In 2014, the conflict in the Donbas region of Ukraine began – and top football club Shakhtar Donetsk has since been in exile. This book tells their story; inevitably a story of the conflict and the recent Russian invasion but also a testament to the power of the game and the will of the players. It is ultimately a footballing story, exploring the experience and meaning of being a Shakhtar player through the lens of a country in the shadow of a huge aggressive neighbour. There are moments of direct impact (such as when a youth coach was killed by Russian shelling earlier in 2022) but also what it means to just go out on the field and play, freely.