Book Description

"Equally appealing for browsers and avid readers, this is a recommended purchase" - School Library Journal Dive into the world of soccer with this mega book of everything to do with the beautiful game. Learn all the lingo; meet the greatest players, managers, and teams from both the men's and women's games; take masterclasses with the pros; wander through the haircut hall of fame; learn the most iconic goal celebrations; and more. Written by the team at MUNDIAL, the celebrated soccer lifestyle magazine, and filled with fun, colorful illustrations, The Big Book of Soccer by Mundial covers it all: The basics and the lingo that will have you talking like a soccer expert in no time. History of soccer, including how we got from playing with a ball made of feathers to using high-tech soccer balls, the greatest teams of all time and the evolution of soccer cleats. The great players, including Paolo Maldini, Lev Yashin, Joy Fawcett, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Michelle Akers, Sir Stanley Matthews, and Marta Vieira da Silva. Legendary managers and how they did it--learn the favorite killer formations of greats like Rinus Michels and Sir Alex Ferguson. The big cups, with their histories and greatest players. The world's most amazing stadiums, including Wembley, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and San Siro. Uniform hall of fame, from the USSR's (now Russia) classic red sweatshirt with 'CCCP' written across the front to Mexico's green home shirt with Aztec patterns and the giant face of the Aztec god of death. How to take the perfect shot like Ji So-yun, take the perfect set piece like David Beckham, take penalties like Matt Le Tissier, beat the offside trap like Fernando Torres, do the perfect attacking header like Didier Drogba, and more. Weird and wonderful, from the way we describe things that happen in the game (a fox in the box) to the way we celebrate a goal (by pretending to be a robot) or do our hair (shaving it all off except for a triangle at the front). The culture and people surrounding the game, from traditional pre-game food to the referee, commentator, and all-important crowd. This great big book is your essential guide to the wonderful world of soccer.