Book Review
Monako Dibetle
History of the Fifa World Cup by John Stroud, (R240)
edited by Peter Murray (Murray Books, Australia 2009)
Ever wondered which country won the first soccer World Cup or which has achieved the honour more often than any others?
The answers to those questions and many more on the history of the global event are creatively and colourfully packaged in this exciting 163-page book designed uniquely to look like a soccer ball.
In more than 80 years of the ultimate soccer tournament, the world has witnessed 15 nations hosting the event and 204 attempting to qualify, with seven ultimately reigning as champions.
More than 31-million spectators have attended 708 matches and witnessed 2 063 goals scored.
It depicts the logos of each World Cup final since 1930, although I was disappointed that it did not include the different types of match ball used at finals. I had also expected a special feature on the best stadiums the World Cup finals had been hosted in over the years.
However, the year 2010 marks the first staging of the Fifa World Cup on African soil and ? most importantly for us ? in South Africa.
This book will take the reader on a trip down World Cup memory lane — from that spur-of-the-moment and poorly organised first tournament in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1930 (where the hosts were crowned champions) to the last contest in Germany in 2006.
Now, 60 years after Rio de Janeiro hosted the games in 1950, when Uruguay were once again crowned world champions, the World Cup returns to the Third World.
With their diversity and people-based street cred, Third-World countries are known for their unique hospitality and for hosting unforgettable events. And here’s hoping that the South African World Cup will go down as the best-ever tournament.
From the playgrounds of rural schools to the gym halls of private institutions, boys and girls are talking soccer. This history of the Fifa World Cup provides the background information to the tournament in a unique package.
In a year filled with football festivities, with the game inevitably becoming topical classroom discussion point, this publication is the best tool for teachers and learners to answer those sometimes difficult trivia questions about the game.
The book has no age or gender limitation, as it is aimed at anyone interested in the history of the World Cup.