- From the Damned Utd to The Match and I Think Therefore I Play by Andrea Pirlo, there are several football books worth reading
- The books are well written and will not only entertain you but also increase your knowledge about the beautiful game
- If you’re the kind who loves to read, then we got you covered with the best football related books
What comes to your mind when you think of football books? Many people immediately think about autobiographies of prominent football stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gary Neville and Andre Pirlo that top the best-sellers list. To be honest, you have an ideal and kudos for that.
However, there is more that just autobiographies of footballers when talking of football books. There are plenty of exciting fictional stories that have been written to make you fall deeper in love with the beautiful game and understand more about it.
Football books. Photo/ Duggleby Stephenson.
If you’re the kind who loves to read, then we got you covered with the best football books worth reading. You can also check the best football movies to watch on your free time. Now without further ado, here are the best football related books you should read.
1. The Damned Utd
The Damned Utd is a biographical book written by David Peace and published in 2006. The book depicts the events in the life of Brian Clough, a former football player and manager. It is set set during the Englishman’s brief 44-day spell as manager of Leeds United back in 1974. The book is well written and it’s a meditation on memory and critique of the self-serving Sixties. A movie has been made about the storyline.
2. Inverting The Pyramid: The History Of Football Tactics
Next on football books you should read is Inverting The Pyramid: The History Of Football Tactics. This book is an entertaining account of the evolution of football tactics over the years, starting with the 1-2-7 line-up to when the football world gradually shifted to the invert pyramid. It’s smooth and worth a read if you would love to know more about football formations.
Inverting The Pyramid: The History Of Football Tactics. Photo/ YouTube.
3. Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch was written by British author Nick Hornby and tells the story of his life as a football fan, especially supporting Arsenal Football Club. The author became a football fan as a child and has narrated all his experience over the years in the book. Fever Pitch is flawless and undoubtedly one of the best football books ever written.
4. The Match
The Match is a short story set in Nottingham Forest and uses football as a symbol of a bigger issue. The writer has somehow twisted the story to make the bigger issue a failing marriage. He has linked the protagonist’s abusive nature to the disappointment he received after going to watch a football match.
5. I Think Therefore I Play – Andrea Pirlo
Of course we had to include like two autobiographies in our list of the best football books to read. I think Therefore I Play is a short and straight to the point book covering Andrea Pirlo’s life. It covers interesting details such as transfers that never happened and fascinating stories such as the Italian playing PlayStation to pass time a few hours before playing in the World Cup, which they won.
This is the story of one of the best to ever grace the football pitch and it’s written with a level of humour that will have you open page after page until you’re done.
6. The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story
The discipline we see among footballers nowadays was not something that existed so much back in the 20th century. George Best once said “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”
Well, if you think Best was crazy then wait until you read about Robin Friday. The book ‘The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story’ tells the story of a little known talented footballer who refused to take life seriously and lived every moment as if it were his last.
The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw tells the story of Robin Friday. Photo/ These Football Times.
Drinking binges, drug life, disappearing acts, jail time and a shockingly early death of the Cardiff great are all covered here.
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