In many parts of the world, football (“soccer” in the U.S.) represents a way of life. Roughly 150 million players register for professional or amateur leagues and roughly two billion people of all ages across the globe enjoy football recreationally. Few people, however, know the origins of the game or understand how its tactics evolved. This informative work traces the historical development of football and its team tactics from 1863—the year the English Football Association was founded—to the present. It describes significant formations and trends, identifies the major reasons for tactical changes, and introduces the most influential leaders in the sport. Also included are a glossary of relevant terms, a history of the World Cup, and a biographical list of famous players of the past. This essential resource for coaches, players, and fans will foster a greater understanding of and appreciation for the world’s most popular team sport.

Jaime Orejan is a professor of sport marketing at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. He has published extensively on topics related to football around the world.

Jaime Orejan
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 256
Bibliographic Info: 47 photos, graphs, glossary, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4784-8
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8566-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      ix

Foreword by Robyn L. Jones      x

Preface      1

Introduction      5

1. Early Beginnings      9

2. History of the English Football Association (FA)      20

3. The Founding of FIFA      42

4. Football in the United States      49

5. The Field and the Players      60

6. History of Tactics and Strategies      67

7. Major Tactical Formations      90

8. Defensive and Attacking Tactics      128

9. General Tactics      140

10. Summary and Conclusions      154

Appendix A. Laws of the Game      163

Appendix B. Glossary      201

Appendix C. Important Dates in the Evolution of Football      206

Appendix D. World Cup History      208

Appendix E. Famous Players      215

Appendix F. Football Facts      233

Notes      237

Bibliography      239

Index      245

“a useful tool…something for everyone. Recommended”—Choice.