This unique collection of essays by German and British academics examines the history and significance of football in German culture and society.

"A beautiful story, expertly told." -- Per Mertesacker, Arsenal defender and member of the German national team, winners of the 2014 World Cup Estáo do Maracan", July 13, 2014, the last ten minutes of extra time in the World Cup Final: German forward Mario Gö jumps to meet a floated pass from Andr' Schü cushions the ball with his chest, and in one fluid motion volleys the ball past the onrushing Argentine goalkeeper into the far corner of the net. The goal wins Germany the World Cup for the first time in almost thirty years. As the crowd roars, Gö looks dazed, unable to comprehend what he has done. In Das Reboot, Raphael Honigstein charts the return of German soccer from the dreary functionality of the late 1990s to Gö's moment of sublime, balletic genius and asks: How did this come about? The answer takes him from California to Stuttgart, from Munich to the Maracan", via Dortmund and Amsterdam. Packed with exclusive interviews with key figures, including JüKlinsmann, Thomas Mü Oliver Bierhoff, and many more, Honigstein's book reveals the secrets of German soccer's success.

This is a topical new book critically analyzing the significance of football in German sporting and cultural life. It examines football's place in post-war and post-reunification Germany up to the successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup Finals.

From star players to rioting fans, The People's Game examines how football shaped the history of communist East Germany.

From German unification to the birth of the Bundesliga and beyond, this book tells the history of Germany's cult football club and its famously left wing fan base.

The game of football has played a key role in shaping and cementing senses of national identity throughout the world. Aware that the game may afford a space for expressing protest, groups may attempt to harness the forces of populist nationalism. This book examines football in 18 countries.