Author: Fitzpatrick, Richard Biography: sportPublished on 12 February 2026 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (Bloomsbury Sport) in the United Kingdom.Hardback | 304 pages241 x 163 x 31 | 508g 'A gripping, unsettling and authoritative portrait of football’s original dark genius — brilliantly researched and superbly told.' GUILLEM BALAGUÉA wonderfully compelling biography... This is a story that, once read, you can’t forget.' DUNCAN HAMILTON, THREE-TIME WILLIAM HILL AWARD WINNER'One Hel of a story... uncovers the explosive truth behind a man who went further than anyone else in his fierce desire to win.' THE SUN'Assiduously researched... tells Herrera's outrageous story with verve' FINANCIAL TIMESTHE STORY OF FOOTBALL’S MOST NOTORIOUS COACHNicknamed ‘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.
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