Overview

Two leading sports authorities explore the culture of soccer around the world, considering the sport as a means to better understand a society's past, present, and future. How popular is soccer worldwide? Here's one indicator: 3.2 billion people—nearly half of the planet's population—tuned in to watch the 2010 World Cup on television. Soccer matches attract a gargantuan number of fans from around the globe due to the popularity of the sport itself but also because of the nationalism it inspires and the entertainment spectacle of the big games. Distinguished authors and sports authorities, Charles Parrish and John Nauright, examine how soccer impacts societies worldwide by shaping national identities, providing common ground for diplomatic issues, and forging economic and social development. This one-volume geographic guide studies the places in which soccer has a major impact, examining each region's teams, major tournaments, key players, and international performance. The authors organize the book geographically by region and country, with entries reviewing the history of the sport and cultural impact on the area. Each profile concludes with fascinating game-based statistics, such as winners of major tournaments and top goal scorers. The book covers 20 countries including England, Brazil, Egypt, the United States, Cameroon, and Korea.

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9781610693028

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The authors note that space limitations caused them to make difficult choices regarding which nations, clubs, and players to include, but, overall, this is a solid reference suitable for high school, public, and academic libraries. - Booklist This hardcover text is well written. The authors have successfully provided an overview of the sport and profession of soccer in 400 pages. This text is timely and informative... This is an effective way to capture the interest of a wide variety of readers... The authors provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of soccer... This well-written text will likely be appealing to a wide range of individuals, especially those who are interested in any aspect of soccer. The text will complement personal or professional libraries, including academic settings such as schools and colleges. - ARBA Overall, this is a good historical summary of the global significance of the game of soccer. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers. - Choice

The authors note that space limitations caused them to make difficult choices regarding which nations, clubs, and players to include, but, overall, this is a solid reference suitable for high school, public, and academic libraries. - Booklist

Author Information

Charles Parrish is a lecturer and research assistant in the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism at George Mason University. John Nauright, PhD, is professor of sport and leisure cultures in the School of Sport and Service Management at the University of Brighton, UK.

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