FIFA World Cup: The Greatest Matches of All Time : ISBN 978-1-6782-1078-6 / eBook: 978-1-6782-1079-3
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2025
A stirring roundup of notable World Cup upsets, comebacks, and hard-fought matches since the first competition in 1930.
Streissguth introduces readers to this quadrennial event, which is “the most popular athletic competition in the world,” through a highlight reel of spectacular feats and flubs. Between the first chapter (“Best Comeback Victories”) and the final one (“Highest-Scoring Matches”), he gathers short but dramatic recaps of lopsided victories, memorable underdog wins, notable championship games, and strong individual performances. The events he covers include Australia’s 31-0 drubbing of American Samoa in qualifying matches in 2001 (in part due to passport issues on Samoa’s part that led to a serious imbalance in experience levels between the teams) and, when it comes to finals, “the most lopsided of them all”—the 13-0 defeat of Thailand by the U.S. in the 2019 Women’s World Cup (the overall focus of the book is primarily on men’s teams and their players). Unsurprisingly, Pelé and Lionel Messi are among the iconic athletes whose skillful maneuvers appear in the chapters on individual feats. Readers learn about a few controversies, like the goal Diego Maradona scored with his hand in 1986. Mostly, though, Streissguth focuses on giving the Cup’s history a worthy luster that will leave readers eager to learn more and catch upcoming matches. Interspersed photos depict international stars of both present and past in action.
Engrossing. (timeline, source notes, for further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)
FIFA World Cup: The Greatest Matches of All Time : ISBN 978-1-6782-1078-6 / eBook: 978-1-6782-1079-3
School Library Journal, May 1, 2026
Gr 7-9—Each World Cup is its own moment in history, and this book delves into tournament superlatives. Learn about the matches that became known for things like “Best Comeback Victories,” “Best Underdog Wins,” “Most Lopsided Victories,” “Greatest Individual Performances,” and more. Each match is explored in depth and described in an immersive way that makes readers feel like they are watching the game. Matches from the previous World Cup in 2022 end up on many of these lists. Photos, inset quotations, and frequent headers break up the blocks of text. Fans will enjoy the throwbacks to some of the most memorable matches throughout the tournament’s history, complete with retro photography. VERDICT This book provides just the right amount of throwback energy for older fans of the tournament.