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The Greatest Show on Earth
The Inside Story of the Legendary 1970 World Cup
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Check link for latest rating. ( 21 ratings, 2 reviews)
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Format: Hardback
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Ideal for football fans, sports historians, and readers interested in the golden era of international football tournaments.
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See moreThe 1970 World Cup is widely regarded as the greatest ever staged, with more goals per game than any World Cup since.Using brand new interviews alongside painstaking archival research, Andrew Downie charts each stage of the tournament, from the preparations to the final, telling a host of remarkable stories in the players' own words.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The 1970 World Cup is widely regarded as the greatest ever staged, with more goals scored per game than any tournament since. Beyond the sheer number of goals, the overall quality of the football was exceptional. Some of the greatest teams in history, representing Argentina, West Germany, Uruguay, and England, came together to compete for the world title.
At the heart of the tournament were Brazil, led by Carlos Alberto and featuring legendary players such as Pelé, Gérson, Jairzinho, Rivellino, and Tostão. The 1970 Seleção are often cited as the greatest-ever World Cup team.
Using brand new interviews alongside painstaking archival research, Andrew Downie charts each stage of the World Cup in The Greatest Show on Earth, telling the remarkable story of the tournament in the players' own words. The result is an immediate, insightful, and compelling narrative that paints an utterly unique portrait of an extraordinary few weeks when football hit peaks it has seldom even neared in the years before or since.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Financial Times called it an account of arguably the best World Cup, told through the players' own words and selected as an FT Best Book of the Year. The Wall Street Journal praised the eloquence of the voices featured in the book. Monocle Daily found it a fascinating read for football enthusiasts, delving beyond the final to first-round matches. Grant Wahl described it as "phenomenal" and a "terrific read."
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781909715967
Publisher: Birlinn General
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 02 September 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Arena Sport
Illustration: 16 Plates, black and white
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 23.0mm
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 563g
Pages: 320
Collections
About the Author
Andrew Downieis the Brazilian football correspondent forReuters, and has lived in the country for almost 20 years. He has written on football for GQ, the Economist, theNew York Timesand theGuardianamong others. He translatedGarrincha: The Triumph and Tragedy of Brazil's Forgotten Footballing Hero, and is the best-selling author of the critically-acclaimedDoctor Socrates: Footballer, Philosopher and Legend. Now based in London, he still spends much of the year in Brazil.
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