Soccer Men

Hot on the excitement over the 2011 women's World Cup comes Kuper's latest soccer gem (published in the UK as Football Men), this one featuring insights into the game's prominent men—players, managers, and a handful of others. Well qualified, Kuper (Financial Times; coauthor, Soccernomics) delivers profiles, many previously published in the Financial Times and other newspapers, of some 70 men of soccer. The players reflect on their lives away from the pitch and reveal the human side of the sport's most recognizable names—David Beckham, Franz Beckenbauer, Eric Cantona, and Zinedine Zidane. Soccer remains the central theme, but Kuper's easy interview style hides few flaws and creates some memorable moments such as those with Nicolas Anelka and Freddy Adu. An afternoon with English manager Glenn Hoddle produced a remarkable interview. Where appropriate, Kuper adds a brief postscript for an update.