"Football Saved My Life" and Ringleaders Football Club capsule collaboration; 

 "The very first monograph on the Ringleaders, the enigmatic amateur football club.

The project initially started as a way for Gildas Messan Awuye to organize his photo archive - nothing more. It was once only he started digging through his hard drives and sorting his photographs that he felt compelled to compile his collection of images into a ‘’book’’. A book that he planned on only sharing with his teammates over a couple of beers at the Soccerplex.

A single principle guided the process of editing this book. There would be no expectation, no deadline, and no pressure. The project would take the time needed to develop. And would only be worked on if it felt good to do so.

Almost four years later, it’s fair to say that the project snowballed quite a bit. What started as a photo album for teammates turned into a 300 pages hard-cover book about The Ringleaders Football Club.

The carefully curated photographs featured in this book were shot over eight years and offer an immersion into the world of the Ringleaders, from Tuesday night pick-up to Sunday league, futsal, art shows, parties, travels, and more. 

In the form of a photo journal, this publication is an account of the artist’s journey as a Ringleader. Highlighting the people he met along the way and the places they’ve travelled to for the love of football. It’s a football story, but it’s also much more. It’s a story about how an amateur football club saved his life."

Football Saved My Life: The Ringleaders Football Club ISBN: 978-1-7782851-0-3

Photography by Gildas Messan Awuye Edited and designed by Messan Studios

Published by Messan Studios, Montréal

First edition, 150 copies

November 2022, printed in Montréal

©2022, Messan Studios for Football Saved My Life (F.S.M.L)