On the eve of the 2014 World Cup, New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey offers a personal perspective on the beautiful game. Blending witty travelogue with action on the field{u2014}and shady dealings in back rooms{u2014}George Vecsey offers an eye-opening, globe-trotting account of the last eight World Cups. He immerses himself in the great national leagues, historic clubs, and devoted fans and provides his up-close impressions of charismatic...

"Twelve-year-old Alex loves playing soccer, and she's good at it, too. Very good. When her skills land her a free ride to play for Select, an elite soccer club, it feels like a huge opportunity. Joining Select could be the key to a college scholarship and a bright future -- one that Alex's family can't promise her. But as the team gets better and better, her new coach pushes the players harder and harder, until soccer starts to feel more like punishment...

"Why Is Soccer Played Eleven Against Eleven? reveals one hundred facts of soccer history and rules that are either unknown or little known, such as why soccer is played eleven against eleven, why soccer matches last 90 minutes, who the first coach was, how the referee appeared, and who invented goal nets, red and yellow cards, the penalty, and the penalty shoot-out. Included in this book are funny and weird anecdotes, such as the case of a player...

"A disgraced soccer executive reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children's team"-- Adalyn Reyes has spent years perfecting her daily routine: wake up at dawn, drive to the Miami Flames FC offices, try her hardest to leave a mark, go home, and repeat. But her routine is disrupted when a video of her in an altercation with the team's mascot goes viral. Rather than fire her, the team's owner--who happens to be her father--sends...

"The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team has won four World Cups and four Olympic gold medals, set record TV ratings, drawn massive crowds, earned huge revenues for FIFA and U.S. Soccer, and helped to redefine the place of women in sports. But despite their dominance, and their rosters of superstar players, they've endured striking inequality: low pay, poor playing conditions, and limited opportunities to play in professional leagues. The National Team,...

An all-new Step 2 Step into Reading reader with stickers featuring the fairies from Nickelodeon's Butterbean's Cafe. Butterbean's sister Cricket loves soccer, but can she become her team's captain? Boys and girls ages 3 to 7 who love Nickelodeon's Butterbean's Cafe will thrill to this Step 2 Step into Reading leveled reader with over 30 stickers. Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize...

From fields all across the United States to the streets of South America to pitches in Europe and Asia, the global passion and love for soccer knows no borders. It is simply the most popular sport in the world. Giants of the game like Cristiano Ronaldo, Tim Howard, and Lionel Messi have become international celebrities and role models to young fans across the globe. And as soccer continues to expand in America, with the growth of leagues like Major...

Give it Tom. Every lunchtime, every P.E. game, bouncing off the walls for years. Give it Tom. Give it Tom. Tom Pearman has been tipped for football stardom all his young life. But after spending his teenage years training with a Premier League team, the bright future he imagined for himself disappears from one day to the next when he finds out his club has decided to let him go. Now he's nineteen, away from home, playing for a tiny club in a town...