Phil Ball

Phil Ball (born ) is a British sports journalist, football commentator, and author based in Spain. He is the author of many books on Spanish football, including Morbo: The Story of Spanish Football, From 2001 to 2014, he wrote a regular column on Spanish football culture for ESPN.

Early life Phil Ball was born in Canada to English parents. He grew up in Cleethorpes on the northeast coast of England, having moved there in 1957. As a youngster he supported Grimsby Town F.C., saying, "I was brought up on lower league football".

He attended Clee Humberstone Foundation Grammar School (later Matthew Humberstone School).

Career Ball began with an English teaching post in a state comprehensive school in Hull. He later taught in Peru and Oman, eventually moving to San Sebastián. and Financial Times. He has worked as an announcer for Sky Sports' La Liga broadcast and written a regular weekly column on Spanish football for ESPN since 2002. He writes for Football España and Liga Fever''.

Personal life His son was a footballer who played for Antiguoko, a boys' club in San Sebastián which produced Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta, Andoni Iraola and Aritz Aduriz in previous years.