Book details

Book description

Every four years, cities and villages all over the globe come to a standstill to watch the most passionate sporting spectacle on earth: football's World Cup. A TV audience of 260 million people watched the World Cup final between Italy and France in 2006. The audience around the world for the games in the tournament came to a cumulative 5. 9 billion in 54 countries. And 41 per cent of those television viewers were women. Records will probably be smashed yet again at World Cup 2010 in South Africa. But how did this phenomenon begin, this tournament that captures our attention like no other? And what are the standout moments in its history? "Mail on Sunday" journalist Mark Ryan gives a fascinating insight into the story and the people behind the tournament, the key players and teams who have inspired millions of people around the globe to cheer their team on to glory and to see their country claim that most prized sporting trophy in the history of the 'beautiful game'. Mark Ryan has been a sports journalist for 25 years, and has written at some stage for just about every national newspaper in Britain. Also a prolific author, he recently finished writing a biography of England's 2010 World Cup coach - "Fabio Capello, The Boss" (published by JR Books). He regularly reports on the London based football matches for the Mail on Sunday newspaper. Ryan's work in football has taken him on assignments worldwide, and that extensive travel has helped him to develop a truly international perspective on the game he loves most. Mark Ryan's experience in radio reporting made him the ideal presenter for the audio edition of this history of the World Cup - from its chaotic beginnings to the global phenomenon it has become today. Now 48, Ryan lives in Berkshire, England, with his wife Victoria and son Luca.