From the publisher:
Between October 2016 and April 2017, photographer Simon Di Principe travelled around Brazil to gain first hand experience on the pitches of the undisputed home of football; a journey to discover the underbelly of 'real' football or 'the true art of football'.
The word 'Várzea' refers to the geographical terrain of the 'floodplain' areas football was first played in Brazil in the late 1800's. 'Várzea' is also a word associated with authentic or amateur football in Brazil; it is a word used in slang terms for something that is broken or not quite right.
As Simon says: "These photographs portray working class narratives in contemporary Brazilian football and the social structures which nurture the continuation of the game in each of the locations where várzea futebol is played. The accompanying, commissioned texts were kindly contributed by friends I met in Brazil: enthusiasts and academics - who provide a refreshingly honest accounts of Várzea's nuanced history. Most of the people I met play Várzea football themselves as did many of their fathers and grandfathers."
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