On November 20, 1975, Franco died in his bed, and Spain unexpectedly went democratic - part of the global wave of democratisation from 1974 to 1990. Now we're in the worst democratic decline since the 1930s. But there's hope. Me @financialtimes.com on how to create more Spains on.ft.com/4nRUpK0

'You must understand the World Cup is a kind of religious feast that includes the whole world ... Whereas Easter is only for Christians, the World Cup is for everyone' A fascinating interview with #WorldCupFever author @simonkuper.bsky.social for Football Makes History ⚽️

The UK ambassador's residence in Paris (bought by Wellington from Napoleon's sister in 1815) is the house where Churchill's parents married, where Churchill sang in bath while France was being invaded, where a British servant stopped Nazis in 1941 etc. My tour with the ambassador on.ft.com/495OYDF

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Aston Villa – What have we learned? Online discussion 11am Saturday. Sports historian David Goldblatt, Football Supporters’ Association CEO Kevin Miles, Nick McGeehan of FairSquare and others explore the issues raised by the Europa League game us02web.zoom.us/j/8673874747...

From my FT column on the 3 worst books I've ever read

The Russian Londoner Jana Bakunina on her excellent book The Good Russian, which is out this week inews.co.uk/news/world/r...

Happy Halloween. Here's my guide for @financialtimes.com to the ghosts of the world's most visited cemetery, Père-Lachaise in Paris - from Jim Morrison to the fertility and sex god Victor Noir. as.ft.com/r/24de0ea2-c...

In praise of being a football fan, by my colleague Simon Kuper: as.ft.com/r/349446da-4... (I am not really a fan, but my son is, and I loved this piece.)

Brilliant story: Suspects of the Louvre jewellery heist appear to be fans of newly promoted Paris FC, which is owned by the billionaire Arnault family. They were arrested while queuing to get into the game against Lyon www.eurosport.fr/football/cam...

With social isolation rising, about the last thing that brings people together - even across political divides - is sports fandom. Me @financialtimes.com on why fans have more friends, social connections and democratic sympathies - with help from @moreincommonus.bsky.social as.ft.com/r/671ea66b-4...

On the “defeat” of the far right in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 The total number of far-right seats in the Tweede Kamer: 2021: 28 2023: 41 2025: 42 👈 And I don’t even count BBB here, which has radicalized significantly in the last year.

Reupping this ahead of today's Dutch elections, with far right having essentially walked away from government

Me ahead of next week's Dutch elections on the three ways of being a far-right leader: Trump's maximalism, Meloni's compromise, and in 🇳🇱, Geert Wilders' approach of changing the country by shouting from opposition. He's the man who sets the national agenda @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/3Jly9tK

"Such is their fear of jail, bankruptcy or reprisal, that most people I spoke to insisted on anonymity. This was in spite of the fact that many of the same people said Trump would only be restrained by powerful voices standing up to him." My Weekend FT essay. Please read it. on.ft.com/4hqblpr

Me ahead of next week's Dutch elections on the three ways of being a far-right leader: Trump's maximalism, Meloni's compromise, and in 🇳🇱, Geert Wilders' approach of changing the country by shouting from opposition. He's the man who sets the national agenda @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/3Jly9tK

Journalist Simon Kuper: ‘Mijn liefde voor voetbal herkende ik weer door mijn kinderen’

🎧 Thursday morning listening 🎧 Catch up with @simonkuper.bsky.social discussing his new book #WorldCupFever on Monocle Radio below ⚽️

Over George Blake schreef ik de biografie De vrolijke verrader. Hier vertel ik op @nporadio1.bsky.social over de KGB-spion uit Spangen, zijn legendarische ontsnapping uit de gevangenis, en zijn vlucht (o.m. in een campervan) van Londen naar Moskou www.nporadio1.nl/fragmenten/v...

21 vragen aan... | Simon Kuper blikt terug op dertig jaar schrijverschap en vertelt hoe elk boek begint met een duidelijke vraag, een reis en herkenbare hoofdfiguren. In zijn nieuwe boek neemt hij de lezer mee langs negen WK’s om te laten zien hoe voetbal de wereld weerspiegelt.

Football fans, listen back to @simonkuper.bsky.social chatting to Adrian Chiles about his new book #WorldCupFever on @bbc5live.bsky.social, from 49 mins in ⚽️🏆

It's easy to mock the French for seeming to want unlimited government spending. I've done it myself. But I sympathise with their anger: France is an underfunded social democracy crossed with an oligarchy. Me @financialtimes.com on France's undertaxed billionaires - close to Macron on.ft.com/4qwaFDh

Really good by Stephen Bush on.ft.com/4qaPdmV

Ukridge? Psmith? Wooster? Hard disagree, stick to football

Calling all football fans! ⚽️ #WorldCupFever: A Footballing Journey in Nine Tournaments by @simonkuper.bsky.social is available in audiobook now! Get your copy here: tinyurl.com/wjwk4t6j

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

Yes, Starmer is an uncharismatic lawyer with no vision, but he also embodies a broader problem: mainstream parties across the west no longer have a vision of utopia. Nativists do - one set in a white past. Me @financialtimes.com on how, despite climate, we can reclaim the future on.ft.com/3KHJViB

Gigantic news for European academia:

Leuk (vind ik althans) @nrc.nl interview over het WK, n.a.v. mijn nieuwe boek, De wereld aan mijn voeten - over de negen WKs die ik sinds Italia '90 bezocht, en wat het toernooi betekent www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

Hello! The Guardian is expanding our American soccer coverage. In the US, we're hiring: • Reporters • Asst. editor • Audience editor • Social video producer • Sports biz reporter These are all full-time, permanent, union positions. www.theguardian.com/gnm-press-of...

If you want to read an actually good piece about integration in the United Kingdom, try @samfr.bsky.social:

The careers of moguls are growing to unprecedented lengths, says Simon Kuper: on.ft.com/4gShOci

Help FT Weekend crown the best business lunch restaurant in London - @harrietfl.ft.com is calling for your nominations and votes www.ft.com/content/00f3...

loved this from Simon Kuper on the real Grand Budapest Hotel which is actually in Baden Baden and has reopened after a £££ revamp. Like a Wes Anderson film but featuring Frank Sinatra, Hosni Mubarak, Marlene Dietrich, Henry Ford, Lilian Gish and Walt Disney. Heaven. on.ft.com/4mJKXI5

The retirement age for moguls (Murdoch, Buffett, Armani etc) is now in the 90s. It will rise further for Musk, Zuckerberg et al. Meanwhile, politicians come and go like fruitflies. Me @financialtimes.com on longevity reshaping the power class, + how Putin, Trump want some of that on.ft.com/46xjG6X

Brenners Park, Baden-Baden, may be the poshest hotel in Germany's poshest resort. Its story is a potted history of the global elite since 1872. I become the nearest thing to an ordinary person ever to darken its towels (and lose at roulette, like Dostoevsky) @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/4gOoCHW

The retirement age for moguls (Murdoch, Buffett, Armani etc) is now in the 90s. It will rise further for Musk, Zuckerberg et al. Meanwhile, politicians come and go like fruitflies. Me @financialtimes.com on longevity reshaping the power class, + how Putin, Trump want some of that on.ft.com/46xjG6X

Voorpublicatie uit mijn nieuwe boek De wereld aan mijn voeten, over het WK en mijn negen toernooien sinds Italia '90. fhm.nl/entertainmen... Nederlandse editie is hier verkrijgbaar: www.bol.com/nl/nl/f/de-w...

Publication day!

veel plezier, Henk

Sehr stolz auf die deutsche Übersetzung meines neuen WM-Buches! Eine Reise durch meine neun WMs seit Italia '90. Das Buch können Sie hier bestellen: www.amazon.de/-/en/gr%C3%B...

Israel has never been so alone. It is committing the most public genocide in history, has bombed 6 countries, and is alienating its oldest allies to leave itself with only the unreliable Trump. It's also increasingly religious. Could it survive in isolation? Me @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/4nU6gYx

Israel has never been so alone. It is committing the most public genocide in history, has bombed 6 countries, and is alienating its oldest allies to leave itself with only the unreliable Trump. It's also increasingly religious. Could it survive in isolation? Me @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/4nU6gYx

I cannot believe we live in this era

Wow.

#ImpossibleCity by @simonkuper.bsky.social is one of @waterstones.bsky.social's #PaperbacksOfTheYear 📖 Get your copy – perfect for gifting! – here: tinyurl.com/ImpossibleCi...

Poland never wants to be invaded by Russia again, so it has built the biggest army of any EU country. But as Putin knows, it has a different vulnerability: its split and distrustful society. That's where he's striking. Me @financialtimes.com after my recent visit to Poland on.ft.com/3IrSfC8

Poland never wants to be invaded by Russia again, so it has built the biggest army of any EU country. But as Putin knows, it has a different vulnerability: its split and distrustful society. That's where he's striking. Me @financialtimes.com after my recent visit to Poland on.ft.com/3IrSfC8

Calling all football fans! ⚽️ #WorldCupFever: A Footballing Journey in Nine Tournaments by @simonkuper.bsky.social is available in audiobook on NetGalley now. Request here: tinyurl.com/WorldCupFeverNetGalley

Brilliant piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social, both in spotting the phenomenon and parsing it so insightfully.

Key date at the American Library in Paris on Sept 30: Sam Tanenhaus, biographer of William F. Buckley, the creator of the modern US conservative movement, is giving a lecture based on the book americanlibraryinparis.org/event/tanenh...