HH: Helenio Herrera – Football’s Original Master of the Dark Arts
Feb 2026 · Bloomsbury Publishing
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About this ebook
NOMINATED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
'A gripping, unsettling and authoritative portrait of football's original dark genius - brilliantly researched and superbly told.' GUILLEM BALAGUÉ
'A wonderfully compelling biography... This is a story that, once read, you can't forget.' DUNCAN HAMILTON
'Assiduously researched... tells Herrera's outrageous story with verve' FINANCIAL TIMES
THE STORY OF FOOTBALL'S MOST NOTORIOUS COACH
Nicknamed 'Il Mago' (The Wizard) after bringing European Cup glory to Inter Milan in successive years, Helenio Herrera was hailed as one of the finest minds in football.
This explosive book explores the enigma of the incredibly charismatic 'HH': a philanderer, charlatan, trash-talker and serial winner mired in controversy. His stellar career was halted by the death of one of his star players and his subsequent trial for manslaughter.
'HH' revolutionised football coaching. Preparing his teams meticulously, he was obsessed with his players' mental toughness and introduced idiosyncratic psychological techniques. He made his name as a coach, winning La Liga twice with both Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, but it was his move to Inter in 1960 that propelled him to stardom. His team won three scudetti in the mid-1960s and were only denied a third European Cup by Jock Stein's Celtic in 1967.
HH reveals how Herrera was the original master of the game's dark arts. In Spain he introduced a regime of performance-enhancing drugs, and he continued this practice in Italy, which eventually led to his downfall.
Featuring interviews with those who knew Herrera well – including Fabio Capello, Sandro Mazzola, Ian St John and Denis Law – HH is a fascinating story of deceit and intrigue, bloodshed, sex and glorious football.
'A gripping, unsettling and authoritative portrait of football's original dark genius - brilliantly researched and superbly told.' GUILLEM BALAGUÉ
'A wonderfully compelling biography... This is a story that, once read, you can't forget.' DUNCAN HAMILTON
'Assiduously researched... tells Herrera's outrageous story with verve' FINANCIAL TIMES
THE STORY OF FOOTBALL'S MOST NOTORIOUS COACH
Nicknamed 'Il Mago' (The Wizard) after bringing European Cup glory to Inter Milan in successive years, Helenio Herrera was hailed as one of the finest minds in football.
This explosive book explores the enigma of the incredibly charismatic 'HH': a philanderer, charlatan, trash-talker and serial winner mired in controversy. His stellar career was halted by the death of one of his star players and his subsequent trial for manslaughter.
'HH' revolutionised football coaching. Preparing his teams meticulously, he was obsessed with his players' mental toughness and introduced idiosyncratic psychological techniques. He made his name as a coach, winning La Liga twice with both Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, but it was his move to Inter in 1960 that propelled him to stardom. His team won three scudetti in the mid-1960s and were only denied a third European Cup by Jock Stein's Celtic in 1967.
HH reveals how Herrera was the original master of the game's dark arts. In Spain he introduced a regime of performance-enhancing drugs, and he continued this practice in Italy, which eventually led to his downfall.
Featuring interviews with those who knew Herrera well – including Fabio Capello, Sandro Mazzola, Ian St John and Denis Law – HH is a fascinating story of deceit and intrigue, bloodshed, sex and glorious football.
NOMINATED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
'A gripping, unsettling and authoritative portrait of football's original dark genius - brilliantly researched and superbly told.' GUILLEM BALAGUÉ
'A wonderfully compelling biography... This is a story that, once read, you can't forget.' DU...
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About the author
Richard Fitzpatrick is a football writer based in Barcelona. He has written and reported on football for the BBC, Bleacher Report, The Blizzard, Business Post (Ireland), El País, the Guardian, Howler, The Herald (Scotland), Irish Times, New York Times, Panenka and talkSPORT. His books include the bestselling El Clásico: Barcelona v Real Madrid, Football's Greatest Rivalry. He makes podcasts and radio documentaries, including The Man Who Played Offside. He also writes on arts and culture for the Irish Examiner newspaper. @Richard_Fitz.
Richard Fitzpatrick is a football writer based in Barcelona. He has written and reported on football for the BBC, Bleacher Report, The Blizzard, Business Post (Ireland), El País, the Guardian, Howler, The Herald (Scotland), Irish Times, New York Times, Panenka and talkSPORT. His books include the...
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