How do you make LaLiga a household name in India, where entertainment revolves around two great secular religions: Cricket and Bollywood?

When José Antonio Cachaza arrived to lead the Spanish football league’s expansion, he knew from the very beginning that he wasn’t there to sell a sport – he was there to sell emotions. In India, one of the few major markets where football is not king, success demanded more than a sound business strategy; it required immersion into the country’s soul.

For seven years, Cachaza navigated the vibrant extremes of Indian life. He lived as a local, moving by metro and autorickshaw, bargaining in neighbourhood markets, eating in roadside dhabas. At the same time, his journey brought him into contact with the social, cultural, and sporting elite, including some demi-gods of the country’s dual faiths: Rohit Sharma, Kapil Dev, Arjun Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh.

Narrated with humility and quiet humour, Breaking Into Cricketland is a story of professional ambition and personal transformation—an insider’s account of the sports business, and an outsider’s gaze at a country that resists simple explanations.

Praises

I’ve seen José Antonio’s passion for football firsthand—and his deep respect for cricket. In this book, he captures the madness and the beauty of India with total honesty and humour. If you want to understand what it really takes to bridge these two worlds, this is the story to read. ~ Rohit Sharma, Captain of the Indian Cricket Team

Very few outsiders truly understand India. José Antonio Cachaza is one of them. His story captures not only the challenge of introducing football into a cricket-loving nation, but the deeper intelligence required to live, work, and build trust in India. ~ Sanjay Verma, Indian Ambassador to Spain (2018–2022)

About the Author

José Antonio Cachaza is a seasoned sports industry professional who in the summer of 2023 concluded a transformative seven-year tenure leading LaLiga’s operations in India. Tasked with promoting Spanish football in a nation dominated by cricket, he specialized in building a brand presence from scratch—an assignment without an instruction manual that required navigating a complex and unique market. His time in India represents the latest chapter in a career defined by international experience and the management of high-stakes sports properties.