Cinque anni prima del quidditch: La Pallastrada di Stefano Benni
Five years before quidditch: Stefano Benni's Street Football

Summary/Abstract: Stefano Benni would probably not like the definition “cult” for his novel “La Compagnia dei Celestini” (1992). Nevertheless, a number of his statements can be found quoted all over the internet, and even some of his neologisms have entered the Italian common dictionary. One such example is pallastrada, "Street Football", the name he created in this book to define a popular game played all over the world. All that is needed to play Benni's pallastrada is some friends, an open space, and a ball. In fact, even the ball is not a requisite. The "Street Football" has become a better alternative to its official counterpart: away from stadiums; bearing no uniform strips; and, above all, having no sponsors or logos. The author adds to the game some mythical origins and a supernatural protector. The game - a metaphor of freedom and solidarity - has spread all over Europe, thanks in large part to a French cartoon inspired by the novel.

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