"Chock-full of nifty tidbits about the game we love." -- New York
Times
Discover the ultimate collection of soccer's greatest lore and legends,
illustrated with 100 black-and-white photos, by two of the world's most
knowledgeable soccer journalists. Uli Hesse and editor Paul Simpson
bring together the sublime feats, legendary personalities, neglected
heroes, bizarre twists of fate, and fascinating mysteries that have
shaped the world's most popular game, including:
Who invented the bicycle kick?
Why does a football match last 90 minutes?
Who scored the fastest goal ever?
Which match produced the largest number of red cards?
Why are seven dead cats buried under a stadium in Argentina?
Which country was banned from the World Cup after refusing to play in
shoes?
Providing answers to more than 100 questions, Hesse and Simpson explore
the beautiful game as never before, shedding new light on legends such
as Pele, Maradona, Messi, Beckham, Ronaldo, and Rooney, and uncovering
lost histories of international clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea,
Aston Villa, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and more. Challenging
conventional wisdom, and destroying a few urban myths, Who Invented the
Bicycle Kick? is a must for every soccer lover.