Sports Audio Books: Soccer World Cup Madness

The World Cup, for those not in-the-know, is a soccer tournament held every four years. The competitors are national teams and the winner is declared the world champion. Honestly, I just learned that.

What can I say? I’m not a big sports fan. Even if you aren’t a fan, there are some interesting sports audio books out there about soccer…

The History of the World Cup

In The History of the World Cup – 2010 Edition by Brian Glanville and narrated by Bob Wilson, the World Cup historian explains the history of the event. Since 1930, the World Cup has been held every four years, except for a 12 year period during World War II.

The current World Cup in South Africa will be the 19th competition. Included in this version are stories of players, triumphs, failures, surprises, and more. If you’re looking for a thorough discussion of the World Cup, this is it.

Soccernomics

Soccernomics (also sold as Why England Lose: And Other Curious Football Phenomena Explained) by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski (narrated by Colin Mace) is an explanation of how soccer works using analogies from economics, statistics, psychology, and business.

Titles Currently Unavailable

Unavailable at present in audio, Africa United: Soccer, Passion, Politics, and the First World Cup in Africa is available in paperback and Kindle formats. Written by Steve Bloomfield, a journalist who has written for several national publications has lived in Nairobi since 2006. In this book, he discusses Africa, the World Cup players and fans, politicians, and how soccer has been important to the continent.

The Indispensable Guide to Soccer and Geopolitics

Another paperback resource, World Cup 2010: The Indispensable Guide to Soccer and Geopolitics by Steven D. Stark and Harrison Stark lays out theories about why certain countries always do well at the event while others do not. It also discussing the significance of the first World Cup to be held in Africa as well as in-depth analyses of the teams. Also included are squad breakdowns, players to watch and coaching techniques.

The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer

The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer by David Goldblatt is an explanation of the history of the sport as it has expanded across the globe. The newest edition has a foreword for America, the country that seems to be the last to really engage in the sport.

Are you watching the World Cup? Do you have a favorite team? Recommendations for those of us who know little about the sport? Join us on the audiobooks forum and let’s discuss!

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