Soccer for Dummies

“Two thumbs up.... This book will broaden your knowledge of the game.”
—Ron Newman, all-time winningest American Soccer Coach

“This book will help people to understand why soccer is the world’s sport and why we love it so much.”
—Tiffeny Milbrett, Forward, U.S. Women’s National Team

“Fans will love it, and those who want to become fans will devour it.”
—Bob Ley, ESPN/ABC Broadcaster

Simplicity alone doesn’t explain soccer’s enormous popularity worldwide. Soccer is a game that can be as frustrating as golf, as physical as football and hockey, as sporadic as baseball, and as graceful as basketball. It can also be addictive. Whether you are a youth league player, a soccer parent, or a World Cup fan, here, at last, is the book you’ve been waiting for. Written by New York Daily News soccer columnist Michael Lewis with the full support and participation of the United States Soccer Federation, Soccer For Dummies shows you how to:

• Get a handle on soccer rules and regulations
• Learn the basic moves and plays
• Improve dribbling, passing, and other basic skills
• Find a league to play in
• Coach kids effectively
• Get more out of the game as a spectator

Featuring expert tips from U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Soccer Team stars and packed with hundreds of action photos and illustrations, Soccer For Dummies is the ultimate beginner’s guide to the sport. You’ll discover:

• The where and wear of soccer
• Laws of the game
• Footwork, passing, shooting, receiving, goal tending, and other game fundamentals
• Staying in soccer shape
• Teamwork and strategy
• Coaching youth soccer
• Everything the informed spectator should know
• The current state of soccer at all levels from youth leagues to geriatric leagues

Get Soccer For Dummies and get the lowdown on the world’s most popular sport from some of its most celebrated players.

If you are looking for a book full of annoying cross references (i.e. see page 118; see page 73) and for a book which repeats the same quotes or phrases in different chapters (was there really no editor?) BUY THIS BOOK.

Also, if you are looking for cheap tid-bits and trivia about the US women's soccer team (was it really necessary to write three times about one female ripping her shirt off after a goal?) BUT THIS BOOK.

If you want to have a general overview about the rules of Soccer but want nothing of strategy, technique, training, then BUY THIS BOOK. (or why not just go to the FIFA website and download the same rules which make up 50% of this book)

But if you want to learn how to play or coach soccer, forget it. This book is a COMPLETE waste of time.


Excellent intro for newcomers; solid content for veterans   February 20, 2001
 11 out of 12 found this review helpful

Carries on the excellent tradition of the "for dummies" books: offers solid content and information for veteran soccer afficionados while organized as a well-written, well rounded introduction for the novice. Gives comprehensive overviews about all aspects of the game -- rules, strategies, the world of professional soccer (the leagues, tournaments, events), as well as an excellent history of the game and its development. It's refreshing to see a book for newcomers that doesn't strip things down - there is a wealth of well-researched information here that is useful for the experienced fan or participant.