Thread by @bounder

When Sócrates was transferred to Fiorentina, he said: “I’m not interested in cars, luxury homes, I don’t want to grow old accumulating riches... I’m here to read Gramsci in the original language.”

#KeepPoliticsInFootball #MarxistFootballers

Inter Milan captain and Argentinean full-back Javier Zanetti persuaded his Inter teammates to give up their wages to support Mexico’s Zapatista rebels - and tried to arrange a friendly with them.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball #MarxistFootballers

Paul Breitner - West German left back won the 1974 FIFA World Cup, scoring in the final. Identified with the 68ers (the 1968 protest movement in Germany). He was seen bringing Mao Zedong's "Little Red Book" to training.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball #MarxistFootballers

Paolo Sollier, Perugia player and member of Leninist workers group Avanguardia Operaia.

”Who isn’t politicised and submits each week to the torture of work, of prices, of not counting for anything, becomes a potential human bomb.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball #MarxistFootballers

Oleguer Presas, Barcelona and Ajax, activist, economics academic. "life isn't easy. If we want a better world, we all need to roll up our sleeves.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball #MarxistFootballers

In 1968 (with others) André Mérelle and Michel Oriot from Red Star FC occupied the building of the French FA. Banners were hung with the texts: ‘Le football aux footballeurs!’ and ‘La Fédération, propriété des 600.000 footballeurs.’

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballers

Cristiano Lucarelli, of Atalanta, Perugia, and Italy ( manager of Serie C club Ternana),is a communist and after scoring for Italy U21s, celebrated by pulling his jersey over his face to reveal a shirt bearing Che Guevara.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballers

Jackie McNamara Snr, Hibs and Celtic.
"I am a Communist…football is a sick business… the management pulls all the strings and everyone looks out for himself"

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballer

El Diego. Not sure he would debate the finer points of theory, but friend of the revolution.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballers

Egil Olsen, the former Wimbledon and Norway manager, was a card-carrying member of the Norwegian Workers’ Communist Party and has proudly described himself as a Marxist-Leninist.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballers

Paul Jewell, fellow traveller and ex Wigan and Bradford player, the former Ipswich Town manager called his pet tortoise Trotsky.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballers

Former Spurs player and now Notts Forrest manager Chris Hughton wrote regularly about football for Newsline, the Workers Revolutionary Party's newspaper. He was also an anti-apartheid campaigner.

#KeepPoliticsInFootball
#MarxistFootballers

And Graeme Le Saux once read The Guardian.

Am sure there are many more #marxistfootballers but if you fancy a little Marxist hyperlocal satire, please have a look at the Kickstarter for my new book.

kickstarter.com/projects/parad…

Can't verify this one on Google, but am told Ex-Hartlepool United and Carlisle manager Mick Wadsworth has got a Che Guevara tattoo.