The Big Book of Football

Did you know that before 1951, all footballs were brown? Or that ace American footballer Joy Fawcett went straight back to playing competitively after giving birth to her children? Or that legendary Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin was known as 'the black spider' because his dark blue kit appeared black on black and white TV - and he made so many saves, it was as if he had eight legs?!

Covering the history of football, profiles of popular players, managers, famous stadiums, kits, the evolution of the football boot, the history of the football itself as well as prizes such as the World Cup, The Big Book of Football also has a brilliant section detailing a number of male and female players' special skills with tips for budding football stars, such as female South Korean uber-footballer Ji So-Yun's perfect shots, Didier Drogba's perfect attacking headers or Fernando Torres' talent for beating the offside trap.

There's a great balance here between fun (a double page spread about footballers' hairdos) and a serious appreciation of the craft of football, so it will suit general readers and football fanatics alike.

Written in an accessible, informative and often humorous tone, The Big Book of Football is a great introduction to the beautiful game.