We live in a world of competition which was supposed to improve our lives. Competition in political life is the hallmark of a democratic society. Competition in the marketplace is meant to drive down prices and improve quality. The metaphors of sports - champions, offense, drive, and above all winning - now permeates every corner of society. Entrepreneurs call themselves 'hidden champions', political scientists speak of 'competitive authoritarianism', and everybody is told they need to be a winner.

In the winter issue of Granta we look at the theme of 'winning' through sport, politics, and art. The art of winning turns out to be hard to master. Articles include Nico Walker on the storied Colorado college football star-coach Deion Sanders, Charles Glass on Imran Khan, the winner of the Pakistani election (now in prison), and much more.