There is no sporting event more popular than the World Cup. For one month every four years, hundreds of millions of people around the world turn their attention to the tournament. People call in sick to work, fans pack into bars to watch games or stay home for days at a time glued to their TV sets, and even wars stop. Nothing else seems to matter.

In A History of the World Cup: 1930-2010, Clemente Lisi chronicles this international phenomenon, providing vivid accounts of individual games from the tournament's origins in 1930 to modern times. It features a glossary of terms, statistics for each competition, photos, and profiles of the most memorable-and controversial-figures of the sport, including Diego Maradona, Juste Fontaine, Franz Beckenbauer, Mario Kempes, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, and, of course, Pelé. Though other histories of the World Cup largely ignore the United States' contribution to the competition, this volume highlights the progress of the American teams over the last several decades.

Updated with a new chapter on the 2010 World Cup and with profiles of those players who stood out in the latest competition-along with revised statistical information-A History of the World Cup provides a fascinating read for fans of the game.