How do some of soccer’s smartest and most accomplished figures master the craft of the game? This in-depth analysis of modern soccer reveals how elite players and coaches strategize on and off the field to execute in high-pressure situations. “A worthy addition to any soccer fan’s shelf.”—The Wall Street Journal In Masters of Modern Soccer, America’s premier soccer journalist, Grant Wahl, reveals what players and managers are thinking before, during, and after games and delivers a true behind-the-scenes perspective on the inner workings of the sport’s brightest minds. Wahl follows world-class players from across the globe, examining how they do their jobs and gaining deep insight from the players on how goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards function individually and as a unit to excel and win. He also shadows a manager and director of soccer as they juggle the challenges of coaching, preparation, and the short- and long-term strategies of how to identify and acquire talent and deploy it on the field. These central figures share the little details that matter, position by position: • Attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic explains why he wears his soccer cleats a size too small to make his first touch even better. • Forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernández reveals the Mexican national team’s secret synchronized patterns that create space for him in front of the goal. • Defender Vincent Kompany tells you why his teammates’ pressure on the ball means he can defend his man more tightly in the penalty box. • Defensive midfielder Xabi Alonso describes his disdain for slide tackles and the tendency among even the best professional midfielders to play too closely to one another. • Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer tells the origin story of his sweeper-keeper role, which has allowed him to redefine the position for the modern game. • Head coach Roberto Martínez explains the differences between coaching clubs and national teams and why one of the first things he looks for in any game situation is numerical advantage. • Director of football Michael Zorc discusses what he looks for when it comes to identifying players he can buy low and sell high, Moneyball-style, while still competing to win trophies. The definitive analysis of the craft of soccer, Masters of Modern Soccer will change the way any fan, player, coach, or sideline enthusiast experiences the game.

In The Mental Game of Soccer, mental conditioning expert Brian Cain takes you through the process of playing the game one touch at a time so that you give yourself the best chance for success on the field and in life.Cain works with top college and high school soccer coaches, players and programs on developing mental toughness and having a system to play their best when it means the most.In The Mental Game of Soccer: Playing the Game One Touch at a Time you will learn how to:Train your mental toughness just like you train your body to be a one-touch warrior.Establish and live program core values that create a championship culture.Compete one touch at a time, fully focused in the present moment.Focus on the process of becoming a champion, which results in championships.Moving from spending time at practice and in film to investing time so you get a return.Keep a positive and aggressive attitude in a game of adversity and failure.Take your preparation to the next level, both physically and mentally.Create routines for everything in soccer so you become a machine of consistency.Stay in control of your emotions so you can stay focused on what really matters.Choose your response in any adversity by developing response-ability.Use mental imagery for enhanced confidence and skill development.Stay inspired and motivated throughout the grind of the year-long soccer season."I've been coaching soccer for over 20 years, and this is the best book I have ever read."Levi TeasleyHead Soccer Coach Ellensburg High School"The Mental Game of Soccer gives you the complete system for playing the game one touch at a time. What Cain has done is simplify the process of exactly how to give yourself the best chance for success on the pitch and build true mental toughness. This book is a game changer."Dina GravesHead Soccer CoachThe Woodlands High School2010 Texas 5A State Champions

A former football star finds he must share the spotlight with other players when he decides to play soccer.

The Real Giants of Soccer Coaching is a collection of the curated thoughts of nearly 30 top soccer coaches from around the globe. In this book, you will gain access to the depth and breadth of experience from some of the best coaches across all areas of the beautiful game: from grassroots to premier leagues and everything in between. You will learn theoretical details about tactical periodization, positional play, and the science of motor learning. You will also learn from Youth National Team coaches, NCAA National Championship winning coaches, and First Division coaches from top European clubs. This book is a resource that can direct your coaching education over and around the perilous pitfalls that often consume most coaches. After reading this book, you will have gained the experience, knowledge, and wisdom of some of the best coaches across all areas of the game. You don't have to go your coaching path alone. Take this book and bring the wisdom of these top coaches with you to help navigate every corner, turn, and hazard along your way to becoming a great coach.

Simon Kuper's New York Times bestseller Soccernomics pioneered a new way of looking at soccer through meticulous empirical analysis and incisive -- and witty -- commentary. Kuper now leaves the numbers and data behind to explore the heart and soul of the world's most popular sport in the new, extraordinarily revealing Soccer Men. Soccer Men goes behind the scenes with soccer's greatest players and coaches. Inquiring into the genius and hubris of the modern game, Kuper details the lives of giants such as Arsè Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Jorge Valdano, Lionel Messi, Kakáand Didier Drogba, describing their upbringings, the soccer cultures they grew up in, the way they play, and the baggage they bring to their relationships at work. From one of the great sportswriters of our time, Soccer Men is a penetrating and surprising anatomy of the figures that define modern soccer.