“All I know most surely about morality and obligation I owe to football”,
The official history of the FIFA World Cup
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London, Carlton 2017. ISBN 1-978-1-78739-018-8
This 300 page book was created by the FIFA World Football Museum and published by Carlton. It has 10-12 pages on every World Cup 1930-2014. Results, stats, maps, commentaries and what I enjoyed most – match reports on about 10 of the key games in each competition. Needless to say there are loads of contemporary photos including some unique museum exhibits such as 1962 accreditation badge of Puskas.
There are thought provoking articles: for example one arguing that England 2 West Germany 1 was the correct score for the 1966 World Cup Final or which team was better, Brazil 1958 or 1970.
The book helpful lists changes and innovations from one World Cup to the next. Cultural issues are not omitted with a picture and paragraph on the South African vuvuzela. Editorially, the book does not shy away from controversy, explicitly referring to refereeing errors and questionable decisions.
The book works as a coffee table book, a reference book and even for the football fan a book to read from cover to cover. It is a book I will be delighted to have on my book shelves.