Soccer Around the World: A Cultural Guide to the World's Favorite Sport

Gr 8 Up—During summer 2014, the World Cup dominated the news. This volume covers the major 18 countries that were frequently mentioned during the event. Readers will discover how soccer has contributed to the globalization of the economy and interactions among nations. The authors start off with a brief overview of the six regional confederations that are encompassed under the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The book is organized alphabetically by country, and each entry presents sections on the history and culture of soccer in that region, star athletes (such as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi from Argentina), and how the nation has performed at the World Cup. Unfortunately, only small black-and-white illustrations break up the dense text. Using the index to search for a name is difficult; knowledgeable readers will realize that famous players are listed as a subindex underneath their country. However, students looking for newer players from the recent World Cup, such as Toni Kroos, Miroslav Klose, or Manuel Neuer, will not find information about them here. The time line is as recent as 2014 (prior to the World Cup). Information about women's soccer is included within each country but to a lesser extent. Because Parrish and Nauright, both of whom edited Sports Around the World (ABC-CLIO, 2012), have expertly synthesized material on sports, this book will be useful to report writers and soccer enthusiasts, not only for its coverage of the sport but also for its global implications.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA