The Shortest History of Football – Brian D. Bunk

Description

From ancient kicking games to the world’s most popular sport

Humans have enjoyed kicking balls around for thousands of years, whether in Ancient China or sixteenth-century North America. Football as we know it today was born from two vastly different British traditions: rough-and-tumble folk football and the games played in elite boarding schools. So how did it go from a local pastime to the pinnacle of global sport?

Brian D. Bunk traces the incredible history of football, comprised of both glories and tragedies: from muddy World War I trenches to the stadium-palaces of Saudi Arabia; the ancient Mayans to Lionel Messi; the first recorded women’s football match to today’s Lionesses; World Cup boycotts to enduring rivalries. Along the way, football has influenced economics and politics, and created an international community unlike any other.

The Shortest History of Football is a concise but comprehensive guide to the evolution of ‘the beautiful game’ that will delight history buffs and football fans alike.