There’s nothing better than reading about the beautiful game—well, other than playing, watching, or talking about it. But reading is definitely the fourth best thing about soccer! After nine seasons as a starting reviewer for Booklist (I wear Dewey Decimal number 796.334), I’ve gone on the record about many of the soccer books I’ve read. They’re not all winners, and I’m sure I’ve committed a few unintentional fouls, but I tend to get caught up in the books, just like the games. The following rankings are completely arbitrary and subject to change at any time.
Top Shelf
The Football Man, by Arthur Hopcraft
Soccer in Sun and Shadow, by Eduardo Galeano
Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby
The Miracle of Castel di Sangro, by Joe McGinniss
Those Feet: A Sensual History of English Soccer, by David Winner
Bloody Confused! A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer, by Chuck Culpepper
The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know about Soccer Is Wrong, by Chris Anderson and David Sally
Soccerhead: An Accidental Journey into the Heart of the American Game, by Jim Haner
Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey—and Even Iraq—Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World’s Most Popular Sport, by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski
The Beckham Experiment: How the World’s Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America, by Grant Wahl
Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics, by Jonathan Wilson
Also Quite Good
Finding the Game: Three Years, Twenty-Five Countries, and the Search for Pickup Soccer, by Gwendolyn Oxenham
Home and Away: One Writer’s Inspiring Experience at the Homeless World Cup, by Dave Bidini
Kick the Balls: An Offensive Suburban Odyssey, by Alan Black
Soccer against the Enemy: How the World’s Most Popular Sport Starts and Stops Wars, Fuels Revolutions, and Keeps Dictators in Power, by Simon Kuper
How Soccer Explains the World: A Unlikely Theory of Globalization, by Franklin Foer
This Love Is Not for Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juarez, by Robert Andrew Powell
Also Good, but Perhaps of More Limited Interest
Ajax, the Dutch, the War: Soccer in Europe during the Second World War, by Simon Kuper
Soccer Dad: A Father, a Son, and a Magic Season, by W. D. Wetherell
The Rough Guide to Cult Football, by Andy Mitten
Soccer Men: Profiles of the Rogues, Geniuses, and Neurotics Who Dominate the World’s Most Popular Sport, by Simon Kuper
The World Is a Ball: The Joy, Madness, and Meaning of Soccer, by John Doyle
More Than Just a Game: Soccer vs. Apartheid; The Most Important Soccer Story Ever Told, by Chuck Korr and Marvin Close
Finn McCool’s Football Club: The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of a Pub Soccer Team in the City of the Dead, by Stephen Rea
Love and Blood: At the World Cup with the Footballers, Fans, and Freaks, by Jamie Trecker
Winning at All Costs: A Scandalous History of Italian Soccer, by John Foot
Maradona: The Autobiography of Soccer’s Greatest and Most Controversial Star, by Diego Maradona and Daniel Arcucci
The Thinking Fan’s Guide to the World Cup, by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey
Once in a Lifetime: The Incredible Story of the New York Cosmos, by Gavin Newsham
Tales of Pluck and Glory
The Boys from Little Mexico: A Season Chasing the American Dream, by Steve Wilson
A Home on the Field: How One Championship Team Inspires Hope for the Revival of Small Town America, by Paul Cuadros
Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town, by Warren St. John
I Read Them So You Didn’t Have To
Babysitting George: The Last Days of a Soccer Icon, by Celia Walden
Salaam Stanley Matthews, by Subrata Dasgupta
Soccer in a Football World, by David Wangerin
September 11, 2013 at 11:35 pm
You might want to check out “How Soccer Explains the World: A New Theory of Globalization” by Franklin Foer. Quite the good read.
September 11, 2013 at 11:36 pm
Whoops…missed it on there…failed my reading comprehension test.
September 12, 2013 at 11:35 am
I agree, Mike, that’s a good one! Thanks for the comment.