FIFA World Cup 2022: 5 iconic books on football
With the FIFA World Cup 2022's beginning football fever is running high. The popularity of this 90 minutes of pure adrenaline-driven sport is rising in various parts of India too. Bibliophiles who want to get into the nitty-gritty of the sport are turning to books to fuel their enthusiasm for the game. We recommend these five football-themed books for you to read this season.
'Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography'
This is an inspiring and entertaining autobiography of the man who transformed the face of not only English football, but rather the history of football. Regarded as the greatest manager in the history of British soccer, Sir Alex Ferguson managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013 making the team reach new skies. If you are a Manchester United fan, this would be nostalgic.
'Ronaldo: The Obsession for Perfection' by Luca Caioli
Luca Caioli, a renowned Italian sports journalist, etched the inside story of one of the greatest players in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, in this book. He reveals many facets of Ronaldo's life both on and off the ground. The book not only focuses on his goal-scoring flair and his rivalry with Messi but also on the lesser-known aspects of his life.
'One night in Turin' by Pete Davies
Writer Pete Davies documents how the spirited play of England's 1990 World Cup team transformed football in Britain from hooliganism to a source of national pride. Davies weaves the story of the despair, the tears, the agony, and in the end, the pain, after Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed penalties and England crashed out of the 1990 World Cup in the semi-finals.
'Inverting the pyramid' by Jonathan Wilson
Jonathan Wilson's masterpiece gives us a detailed account of the evolution of tactics and provides valuable insight into how and why some teams have continued to play a certain style of football over decades. Profiling the coaches and teams and their strategies, this book is a treasure trove for those football aficionados who want to learn about the history behind various player positioning strategies.
'The man who saved FC Barcelona' by Sue O'Connell
This biography was written over many years by Sue O'Connell, wife of Patrick O'Connell's grandson, Mike. It delves into the story of Patrick O'Connell, an Irishman who saved FC Barcelona from extinction. It is the story of his family more than it is a football story, but equally insightful if you would like to know about this man. Check out more such book recommendations.
