Search results for ""Author Ronald"

With his dazzling skills, João Félix’s parents often joked that he could dribble before he could walk. Once overlooked for his small frame, the forward soon made everyone take note with abilities that took him to the top flight in the Spanish La Liga. A hero for Atlético Madrid, and playing alongside his hero Cristiano Ronaldo for their national team, could the next big thing in football also be coming from Portugal? About the Football Rising Stars series: Football Rising Stars dives into the incredible journeys of ten of the world’s best young players. Featuring fresh talents from England, Portugal, Norway, France, Germany and Spain, the series covers their unique rise; from playing football in the park and 5-a-sides to performing in front of capacity crowds on the biggest stage and in the biggest leagues.

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In 1960, at the start of a tumultuous decade that saw major global change, the Intercontinental Cup was born. For the first time, this ambitious annual cup crowned a world club champion, pitting the kings of the two great footballing continents - Europe and South America - against each other. In an era before money ruined the global balance of football, neither dominated. From the Estadio Centenario and the Maracana, to Old Trafford and the San Siro, the most iconic stadia in world football hosted Intercontinental Cup games. The star players of their respective generations participated - from Puskas and Di Stefano in the inaugural 1960 edition, to legends such as Pele, Ronaldo, Zico and van Basten. When Two Worlds Collide charts the Intercontinental Cup's colourful 44-year history, from its trailblazing inception to 2004 when the last ball was kicked in Yokohama. The controversial clashes of the late 1960s, the cup's decline in the 70s and the pivotal 1980 rebirth in Japan are all covered.

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Stretching for almost 10,000 miles (including numerous islands), the coastline of Scotland is one of the most varied in the world, from beautiful sandy beaches and flower-laden machair to dramatic cliffs and sea stacks. In this book Eilidh Muldoon has drawn 23 views celebrating the huge diversity of Scotland’s coasts, featuring dramatic landscapes and seascapes, picturesque fishing villages and imposing castles, not forgetting the animals that make the coast their home. Includes: The Waverley paddle-steamer (Firth of Clyde); St Abbs (Berwickshire); Ailsa Craig and Culzean Castle (Firth of Clyde); Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (Dumfries and Galloway); Portsoy, Spey Bay, Lossiemouth (Moray coast); Corryvrechan Whirlpool (Argyll and Bute); Portree (Skye) (Portree); Castlebay (Barra); John O’Groats (Caithness); St Kilda; North Ronaldsay Lighthouse and The Old Man of Hoy (Orkney); Shetland (cliffs, puffins, tombolo) and many more.

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Did you know that early versions of football were played by the Ancient Greeks and the Ancient Chinese? Or that Christiano Ronaldo once leapt nearly 3 metres into the air in order to head the ball into the goal? Find out all about football positions, moves, equipment, teams, stadia and more in this fact-filled book. Stunning photos give readers an up-close look at football players in action. Read All About Football is part of the Read All About It series, a series of beautiful books designed to introduce young children to the wonders of non-fiction. Full of fun and easy-to-find facts, the content is presented at a depth which young children will be able to understand and relate to. With information on a wide variety of topics, kids will be reaching for these books over and over again!

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The definitive history of the iconic football club: the glory, the scandal, the stars and its enduring influence on Italian life.Juventus utterly dominates the Italian game. Home to some of the biggest names in sport, it has won title after title, trophy after trophy. However, parallel to the success and myth, there's a murkier reality. For one hundred years the club and its billionaire owners, the Agnelli family, have been synonymous with match-fixing, doping, political chicanery and more. While La Vecchia Signora remains Italy's best-supported team, it's also its most despised.Juve! charts the story of Italy's great sporting dynasty, chronicling the triumphs and tragedies of the Agnellis, and of the icons - Boniperti, Del Piero, Ronaldo - who have been their sporting emissaries for almost a century. The pride of Italy or its dark heart? Footballing colossus or vanity project? With this unique institution, as with so much about life in Italy, things are seldom black and white...'Superbly entertaining and incisive' TLS'A compelling case for a football club encapsulating the entire psyche of Italy' Observer

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Futsal: Skills, Strategies and Session Plans is a comprehensive guide to one of the fastest growing indoor sports in the world. Credited by football superstars for its invaluable skill development, futsal is both an exciting sport in its own right and a technical tool that has propelled players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the top. This practical book offers expert advice and session plans, addressing how these practices not only enhance futsal performance, but also aid the development of football players. Focusing on increased time pressure, less space, multiple decisions and more touches on the ball, the wide variety of activities will provide players from grassroots to the elite level with a fun, fast and competitive challenge. Featuring over fifty session plans inspired by work with the England national team, along with contributions from some of the world’s top futsal coaches, this technical guide offers a unique insight into the sport.

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Shortlisted for the 2023 Illustrated Sports Book of the Year The ideal gift for football fans Pairing epic sports photography with articles from The Times and The Sunday Times archive, this volume brings together 100 of the most iconic moments from World Cup history. With striking, full-colour photography, rarely seen archival images and sensational reporting on the action, The Times World Cup Moments tells the unofficial story of the world’s largest single sporting event as it unfolded on – and off – the pitch. Featuring the greatest goals, most historic line-ups, heroic players and unforgettable controversies, these split-second moments have changed the course of World Cup history and generated a global sensation along the way. The perfect Christmas gift for any football fan, some of the best moments from this book include:• The first World Cup, Uruguay 1930• North Korea’s fairy tale, England 1966• David Beckham’s perfect free-kick, France 1998• Brazil’s golden line-up, Mexico 1970• The infamous Hand of God, Mexico 1986• Roger Milla’s celebration, Italy 1990• Zinedine Zidane’s chipped Panenka penalty, Germany 2006• Germany’s humiliation of the hosts, Brazil 2014• Cristiano Ronaldo’s spectacular hat-trick, South Korea 2018

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From the earliest FA Cup finals in the 1870s between teams of former public schoolboys to the glittering world of 21st-century Champions League matches contested by squads of millionaires, The Times has been at pitchside to write the history of football as it has happened.It is story of great matches: Hungary’s historic victory over England at Wembley in 1953, Manchester United’s triumph over Benfica in the 1968 European Cup final, Brazil’s thrashing of Italy in the 1970 World Cup final, Liverpool’s remarkable recovery to win the Champions League in Istanbul in 2005. It is a story of dazzling individual performances: Stanley Matthews finally winning an FA Cup winners’ medal at Wembley in 1953, Bobby Moore giving a masterclass in the art of defending for England against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo’s virtuoso performance as Real Madrid won the 2017 Champions League. It is a story of national highs and lows, from Wembley in 1966 when England ruled the world after defeating West Germany to the humiliation of losing to Iceland in the 2016 European Championship.But above all it is a story of great players, great managers and great personalities in a sport that grips the attention of the world like no other.

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Filled with quizzes, stats and little known facts, plus illustrated and told with all the fun of a Tom Gates novel, the Football Superstars series is perfect for young readers five and up. Is Eden Hazard your ultimate football hero? He was one of the best footballers in the Premier League as a Chelsea player, scoring 110 goals in all competitions, before joining Real Madrid. Encouraged by his parents, discover how Eden started kicking a ball at the age of four! He spent hours practising his now world-class skills and has become one of the most feared attacking midfielders. Football Superstars is a series aimed at building a love of reading from a young age, with fun cartoons, inspirational stories, a simple narrative style and a cast of characters chipping in with quotes, jokes and comments. Find your football hero: Ronaldo Rules - out Jan 9th. Messi Rules - out Jan 9th. Kane Rules - out Apr 2nd. Mbappé Rules - out Apr 2nd. Hazard Rules - out Jun 11th. Sterling Rules - out Jun 11th.

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Filled with quizzes, stats and little known facts, plus illustrated and told with all the fun of a Tom Gates novel, the Football Superstars series is perfect for young readers five and up. Is Raheem Sterling your ultimate football hero? He played his first Premier League match in 2015 and in just four years has scored 116 goals and made 114 assists in 388 games for club and country. Discover the rags-to-riches story of a young boy who loved playing football, even in the rain, and how he followed his passion to become one of the most lethal forwards in world football. Football Superstars is a series aimed at building a love of reading from a young age, with fun cartoons, inspirational stories, a simple narrative style and a cast of characters chipping in with quotes, jokes and comments. Find your football hero: Ronaldo Rules - out Jan 9th. Messi Rules - out Jan 9th. Kane Rules - out Apr 2nd. Mbappé Rules - out Apr 2nd. Hazard Rules - out Jun 11th. Sterling Rules - out Jun 11th.

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'26.6.2008. 9.00 hours. Cloud level has risen sufficiently to see the heights of the island of Hoy. The margin of existence that I had noticed in North Ronaldsay, with its apparent make do approach to the problem of sea encroachment, is displayed along much of the island's coastline. As I walk along the shores of the Hoy sound I come to a patchwork of sandbags that have been placed within the fragmenting sandstone of the upper shore. Close by these sea defences an old stone wall encloses a cemetery. Many of the headstones are inscribed with readings of latitude and longitude, indicating that the buried were probably mariners. High and dry upon the shores of the sound, the seamen rest: the sea had taken them and in the fullness of time it will claim them back.' As climate change and the prospect of relentlessly rising sea levels threaten communities around the world, artist and writer John Kelly records this process in words and images. From the high altiplano of Bolivia, through Newfoundland, the Arctic regions of Alaska and Svalbard, to the Baltic and Orkney, he evokes the dramatic natural transformations affecting our planet and their impact on people and landscapes.

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'Incredibly well-researched and loaded with modern-day, high-tech football insights' – Tony Strudwick, Head of Performance, Wales national football team Professional football is more demanding than ever. Top internationals reach speeds of 36km/hr, run 12km each match and play up to 60 games each season. Sports scientists are now key figures at every top club, applying cutting-edge techniques to boost fitness, accelerate recovery and forge lean, mean, winning machines. This illuminating book uncovers the training and fuelling secrets of today’s greatest footballers, drawing on access to the world’s best clubs, including Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and many more. Why does Cristiano Ronaldo have his own cryotherapy chamber? Why does Paul Pogba wear custom-made compression socks? Why does Sergio Agüero altitude-train when returning from injury? From virtual-reality units to the omnipresence of GPS vests, taking in brain-training, innovative gear and performance nutrition along the way, you’ll discover what it takes to reach the top of the game – and how to apply this knowledge to your own training.

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With his creativity, acrobatic talent and sheer speed, João Félix can make top-level football look effortless. But João's journey to the top has not been easy. As a skinny kid he'd already given up on football once, before harnessing his inner strength and determination to win both the Portuguese and Spanish leagues. Join "the heir to Ronaldo" on his mission to become one of the greatest players in the game. This biography is one of the titles in Ransom's Tales from the Pitch series. These books offers a fresh take on the familiar football biography format Each of these fast-moving reads focuses on one football superstar, some players who are still to reach the summit of their career, and others who are the already at the top of their game. These are exhilarating reads about players from all walks of life. Many have faced failure, injury and rejection, to ultimately make their dreams come true and have inspirational stories. So meet the footballers behind the iconic tackles and goals, and find out what makes each of these players so special.

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Discover everything you need to know about football with this fully updated edition of The Football Encyclopedia. Including a pull-out EURO 2020 wallchart to fill in as the tournament progresses, this in-depth book is the ultimate guide to football around the world. It's packed with pictures and profiles of the world's most skillful players – old and new – from Luka Modric and Lucy Bronze to Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, and many more. Over 40 of the best international and national teams to have lit up the game are covered in detail, including the US Women's National Team, France, Brazil, Manchester United and Barcelona.All the drama of the 'beautiful game' is fully analyzed with all-action photos and digital artworks that recreate famous moves and goals, while each chapter includes links to websites, providing a valuable access point to databases of players, international results, all the major tournaments, and club histories. Includes in-depth coverage of every aspect of football, including rules and skills; fans and the media; managers and tactics. Packed with the latest statistics from around the globe, this is a superbly detailed reference book for all the family.

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Glory and Despair is a pictorial celebration of the World Cup that takes us on a spellbinding journey, from the inaugural tournament in 1930 to the present day. Using stunning library stock images, the book brings to life the feats of the greatest stars ever to grace the game, including Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore and both Ronaldos. This beautiful visual homage covers the great matches, the incredible goals, the controversies, heroes and villains, capturing the most iconic moments in the greatest tournament of any sport. Glory and Despair is an essential piece of World Cup nostalgia that honours the history of the greatest football show on earth.

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023 - ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE YEAR WATERSTONES BEST BOOKS OF 2022 – SPORT 'This book is a work of art about football's works of art... Loved it.' - Kevin Day, broadcaster 'A beautiful showcase of such a distinctive part of the game's culture... impossible not to get lost in the book' – Miguel Delaney, The Independent 'Gorgeous to behold... Unmissable' – Danny Kelly, TalkSPORT radio presenter ‘I absolutely love this book' – Jules Breach, football presenter On high-rise buildings, street corners and stadium walls in countries around the world, eye-catching murals pay tribute to footballing greats. From Messi and Ronaldo to Rapinoe and Cruyff, these striking displays are remarkable testaments to the awe and affection fans feel for these football legends and cult heroes. Join renowned football writer and broadcaster Andy Brassell as he explores this fascinating phenomenon. Offering a fresh, highly visual perspective on the global game, Football Murals is the first book to celebrate these towering works of art. Beckenbauer and Cruyff, Rooney and Ronaldinho, Totti and Salah, Zlatan and Zidane – being honoured with a mural cements a player’s place in a club's heritage and links them to the heart of the community. This richly illustrated book showcases the most impressive examples, explores their inspirational qualities and examines what they say about these icons and their sport. Written and curated by respected football writer Andy Brassell, this ground-breaking book features more than 100 murals from around the world, capturing the scale, grandeur and wit of this powerful and popular art form. Through a series of short essays and extended captions, Andy shares the players’ stories, discusses the cultural politics and explains just why these men and women have been immortalised in mural form. Covering such diverse topics as Home Town Glory, Football Fame and The Cult of the Coach, Football Murals addresses the issues important to fans worldwide. It spans Marcus Rashford's inspirational mural in a Manchester suburb, the George Best tribute on the East Belfast estate where he was born, the 15-foot depiction of Megan Rapinoe in St Paul, Minnesota, and the Naples ‘shrine’ to Diego Maradona. 'I can't tell you how nice it is for players to see their face on a mural.' – Jermaine Jenas, The One Show

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Filled with quizzes, stats and little known facts, plus illustrated and told with all the fun of a Tom Gates novel, the Football Superstars series is perfect for young readers five and up. Is Kylian Mbappé your ultimate football hero? His quick feet and shooting skills have made him one of the world's top forwards and the youngest ever player to score 16 goals in the Champions League. Mbappé started playing at the age of six and his first coach was his dad. Find out how he went from playing on the pitch he created in his living room to becoming the second teenager in history to score in a World Cup final. Football Superstars is a series aimed at building a love of reading from a young age, with fun cartoons, inspirational stories, a simple narrative style and a cast of characters chipping in with quotes, jokes and comments. Find your football hero: Ronaldo Rules - out Jan 9th. Messi Rules - out Jan 9th. Kane Rules - out Apr 2nd. Mbappé Rules - out Apr 2nd. Hazard Rules - out Jun 11th. Sterling Rules - out Jun 11th.

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Renowned within world sport as one of the industry's leading coaches, Mick Clegg is an innovator in his field whose work has yielded the highest rewards in a variety of disciplines. Born in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, Mick is best known for his work during almost a dozen years as Manchester United's first Power Development coach. Loved by Sir Alex Ferguson for his no-nonsense approach to his work, Mick's time at the club not only yielded close personal and professional relationships with a galaxy of star players, it also coincided with a period of unparalleled success in the club's history. Widely credited with a starring role in the evolution of Cristiano Ronaldo and a variety of other eminent footballers, Mick left United in 2011 and used his departure as the springboard for further success coaching athletes in other sports. A father to five children who he raised into sporting excellence against the odds, Mick underwent a remarkable life journey even before his career path took the unexpected twist towards Old Trafford. Thereafter, his tale was punctuated by some of modern sport's leading names, giving him a unique insight into the machinations of elite athletes, both as public idols and as fragile humans. Told in full for the first time, The Power and the Glory is Mick's inspirational tale of strength and weakness, both in sport and in life, providing unparalleled insight into the art of coaching from grassroots amateurs to world champions.

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NOMINATED FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR, SPORTS BOOK AWARDSMichael Carrick was the heartbeat of Manchester United. For more than a decade he was the player that made them tick. In his book, he reveals how to win relentlessly while playing under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, invites us to experience the camaraderie and clashes inside the United dressing room, and lets us feels what it's like to walk out on the Old Trafford pitch alongside some of the biggest names in the game - from Ronaldo to Scholes to Giggs, Rooney and the rest.In his seventeen-year professional career, Michael has won twelve major trophies at United, winning the Premier League five times, as well as three League Cups, the FA Cup, the Europa League, the Club World Cup and the Champions League.In Between the Lines, Michael honestly reveals for the first time his battles with mental health, growing up in the north-east, his struggles with the national side, as well as the redemption he has found with his family and his team.*All of Michael Carrick's proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Michael Carrick Foundation, dedicated to providing financial support to community services that will give underprivileged children living in the North and North East better opportunities so that they feel safe, valued and inspired.*

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Written with verve from a passionate fan’s perspective, Club Soccer 101 is the essential guide to the 101 most talked about football teams in the world—from renowned powerhouses like Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, Liverpool, Manchester United, A.C. Milan and Real Madrid to rising teams like the Los Angeles Galaxy. The book features you-were-there stories of each team’s greatest games, historic moments of glory and disappointment and most famous (and infamous) players—from Pelé, Maradona and George Best to Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo. The book also includes statistics for both the casual and the die-hard fan. Club Soccer 101 is an authoritative, opinionated and fun-to-read guide to the world’s favourite sport.

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A Financial Times Sports book of the Year 2018 pickWho's better: Ronaldo or Messi? Ask any football fan and they'll have an opinion. For the best part of the last decade football has seen a personal rivalry unlike any seen before. Cristiano and Leo. This is their definitive story, from children kicking a ball halfway around the world from each other to their era-defining battle to be number one. One the preening adonis, a precision physical machine who blows teams away with his pace and power. The other a shuffling genius, able to do things with a football that seem other-worldly. Their differences seem to tap into something fundamental about football and indeed life.Between them they have scored over a thousand goals, won the Ballon d'Or nine times and redefined modern football. For the past eight seasons they have shared the accolade of best footballer in the world and arguments rage over which one deserves the title of greatest player of all time. Cristiano and Leo by Spanish and South American football expert and journalist Jimmy Burns is the essential book to understand the defining players of a generation.'Burns is incapable of writing a boring sentence.' - Irish Times

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Witness the birth of a superstar. Kylian Mbappé was just 19 years old when he became the youngest football player since Brazilian legend Pelé to score at a World Cup final. Already an exceptional striker for Monaco and PSG in France’s Ligue 1, the 2018 tournament made the young Frenchman an international star. From idolising Cristiano Ronaldo to being spoken of in the same breath as the Portuguese star, Kylian continues his rise to the top. About the Football Rising Stars series: Football Rising Stars dives into the incredible journeys of ten of the world’s best, young players. Featuring talents from England, Portugal, Norway, France, Germany and Spain, the series covers their unique rise; from playing football in the park and 5-a-sides to performing in front of capacity crowds on the biggest stage and in the biggest leagues.

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A book about golf that will appeal to both players and non players, by Scottish poet and novelist.Surely golf is a game for posh people, country clubs and networking businessmen, for unfortunate sweaters, politics and trousers? Andrew Greig grew up on the East coast of Scotland, where playing golf is as natural as breathing. He sees the game as the great leveller, and has played on the Old course at St Andrews as well as on the miners' courses of Yorkshire. He writes about the different cultural manifestations of the game, the history, the geography, the different social meanings, as well as the subjective experience, the reflections between shots. He plays alone, with friends and brothers, with ghosts. He is looking for the essence of golf, the pure heart of it, which can be found, Andrew Greig believes, on the free 9 hole course on North Ronaldsay.

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With all the best elements of Kid Presidents--colourful illustrations, kid-relatable subjects, true tales of overcoming adversity. -Kid Athletes tells true tales from the childhoods of a wide range of athletes. Did you know...Babe Ruth was so incorrigible he was sent to reform school at the age of seven. Historians now think the Babe may have suffered from attention deficit disorder, which contributed to his wild, hyperactive nature--and may have helped him develop his almost supernatural ability to hit a baseball. Mia Hamm was born with a club foot. She underwent multiple surgeries, had to wear special casts and corrective shoes until she was a toddler. She overcame her disability to become the most prolific goal scorer in the history of soccer. Muhammad Ali (aka Cassius Clay) learned how to fight after a thief stole his bicycle when he was twelve. When little Cassius vowed to whup the kid who'd swiped his wheels, a kindly police officer offered to give him boxing lessons. And a heavyweight legend was born. The lineup of potential subjects is exciting and diverse: female athletes like the Williams sisters, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias; African-American legends like Jackie Robinson and Michael Jordan; international stars like Yao Ming and Cristiano Ronaldo; and Native American icons like Jim Thorpe. With Doogie Horner's whimsical illustrations bringing every goal, touchdown, and championship to life, this book is a slam dunk for young readers.

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In recent years, home-made banners at football matches have become almost as commonplace as scarves and hats. Unhappy with the manager? Want to wind up your opponents? You're only a sheet and a pot of paint away from getting your message across to a wider audience. And it's not just the fans who are having their say, with club DJs also putting the boot into the opposition, while warning would-be smokers what will happen to them if they dare light up in the ground. Cilla Wants Her Teeth Back (which takes its name from a message to buck-toothed Brazilian Ronaldinho from Liverpool fans) is a book that for the first time brings together the world's best banners and strangest stadium announcements. So if you want to know what happened when communism met alcoholism and which team Dick Turpin scored for, sit back and enjoy the ride.

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The Times Sports Books of the Year'Cracking read . . . loved it' – Piers Morgan'Packed with brilliant anecdotes about the biggest names' – The MirrorWith a foreward from Alan Shearer.There are just a handful of people who have been ever-present for the thirty years of the Premier League, but only one person has been at the very epicentre for the entire period: Geoff Shreeves. From signalling the very first ball to be kicked on Sky’s Premier League coverage to facing down Sir Alex Ferguson’s wrath (on countless occasions), Geoff is an integral part of the football fabric, respected by everybody in the game while still asking the toughest questions. Geoff’s interviews with Cristiano Ronaldo, Arsène Wenger, Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer have become the stuff of legend, but it is his close personal relationships with the game’s star names that really sets him apart.Packed full of hilarious stories on and off the pitch – including trying to teach Sir Michael Caine how to act, a frightening encounter with Mike Tyson, as well as getting a lift home from the World Cup with Mick Jagger – Cheers, Geoff! is a must-read autobiography for any fan of the beautiful game. A natural storyteller, Geoff brings an astonishing catalogue of tales to life with his unique brand of experience, insight and humour.'A legend' – Arsène Wenger'No one handles the big moments better' – Jordan Henderson

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Bring Me that Horizon is a fascinating quest into the heart and soul of Portuguese football.Journeying across its landscape, from old and forgotten bastions of invincibility to new, muscled industrial areas where dreams come true, the book uncovers the multiple identities of Portugal as a nation.Whether visiting historical clubs that were miraculously brought back to life or getting to grips with the complexity of Portugal's 'Game of Thrones' fight for supremacy, the book traces a route north to south, island to island, without forgetting the profound connection with Africa and Brazil.From Eusébio's glorious career to Cândido de Oliveira's adventures as a British intelligence agent, the book reveals a nation that already had fantastic tales to tell before it became the flavour of the month for football hipsters at the turn of the millennium. There's much more to Portugal's football heritage than Ronaldo and Mourinho.

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A no-holds-barred exposé on the financial transactions of the world's favourite sport The transfer fees clubs pay to sign top players now top €4 billion a year but much of the money has been flowing out of the game. A small group of wealthy investors including Russian oligarchs, English racehorse owners and a former billionaire gold miner have seized the opportunity to enter this booming market. Some have moved in on the territory of banks and lent money to clubs in exchange for a share in fees generated by Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and dozens more of today's stars. Others have acquired obscure teams to get a piece of the pie. Even as the global financial crisis sent fortunes tumbling this select group found a profitable place to park their money. The size of the transfer market has continued to rise –- it increased seven-fold in value the last two decades, more than the FTSE share index. Between them, these wealthy investors have amassed hundreds of millions of euros in profits. At the same time, they have managed to stay out of the spotlight the world’s most popular sport brings. Football’s Secret Trade follows the money along a trail very few know about, from nondescript offices in the U.K. and ramshackle stadiums of South American clubs you have probably never heard of to offshore bank accounts in the Caribbean. Warning – you won’t see a major transfer deal in the same light again.

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Panenka's pearl of a penalty in Belgrade, van Basten's volley of a lifetime in Munich, Gazza's agonising near-miss at Wembley: over its six decades, the UEFA European Championship has thrown up many of the most memorable stories in football lore. Now it gets the history it deserves. Euro Summits is the first full retelling of the tournament, from its tentative beginnings in the late 1950s to its elephantine expansion in the mid-2010s. Taking in the USSR's early success, the grim violence of 1968, France's cavalier feats on home soil in 1984, the sensational triumphs of no-hopers Denmark and Greece, Spain's modern-day dominance, all the way up to Portugal's shock victory in 2016, it's a panoramic portrait of an event that captures a whole continent's imagination every four years. Dramatic, detailed and teeming with compelling personalities like Michel Platini, Gunter Netzer, Hristo Stoichkov, Zinedine Zidane, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, this is the complete story of a footballing event second only to the World Cup.

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Bestselling football biographer Luca Caioli tackles his most controversial subject yet - Barcelona, Uruguay and former Liverpool forward Luis Suárez.When in late September 2013 Luis Suárez returned from a landmark ten-match ban for biting an opponent, one in a long line of high-profile misdemeanours, it seemed unlikely that he would ever win over his critics.In the months that followed he scored an astonishing 31 times, propelling Liverpool back into the Champions League following a four-year absence. The World Cup in Brazil followed but Suárez saw his action-packed tournament curtailed after just two games, two goals and one moment of madness, with favourable comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo once again overshadowed by those with Jekyll and Hyde.Acclaimed football biographer Luca Caioli provides an in-depth look at one of football's most enigmatic characters, from humble Uruguayan beginnings to his big-money move to Barcelona in July 2014.

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'Very funny on almost every page, wonderfully self-deprecating and very sharp on the ludicrous behaviour of the modern player' - Sunday Times'The funniest man in British sport' - Metro**A Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year****Shortlisted for the National Book Awards****Longlisted for the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year**You become a footballer because you love football. And then you are a footballer, and you're suddenly in the strangest, most baffling world of all. A world where one team-mate comes to training in a bright red suit with matching top-hat, cane and glasses, without any actual glass in them, and another has so many sports cars they forget they have left a Porsche at the train station. Even when their surname is incorporated in the registration plate.So walk with me into the dressing-room, to find out which players refuse to touch a football before a game, to discover why a load of millionaires never have any shower-gel, and to hear what Cristiano Ronaldo says when he looks at himself in the mirror.We will go into post-match interviews, make fools of ourselves on social media and try to ensure that we never again pay £250 for a haircut that should have cost a tenner. We'll be coached and cajoled by Harry Redknapp, upset Rafa Benitez and be soothed by the sound of an accordion played by Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant Tord Grip. There will be some very bad music and some very bad decisions.I am Peter Crouch. This is How To Be A Footballer. Shall we?

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Here he shows savvy marketers, entrepreneurs, and online celebrity wannabes how they, too, can develop clever videos that amass millions of views. Staples outlines a nine-step approach that anyone can use to launch their product or service without having to invest a fortune. Case studies featured in the book include how Shareability launched ROC Headphones, a multi-million dollar global brand, with a viral video of Cristiano Ronaldo in disguise without spending a nickel on traditional advertising; how they used babies to create the most successful social video ever about the Olympic Games; how they propelled a small pet food company from obscurity to an IPO on the power of two viral videos; and how they helped Cricket Wireless become the most shared brand in the wireless space beating telco powerhouses like Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

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At Old Trafford, in the corridors of power, Maurice Watkins was the guiding force. As the club solicitor, and later a director, for thirty-six years he was the man to whom Manchester United turned to negotiate the legal minefields. In his autobiography, written before his passing in 2021, the layers of secrecy are peeled back to expose the brilliance of a character who shaped the club''s destiny.From the sacking of Tommy Docherty, through the late-night drive to Scotland to lure Alex Ferguson to the hot seat, to the courtroom defence of Eric Cantona for his ''kung-fu kick'' on an abusive fan, Maurice Watkins was the key figure behind the scenes at United. Yet he was also front and centre for the triumphs under Ferguson and the rise of players such as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Later, a lifelong love of sports made him a natural for leadership roles throughout the sporting world.Legally Red takes you into the boardroom of one of the greatest football

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No player has been more synonymous with the glory years of Manchester United Football Club over the past two decades than right-back Gary Neville. An Old Trafford regular since he attended his first match at the age of six, captain of the brilliant 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning team that became known as 'Fergie's Fledglings', outspoken representative of MUFC, Neville is the ultimate one-club man. He has been at the heart of it all and, at the end of an amazing career, is now ready to tell it all.Authoritative, insightful, fearless and never less than 100% honest, no-one has better credentials for documenting the story of United under Sir Alex Ferguson. Neville reveals the behind-the-scenes secrets of his early days with the likes of Giggs, Scholes and his best mate David Beckham; what it was like to play with Cantona, Keane and Ronaldo; the Treble in 1999; and of course an entire career of playing for the greatest manager in the game.Then there are all his experiences with England, from being the youngest starter at Euro 96 when football came home, to the ups and downs of five major championships and seven managers - Venables, Hoddle, Wilkinson, Keegan, Eriksson, McClaren and Capello. There are opinions and analysis on Gazza, Rooney, WAGs and the true story of the FA and Rio Ferdinand.For twenty glorious years, Gary Neville has worn his heart on his sleeve. This is his story.

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FC Barcelona On This Day revisits the most magical and memorable moments from the club's glorious past, mixing in a maelstrom of anecdotes and characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of one of the most dominant clubs of modern times - with an entry for every day of the year. From its formation in 1899 to the trials and tribulations of growth, the hard-fought El Clasico derbies against Real Madrid, European glory in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s to the current juggernaut that brushes all comers aside - it's all here. The club's all-time greats, including Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Ronaldinho, all loom large, as do their most famous coaches - Johan Cruyff, Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola. Revisit 20 May 1992 when the club won its first ever European Cup, 15 January 1939 when the club was forced to change its name under Francoism, 8 December 1899 when Barcelona played their first ever match against a group of Englishmen, and 28 March 1954 when the construction of the Nou Camp started in front of 60,000 fans.

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**Shortlisted for the Telegraph Children's Sports Book of the Year, 2021**'A great way for children and their parents to bond over the beautiful game.' - The Scotsman*Who is the Greatest Of All Time - Ronaldo or Messi?*Who was the smartest manager - Brian Clough or Alex Ferguson?*Who scores the best goals - Raheem Stirling or Harry Kane?It's time to decide as you build your football dream team, pick your football GOAT and create the greatest football team ever. Managed by YOU.Here are the finest players that have ever lived, in every single position, fighting for a place in your squad. Created by journalist and co-host of That Peter Crouch Podcast, Tom Fordyce, learn how to think like a manager, pick your players, draw your kit, set your formation, plan your pre-match meal and much more.'What a cracking little book. My kids loved it ... It's been a godsend this lockdown!' - online customer review'A book that's the perfect balance of facts, activities and humour.' - BookTrust

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Geoff Shreeves is a giant of football. From reporting pitchside on the biggest matches to his iconic appearances in EA's FIFA series, Geoff's warmth, humour and expertise have made him a constant fixture of the sport. In Cheers Geoff! he shares hilarious, bizarre and moving stories from across his incredible career.With a foreward from Alan Shearer.A The Times Sports Books of the Year'Cracking read . . . loved it' - Piers Morgan'Packed with brilliant anecdotes about the biggest names' - The MirrorThere are just a handful of people who have been ever-present for the thirty years of the Premier League, but only one person has been at the very epicentre for the entire period: Geoff Shreeves. From signalling the very first ball to be kicked on Sky’s Premier League coverage to facing down Sir Alex Ferguson’s wrath (on countless occasions), Geoff is an integral part of the football fabric, respected by everybody in the game while still asking the toughest questions. Geoff’s interviews with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Arsène Wenger, Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer have become the stuff of legend, but it is his close personal relationships with the game’s star names that really sets him apart.Packed full of hilarious stories on and off the pitch – including trying to teach Sir Michael Caine how to act, a frightening encounter with Mike Tyson, as well as getting a lift home from the World Cup with Mick Jagger – Cheers, Geoff! is a must-read autobiography for any fan of the beautiful game. A natural storyteller, Geoff brings an astonishing catalogue of tales to life with his unique brand of experience, insight and humour.'A legend' - Arsène Wenger'No one handles the big moments better' - Jordan Henderson

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WITH AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A BETWEEN JIM AND KAVEH FOR THE AUDIOBOOK'The best football book of the year. A must-read for anyone who loves football' Harry RedknappFootball used to be a sport. Then it became a business. Now it's a whole industry.For three months every year football clubs buy and sell human beings. People who are so good at their job that others are willing to pay millions and millions of pounds to work with them, and for good reason; the right deal can help you win football's top prizes while the wrong deal can cost you your job and bankrupt your club. It's a fast-paced, at times murky and cutthroat world worth billions - and Jim White and Kaveh Solhekol have been at the heart of it for decades.In Deadline Day, Jim and Kaveh, two leading transfer market experts, take us behind the scenes of this uniquely tense and secretive world where the winner takes it all. They uncover what really happens in this game within the game where everything is for sale at the right price. And that's a price that's being paid by some of the richest people and countries on the planet, including billionaire US investors and Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia who have money to burn.Jim reveals what led him into journalism, and specifically what it takes to break the biggest stories and make it in the footballing world. Featuring a colourful cast of iconic players, managers, agents and owners - such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Sir Alex Ferguson to name a few - Jim recounts some of the most game-changing deals in history, as well as the ones that got away.Perceptive, entertaining and dynamically told, Deadline Day addresses some of the big questions facing the game in a definitive, never-before-told inside story of football's transfer window.

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How much do you really know about Manchester United? Put your knowledge to the test with this bumper book of brainteaser quizzes and fascinating facts, beautifully illustrated by one of the world's leading sports artists. It's packed with trivia on all the great Man United sides and players - from the 'Busby Babes' to 'Fergie's Fledglings', from Charlton, Law and Best to Rooney, Ronaldo and Rashford - providing hours of highly dippable fun and entertainment. Which player earned a taekwondo black belt and seriously considered abandoning his football career to work as a docker? Which Republic of Ireland international was raised in orphanages? Son of a Greco-Roman wrestling champion, which striker served in the Norwegian army? Which United striker made history when he played for Stockport County alongside his father? Which player appeared opposite Cate Blanchett in the 1998 movie Elizabeth? Trivquiz Manchester United holds the answers to all these questions and hundreds more.

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Are you ready for the World Cup? It’s time to warm up for another roller coaster ride… Calling all footie fanatics! Put your knowledge of the beautiful game to the test with this quiz book, packed full of puzzles, stats and little-known facts. Whether it’s chatting to a mate on a pre-match pub trip or to keep calm during a tense half time in front of the TV, every football fan loves a bit of trivia. Use this fact-packed quiz and puzzle book to gen up on World Cup legends such as Ronaldo and Messi and prepare to impress your friends with your fantastic football knowledge. Featuring brain-teasing puzzles, tricky true-or-false questions and hilarious “what happened next?” scenarios, this quiz book is guaranteed to keep you entertained until the final whistle. Have a go at guessing the top ten most expensive football players Discover who scored the worst-ever World Cup own goal Find out which World Cup match saw the same player booked three times Prepare yourself for penalties with stats on perfect shootouts and miserable misses

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Andrés Iniesta is the Barcelona and Spain legend, rated by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Paul Scholes as one of the greatest footballers of all time. This is the thinking fan's footballer with a thinking fan's football book.Andrés Iniesta was twelve years old when scouts invited him into Barcelona's famous La Masia academy. Shortly after he joined the club, Barca legend Pep Guardiola remarked of him, 'This lad is going to retire us all.'Iniesta rapidly became a permanent fixture in the Barca midfield, propelling the club to a raft of trophies, including eight La Liga championships and four Champions League titles. With his country he has won the European Championship twice, and scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final.Behind the wonderfully graceful passing and movement, and the accolades and trophies he has garnered, there exists an intelligent and thoughtful man who, until now, has let his beautifully skilful feet do the talking. In The Artist: Being Iniesta, the Spanish maestro paints a vivid self-portrait, in his own words but also in those of his coaches, team-mates, opponents, friends and family. The result is intriguing.

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LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE'Excellent and compellingly honest' Alyson Rudd, The TimesIn I Love This Game, the long-awaited autobiography of Patrice Evra, the former Manchester United and France star looks back on a remarkable life and career. Having played alongside some of the club's greatest legends, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, in one of United's most successful eras, Evra has now found a new role as an in-demand pundit and social media star. But, as he reveals in this frank, often shocking, but always compelling memoir, beneath the surface things were not so simple, and he had to fight all the way to get to the top. Initially, it was football that saved him from being sucked into the gang culture of his tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis in the suburbs of Paris. Then, once he achieved his dream of becoming a professional, he had to deal with racism and a notorious dispute with Luis Suarez; he also became a central figure in the infamous ‘strike’ by the France national team in the 2010 World Cup; and there was the moment he launched an attack against a Marseille fan while warming up. ‘I Love This Game’ has become Evra’s catchphrase. Throughout this wonderful book, his passion for his sport shines through and there are revealing and entertaining behind-the-scenes insights about the players and managers he’s worked with, from Sir Alex Ferguson to Paul Pogba, who knows him as Uncle Pat. With infectious enthusiasm and sharp observation, Evra takes the reader where few football autobiographies dare to tread.

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Buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard of the small village of Benson in Oxfordshire lies the body of a footballing world champion from a bygone era shrouded in the mists of time. His name was Stephen Smith. This footballer of the Victorian and Edwardian era could claim as many league title winning medals as John Terry and Wayne Rooney, more league winners medals than Eric Cantona, Frank Lampard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer. This book is the never before told story of a footballer born at the end of the Industrial Revolution, son of agricultural labourers who became a miner, working underground combining that job with one as a professional footballer to rise to the top of the footballing world. Smith won trophy after trophy in the best and only professional league anywhere in the world at that time. He also scored the goal that made England World Champions in 1895. Smith, at the top of his game in a move that mirrored the Premier League breakaway of 1992 and the recent ill-fated European Super League then joined the newly formed Southern League at a time when the Football League started to cap player wages. He did this in order to ensure his family's future as well as end his reliance on his part-time earnings from mining. Football's zeitgeist has fundamentally changed very little in the last 130 years for those inside the industry. This is the story of Stephen Smith and the quest to find the support and funds to mark and commemorate one of the most decorated yet underappreciated footballers in the history of the game.

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With over 10,000 entries, arranged by topic and fully indexed, here is a giant new collection of witticisms and wisecracks for the 21st century. If you're looking for a bon mot for an after-dinner talk, struggling to put the finishing touches to a wedding speech or just want to cheer yourself and your mates up, this fabulous fat book provides all you'll ever need. Entries range from insults, put-downs, gags and one-liners to homespun philosophy, witty proverbs, movie quotes and graffiti. Among the contributors featured are Woody Allen, Dave Barry, P. J. O'Rourke, Winston Churchill, Will Rogers, Jay Leno, P. G. Wodehouse, Bill Cosby, W. C. Fields, Oscar Wilde, Spike Milligan, Groucho Marx, George Bernard Shaw and many more. Never be stuck for a good line again! 'Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.' P. J. O'Rourke 'I'm sure sex wouldn't be as rewarding as winning the World Cup. It's not that sex isn't good, but the World Cup is every four years and sex is not.' Ronaldo

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From the earliest FA Cup finals in the 1870s between teams of former public schoolboys to the glittering world of 21st-century Champions League matches contested by squads of millionaires, The Times has been at pitchside to write the history of football as it has happened.It is story of great matches: Hungary’s historic victory over England at Wembley in 1953, Manchester United’s triumph over Benfica in the 1968 European Cup final, Brazil’s thrashing of Italy in the 1970 World Cup final, Liverpool’s remarkable recovery to win the Champions League in Istanbul in 2005. It is a story of dazzling individual performances: Stanley Matthews finally winning an FA Cup winners’ medal at Wembley in 1953, Bobby Moore giving a masterclass in the art of defending for England against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo’s virtuoso performance as Real Madrid won the 2017 Champions League. It is a story of national highs and lows, from Wembley in 1966 when England ruled the world after defeating West Germany to the humiliation of losing to Iceland in the 2016 European Championship.But above all it is a story of great players, great managers and great personalities in a sport that grips the attention of the world like no other.

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'The whistle blows and I set off for the one kick I know will stay with me for the rest of my life, maybe even define my life...'Michael Carrick was the heartbeat of Manchester United. For more than a decade he was the player that made them tick. Loved by his managers, lauded by his fellow professionals, worshipped by the Old Trafford faithful, yet regularly misunderstood by the wider public, Carrick was a player like no other.Intelligent, calm, thoughtful - in many ways the opposite of the archetypal English midfielder - Carrick has always been his own man and is typically forthright. In his book he reveals what it's really like to win relentlessly under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, shows us the hidden secrets of the famous Carrington training ground, invites us to experience the camaraderie and clashes inside the United dressing room, and lets us feels what it's like to walk out on the Old Trafford pitch alongside some of the biggest names in the game - from Ronaldo to Scholes to Giggs, Rooney and the rest.A deeply personal book, Between the Lines reveals for the first time Michael's battles with mental health, his struggles with the national side, as well as the redemption he has found with his family and his team.From growing up in the north-east to winning the Champions League and five Premier League titles with Manchester United, via West Ham and Tottenham, Carrick's story reveals him to be his own man: fearless, thoughtful, intelligent and honest.*All of Michael Carrick's proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Michael Carrick Foundation, dedicated to providing financial support to community services that will give underprivileged children living in the North and North East better opportunities so that they feel safe, valued and inspired.*

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‘A history of modern Spain told through one of world football's most intense rivalries’ Independent‘Sports Book of the Year’ Sunday TimesIt’s Messi vs Ronaldo, it’s Catalonia vs Castilla. It’s the nation against the state, freedom fighters vs Franco’s fascists. It’s majestic goals and mesmerising skills, red cards and bench brawls. It’s the best two teams on the planet going face to face and toe to toe. It’s more than a game. It’s a war.It’s Barcelona vs Real Madrid. Only, it’s not that simple. From the wounds left by the civil war to the teams’ recent global domination, historian and expert on Spanish football, Sid Lowe lifts the lid on sport’s greatest rivalry. Lowe has spoken to the biggest names and the forgotten heroes who defined their clubs. Men like Alfredo Di Stéfano and Johan Cruyff as well as the only survivor of the most politically charged game in history, the Barcelona striker who knocked Madrid out of the European Cup for the first time ever, and the president who celebrated his club’s defining moment by taking a midnight dip in the Thames. By exploring the history, politics, culture, economics and language, while never forgetting the drama on the pitch, Lowe demonstrates the symbiotic nature of the relationship between these two football giants. In doing so he reveals the human story behind this explosive rivalry.

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‘Passion, positivity and precision ... and always be willing to learn something new.’Athlete Andrew Henderson was just sixteen years old when a horrific rugby injury put paid to his career in the game. So he turned his attention to football – more specifically, freestyling football skills – and never looked back. Now a five-time World Freestyling Champion and the UK Freestyle football champion for eight years running, in this unique manual Andrew brings together all his expertise and advice to help make you a betterfootballer.Packed with tips, tricks and over 200 colour photographs, Andrew reveals how hard work, dedication and flair allowed him to become a master on the football pitch and beyond. Having worked with Cristiano Ronaldo, impressed the likes of David Beckham and Neymar, to performing at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and various World Cups around the world, he is now sharing all his secrets and famous freestyling skills to help you improve your football techniques and take them onto the pitch.Interspersed with the jaw-dropping tricks, guidance on tackling, fundamental skills and tips on advancing your expertise, Andrew’s passionate advice about following a dream and overcoming adversity prove that both enthusiasm and patience play a major part in any sporting arena. This isn’t only about teaching the physical elements but learning from a master about how to focus your mentality to bring flair, passion and precision to your game.

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