Soccer

An opinionated masterclass in the art and science of “reading” a match from one of professional soccer’s most respected and beloved international figures. "For Americans new to European soccer, terms like 'false striker,' 'double accordion' or 'moving trios' need Mr. Gullit’s expert explications." —Wall Street Journal Ruud Gullit knows better than anyone else that to understand soccer you have to understand strategy. When he started playing soccer, his only “strategy” was to get the ball, outrun everyone else to the other end of the field, and score. At first it served him well, but as he advanced through the sport, he learned that it takes much more than one player's speed to make a winning team. Over the course of his career, he worked his way from the Dutch junior leagues all the way to the legendary AC Milan, eventually retiring from the field to be a trainer, then a manager, and finally a commentator. Each step came with its own lessons, and its own unique perspective on the game. Now, having looked at soccer through every lens possible, Gullit shares his own perspective. Most spectators simply watch the ball, but in How to Watch Soccer, Gullit explains how to watch the whole game. He shows how every part of a match, from formations to corner kicks, all the way down to what the players do to influence the referees, is important. And he uses his own vast experience to illustrate each point, so his lessons are filled with anecdotes from his years on the field and insights from his observations as a manager and commentator. This exhaustive guide will change the way even the most die-hard fan watches the beautiful game.

“An eccentric, fascinating exposé of a world most of us know nothing about. . . . Bristles with anecdotes that are almost impossible to believe.” —New York Times Book Review “Terrific. . . . A travelogue full of important insights into both cultural change and persistence. . . . Foer’s soccer odyssey lends weight to the argument that a humane world order is possible.” — Washington Post Book World A groundbreaking work—named one of the five most influential sports books of the decade by Sports Illustrated—How Soccer Explains the World is a unique and brilliantly illuminating look at soccer, the world’s most popular sport, as a lens through which to view the pressing issues of our age, from the clash of civilizations to the global economy. From Brazil to Bosnia, and Italy to Iran, this is an eye-opening chronicle of how a beautiful sport and its fanatical followers can highlight the fault lines of a society, whether it’s terrorism, poverty, anti-Semitism, or radical Islam—issues that now have an impact on all of us. Filled with blazing intelligence, colorful characters, wry humor, and an equal passion for soccer and humanity, How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.

Whether you want to bend it like Beckham or dribble like Ronaldinho, The Soccer Book is the ultimate visual guide to soccer skills, rules, tactics, and coaching, illustrating every aspect of every variant of the sport more clearly, and in more detail, than any other book has done before.

Put your opponents on their heels and the ball in goal! Use the strategies, plays, skills, and drills of Attacking Soccer to develop a high-powered offensive team that will take your club, high school, or college league by storm. The expert contributing coaches cover the following: - Playing out of the thirds - Possession soccer - Changing points of attack - Quick counterattacks and transitions - Flank attacks - Offensive patterns of play - Restart plays - Individual skill development Editor Joe Luxbacher, head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, has assembled many of the game's top offensive-minded coaches including Dave Sarachan of D.C. United, Jay Hoffman of the U.S. Women's National Team, former Tampa Bay Mutiny coach John Kowalski, and college coaches Dean Foti of Syracuse, Sam Koch of Massachusetts, and Dave Masur of St. John's. Each coach explains and illustrates a specific aspect of developing an attacking offense, helping you develop and implement the tactics, skills, and drills that are needed to maximize scoring opportunities.

This book provides drills accompanied by useful tips and understandable instructions with easy to follow diagrams. Sections include: Practical Warm Ups, Drills with the Ball, Drills with Rods and Cones, Running Technique, Plyometric Exercises and more.

Take an inside look at the world’s most popular sport. Soccer Anatomy will show you how to elevate your game by increasing strength, speed, and agility for more accurate passes and powerful shots. Soccer Anatomy includes 79 exercises, each with step-by-step descriptions and full-color anatomical illustrations highlighting muscles in action. Soccer Anatomy goes beyond exercises by placing you on the pitch and in the game. Illustrations of the active muscles involved in kicking, heading, tackling, and diving show you how each exercise is fundamentally linked to soccer performance. From attacking to defending to goalkeeping, Soccer Anatomy will improve every aspect of your game. You’ll learn how to modify exercises to target specific areas based on your style of play, personal needs, and goals. And you can prepare for competition by minimizing injuries using a system developed by FIFA’s medical research program. Combining authoritative advice, expert instruction, and stunning four-color illustrations, Soccer Anatomy is truly an inside look at this one-of-a-kind sport. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, if you’re serious about soccer, this is one book you need to own.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! When veggie-nibbling Grazers and meat-munching Biters take to the soccer field, it's a showdown of prehistoric proportions. Diplodocus shows an herbivore's soft touch and strikes first for the Grazers. But Gallimimus takes a pass from the twin Pterodactyls on the wings and finishes it off to even things up for the Biters. In the second half, Apatosaur scores the go-ahead goal for the veggie-side, but then a brawl results in red cards for both teams. Hungry to tie the game, Biter Allosaurus takes advantage. Now it's 2-2, setting up the teeth-gnashing, claw-curling final minutes. . . .