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How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
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Sales rank 11,145
Customers rating (based on 88 reviews)
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Soccer is much more than a game, or even a way of life. It is a perfect window into the cross–currents of today's world, with all its joys and its sorrows. In this remarkably insightful, wide–ranging work of reportage, Franklin Foer takes us on a surprising tour through the world of soccer, shining a spotlight on the clash of civilizations, the international economy, and just about everything in between. How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.
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| Publisher | Harper Perennial | | Release date | 07/2005 | | Availability | Usually ships in 24 hours | | Edition | Paperback |
| | List price | $13.99 | | Our price | $10.97 (you save 21.59%) | | Used price | from $3.84 |
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 good but not great
just finished this on my kindle. a must if you like soccer. the fc barcelona chapter is outstanding. it leaves a scary feeling knowing there is still so much hatred around the world
 Go Barca!!
Frank and I see the world through the same eyes, similar experiences, same politics, and now the same love for Barca...yes mine is a young love, but how could you not fall in love with FC Barcelona after his chapter on the team. Very well written and very enjoyable.
 Easy read, keep your expectations low
First the picture on the cover caught my eye, when I was browsing the books in the "social sciences" section of my local bookstore. And then, not the title, but the sub-title made me pick this book up. In the book, Foer aims to lay down a "theory" for explaining the dynamics of globalization through "World's most popular sport". In each chapter, he picks up a case based on a team or a national league and tries to articulate on the politically or socially motivated relations between soccer and "different forms of power" (such as mob, money, national politics etc.) Well, I can't quiet say that he achieves his goal in this book. Despite its strong title and sub-title, content is very light weight and the book is an easy read on a 5-hour flight (not necessarily from Seattle to Atlanta :)) rather than a source for understanding the impact of globalization from a different angle. Bottom line, keep your expectations low and enjoy the accounts that Foer tells.
Good read for Soccer lovers
Enjoyable, but I'm not sure if someone who doesn't know the game would be thrilled with it. But if you give it a chance, it gives Americans an understanding of the most popular sport in the world and its impact on life everywhere else. The author really went around the world to develop the stories for this book.
 ILL-INFORMED
The biggest problem with this book is that, in support of its underlying theory, it presents as fact a multitude of false premises, bigoted stereotypes and gross inaccuracies. From a soccer standpoint, anyone who is familiar with the world game will find this to be an amateurish read, as some other reviewers have already documented. For example, his characterization of the play in Italy's top league, one of the most talent-laden in the world, comes down to the absurd statement that "complaints and gamesmanship provide the decisive advantage in games." Maybe his target audience is people who have never actually seen a game, but are you kidding me? In an effort to support his globalization theory, the author uses a handful of selected incidents to make sweeping generalizations about entire groups of people. Worse, he makes remarkable accusations with no support, as when he casually asserts that "Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Glasgow Rangers, Red Star Belgrade, and almost half the teams in Italy" suffer from "virulent racism." Overall, the writing betrays a rudimentary knowledge of the game and a bigoted view of many of its participants and followers.
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