The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer

· Sold by Penguin
4.1
9 reviews
Ebook
992
Pages
Eligible
60% price drop on May 4

About this ebook

The definitive book about soccer, from the author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics.

There may be no cultural practice more global than soccer. Rites of birth and marriage are infinitely diverse, but the rules of soccer are universal. No world religion can match its geographical scope. The single greatest simultaneous human collective experience is the World Cup final.

In this extraordinary tour de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport-now poised to fully establish itself in the USA. Already celebrated internationally, The Ball Is Round illuminates soccer's role in the political and social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself.

Ratings and reviews

4.1
9 reviews
A Google user
From cavemen to men on the moon, this book is full of history. The book offers a global view on soccer and where it came from. Not that I didn't enjoy this book, but it was rather long and comprehensive. I ended up reading it in two parts.
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About the author

Among many other things, David Goldblatt is the author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics, and the writer and compiler of Dorling Kindersley's World Football Yearbook. Born in London in 1965, he now lives in Bristol, England.

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