In conversation with One Step Beyond about our magazine and football culture

We sat down with One Step Beyond for a great chat about football culture, our España special edition and how the magazine came to life.

Some ideas are born at the kitchen table, others in the stadium. Escapismo Magazine was born from a mix of both – more precisely, as a Father’s Day gift. James, a man with a heart for football, photography, and good coffee, wanted to give his dad something special. So he gathered photos from their shared football years, wrote a few words to go with them – and printed a handful of copies. His father was thrilled, his friends were too, and suddenly a gift had turned into a mission: to create a magazine that captures football not just as a sport, but as a feeling.

Five years and six issues later, Escapismo is more than just ink on paper. It’s a journey through stadiums, streets, and cities – from the Curva B in Naples to the Himno del Betis in Seville. Along the way, James captures not only goals and terraces, but above all the moments between the final whistle and the kick-off: community, passion, nostalgia – and occasionally a bratwurst with a pint.

The magazine is a love letter to the game in all its facets. James talks about it as if speaking of an old friend: sometimes loud and euphoric, sometimes quiet and reflective. So, grab yourself a drink, sit back – and enjoy James and Escapismo Magazine!

Hi James! How did Escapismo come to life – and what was the moment when you thought: Let’s just do this?

Originally it was something I made as a Father’s Day gift! My Dad is just as huge a football fan as I am, and we had so many photos between us from over the years, so I felt that putting some of them together and writing some short pieces covering topics we were both interested in would make for a nice, unique gift.

He absolutely loved it, and I really enjoyed the process too, so thought it could maybe be something to take forward, and now five years later I can’t quite believe I’m releasing a sixth issue. It’s taught me so many things, and when I made that initial concept version for Dad, I had a few extra copies printed that I handed out to friends and family, so after a number of people encouraged me to turn it into a real magazine I think that was the moment where I became really determined to give it a go.

With each issue, I’ve been able to learn more and more about refining the themes, improving the design and enhancing the photography, amongst so many other areas, and want to keep looking to make each release an improvement on the last one. None of this would have been possible without the support of everyone who has ever bought a copy, so I just want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for making it all possible.

What does “Escapismo” mean to you – especially in the context of football?

I guess when I was thinking of a name for the magazine, I wanted it to encapsulate what I feel football represents to so many people, with that sense of escape and the positive distraction from whatever may be going on in our lives that it provides.

That sense of belonging and togetherness that football represents to so many people really is unique, and I think that’s one of the main things I always try to capture through the magazine – those special moments that provide the feeling of being a part of something bigger.

Is there a story or feature that still resonates deeply with you – maybe even on a personal level?

Covering Real Betis in the latest issue really struck a chord with me, the loyalty of the supporters and their love for their club is honestly just incredible. Travelling to Naples for the previous special edition and gaining an sense of just how connected the club is to the city was absolutely incredible, and the previous issue before that looked at sides that had come within touching distance of winning something and represent the way the game isn’t just all about winning.

Looking back at all of those stories, I guess there’s a bit of a theme in terms of the way the game means far more than just the result to so many sets of supporters. This is definitely something I find fascinating but also resonate closely with, and I think that’s maybe why Betis and Napoli supporters had such an impact on me when making the two most recent magazines, as they represent so much of what makes football so special.

What makes a photo feel right for Escapismo – what’s a signature shot?

Anything that gives a sense of the essence and emotion of the game, from an empty goal in the park to the faces of thousands of supporters right behind their side in the stadium, I’m always trying to learn more about photography to improve my shots, and have some exciting plans for the future.

What makes your mag different from other football magazines?

I’m a huge fan of so many other football magazines, and think it’s brilliant that every magazine has their own take on things and their own angle. It’s a great community to be a part of and we’re all doing it primarily for our pure love of the game which is a wonderful thing.

I think with the last two editions I’ve made, covering Napoli and Betis, I’ve really tried to transport the reader to the city being covered and have looked to combine the travel element with the football. One thing I’ve really tried to do is capture the experience of visiting the city, gaining a sense of the passion for football and taking in a match, and am excited to work on more similar editions in the coming years.

How would you describe your approach to football culture in three words?

This is a great question – I think open, immersive and reflective summarise how I try to document the culture of the game.

If you had just one photo to explain football – which would it be?

I think the recent image of the beautiful tifo display before Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win at Wembley captured so much of the emotion of the game and why we all fell in love with it in the first place. The Father celebrating with his two sons, with the love for his side being passed down to them is something that so many of us can resonate with. Learning that the father in the tifo had sadly passed away, while his sons were in the stadium that day and were so emotional after seeing the tifo of themselves with him was one of the most touching moments I’ve ever seen in football, and it reminded me of the way I think of my late Grandad every time I watch my side Bristol City play.

That really was one of my favourite ever results in football, some of my closest friends are Palace fans and I have a real soft spot for the club, seeing the generations of supporters celebrate together at the final whistle really did capture everything that makes football special. I can’t think of many fanbases I’d have loved to be able to see their side win a trophy more than Palace and I think so many football fans felt the same that day. It almost feels like it deserves its own magazine to be honest!

In terms of a photo that I’ve personally taken, there’s one that comes to mind from my Napoli special edition, where Insigne was photographed in front of the supporters in Curva B after his final home game for Napoli. I think this photo captures so much of what I love about the game, the player and the fans together, the sunshine and the running track in an iconic stadium, it will always be one of my favourites. 

What’s the last stadium moment that gave you goosebumps?

I’m not sure if anything will quite compare to experiencing the Himno del Betis when I travelled to Seville for the latest issue. I went into more detail in the magazine itself about just how incredible that was – almost 60,000 were in the ground that day, holding their scarves aloft and singing the club’s anthem together, it was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in a football ground, simply breathtaking.

In Germany, an ice-cold beer (with foam!) and a bratwurst are simply part of the stadium experience for nostalgic fans. What does your perfect stadium visit look like?

I have to say I think German football match days may just be the best of any country! For me, I love making a day of things, meeting up for food and a few drinks with friends or with my Dad before heading down to the ground and soaking up the atmosphere. That moment when the stadium comes into view for the first time as you approach it is always one of my favourite parts of any matchday, just thinking about it is making me excited for getting along to a few games next season.

If Escapismo were a football club, which mascot would you have and why?

With the amount of photos I’ve posted of the magazine with a coffee, I think it would have to be a giant coffee cup wouldn’t it!!

Which player was never the best – but always your favourite?

There’s so many I could think of, and he may have been a little inconsistent at times but I’ve always loved Nani. When he was at his best he was an absolute joy to watch – the pace, the trickery, terrific goals, brilliant crosses and of course, those backflips.

Is there a football shirt you could never part with – no matter how worn it is?

There’s quite a few of my old Bristol City and Italy kits that are quite worn but I just have to keep hold of! I’ve almost got the opposite problem too where I’ve had a lovely Totti shirt from the 2001 Scudetto season for years and have never worn it! Maybe if ever watch Roma play that will be the day, I’d love to make a special edition travelling to Rome too.

If football were a city – what would it look like?

It would be a pretty great place! What a great question, I think it would have to have a little slice of all of the best football cities across the world – I’d certainly love to visit!

As we are a blog and label dedicated to the Casual Culture: How important is clothing in football culture – random or ritual?

It’s an aspect of football that’s always fascinated me – I’ve always loved reading about the stories of fans in Britain travelling to Europe following their sides and returning with jackets and trainers from labels and brands that didn’t exist at home, it’s such an interesting and important part of football fandom, and the connection with music is so profound too.

If you could build your own stadium: modern, brutalist – or something completely different?

I think would have to have the exterior of the San Siro, the soul of Goodison Park, the atmosphere of La Bombonera and the Wembley arch just to top it off. Quite the mix but definitely a stadium I’d love to visit!

What songs belong on football’s ultimate away days mixtape?

Maybe we should collaborate on the ultimate footy spotify playlist as there are just so many aren’t there, Morning Glory and Club Foot are two I think most English fans would agree on, then there’s so many brilliant club songs, as well as a few adopted club songs in England which are great too. Hi Ho Silver Lining is definitely a classic for quite a few clubs, I know they play a few Oasis classics at Man City, Sam Fender at Newcastle, we always play Gold and Unfinished Sympathy at Ashton Gate and then when it comes to the World Cup and the Euros, the list of songs synonymous with those tournaments is just endless. 

Your latest issue focuses on Real Betis – why this club, why now?

It’s a club I’ve been very fond of for quite some time and there’s so much to cover in terms of the history, the supporters and so many things that make Betis so unique, so I’ve tried to capture it all and give a flavour of the experience of a matchday in Seville. It felt like a great time for the magazine as its been a brilliant period for Betis in recent years under Pellegrini, with the Copa del Rey win in 2022, consistently qualifying for Europe, the brilliance of Isco and Antony and the incredible run to the final of the Conference League. A special club with a special story to be told, I’d like to thank everyone who has picked up a copy so far and I really hope you enjoy reading through. I’d also like to thank the team at Real Betis who have supported the release on social media, can’t quite believe that!

You’ve called this your finest work to date – what made this particular journey so meaningful?

I go into detail a bit more about this in the magazine, but the club and the fanbase really struck a chord with me in a way that few other things in football ever had. I think where I’ve looked to improve the design, the photography and the content itself with each issue, this one really does feel like the best magazine I’ve made to date.

What did Seville teach you about football – and about storytelling?

It’s certainly a city in love with the game, and somewhere I absolutely loved visiting. The architecture, the sunshine, the relaxed pace of life – I think it made me really try and transport the reader to the city through the magazine, so in terms of storytelling it really made me try and capture the moment.

If you had an unlimited budget, what dream project would you realise immediately?

It would have to be a trip to Argentina, the passion and love for the game is just incredible and I think my dream football trip would be to watch Boca Juniors play, I’d love to make a magazine on the club, it’s supporters and experiencing La Bombonera – I’m not sure it gets much better than that.

Where do you see Escapismo in two years: more reach, more depth – or just more dreaming?

In the next couple of years I’d love to make another special edition or two – I need to get my next football trip arranged so I can start planning it all!

Many thanks for your time and stories. The last words are yours, say what you want.

I’ve absolutely loved talking to you about the magazine and all things football culture, thanks a lot for supporting the magazine and keep doing what you’re doing as it’s superb.

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