In this episode, Alan and Mel spend the hour with Laurent Dubois, a professor of history at the University of Virginia. Laurent has two bodies of work of equal importance to the People’s Game: Soccer Empire, on the history and culture of the Atlantic world, focusing on the Caribbean, Haiti, North America, and France, and The Language of the Game, with a focus on the game in Africa, France, and the African diaspora. Laurent sings the praises of the French national team, who remain the favorites to win the tournament, celebrates a strong showing by Haiti, marvels at the brilliance of African diasporic players on countless teams, and explains why African soccer has developed so spectacularly in recent decades.
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