The World Cup: A Complete Illustrated History, 1930-2026 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798189920691)

From a half-finished concrete bowl above the Rio de la Plata in 1930 to Spain's extra-time win under the lights of MetLife Stadium in 2026, the World Cup has crowned champions, broken hosts, started arguments no referee could settle, and stopped the planet every four years.

Most books give you the results. This one gives you the tournaments - what was at stake, what decided them, and why they are still argued about.

Every tournament has its own chapter: the host and the field, the matches that decided it, the final itself, the records, and the photographs of the era.

• The Maracanazo, the Miracle of Bern and a 17-year-old Pelé
• Maradona's four minutes in Mexico City - the Hand of God and the goal of the century
• The Mineirazo, Zidane's headbutt, and Messi's coronation in Qatar
• The first 48-team tournament and Spain's second crown in 2026
• Quick-reference facts for all 23 tournaments, a designed roll of champions for each, and every all-time record

For the fan who watched Italia '90 and the one who started in Qatar. For the reader who wants the whole story in one volume, told properly.

Every tournament. Every champion. Every defining moment.