12 record(s) found
From 'fouls' to 'free kicks', and from 'bookings' to banana shots', here's everything you need to know to tackle the opposition in any post-match analysis.
Daring, flashy, innovative, volatile—no matter what they call him, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of soccer's brightest stars. A top-scoring striker with Paris Saint-Germain and captain of the Swedish national team, he has dominated the world's most storied teams, including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, and AC Milan. But his life wasn't always so charmed. Born to Balkan immigrants who divorced when he was a toddler, Zlatan learned self-reliance from his rough-and-tumble neighborhood. While his father, a Bosnian Muslim, drank to forget the war back home, his mother's household was engulfed in chaos. Soccer was Zlatan's release. Mixing in street moves and trick plays, Zlatan was a wild talent who rode to practice on stolen bikes and relished showing up the rich kids—opponents and teammates alike. Goal by astonishing goal, the brash young outsider grew into an unlikely prodigy and, by his early twenties, an international phenomenon. Told as only the man himself could tell it, featuring stories of friendships and feuds with the biggest names in the sport, I Am Zlatan is a wrenching, uproarious, and ultimately redemptive tale for underdogs everywhere. Praise for I Am Zlatan "Terrific . . . Far more insightful than your typical jock memoir, Ibra's book tells his story of growing up as the son of immigrants in Sweden and pulls no punches when it comes to his opinions of some of the biggest names in the game." — Sports Illustrated "The most compelling autobiography ever to appear under a footballer's name." — The Guardian "The story of Zlatan—from his days as an immigrant kid juggling a soccer ball so he won't get bullied to his emergence as the genius player who scored the greatest goal ever—is as compelling and fancy-footed as his game." —Aleksandar Hemon, National Book Award finalist and author of The Lazarus Project "I love this book. I love it because it's so much bigger than soccer. I Am Zlatan is a story of hope and grit and what an immigrant kid who comes from nothing can accomplish with hard work and belief in himself. It's also a beautiful window into our new, more open, more diverse world." —Marcus Samuelsson, bestselling author of Yes, Chef "Probably the bestselling European immigrant's tale since Zadie Smith's White Teeth . . . Once you get past the obligatory snigger prompted by the phrase 'footballer's autobiography,' you can see that Zlatan's book strangely resembles an earlier immigrant's tale: Portnoy's Complaint ." —Financial Times "He is skillful. He is outspoken. He is Zlatan." — The New York Times "The best sports autobiography in years." — PolicyMic From the Trade Paperback edition.
A new collection of soccer writing by the bestselling author of Fever Pitch . After the phenomenal success of Fever Pitch , Nick Hornby tried to avoid writing about soccer, for fear that he'd be writing about it forever. But occasionally over the years he's found it impossible to turn down a particularly enticing assignment or, in the case of the 2012-13 Premier League, just unable to resist writing about that most spectacular of seasons. Fortunately for those who love great writing about soccer, all these fugitive pieces are collected in Fan Mail . You can follow the fortunes, as Hornby did, of a hopelessly out-of-their-depth Cambridge United in the old Second Division, discover why Perry Groves was an unlikely hero among Arsenal fans, enjoy Hornby trying to explain the World Cup to Americans, and share with him the pain of watching his national team.
Soccer. Football. The beautiful game. The world's most popular sport goes by many names, but for decades, fans have agreed on one thing: the greatest player of all time was Pelé. Now the legendary star, ambassador, and humanitarian shares a global vision for what soccer can accomplish. Now he shares his story, his experience, and his insights on the game for the very first time. Before Messi, before Ronaldo, before Beckham, there was Edson Arantes do Nascimento—known simply as Pelé. A national treasure, he created pure magic with his accomplishments on the field: an unprecedented three World Cup championships and the all-time scoring record, with 1,283 goals in his twenty year career. Now, with the World Cup returning after more than sixty years to Brazil—the country often credited with perfecting the sport—soccer has a unique opportunity to encourage change on a global level. And as the tournament's official ambassador, Pelé is ready to be the face of progress. For the first time ever Pelé explores the recent history of the game and provides new insights into soccer's role connecting and galvanizing players around the world. He has traveled the world as the global ambassador for soccer and in support of charitable organizations such as Unicef, promoting the positive influences soccer can have to transform young men and women, struggling communities, even entire nations. In groundbreaking detail and with unparalleled openness, he shares his most inspiring experiences, heartwarming stories and hard-won wisdom, and he puts the game in perspective. This is Pelé's legacy, his way of passing on everything he's learned and inspiring a new generation. In Why Soccer Matters , Pelé details his ambitious goals for the future of the sport and, by extension, the world. Commemorative poster inside the jacket
Everything any fan needs to know. Club Soccer 101 is the essential guide to 101 of the most storied soccer clubs in the world. The book covers the history of European powerhouses like Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid; historic South American clubs like Boca Juniors, Corinthians, Penarol, and Santos; and rising clubs from Africa, Asia, and America, including such leading MLS clubs as LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, and Seattle Sounders. Writing with the passion and panache of a deeply knowledgeable and opinionated fan, Luke Dempsey explains what makes each club distinctive: their origins, fans, and style of play; their greatest (and most heartbreaking) seasons and historic victories and defeats; and their most famous players—from Pelé, Eusébio, and Maradona to Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and Ronaldo. With club soccer exploding in popularity, Club Soccer 101 provides everything any fan needs to know.
Steven Gerrard is a hero to millions, not only as the inspirational captain of Liverpool FC, but as a key member of the England team. Here, for the first time, he tells the story of his lifelong obsession with football, in an honest and revealing book which captures the extraordinary camaraderie, the soul-destroying tensions and the high-octane thrills of the modern game as never before. Born in the Liverpool suburb of Huyton in 1980, Steven first joined Liverpool as a YTS trainee and played his first game for the first team aged just 18. His career has gone from strength to strength ever since and he is now the team's captain and its lynchpin. Liverpool's incredible comeback in the Champions' League final in Istanbul in May 2005, recovering from a 3-goal deficit against AC Milan to win on penalties, is testament to the amazing power Gerrard has over his team. His presence on the pitch is a force to be reckoned with and places him amongst the very first rank of players in the world. A relatively private figure, Steven has rarely spoken out in public. Now, his legions of fans will be allowed an intimate glimpse of what makes their hero tick. He speaks for the first time about the torturous will-he-won't-he Chelsea rumours and his undying passion for Liverpool. We experience first-hand the highs of winning in Istanbul and elsewhere, as well as the occasional lows of being parted from his much-loved family and friends. And of course, the book contains a full blow-by-blow account of England's world cup campaign in Germany 2006. Steven Gerrard's book is the definitive football autobiography. Like its subject, it's honest, passionate and exhilarating. If Steven Gerrard isn't your hero yet, by the time you've read this he will be...
Did you know... Eiður Guðjohnsen made history playing for Iceland in a friendly against Estonia in 1996 when he came on as the substitute for his own father, Arnór? Coventry City FC have played in the Premier League, The First, Second, Third and Fourth Divisions and Division 3 North and South? In recognition of their unbeaten Premier League record that year, 2003–4 winners Arsenal were presented with a special gold Premier League trophy? Lace up your boots for this collection of mind-blowing trivia and top-tier questions about the beautiful game – and find out if you're on the ball with your football facts.
Soccer, the world's most popular sport, has a growing fan base with millions of enthusiasts. Whether you're a newcomer to this exciting sport or a longtime fan, in How to Speak Soccer authors Sally Cook and Ross MacDonald share the definitions to over 150 terms, plus a range of amusing trivia. Learn about the history of the World Cup, where red and yellow cards come from, and much more! -Diving Header: When a player dives horizontally to head a ball at knee-height -Rainbow Kick: A trick kick that is done by flicking the ball with the back of the heel and over one's head. It is usually employed to avoid a sliding tackle. - Rocket: A shot that is struck with immense power.
An all-encompassing look at the penalty kick, soccer's all-or-nothing play—its legendary moments and the secrets to its success No stretch of grass has been the site of more glory or heartbreak in the world of sports than the few dozen paces between goalkeeper and penalty kicker in soccer. In theory, it's simple: place the ball beyond a single defender and secure a place in history. But once the chosen players make the lonely march from their respective sides of the pitch, everything changes, all bets are off, and anything can happen. Drawing from the hardwon lessons of legendary games, in-depth statistical analysis, expert opinion, and the firsthand experience of coaches and players from around the world, journalist Ben Lyttleton offers insight into the diverse attitudes, tactics, and techniques that separate success from failure in one of the highest-pressure situations sports has to offer.
Part diary and part reportage, The Soccer War is a remarkable chronicle of war in the late twentieth century. Between 1958 and 1980, working primarily for the Polish Press Agency, Kapuscinski covered twenty-seven revolutions and coups in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Here, with characteristic cogency and emotional immediacy, he recounts the stories behind his official press dispatches--searing firsthand accounts of the frightening, grotesque, and comically absurd aspects of life during war. The Soccer War is a singular work of journalism.
The definitive book about the national identities, heroes, and dramatic stories from Latin American soccer throughout history—in time for the 2014 World Cup. "Golazo!" means "amazing goal!" And the word perfectly captures the unique, exuberant, all-encompassing, passionate role that soccer plays in Latin America. Andreas Campomar offers readers the definitive history of Latin American soccer from the early, deadly Mesoamerican ballgames to the multi-billion dollar international business it is today. Golazo! explores the intersection of soccer, politics, economics, high and low culture, and how passion for a game captured a continent. Latin American soccer will be in the global spotlight more than ever in the coming years—both the next World Cup (2014) and the Summer Olympics (2016) will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a country for which soccer is not just a passion but a way of life. The triumphs, the heartbreaks, the origins and the future, the political and the personal— Golazo! is the perfect book for new fans and diehard followers around the world.
On the eve of the 2014 World Cup, New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey offers a personal perspective on the beautiful game Blending witty travelogue with action on the field—and shady dealings in back rooms—George Vecsey offers an eye-opening, globe-trotting account of the last eight World Cups. He immerses himself in the great national leagues, historic clubs, and devoted fans and provides his up-close impressions of charismatic stars like Sócrates, Maradona, Baggio, and Zidane, while also chronicling the rise of the U.S. men's and women's teams. Vecsey shows how each host nation has made the World Cup its own, from the all-night street parties in Spain in 1982 to the roar of vuvuzelas in South Africa in 2010, as the game in the stadium is backed up by the game in the street. But the joy is sometimes undermined by those who style themselves the game's protectors. With his characteristic sharp reporting and eye for detail, Vecsey brings this global event to vivid life and has written a perfect companion for the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Brazil.