Time to Hit the Beach...With the Six Best Soccer Books of All Time

Soccer Against The Enemy (Simon Kuper)

"If you like football, read it. If you don't like football, read it." The Times.

Kuper has written several great football books worth checking out, but this is the most widely acclaimed. Chapter by enlightening chapter - each set in a different part of the world - Kuper perfectly captures soccer's cultural, political and even religious importance across the globe. 

Fever Pitch (Nick Hornby)

"I've read no better account of what being a fan really means." The Independent

No list would be complete without this iconic book that seemed to perfectly capture a moment in time and give voice to a whole new generation of soccer fans with its wit, humor and insight. It felt like the first time someone had thoughtfully and emotionally captured the true experience of what it's like to follow a soccer team.

All Played Out (Pete Davies)

"Some books stay with you forever. Lines from them take up residence in your brain, rather than just passing through in the gush of everything else you read. All Played Out is one of those." Irish Times

A behind the scenes look at England's dramatic 1990 World Cup Campaign in Italy that culminated in a famous loss to Germany in a semi-final game that will mostly be remembered for Paul Gascoigne's tears.  For nine months Davies had complete access to the team and their manager Bobby Robson. The result is this thoroughly authentic, evocative and entertaining book.

Inverting The Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics (Jonathan Wilson)

“Masterful” and “deliciously nerdy” Time Out

One for the nerds. Soccer journalist Jonathan Wilson does a deep dive into the global history of tactics, analyzing the players and thinkers who shaped the game. It's been updated to include the 2022 World Cup, charting the influence of some of the great European tacticians who are redefining the modern game.

Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football (David Winner)

" A brilliant, thorough, utterly mad book" ESPN

Holland have always had an aura about them, and there's a reason for that. In many ways they (and Johan Cruyff, specifically) invented modern football. This is a brilliant account of the development of soccer in the Netherlands and its impact on the game