Soccer Men : Profiles of the Rogues, Geniuses, and Neurotics Who Dominate the World's Most Popular Sport

Simon Kuper pioneered a new way of looking at soccer, the world's most popular game, through his witty and meticulous use of data. In this updated edition, Kuper profiles Hope Solo, Raymond Domenech, Andrea Agnelli, Robin van Persie, Carlo Ancelotti, and many more.;Ordinary men and craftsmen -- The players. Bert Trautmann and Helmut Klopfleisch ; Johan Cruijff ; Bruce Grobbelaar ; Edgar Davids ; Rivaldo ; Ruud Gullit ; Lothar Matthäus, the tabloid reader ; Jari Litmanen ; Juan Sebastián Verón ; Ruud van Nistelrooy ; Michael Ballack ; Rio Ferdinand ; Roberto Carlos ; Zinedine Zidane ; Dennis Bergkamp ; Clarence Seedorf ; Freddy Adu ; Johnny Rep and Bernd Hölzenbein ; Michael Essien ; Fabio Cannavaro ; Dirk Kuyt ; Romario ; Gennaro Gattuso ; Zlatan Ibrahimovic ; Paolo Maldini ; Fernando Torres ; Florent Malouda ; Michael Owen ; Kaká ; Cesc Fabregas ; Nicolas Anelka ; Didier Drogba ; Franck Ribéry ; Michael Ballack, Ronaldo, Andriy Shevchenko, and Francesco Totti ; Xavi ; Johan Cruijff ; Andrés Iniesta ; Eric Cantona ; Thierry Henry ; Lionel Messi ; David Beckham ; Wayne Rooney ; Frank Lampard ; The autobiographies of Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Wayne Rooney ; Edwin van der Sar ; Robert Enke ; Robin van Persie and Rafael van der Vaart ; Hope Solo ; Zlatan Ibrahimovic ; Lionel Messi ; George Best ; Eusébio -- Manager and general managers. Glenn Hoddle and Tony Blair ; Daniel Passarella ; Arsène Wenger ; Guus Hiddink ; Sven-Göran Eriksson ; José Mourinho ; Glenn Hoddle ; Diego Maradona ; Josep Guardiola ; José Mourinho ; Arsène Wenger ; José Mourinho and Louis van Gaal ; Fabio Capello ; Diego Maradona ; Malcolm Allison ; Jorge Valdano ; Billy Beane ; Alex Ferguson ; Raymond Domenech ; Arsène Wenger ; Josep Guardiola ; Alex Ferguson ; Carlo Ancelotti -- Some other soccer men. Anthony Minghella ; Jacques Herzog ; Franz Beckenbauer ; Mike Forde ; Ignacio Palacios-Huerta ; Johan Cruijff ; Andrea Agnelli. Simon Kuper's New York Times Bestseller Soccernomics Pioneered A New Way Of Looking At Soccer Through Meticulous Empirical Analysis And Incisive-and Witty- Commentary. Kuper Now Leaves The Numbers And Data Behind To Explore The Heart And Soul Of The World's Most Popular Sport In The New, Extraordinarily Revealing Soccer Men. Soccer Men Goes Behind The Scenes With Soccer's Greatest Players And Coaches. Inquiring Into The Genius And Hubris Of The Modern Game, Kuper Details The Lives Of Giants Such As Arsène Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Jorge Valdano, Lionel Messi, Kaká, And Didier Drogba, Describing Their Upbringings, The Soccer Cultures They Grew Up In, The Way They Play, And The Baggage They Bring To Their Relationships At Work. From One Of The Great Sportswriters Of Our Time, Soccer Men Is A Penetrating And Surprising Anatomy Of The Figures That Define Modern Soccer--provided By Publisher. Ordinary Men And Craftsmen -- The Players. Bert Trautmann And Helmut Klopfleisch ; Johan Cruijff ; Bruce Grobbelaar ; Edgar Davids ; Rivaldo ; Ruud Gullit ; Lothar Matthäus, The Tabloid Reader ; Jari Litmanen ; Juan Sebastián Verón ; Ruud Van Nistelrooy ; Michael Ballack ; Rio Ferdinand ; Roberto Carlos ; Zinedine Zidane ; Dennis Bergkamp ; Clarence Seedorf ; Freddy Adu ; Johnny Rep And Bernd Hölzenbein ; Michael Essien ; Fabio Cannavaro ; Dirk Kuyt ; Romario ; Gennaro Gattuso ; Zlatan Ibrahimovic ; Paolo Maldini ; Fernando Torres ; Florent Malouda ; Michael Owen ; Kaká ; Cesc Fabregas ; Nicolas Anelka ; Didier Drogba ; Franck Ribéry ; Michael Ballack, Ronaldo, Andriy Shevchenko, And Francesco Totti ; Xavi ; Johan Cruijff ; Andrés Iniesta ; Eric Cantona ; Thierry Henry ; Lionel Messi ; David Beckham ; Wayne Rooney ; Frank Lampard ; The Autobiographies Of Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, And Wayne Rooney ; Edwin Van Der Sar -- Manager And General Managers. Glenn Hoddle And Tony Blair ; Daniel Passarella ; Arsène Wenger ; Guus Hiddink ; Sven-göran Eriksson ; José Mourinho ; Glenn Hoddle ; Diego Maradona ; Josep Guardiola ; José Mourinho ; Arsène Wenger ; José Mourinho And Louis Van Gaal ; Fabio Capello ; Diego Maradona ; Malcolm Allison ; Jorge Valdano ; Billy Beane -- Some Other Soccer Men. Anthony Minghella ; Jacques Herzog ; Franz Beckenbauer ; Mike Forde ; Ignacio Palacios-huerta. Simon Kuper. Includes Index. In his national bestseller, "Soccernomics," Simon Kuper pioneered a new way of looking at soccer, the world's most popular game, through his witty and meticulous use of data. In "Soccer Men," Kuper explores the heart and soul of the sport by getting up close and personal with soccer's greatest players and coaches. An inquiry into the genius and hubris of the modern game, "Soccer Men" details the lives of international stars such as Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Josep Guardiola, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and David Beckham, describing their upbringings, the soccer cultures they grew up in, the way they play or coach, and the baggage they bring to their relationships at work.