Customer Reviews
A gem of a book - By: Fat-Old-Sun, 24 Mar 2007 
This is quite simply one of the best footballl books you'll ever read.
Rather than a dry history of the game in Brazil, Bellos has attempted (and very much succeeded) to put across exactly why the country & its population is so obsessed with the beautiful game. If you're looking for Charles Miller & the growth of footballl in the country then look elsewhere. If you want an interesting & highly entertaining look at how footballl impacts every part of Brazilian life & culture then this is it.
You will find this hard to put down & out of the vast numbers of footballl books I've read this is up there with the very best. It's a gem.
Bits of it were good, bits of it were soso - By: Robert Francis, 12 Feb 2007 
I like footballl & I like Brazil, but somehow this book fell through the cracks. It was interesting to get what is an in-depth & knowledgable view of a fascinating country, but what struck me most throughout was the abject poverty of the clubs, the fans, & society, & the endemic corruption which looks to continue (despite what the author suggests towards the end) ad nauseum. All this talk of 'party atmospheres' & 'happy go lucky' supporters makes me wonder whether the critics read the book properly!
Bellos writes well, but some bits are better than others - my favourite bit was on the big boss of Vasco & any focus on club footballl. Some bits were a bit naff (cars), some pointless (faroes) & some missed opportunties (Socrates interview).
All in alll, could have been better, & bit darker, because after alll, that seems to be the way it is over there....
Now i Understand - By: , 29 Jun 2005 Having read this book I now know why Brazil are far more superior at Footballl (Futebol) lots of Amazing stories & at times very funny - a good educational book for footballl fans to understand the game from Brazil's Grass Roots to the National World Champions, Stories about games been stopped so players could see who could kick the balll the highest to a game off footballl using cars, Ronaldo of Real Madrid - a chapter about arguably the greatest Brazil player of alll time Garrinchia. a Must for alll footballl fans
Enchanting and beguiling - By: , 10 Nov 2003 I have been a fan of Brazilian footballl since the 1970 World Cup. Now, after reading Alex Bellos' superbly written & painstakingly researched book, I am a fan of Brazil itself. If only the people of the Old World could share in the infectious joy of living of the Brazilian people, & if only I could retrace Alex Bellos' journey....maybe someday!
Great Book - By: rigsby, 02 Oct 2003 A wonderful annecdotal, factfile of Brazilian life & how it's seemingly totallly entwined with footballl. Footballl is life to Brazilians & they take the playing of the game to extremes of alll kinds! The wonderful telling of beautiful but tragic tales of players such as Garrincha & Barbosa & the "Fateful Final" of the 1950 World Cup where the whole of Brazil seemingly mourned the defeat against Uruguay.
Terrific book & a real eye opener on Brazilian culture & life...
