There’s nowhere on earth quite like Argentina when it comes to football. The sights, sounds, and emotions that pulse through its terraces are unlike anything else — part theatre, part religion, part rebellion. And few clubs embody that spirit more fiercely than San Lorenzo de Almagro.
In Oh, San Lorenzo: A Journey Through Argentine Football Culture, English author Will Dalton dives headlong into this world of devotion, chaos, and beauty. What begins as a love affair with San Lorenzo soon becomes a sweeping journey through South America and beyond — from the barrios of Buenos Aires to the souks of Marrakech — in search of what makes Argentine football so intoxicating.
Dalton’s travels take readers deep into the heart of terrace life, where the game becomes a mirror reflecting the country’s soul. He recounts the anarchy and euphoria of clásicos, the fevered drama of Copa Libertadores nights, and even the surreal pilgrimage of 12,000 Argentines to Morocco, where San Lorenzo once dared to dream of toppling Real Madrid at the Club World Cup.
But this is no romanticised postcard from the stands. Dalton meets the feared barra brava firms — Argentina’s infamous ultras — and those who’ve seen both the beauty and brutality of football up close. There are interviews that cut through myth, tales of bloodshed and loyalty, and moments when passion spills into peril — including a close brush with murder in Rosario.
At the book’s core is San Lorenzo’s own story: a club displaced by Argentina’s military dictatorship during the Dirty War, still fighting to return to its spiritual home and rebuild the so-called “Wembley of Buenos Aires.” It’s a history that intertwines with the nation’s politics and pain, revealing how football in Argentina isn’t just a pastime — it’s a reflection of identity, resistance, and survival.
Through Dalton’s eyes, we explore the cacophonous arenas of Boca Juniors and River Plate, the intimate cauldrons of the lower leagues, and even one of Buenos Aires’ most notorious slums, looming beside San Lorenzo’s stadium. There’s also a surprising detour to Chile and Palestine, tracing how Argentina’s vast diaspora has carried its footballing fire across continents.
For Dalton, the deeper he digs, the clearer it becomes: in Argentina, football is never just about the game. It’s about faith, community, defiance, and the stories that live far beyond the final whistle.
A regular contributor to MOD magazine and a writer for MUNDIAL and FourFourTwo, Dalton has long chronicled football’s subcultures. In Oh, San Lorenzo, he captures something more profound — a country where football doesn’t just belong to the people, it defines them.
To mark the release, Stanchion Books will host the official launch of Oh, San Lorenzo: A Journey Through Argentine Football Culture, chaired by Eli Mengem, at The Volley — one of London’s finest football spaces, known for its atmosphere, beer, and community spirit.
For those unable to be there, signed copies of Oh, San Lorenzo are available to preorder at stanchionbooks.com, with worldwide tracked shipping.
OH, SAN LORENZO is available to buy on 27th October 2025
Will Dalton is a writer and journalist who began his career as a technology and culture reporter in 2012. He has written for titles including MUNDIAL and FourFourTwo, and is a regular contributor to MOD magazine – winner of two FSA awards. He has also appeared as an Argentine football expert on Copa90.
All photography by Basile Bertrand
You can follow Will on Instagram here.
