How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization

interesting take on politics and government. Basically takes the movie Green Street Hooligans and makes it 100 times better.

The cover was more intersting then the book. Started off fun linking soccer hooligans and their role in the kosovo wars, but then got a little old.

To be sure, this is a fun read, especially for fans of the beautiful game, and examining globalization through the lens of soccer provides for a unique take. That said, sections of the book seem like fluff to fill a page quota, and the overall premise suffers from a Friedmanite "world is flat" outlook that glosses over many of the complexities of globalized economic regimes and excludes more compelling theories of globalization (that, I would add, could probably just as easily be rendered visible through soccer).

Great for a taste of how increasingly porous borders and cultures have created some truly strange situations for individuals. This is not a comprehensive examination of globalization, but rather a fan's examination of its effects from which the reader may drawn conclusions about the merits and detriments of an emphasis on cross-national commerce.

An interesting read and an interesting premise, but I don't really think it was executed very well. I had trouble getting through this book.

Pretty interesting - who knew how violent and corrupt soccer is in the rest of the world. It may be a stretch, but apparently soccer "fans" were involved in the Balkan wars, the president of Italy owns (or owned) AC Milan, Brazilian soccer players are the best in the world, but they all play in Europe, and there are a lot of people in the US who are very opposed to their children playing soccer.

an interesting but surface-oriented book. taken as a whole, it's an entertaining read, but since the chapters are so short the best chapters (celtic-rangers, barca, milan-juve) end up being the most frustrating. more depth would have been greatly appreciated. still, it's not a bad read and it serves as a decent primer to soccer for folks who are not into the sport, but may be into cultural affairs.

This one is art. I love the trip around the world exploring the politics of what is far more than just a game in many places. When will the US embrace it like the rest. Recommended by my brother for soccer players, cultural anthropologists, and those who wish to have a more global view of just about anything.

I loved this book. As an American, I mostly follow the sport in my imagination by looking at beautiful still pictures of contorted postures on the field. I learned to think about soccer in a bigger and deeper way than my romanticized vision of it, and that just made me love soccer more.

One of the most unique books I have ever read. If you love soccer, world politics and history then this book will be in your top five all-time favorites. It is so insightful and cleverly written. Foer is a genius to come up with this idea.