A BAKER'S DOZEN
Some soccer books to buy and read as holiday gifts
So, time is running out for buying gifts in the holiday for the soccer fanatic in your life.
Christmas is Wednesday and Chanukah starts the same day.
Perhaps you would be interested in a soccer book or two to give. Or maybe you want to buy one for yourself.
There are so many out there, from how-two, biographies, team histories, funny ones, World Cup.
While this is far from the ultimate list of soccer books for the holidays or any other time of the year, here are a baker’s dozen of my favorites:
Dynamo Defending the Honour of Kiev
On my return trip from Manchester, England after interviewing Tim Howard one-on-one for a story in the New York Daily News in September 2003, I purchased this book by Andy Dougan on the airport and I could not put it on the plane ride. I finished it that night after returning home.
It was one of the most compelling soccer books I have ever read. It is about the Nazi occupation of Kiev, Ukraine during World War II, and how the members of the Dynamo Kiev team coped and tried to survive during those atrocious times. Ukrainians were either sent to slave labor camps or killer in the city. Dynamo, renamed Start FC, wound up playing a team from the Luftwaffe in a so-called friendly. I won't tell you what transpired. You'll have to read the book, which served as the inspiration of the movie, Victory! (1980), which starred Michael Caine, Sylvester Caine, and the great Pele.
The Simplest Game
One of the first soccer books I read way back in the day in 1976. After much searching, I finally found the book at Penn Books at Penn Station in New York City (sorry, I believe that shop doesn't exist anymore). Paul Gardner's tome about soccer opened my eyes about the beautiful game in so many ways, educating your truly while entertaining myself as well. I also have several updated versions of the book. A treasure. You probably can get the first edition on ebay.com.
Football Against the Enemy
Simon Kuper has written several fine books about the sport, but this 2003 book about soccer culture - clubs and fans - will open your eyes and then some. Kuper visited 22 countries to write this book, highlighting the normal and the bizarre. Kuper also co-authored Soccernomics with Stefan Szymanski, another educational read.
Fever Pitch
Nick Hornby takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of being an Arsenal fan in London, which includes the angst of falling short and the occasional thrills of triumph while trying to have a normal life. A 2004 movie by the same name was based on Hornby's book as a starting point, as the passion for a football team is replaced by a baseball team (Boston Red Sox).
How Soccer Explains the World
If you're going to understand soccer, no matter what country in which you reside, I would suggest this book, which was published in 2010. No, it doesn't talk about formations, but takes a view from the political and economic standpoints while explaining the effects of globalization.
The Beckham Experiment
Author Grant Wahl dives in and digs deep about the behind-the-scenes machinations of Beckham joining the LA Galaxy in 2007. Wahl, who passed away during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, brings the reader into the board room as he unearthed some intriguing secrets about what really transpired in the MLS team signing the English international. After Wahl died, a book about the former Sports Illustrated writer's best and most memorable pieces were published in a volume titled, World Class: Purpose, Passion, and the Pursuit of Greatness on and Off the Field.
Soccer in Sun and Shadow
I have to admit. I have several editions of Eduardo Galeano's fabulous book about international soccer. His passion for the sport seeps through his words, as he takes the reader on a historical route of soccer, from the ridiculous to the sublime. It was almost like reading soccer in poetry. Galeano, a native of Uruguay, passed away in 2015.
Futebol The Brazilian way of life
Speaking of passion, Alex Bellos captured the Brazilian soccer culture in this 2002 book. It gives the reader an insight of what the sport means at home to players, fans and teams and throughout the world as well. One of my favorite parts of the book was a team that had its stadium built on the equator. One half is in the northern hemisphere, the other half is in the southern one.
Inverting the Pyramid
For the soccer aficionado who is more into tactics, then this volume might be perfect. Jonathan Wilson's 2018 delves into the history of formations and the evolution of the game. Name the formation and Wilson likely will write about it. Wilson also penned, Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football, among his many other works.
The Ball is Round A Global History of Soccer
For you soccer buffs who want to get into the weeds of the sport's history, Michael Goldblatt's 2006 book was written just for you. It puts much into context, including the political and cultural aspects. With soccer being played in countless countries, there is a lot of moving parts. Reader beware: It is 1,008 pages.
The Girls of Summer: The U.S. Women's Soccer Team and How It Changed the World
Jere Longman's book about the rise and rise of the U.S. women's national team in its early days is detailed in this 2000 book. The New York Times sportswriter goes behind the scenes and lets the reader learn about the behind-the-scenes story 1999 USWNT and what they overcame and how they triumphed at the 1999 Women's World Cup, which helped change the way women's sports in general were viewed. Can't believe it has almost been a quarter of a century since Longman's book.
More Than Just a Game
Another inspiring book. In 2008, authors Chuck Korr and Marvin Close capture the hell on Robben Island of what was transpiring during the years of Apartheid in South Africa. Prisoners asked for the right to play soccer during exercise periods in 1964. After three years of rejection, the prisoners formed a league that lasted more than 20 years. Also, having a soccer league gave these men something to live for during those difficult times.
While on the way to the 2010 World Cup draw in South Africa, I purchased this book at Heathrow Airport and read and finished it before the plane landed in Cape Town. I knew I was going to visit Robben Island for a special press conference, and I wanted to know what exactly happened. What an education and it turned into one of the most memorable stories of my career.
Anything by Brian Glanville
No, that is not the title of a book. That is any book written by the famed British journalist. I lost track of how many books he has authored through the years, but they are countless. Glanville has written several books about World Cup history, many of them updates after tournaments. He even was the editor of several books that included some of the best soccer/football stories over the years.
In 1986, I got an opportunity to interview Glanville in England for a piece in Soccer America (man, I've got to find that story). Eight years later, he was writing a column for Soccer Magazine, of which I was the editor.
There are so many more: Tor! The Story of German Football, Fear And Loathing in La Liga, Luka Modric, An Autobiography, The Damned Utd, Managing My Life: My Autobiography (Sir Alex Ferguson), Barça: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World, Garrincha: The Triumph & Tragedy of Brazil's Forgotten Footballing Hero, The Glory Game, and The Beautiful Team: in Search of Pele and the 1970 Brazilians.
Like I said. I can go on and on and on.
A couple of current titles
A pair of U.S.-based writers published books in late 2023 and were available for sale this year, and I want to highlight them.
90 Minutes with the KING How Soccer Saved My Life
Former professional soccer plyer Tommy Mulory takes the reader on an incredible journey and his unflagging spirit while en route to becoming a professional soccer player with the Miami Toros back in the day. Mulroy found ways to get to training with his teams in the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League even though he lived miles and miles away in upstate New York. Mulroy went on to have an 11-year soccer in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. While Mulroy has thanked so many people in making his career and life possible, it is an engaging story of someone who wouldn't take no for an answer and tried to find a solution to whatever problem or challenge that was presented to him. I am not certain today's players would appreciate what he went through because soccer life, in many instances, can be much easier for them. The book is available on Amazon for $19.99.
Crash of the Buffalo
This is a book that celebrates triumph over tragedy. American sportswriter Jay Mwamba, a Zambia native, spent years of research and interviews into this book about the 1993 plane crash that wiped out his country's national team. The book is about the crash and its aftermath. The Zambian side literally rises from the ashes of the tragedy, which occurred during qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. Aa it turned out, Zambian legend and captain Kalusha Kwalya wasn't on that plane as the team was rebuilt from scratch. Some 11 months after the crash, the Zambian side reached the 1994 African Cup of Nations final. Crash of the Buffalo, $48.99, can be purchased on Amazon.
Listen, this is just a handful of soccer/football books available in the world. If I had to list all of them, then this piece would never be finished.
As for purchasing any of these aforementioned books, some might be at a local bookstore. Many others probably will be available on Amazon.com, ebay.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, https://soccer-books.co.uk/en-us (based in England), and https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk.
When you get an opportunity to breath, I would love to hear from you about your favorite soccer/football books. I'll post the best responses in the new year.
Season's greetings to everyone!
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BTW, I like to read. Since the advent of the internet, unfortunately, I have been reading less books. In the long run, they are so much better than a tweet or a couple of paragraphs. They give you context.
And I also like to write, as you probably already know, from this Substack, FrontRowSoccer.com and other websites, publications and newspapers.
I have written a few books, as well. That includes four on the World Cup, the original Soccer For Dummies, Football For Dummies (Australia), ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers, and the STILL ALIVE AND KICKING The 21st century Rochester Lancers.
I am currently in the process of finishing a book about the Mattituck High School boys soccer team that captured a New York state championship a number of years ago.