziz, Shaista. “Opinion: France Is on a Dangerous Collision Course with Its Muslim… Continue reading The Road to Glory: References

Sports, a major vehicle for expression and a big source of global entertainment, can become very influential in the migration journey of many people. As seen in Fatou Diome’s Le ventre de l’Atlantique, a career in soccer and the luxury that comes with it become extra incentives for many migrants to head out to Europe.… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Conclusion

A goal, whether on the pitch or migration across continents, drives migrants to undergo a difficult journey to Europe. For athletes, the goal is to be at the pinnacle of their respective sport. For migrants, that goal is to make a better life for themselves in the host country. For many athletes who migrate to… Continue reading The Road to Glory: The European Myth

Integration, defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is “the bringing into equal membership of a common society those groups or persons previously discriminated against on racial or cultural grounds” (OED). In terms of migration, it can also be defined as how well a migrant can become a part of the established culture and society of the… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Obstacles to Integration

For migrants, the journey does not stop upon arrival in Europe. To pursue the dreams and expectations with which they set out is a challenge in itself. As seen with l’homme de Barbés, the reality of what migrant athletes find in Europe does not match the “myth”. Sports can be very unforgiving in this aspect,… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Make or Break

Emanuel Muñoz-Barillas Soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it, is a global phenomenon. Due to the low cost of playing the sport, soccer can be played by anyone all over the world. Especially popular in the southern hemisphere,  many aspiring athletes dream of playing for the top teams in Europe. In… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Introduction

Known as the world’s game, soccer can provide a glimpse into different aspects of the migratory process. From the initial departure from the country of origin to the integration of first- and second-generation migrants, sports can play a role in migration. At times, it can even amplify the traumas and difficulties known to many who… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Soccer as a Mirror for the Immigration Process