The Complete Story of the World Cup 1930 - 2026: The drama, players and politics of every edition of the World Cup. Including a preview of 2026. Hardcover – January 25, 2026

There’s never been a better time to look back at the history of the world’s most popular sporting event, the FIFA World Cup.At the conclusion of the 2022 edition, the competition has seen 22 World Cups unfold, over a span of close to 100 years. What separates the World Cup from nearly every other sporting event around the globe, is its ability to engage fans from every corner of the earth, shut down entire countries on game day, and produce emotions of incomparable joy or heartbreak, as the final whistle blows. Each edition has its unique plot twists, heroes, classic games, controversies, and of course, tactical innovations. It’s a competition that has formed national identities, elevated unknown players to national heroes, and created sporting legends whose legacies have become entrenched in the history books.The inspiration of this book came from the realization that the conclusion of the 22nd edition of FIFA’s World Cup was in fact, a historically significant number. 22 happens to be the exact number of players that comprise an 11 versus 11 football match. Ask any passionate fan around the world to name their all-time starting 11, and you’re sure to get some fascinating answers.But shouldn’t we stretch ourselves a bit more, and ask the question; what would a worthy all-time 11 versus 11 look like if we were to look back at each and every edition of the World Cup and select a player from all 22 competitions? There’s only one way to make that conversation meaningful, and it starts with immersing yourself in the incredibly history of the competition. If that sounds intriguing…this is the book for you.The complete history of the World Cup covers every single competition, including the data, stats, and each edition's most intriguing storylines. This book also contains a comprehensive section at the end with historical player profiles and facts about each competition. This is truly a comprehensive history, worthy of any living room coffee table! Read more