2024 the best player in soccer history review

Price: $40.00 - $22.49
(as of Nov 16, 2024 22:50:07 UTC - Details)

From the hosts of the popular podcast and tv show Men in Blazers, comes their completely scientific, 100% definitive, defend-to-the-death list of the greatest soccer players of all time.

Every fan has their own list of the 100 soccer players they consider the greatest ever to play the game. A list based on triumphs, sublime moments of skill, superhuman tenacity, and telenovela-esque backstories. To the list-maker, that 100 feels objective. Unequivocal. An absolute truth.

This is one such list.

Written with the same signature Men in Blazers humor found in their New York Times bestseller Encyclopedia Blazertannica, and accompanied by Nate Kitch's iconic photographic illustrations, Men in Blazers share the stories of household names like David Beckham and Alex Morgan, along with cult icons such as Garrincha, the Brazilian star of the 1960s who was born with one leg six inches shorter than the other, and Briana Scurry, a trailblazer who paved a path for young Black soccer-playing women. Page by page, you will revel in the depictions of players you adore, discover tales you have never heard, and experience vivid stories of dreams, loyalty, perseverance, creativity, and luck. Together, they form an alternative telling of the history of soccer, tracing the evolution of the men's and women's games around the globe, one unlikely, unbelievable, unforgettable career at a time. Thanks to the transcendent career arcs depicted within, Gods of Soccer is rife with tales that will make readers' hearts soar. Encourage them to dream. And then quickly rush off to make their own lists.

FOR READERS OF: Complete Book of Soccer, The Baseball 100, Encyclopedia Blazertannica, and Reborn in the USA

A COMPANION TO MEN IN BLAZERS PODCAST AND SHOWS: This is the perfect companion for avid fans of the Men in Blazers podcast, one of the largest soccer podcasts in the world, and their weekly NBC show.

A GREAT GIFT: Surprise the soccer fans in your life or introduce someone to the sport with God's of Soccer. This will make a fantastic gift for both novice and die-hard players and soccer fans of all ages.

From the Publisher

A Look Inside

"Can we be clear up front? To create a definitive list of the 100 greatest ever to have played football is an act of folly undertaken only by those who like to grab the third rail. One of the true joys of football is that no two fans’ experience of it is the same. Everybody sees the game, the characters, and the key moments differently. That is what makes football the world’s most compelling collective narrative.

So, we present this book to you with a sense of joy and delight and an element of mischief. It is our hope you will revel in the depictions of players you adore, discover some stories you have never heard, then foam and fume at our idiocy, which can be the only plausible explanation as to why your favorite player is not included.

And we encourage you to go forth and put together your own 100 and let us know.

Courage."

—THE MEN IN BLAZERS TEAM

GARRINCHA

The miracle of Garrincha was not that he became one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen. It was that he was able to take the football field at all. Born into destitute poverty in 1933 in rural Brazil, with a spinal defect and a left leg that was six inches shorter than the right, Garrincha wasn’t supposed to be a professional football player. He wasn’t even supposed to be able to walk. Part of the appeal of Garrincha’s football for fans—and perhaps for himself as well—was the perpetual surprise of this lopsided man’s unexpected dexterity. He was just there to play.

MIA HAMM

Easily the most recognizable female athlete of the 20th century, Hamm is American soccer’s most transcendent icon. What elevated Hamm from talent to icon was not how good she was, but, rather, how good she made you want to be. Bend It Like Beckham, She’s the Man, Blake Lively’s plotline in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. All inspired by Mia Hamm. An entire generation of women grew up knowing in their souls that they were better at soccer than their brothers. Not because they were particularly ambitious. Or even particularly confident. Simply because Mia Hamm made it cool to think so.

EUSÉBIO

What makes Eusébio da Silva Ferreira—or simply Eusébio, as he was usually known—such an enduringly likable icon is his modesty. He is perhaps most remembered for a shot that he didn’t make. It is 1–1 in the dying minutes of normal time during the 1968 European Cup Final against Manchester United. Eusébio picks up a long ball and storms into the box. With the United defense unable to do more than nip at his heels, he bullets a blistering shot from 10 yards. Unflinching, United keeper Alex Stepney lunges to his left and catches the ball. The force of the impact knocks him to the ground. Without even pausing, Eusébio offers him a hand to help him up. As he turns away, he looks back, applauds Stepney, and smiles. United go on to win in extra time.

MARTA

From 1941 to 1979—just seven years before Marta was born—it was literally illegal for women to play soccer in Brazil. Marta not only had to beat her opponents. She had to constantly prove women belonged on the football field in the first place. Faster with the ball than most players are without it, Marta has demanded again and again that women’s soccer keep up with her— both figuratively and literally—forcing them to build clubs and players worthy of her devastating talent. Much in the way that the history of the world is bisected by a certain other one-named superstar, in the history of women’s soccer there is Before Marta and there is After.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chronicle Prism (October 11, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1797208012
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1797208015
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.92 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.4 x 1.1 x 11.35 inches
Reviewer: Michael R. Hills
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: great book written by a great human
Review: "Gods of Soccer: The Pantheon of the 100 Greatest Soccer Players" by Men in Blazers is an absolute delight for any soccer enthusiast. This concise and engaging book presents an intriguing list of the 100 greatest players in the history of the beautiful game. The author expertly blends his witty commentary with insightful analysis, making each player's profile a joy to read. From legends like Pele and Maradona to modern icons such as Messi and Ronaldo, this book covers the entire spectrum of soccer greatness. It's a must-read for fans who want to delve into the rich history and remarkable talent that has graced the sport.

Reviewer: Smsgator
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great conversation piece
Review: Great pictures and info - highly recommend

Reviewer: Kurt Jeffs
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Rog, Davo, and Miranda have made a masterpiece
Review: Let’s get something out of the way right off the top. As you might be able to tell by the mug in the photo I’ve attached to this review, I am the target audience for this book. I am a devout MiB GFOP, and listen weekly to the maniacal inner workings of Rog’s brain, his schadenfreude-fueled musings on world football, and Davo’s attempts to inject levity, reality, as well as the occasional head pat when Everton scrape even a semi-positive result (a low bar getting lower all the time). These two have been a staple in my life for almost a decade now. Especially during the worst of the pandemic when they ramped up the frequency of their broadcasts significantly, they have been a light in the darkness for me and so many others in times of struggle. This book they, in conjunction with the brilliant Miranda Davis, have written deserves a place in the home of every football fan. These aren’t the 100 greatest players based on statistics such as goals scored, clean sheets kept, tackles won, etc (evidenced clearly by the inclusion of a one Kyle Beckerman, who holds a near and dear place in my heart as a Real Salt Lake fan, but even I was surprised initially by his inclusion in this list). This is a story of the history of football told through the legendary characters who have made the game into what it is today. I raise my 3rd first Bud of the day to Rog, Davo, Miranda, and GFOPs across not only the nation but the world. With this book, they have unequivocally proven yet again, that balds win. COURAGE!

Reviewer: Justin Ossola
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Typo on pg 16
Review: Great book! I’m going through it, page by page with my 12-year-old son every night. It’s a great way to get a young child knowledgeable on the history of soccer. However, I was a bit thrown off to find a typo on page 16. Italy did not, in fact, play Argentina in the 1994 WC final as the story of Roberto Baggio is described in the book. Their opponent was Brazil. I’m sure I’m not the first to point that out so hopefully it will be corrected in future revisions.

Reviewer: FORGOT_PASSWORD
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: BETTER THAN A HALLMARK CARD
Review: Purchased to say hello for my soccer fanatic brother in another city, who loves the information filled format and the author's touch of humor.

Reviewer: Tampaman
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A book we’ll read
Review: We gave this as a gift to a very big soccer fan and player. He loved the edition.

Reviewer: John Sobotkowski
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Joyful for all readers
Review: Excellent stories for the soccer fan and non fan.Great kids read. Positive concepts, and easy entertaining reading. This is not for the coffee table. This is to be learned from and shared. Perhaps passed down.I Highly recommend.

Reviewer: A.J.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Easy gift for someone you hardly know
Review: Our daughter has a relatively new significant other who we will meet for the first time at Christmas. We wanted to get a little something to put under the tree and we do know he is a big soccer fan. I saw the author on a morning news program, so I looked it up. This book is hefty! It looks great and for the price, seems a good gift that isn't too personal. Also, to the author's credit, he highlights women professional soccer players as well as the guys. I may have to get another copy for my soccer loving/playing granddaughter!

Reviewer: Ryan Lafferty
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The book is beautifully written and illustrated. Definitely a recommendation for all sports fans, especially if you have kids.

Reviewer: Gv
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I get it is an opinion piece, but some of the inclusions are downright heinous, specifically Kyle Beckerman, whilst may be important for the US (very debatable), is certainly nowhere even remotely close to top 100 greatest of all time. Having people like him on a list such as this destroys the credibility and results in the rest of the book being viewed unfavourably, despite it having some great inclusions.