Narcoball, Love, Death and Football in Escobar’s Colombia, by  David Arrowsmith
Published by Octopus books 6 June 2024

First of all, a declaration of interest (or the lack of it): I know very little about Pablo Escobar, only a little more about football and nothing at all about Colombia. You might therefore wonder why I read and reviewed  this book. 

There are two reasons

1. I try to review a range of books and, more importantly, 

2. I’m a big admirer of David Arrowsmith’s writing. 

He has the knack of getting you interested by the end of page 1 and completely hooked by the end of Chapter 1. 

This is a gripping, incredibly detailed and well researched book covering the period from Escobar’s birth to his death and beyond. 

For those of you who know nothing more about him than his fame as a drugs baron, and his leadership of the Medellín cartel, it might come as a surprise to learn of the Robin Hood side of his personality, albeit with added violence, coercion and murder, all to fuel his obsession with football and his determination to become President.

Set partly during the height of the USA’s war on drugs, there is no shortage of familiar references from Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton to Maradona, and the descriptions of various matches are so vivid I could almost hear the voice of a Match of the Day commentator as I read the words. 

At the height of his “success” Escobar was one of the richest men in the world, even building his own prison – La Catedral – in which he could serve his five year sentence. 

But this isn’t just a book about football or even about the building of a drugs empire the like of which had never been seen before. It’s the story of someone born into poverty and how their personal and ruthless ambition helped them rise to power before, like Icarus, ego and over confidence led to inevitable downfall and death after what was truly a reign of terror. 

‘Plata o plomo*’? My verdict? ¡Es oro!

* literally silver or lead aka money or bullets (one of Escobar’s favourite sayings)