English Football History

Professional football today is an $8 billion sports entertainment industry - and the most popular spectator sport in America, with designs on expansion across the globe. In this astute field-level view of the National Football League since 1960, Michael Oriard looks closely at the development of the sport and at the image of the NFL and its unique place in American life.

Alfredo Di Stéfano, Diego Maradona, Gabriel Batistuta, Juan Román Riquelme, Lionel Messi...Argentina has produced some of the greatest footballers of all time. But the rich, volatile history of Argentinian football is made up of both the sublime and the ruthlessly pragmatic. Jonathan Wilson, having lived there on and off during the last decade, is ideally placed to chart the sport's development in a country that, perhaps more than any other, lives and breathes football, its theories and its myths.

Are you searching for a book that will inspire and empower the young women in your life? Look no further than "The Most Inspirational Women's Soccer Stories Of All Time". This collection of over 30 captivating stories is the perfect way to celebrate the power of women in sports and fuel their passion for soccer.

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of America's most beloved sporting event - the Super Bowl - an authoritative collection of the most pivotal plays through the decades, compiled by the legendary Jerry Rice.

In 1914, the year the war breaks out, football is on the rise. Attendances are steadily increasing, and the players are beginning to become household names. Underlining how football has surpassed cricket as the national sport, George V becomes the first monarch to attend the FA Cup Final in May. In this masterful work of history, Christopher Evans explores how footballers were put under immense pressure to sign up once the war began, resulting in the formation of the Football Battalion in England. He tells the story of World War I through the eyes of seven leading footballers of the day.

In a tiny, decaying aluminum smelting town in southern Tajikistan, a short drive from a raging war zone, Afghanistan take on Palestine in the first Asian qualifier for 2014's World Cup in Brazil. Every player on both teams is risking something by playing: Their careers, their families, even their lives. Thirty-One Nil is the story of how footballers from all corners of the globe begin their journey chasing a place at the World Cup Finals.

In the long annals of sports and crime, no story compares to the one that engulfed the Luckman family in 1935. As 18-year-old Sid Luckman made headlines across New York City for his high school football exploits at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, his father, Meyer Luckman, was making headlines in the same papers for a very different reason: the gangland murder of his own brother-in-law. Amazingly, the connection between sports celebrity son and mobster father was studiously ignored by the press and ultimately overlooked for eight decades.

The Ultimate Unofficial Real Madrid Trivia Book: Test Your Knowledge of Football’s Most Iconic Club! Think you know everything about Real Madrid? From legendary matches to fascinating records, this book dives deep into the incredible history and trivia of the world’s most successful football club. Whether you're a die-hard Madridista or just starting to follow Los Blancos, this book is packed with facts, quizzes, and unusual stories that will surprise and entertain. What You’ll Discover Inside: Epic Matches: Relive some of the most unforgettable moments in Real Madrid’s storied past...

Former collegiate star, sports agent, and NFL executive Michael Huyghue recounts his journey in professional sports and the challenges that remain for minorities to succeed as front office executives in the multibillion-dollar sports industry. The author's journey as an athlete and lawyer provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors in the world of professional sports and collegiate athletic programs. It is also a chronicle not often told of growing up Black and male in white suburban America.

On 13 July 2014, World Cup Final, the last ten minutes of extra time: Germany forward Mario Götze, receiving a floated pass from his international teammate André Schürrle, jumps slightly to meet the ball and cushion it with his chest. Landing on his left foot, he takes a step with his right, swivels, and in one fluid motion, without the ball touching the ground, volleys it past the onrushing Argentine goalkeeper....

In 1967, a Cleveland businessman had a brilliant idea: Why not start a women's football team? It was conceived as a gimmick and a publicity stunt in the vein of the Harlem Globetrotters. He recruited women to compete as a traveling football troupe; much to his surprise, he learned that women really wanted to play — and play hard. Hail Mary is the story of the unlikely rise of the National Women's Football League and the players who loved a game that society told them they shouldn't be playing.

In late November 1941, two college football teams, Willamette University and San Jose State, set sail for Honolulu for a series of games with the University of Hawaii. Instead of a festive few weeks of football and fun, the players found themselves caught up in the first days of the United States' war with Japan. For two weeks after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, the young men were recruited to dig and man trenches, string barbed wire, guard hotels, and join patrols as martial law took hold in Honolulu.

From its early amateur days played in the Corinthian Spirit, Preston North End's "Invincibles" of 1888 and great players like Stanley Matthews and Pelé, to the Premier League glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger, A History of Football is the story of the dominant teams, memorable occasions, and larger-than-life characters that shaped the game throughout its development. For all lovers of the beautiful game, this is an essential reference to its 150-year history.

Welcome to the School of Soccer! Dive into a world where soccer is more than a game—it's a lesson in dreams, perseverance, and triumph. "Inspiring Soccer Stories for Kids" invites young readers to discover the lives of 28 soccer legends who exemplify resilience and success. From Pelé and Ronaldinho’s iconic moves to Messi and Ronaldo’s relentless drive, these stories go beyond the pitch, offering lessons every child can apply to their life.

Sport is the greatest pastime in the world. Soccer is the greatest, and most popular, sport. Every fan knows that the epitome of soccer excitement builds through a four-year cycle, a process of preparation and qualification, culminating in the World Cup. What memories this tournament gives us. The brilliance of Pele, the craft of Cruyff. Zidane headbutting his Italian opponent in the final itself. The thrill of the minnow defeating a giant of the soccer playing world. We all have our favorite moments. Our celebration of the World Cup shares ten of them. The day Oleg Salenko scored five; ...

Buster, the football flyboy, was part of the Greatest Generation. Old letters seeded Football Flyboy, letters that are a one-sided conversation of a man who lived for someone more important than himself. The struggles of war and his constant change of location kept him from receiving mail regularly, causing frustration and loneliness. Each letter has been unedited with grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors preserved to demonstrate the letters' authenticity.

Soccer Coaching: The History of Futsal takes readers on an illuminating journey through the origins, development, and global impact of this exhilarating indoor sport. From its grassroots inception on the streets of South America to becoming an international sensation, the book delves into futsal's evolution as a beloved and influential sport. Exploring the unique rules, playing style, and tactical brilliance that distinguish it from traditional football, readers gain a profound understanding of futsal's technical prowess and strategic nuances. The book celebrates the legends and superstars ...

That afternoon was the last time the high-school Patriots would see one another for weeks; some teammates they'd never see again. Hurricane Katrina was about to tear their lives apart. Hurricane Season is the story of a great football coach, his team, his family, and their school - and a remarkable fight back from shocking tragedy.

Foot-ball: Its History for Five Centuries by M. Shearman and J.E. Vincent, narrated by Gary Middleton, explores the fascinating evolution of football (soccer and rugby) from its medieval origins to the early modern era. This comprehensive historical account delves into the sport’s early rules, traditions, and development across centuries, shedding light on how it grew into the beloved global phenomenon it is today.

The never-before-told inside story of how the Premier League became the wildest, richest, most popular entertainment business on the planet. How did English football - once known for its stale pies, bad bookkeeping and hooligans - become a commercial powerhouse and the world's premium popular entertainment? This was a business empire built in only 25 years on ambition, experimentation and gambler's luck.