TIFO: The Art of Football Fan Stickers, by Ryo Sanada and Suridh Hassan, published by Soi Books, Price: £14.99
A glance at the front cover gives you a clear indication, if it was needed, of what this book’s all about – and it doesn’t disappoint on the inside either.
In almost 250 colourful and vibrant pages, it showcases stunning sticker art from passionate supporters of renowned clubs across Europe.
These are not your Panini stickers by a long chalk. They are a world away and show the creativity of fans – and the fact they often want to get a message across. In their introduction, authors Suridh
Hassan and Ryo Sanada explain: “We quickly realised several things. One was that stickers are a way for fans to express themselves, especially when travelling.
“They communicate with humour and share stories, encapsulating the essence of fan culture in all its diversity and enriching football fandom.
“… Welcome to a world where every sticker tells a story, inviting us to a deeper appreciation of the beautiful game.”
This book neatly combines the worlds of art and football. As you flick through it, you can see that the stickers, varying from artistic and clever to topical and offensive, serve as a unique form of fan communication.
The authors have done the topic justice and the good news is that they have plans for a second volume, featuring clubs from South America, Africa, Asia, and beyond. If this first instalment is anything to go by, it should be well worth keeping an eye out for.
Rating out of 10: 8
