The concept of loyalty and the challenge of internationalisation in post-modern Spanish Football

Some aspects of what Giulianotti has called the post-modern era of football are studied in the context of Spain. The changing relations among players, clubs and fans are studied around the concept of loyalty, first between players and fans, second between players and clubs, and third between fans and clubs. Post-modern football has eroded those kinds of loyalty; however, whereas Spanish football shows typical symptoms, there are pockets of resistance where traditional relations are valorised, maintained and even commodified. The article also touches on issues crucial to contemporary Spanish culture, such as regional rivalries, identity, globalisation and nationalism.