German soccer legend Lothar Matthaus started playing soccer at 11 and began his professional career at 17. Second only to Beckenbauer among Germany's greatest sweepers, he was an all-around player who could fill almost any position in the midfield or defense! Another star began playing at 12 and joined a professional team at 18. A little chubby at the time, he was nicknamed "the chubby kid from Cordoba." He was the Argentine soccer legend Gabriel Batistuta, the man hailed by fans around the world as the "War God." A chubby guy from China never received any professional soccer training as a child, yet began his professional career at 19. Can he make it?
On the soccer field, the players' sweat, dazzling skills, and blood and tears of perseverance captivate the audience. But the action off the field is just as exciting: the locker room, clubs, soccer associations and federations, all kinds of schemes and rivalries, make for a drama every bit as gripping as a Hollywood blockbuster. This book will show you a soccer world full of life and grit!
