Author 'digs deep' for legacies of Jewish soccer players killed in Holocaust

British author and Manchester United fan David Bolchover challenges a common perception that football is not a Jewish strength. In his new book, "Digging Deep," he sets out to correct this by uncovering the stories of Jewish soccer players who contributed to the sport before being murdered during the Holocaust.

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They’ll laugh at you. Even if they’re huge football fans with a deep knowledge of modern Jewish history, they think football is not a Jewish forte.

Bolchover's latest work follows his previous book, "The Greatest Comeback," which detailed the life of Hungarian Holocaust survivor and renowned coach Béla Guttmann. Guttmann, who won the European Cup twice with Benfica, had his wartime experiences often glossed over, with accounts suggesting he simply went to neutral Switzerland to survive.

However, Bolchover's research revealed Guttmann was a Holocaust survivor who escaped a slave labor camp and hid while his family was murdered. This discovery, along with the realization that Guttmann's own family suffered immensely during the Holocaust, fueled Bolchover's determination to bring these forgotten Jewish footballers' stories to light. He describes the 11 players as his "team" and meticulously researched their heartbreaking lives.

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This is a great story and I’m going to write about it.

"Digging Deep" aims to resurrect the memories of these 11 Jewish soccer professionals, who have been long forgotten. Bolchover's investigation into Guttmann's past, including his family's tragic fate, underscores the hidden histories of Jewish involvement in football and the devastating impact of the Holocaust on individuals and their legacies.

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Europe wanted to murder him and murdered his father and sister. And then, a few years later, he won the premier sporting competition in Europe.